I have phone calls several times each week from people wanting to know how to best communicate with and market to Gen Y. The best advice I have for people is to start following Brazen Careerist. The popular blog probably has more hits daily than any other career blog on the internet, and it is authored by a few hundred Gen Y bloggers. So…if you really want to get to know Gen Y, you have to listen to them and know what’s on their minds before you go barging into their world.

So, today I Wordled the site (today, May 7, 2009):

As you can see, the words that pop out are school, just, people, immigrants, like, something, spouse, job and a few others that pop out.  Wordle will tell you what the most popular words are being used, and my logic tells me that:

1) These words above are the words that are on the minds of the Gen Ys who blog for BC download fast and furious 4 online

2) These words are commonly used by these young adults

So…if you want to know what’s going on in the world of Gen Y, spend some time on Brazen Careerist. Read their posts, listen to their concerns, and you will then know much better how to interact with twenty-something employees (AND how to market to them!)

As an Executive Coach and Leadership Consultant, I work with leaders from all walks of life who interact with employees from all walks of life and all generations.  The thing that I notice more often than not is that more senior leaders are “brushing off” a few huge opportunities to build out their relationship with their Gen Y careerists.

So, today, I am going to ask you 3 “DUH” questions…these are so obvious, but about 70% of the leaders I meet are not able to answer “YES” to these questions.

1) Are you using technology to communicate with Generation Y? This includes blogging, text messaging, Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, wikis and forums.  This one step takes only minutes, and if you’re smart, you will learn how to connect all of your social networks together with a service like Ping.fm so that one message is sent out to all networks at one time.  There is really no excuse for not using the technology Gen Y is comfortable using to communicate with them, and it honestly takes about 5 minutes to get set up.

2) Are you giving your Gen Y careerists a voice in your organization? If not, why not?  This is one of the most creative, intelligent generations we have alive today, and if you are not asking for their input, listening to their ideas and then incorporating their suggestions into your company, there is a good chance you will lose them AND your company will lose its competitive edge.  And…just stop that junk about how the economy is going to make Gen Y less vocal and more willing to follow some of what I call those “stupid rules” of the company where only senior managers have a voice and get invited into those “secret/private” meetings.  That is so dark ages.

3) Are you spending time truly listening and supporting your Gen Ys when they come to you in need of help and feedback? I sat last week and watched a senior leader talking to a Gen Y…he was nodding his head up and down like one of those bobble head dolls that looked like this:

It was obvious he was not listening…he was just doing the bobble head thing to act like he was listening.   Take the time to sit down with your Gen Y’s and really listen to them, give them the feedback they want, and give them the support they need to build a great career.  You will be glad you took the time to show that you care.  And…don’t do the bobble head thing…just stop that!

I added a blog post to the EDGE blog today.  Would like to pass this along to the Millennial Leaders community:

It is not uncommon to talk with leaders each day who say they just don’t understand Twitter. They go to the site and see where someone is talking about the coffee they are drinking or their latest trip to the grocery store.

The reality is that this microblogging tool is gaining more and more users, and the momentum is high.  CEOs from around the world are now using Twitter as a way to expand their brands and connect to their employees and customers.

If you are a leader of either a small, medium or large enterprise, there are 10 reasons you should use Twitter.

Read the list of 10 on this post

This article was written by Bea Fields.  Fields is the President of Bea Fields Companies, Inc. and the co-author of EDGE! A Leadership Story and the co-author of Millennial Leaders:  Success Stories From Today’s Most Brilliant Generation Y Leaders.

In today’s fiercely competitive world, innovation and global collaboration are two of the building blocks both small and large businesses will need to thrive in the world. In our opinion, no one knows this subject better than Liam J. Cleaver, IBM’s Program Director for Collaborative Innovation and IBM Jams. During this insightful interview, Bea Fields and Ryan Coleman (The Next Force) will be talking with Liam about how IBM has used jams to involve its more than 300,000  employeesround the world in far-reaching exploration and problem-solving. This is going to be a great show! Please tune in on January 29 at 4:00 Eastern.

