Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom

What Will Young Workers in 2030 Be Like?

Did you know that there’s another baby boom on?  Since the mid 2000s, the fertility rate in the U.S. has been at its highest since 1971, meaning that the generation preliminarily known as Generation Z is actually larger than its predecessor, the mammoth Generation Y. 

The new boom is thought to be caused by a confluence of factors including a greater number of procreating immigrants and a high population of childbearing-age women – including those who have put off having children until their 40s.

Generational expert Neil Howe coined the term “Homelanders” to describe today’s children, stating that they are growing up in a time of “greater public urgency and emergency, both at home and around the world.”

For more about the Homelanders and what they'll be like as workers in 2030, check out my post on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

 

Could Google+ Be a Useful Work Tool?

The online world is buzzing about Google+ (or Google Plus), which is purported to be Google’s answer to Facebook.  Since it’s not available to the public, I haven’t used it yet, but I have seen the news coverage and Google’s promo video.  I’m excited to check out Google+ because I think it could have some interesting applications for us professional folk.

Help Keeping Work and Personal Groups Separate

Google+ aims to differentiate itself from Facebook by creating separate spaces to interact with business and personal contacts. I’m momentarily intrigued by this prospect since I’m never quite sure what to do with my Facebook network.  I’d rather have separate pages to reflect my work and personal lives, but the concept of a “fan page” makes me a little uncomfortable.

Maybe Google+ is the answer. Google+’s Social Circles allow you to effectively and easily segment your colleagues, professional associates, partners, friends, and family members on the same network.

Instantaneous Collaboration

Google+ can be viewed as a next generation wiki, which many work groups already use to keep everyone up to date. The Sparks feature encourages members of Social Circles to share and talk about relevant news and information, using a smartphone to quickly upload videos, photos, and documents.

The Hangouts feature could be handy because it alerts your circles when you’re online and ready for collaboration, and also provides the ability to automatically launch a video chat with multiple participants. This can be a terrific way to gather a bunch of colleagues in far-flung geographic together for a meeting, presentation, or last minute brainstorm.

Long & Short of It

Clearly Google+ isn’t trying to recreate the Facebook environment. Facebook indisputably has the feel of a community, and Google+ is really just offering new additions to Google’s growing suite of tools. They also didn’t design Google+ as web-based software for solving the collaboration needs of work groups. Only time will tell if it will actually catch on and make a more lasting impact in people’s personal and professional lives than previous attempts Google Wave and Google Buzz.

What do you think?  Is Google just in time or unfashionably late for the social networking dinner party?

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

Bells and Whistles in the Workplace?

A reporter recently asked me about creative solutions for beating the mid-winter corporate blahs, such as changes to workplace set-ups like free-range work spaces without offices and cubicles, nap rooms, and X-box lounges.

Extreme amenities like video game lounges are still fairly rare, and this is not necessarily a bad thing.  Unless you work in a design firm (for example) where a foosball machine is an expected accessory of the culture, these types of offerings are really more of a distraction.

It's important to provide a pleasant environment, but let's not forget that there's a reason this place you go every day is called “work” and not “fun.”  It’s not smart to go so far that you undermine the jobs that people are there to do.

There’s also a danger inherent to jumping on board with any new fad.  Free-range office space was all the rage a few years ago, and a lot of companies spent a ton of cash remodeling only to realize that most employees don’t actually like this set-up.  Everyone from entry-level staffers to senior executives prefers some modicum of privacy.

I think it’s better for organizations to try to beat the blahs by planning communal activities like happy hours or after-work socializing, motivating employees through rewards and recognition for a job well done and continuous exposure to new responsibilities and challenges.

 

Learning from my Journey to Brazil

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro Brazil as part of a conference I was keynoting for Latin American HR executives on the future of the global workplace.  I had a wonderful experience learning about what it's like to be a citizen in Brazil today (exciting, stressful, expensive), and where Brazilians see their careers going in the future (multiple jobs, more traveling).