Listen to the show live here on Thursday.

Are you a see-through, stripped down leader?

If so…congratulations! If not…reading this blog post may be one of the best decisions you have made in a long while (and not because I am a great writer!)

I keep hearing a plea from Gen Ys around the world for both advertisers and leaders to be more authentic…to become more see-through and stripped down. They say they are tired of hype and brands that are wrapped in gobs of shiny paper, ribbon and bells and whistles…the demand for simplicity is screaming, but are we really doing something about it?

I was in The Gap last week, and within five minutes, my daughter and I were overwhelmed. Did we want skinny, flare or boot-cut jeans? Did we want dark or light denim? Did we want stretch or original? Then…what size and length. I had a headache from pulling jeans off the shelf, and finally we left the store with a sweater and a skirt…no jeans. I love The Gap, but the store was covered up in clothing…piles and piles and clothes thrown on the floor…it looked like a carnage had taken place. The overwhelm had gotten the best of us, so we tried to get over the Gap hangover by heading to Maggianos for some pasta (so that we then had to then buy bigger jeans!)

I keep wondering where this craving for authenticity is taking our world. As a coach, for years, we have taught programs like “Simplicity” and “Clean Sweep” and “Authentic You.” But for Gen Ys, these concepts are nothing new…they are how they are choosing to live, and they are now scrutinizing companies and leaders who are not transparent. Good for them! Maybe we will finally all get to a greater life as a result.

Since age 5, Gen Y has been bombarded with messages and millions of bits and pieces of information. They have watched as scams and scandals have come to the forefront of our society, and they say they are in information overload. Adderall is being eaten like candy just to get through exam week, and multi-tasking is not an “art”, it is at the root of Gen Y’s core. So…can you blame Gen Y for wanting things to be more authentic and simple? And…if you are a decision maker who is trying to lead the Millennial generation, what can you do?

Here are 5 strategies I recommend to leaders who are working on becoming more authentic/more stripped down:

1) Write your manifesto…uncensored. Write stream of consciousness about your life story, your frustrations, your quirks and your assets. Once finished, sit down and talk with a trusted friend about your story and how you can bring more of who you are into the work you do as a leader.

2) Drop the white lies. If you are telling a white lie, you will eventually get caught. Always happens. If you need help with some language to be able to tell the truth, work with a coach to develop out the words you need to speak from a place of truth.

3) Learn how to admit you made a mistake and apologize publicly for those mistakes. It takes a lot of guts to admit a flaw, but it can help you build a deeper connection with people.  If you need help, ask a coach or a close colleague for support.

4) Surround yourself with people who you genuinely like and care about and who like and care about you. This is critical. As a leader, if you are spending time with people who are not truly a reflection of who you are OR worse…who you don’t like, it will trip you up in a New York minute.

5) Know your strengths and your shortcomings, and work on both. Some people believe that addressing weaknesses is a drain and a waste of energy. While there is some truth to this, Gen Y can spot a hole or weakness from a mile away. The best thing you can do as a leader is to openly admit when you have a weakness and what you plan to do about it. Your plan of action may be to delegate out that area of your leadership to someone else, but the bottom line is that you have to be willing to talk about where and how you are falling short and what you plan to do about it.

If you care deeply about your company and the people who follow you, you can make a positive impact on your Gen Ys by becoming more authentic…starting today.

If you have not read Inc. Mag for December, pick up a copy and read page 68. Stephen Covey was asked this question: “My company is young and in the early stages of developing a culture. How can I make sure that we are building leaders?”

His answer made me jump up and down with happiness. Here is the gist of what he said:

1) Gen X and Gen Y employees claim they don’t need to be supervised. They are partially right: In the age of knowledge workers, accountability should not be directed toward a single boss. Instead, you should organize your company around group decision-making processes.

2) With this process, each team should have a few key strategic goals, and each employee should focus on a smaller subset of those goals.

He goes on in the article to endorse the need for transparency and to send the message that each employee is serving the company…not just one boss.

I am a big fan of self-directed leadership. Many people say I am way too much of an idealist, but think about this for one moment. If you have a team of young workers who are excited about the work they are doing and the end result to be achieved, why shouldn’t the team “self direct.” On one day, an employee who is strong in creativity may need to step up and lead the team. On another day, an analytical numbers leader may need to step in and lead. If the team really knows their strengths, then the leader who needs to step up can when they are most needed.

Just my thoughts for the day.

Talk to Generation Y about yourself and how great you are, and you’ll lose ‘em. Talk to them about the brutal truth, what’s important and meaningful to them, about their lives and you will have them eating out of your hands.

I have learned that over time, the majority of leaders learn to be comfortable in the spotlight yet most run from a magnifying glass. When it comes to Generation Y, the magnifying glass is going to become your reality. Before this cohort of careerists even grace the doors of your company, they are going to know your strengths and weaknesses, where your brand is falling short and when, where and how you are either inconsistent or flat out lying to the public.

If you are a senior leader, I have some news for you…as you read this post today, you are way too close to your own company, team and brand to see your shortcomings, but don’t worry…Gen Y is here to help you see them, so you better be prepared to answer the ever pressing question “What’s Your Story?” And, I don’t mean the story that the press has written to make you sound perfect…the story of your roots, your family, your trials and tribulations and the successes you achieved along the way. It’s time for you to hear from the people who adore you and the people who think you’re a competent jerk. As a leader, if you willing to hear the truth and then start living honestly, and if you are living authentically each and every day, you will become a role model for those who follow you. And…the bottom line here is that you need to care! You need to care about our next generation of leaders.

Over the last month, I have been talking to senior leaders and gifting them a copy of Millennial Leaders. I had one person look at the book and say “I have no use for this” while another senior partner in a company said “If you want to come in and do some training for the company, you need to talk to my secretary…I’m too busy.” My response “Thanks but no thanks to that bridge to nowhere!” If the top decision makers have no use for this topic and don’t have time for this discussion, then they are not leaders, because true leaders are the ones who care about our youth and their future. And…this is not about the book or about my services. The sad fact is that there are so many leaders who don’t care, and in about 3 years, they are going to wish they did.

I now see and know that what many historians predict is going to happen…the people and the companies who get on with the program…the program of recruiting and developing our next generation of leaders…are going to end up winning in the end. The ones who say “I have no use for this discussion or this program” are going to end up in a black hole without the talent or the knowledge to be able to stay competitive.

If you are reading this today, I encourage you to ask a group of people to take a magnifying glass and put you AND your company under it. Ask people to tell you the honest truth about your leadership…are you really addressing your shortcomings and our next great generation of leaders? If so, congratulations! If not, why not, and what are you going to do about it? It’s time to do something about this before it’s too late.

I highly recommend that you go over to Google and start reading about Generation Y…start on this blog, go out to Amazon and pick up a few books, start talking to Generation Y and do yourself a huge favor…get educated and on board before 2009 comes around.

Ryan Coleman has a great post from yesterday about the traits of Gen Y rock stars.

I work with quite a few rock stars, and the question I hear from their managers and bosses is “How do I keep my rock stars productive and excited about the work they are doing?”

I recently asked a young woman this very question. She works for a large non-profit organization, and her response was this “I don’t feel appreciated, and I would love to feel like my boss truly appreciates the work I do.”

It is not uncommon for rock stars to come across as confident when the reality is that many suffer from low self esteem or they wrestle every day questioning their ability to do great work. From the outside, it appears that these individuals are egotistical maniacs, when the reality is this…they’re human and more often than not lack the confidence they need to stay at the top of their game.

The process of raising rock stars is a gentle one…that happens gradually over time and requires a great deal of coaching, teaching and positive feedback:

1) Find out what makes your rock stars tick. This can be a variety of things…money, time off with family or a promotion. But…at the end of the day, your rock stars want to know from a very genuine place that you value who they are and that you appreciate their contributions. And…you can’t say this enough. They usually have to hear it over and over again. I am a big fan of praise, and I feel like our employees are starving for acknowledgment…and…it only takes 2 seconds to tell someone “You are doing a great job, and you are positively impacting this team and our company by doing x.” The praise you deliver needs to be tailored to each person…it needs to come across as authentic and compassionate.

2) Teach your A players how to develop boundaries. Most rock stars will go over and beyond to get your praise to the point that they often burn out in the process. Teach the A players in your organization how to say “no” and then praise them when you notice them setting a boundary.

3) Keep things interesting. The majority of the rock stars I meet tell me they are bored in one or more areas of life. When a person constantly outperforms their peers (and sometimes a boss) life and work can become mundane. Find something wildly interesting to delegate out to your rock stars. They love a challenge!

During the months of June, July and August, we surveyed 320 Generation Y careerists, ranging in age from 21-27 years of age. In the survey, we asked a few questions about leadership and what Gen Ys are looking for in a leader.

Question Number 6 was this:

If you stay with a company, what factors cause you to want to stay?

Top Answer: Number 1: Great work environment (positive, upbeat, fun, attractive, high tech, energetic and supportive)

2: Great people (great boss, great manager, great co-workers, great friends at work)

3: Opportunity for career development, growth and ongoing training

4: Money (most clarified this by saying they wanted pay to be in line with their talents and skills)

5: Opportunities for promotion/advancement in the company

6: Happiness at work (loving my job and being happy with it)

7: To know that I am doing work that is meaningful and is making an impact on the greater world

8: Job security

9: Great benefits (vacation, health insurance)

10: Strong leadership (vision, integrity, trust and inspiration at the top of the company)

I want to thank Generation Y business leader Greg Rollett for this thoughtful and inspiring post.

Why Gen-Y Needs Leadership by Greg Rollett

I am a Millennial. I need leadership. I need help in taking me from here to there, wherever there might be. And I need you to help me get there.

In the last few months I have been working with Lee Cockerell, a recently retired Disney Exec VP of Operations. Lee and I met when he was looking to learn more about Social Media and Gen-Y and apply it to the marketing of his book, Creating Magic. Being that high up in an organization like Disney takes not only patience, but a person who displays the ability to lead not just one department or team, but teams of teams, initiate new procedures and take a business further into development.

Lee has shown me time and time again that leadership starts with your core values. Caring for those around you, making sure that everyone matters and noting that everyone on your team is an extension of your brand are fundamentals of his teachings. Taking this into a leadership role is crucial for Gen-Y’s to learn as they enter the workforce and climb ladders in Corporate America, in small organization or in their own businesses.

Personally, this advice has been echoed throughout my start-up marketing agency in the past few weeks. Being a young leader itself is not an easy feat, and without guidance or leadership from someone who has “been there before,” makes is even more difficult. Leaning back on Lee’s advice and the advice in his book has helped us in hiring decisions, event appearances, employee purpose and company direction.

Finding a leader who can share their knowledge, experiences and stories with you may be one of the greatest factors in your personal development as a young leader. Humans generally like to lead by example. Even as times and technology change, we still function as we did hundreds of years ago. Learning from past mistakes, miscues, tragedies and triumphs will help us avoid pitfalls and recreate magic for our clients, customers, employers, fans and family.

Find a leader and let them share their story with you. I am a Millennial and I need leadership to help me lead.

(This guest post was written by Greg Rollett, a Social Media and Gen-Y Marketer from Orlando, FL. Read more from Greg at his personal blog or email him at greg.rollett@endagon.com. The Gen-Y promotion site by Greg and Lee is Creating Gen-Y Magic)