I also had the chance to ask two young professionals, Marcelo Cuellar, Manager of Human Resources for Michael Page International Brasil, and Alexandre Ma Ling, a freelance tour guide in Rio, about the fastest growing industries in Brazil.  Here's what they had to say:

Marcelo in Sao Paulo:

Alex in Rio:

Impressions from DeVry University's Career Conference

I arrived in New York City last week for what would become one of the most exciting events of my career as a business and workplace author and speaker.  On August 19th, DeVry University brought together 10 influential members of the online media, as well as a panel of career experts from the academic, corporate, and think-tank sides, to discuss the challenges job seekers face in the current economic climate and strategies they can utilize to build successful careers in the twenty-first century.

After a brief networking breakfast, we launched the morning with some remarks – grounded in research – about the fastest growing fields in the U.S: healthcare management and technology, accounting, and information security.  I shared with the audience what the careers entail as well as action steps people can take to transition into them.  I explored how additional education at a flexible, online/offline university like DeVry can facilitate a career change in a way that is manageable for the average busy American.

We then proceeded to the highlight of the morning – a panel discussion led by DeVry’s Michelle Mercutio, the National Associate Dean for Career Services.  Through an engaging discussion with the audience, panel members Lindsay Lindstrom of Microsoft, Erica Orange of Weiner, Edrich, Brown, Inc (leading futurist firm), Kathleen Frawley of DeVry, and I touched on a diverse range of career-related topics from “on the side” entrepreneurship and mid-career internships to generational differences and the new language of technology. 

After the panel reluctantly concluded, audience members filmed one-on-one interviews with panelists, viewed a smartphone career assessment and an online course demonstration, and networked with one another.  The event was so inspiring that the attendees agreed to meet as a group on a regular basis to continue the discussion. 

When I was speaking to audience members prior to the event, few were aware of just how far DeVry has come in recent years.  They certainly left with the perception that DeVry is a thought-leader in career and workplace education that is front and center in helping people of all ages find and succeed in their dream careers. 

 

Why Office Popularity Matters

In high school, didn’t a part of you always wonder how the cool kids did it? Popularity remained an enigmatic aspect of human existence that ceased to be relevant once we threw our caps in the air…right?

There are scores of research studies on popularity in schools, and most have indicated that popular children are viewed as better students and make and maintain friendships more easily. In 2009, however, organizational psychologists Timothy Judge and B.A. Scott at the University of Florida demonstrated that popularity plays a significant role on success in the workplace. They defined popularity as being “accepted by one’s peers” and conceptualized it as a function of both an employee’s personality and the situational position within his group.

As a result of studying two samples of employee populations, professors Judge and Scott reported that co-workers reliably agreed about who was popular on their team – and who wasn’t. Co-workers also felt that an employee’s popularity was associated with receiving more favorable treatment at work. Why? Judge and Scott suggest that popular employees are rewarding to interact with for both emotional and instrumental reasons. In addition to being “fun to be with,” popular individuals are thought to increase co-worker status by association and make it easier to get things done.

Meg Cabot just wrote a book for teens called How to Be Popular, but rest assured, I’m not going to make you read it. Instead, here are some painless tips for increasing your popularity on the office social circuit.

• Be interested in other people: Human beings love to talk about themselves and be listened to. By taking the time to learn about what a co-worker deems important and inquiring about those things, you’ll make her happy and encourage her to like you.
• Shift attention away from yourself: Don’t chat on endlessly about what you and your boyfriend or girlfriend did over the weekend, and if a co-worker broaches a particular topic, don’t immediately turn the discussion to your own experiences. Instead of trying to be admired, be admiring.
• Eradicate self-consciousness: People who lack confidence make others feel nervous and awkward. When conversing with co-workers, try to be natural and relaxed, without worrying about how you’re being perceived.
• Organize team building activities: You don’t have to be your department’s cheerleader, but it’s nice to occasionally take charge of getting the group together for drinks or another fun activity after work or during the holidays. Most people like to be social, and the individual who takes responsibility for being the organizer usually gets popularity points.
• Help whenever you can: Always be generous with your knowledge, expertise, and time without expecting anything in return. People like those who they can count on in times of stress and who are willing to pitch in without making a big production out of it.

 

Millennials Are Still Optimistic About the Future

Against a backdrop of economic volatility, the vast majority of young professional women believe they will have rewarding careers balanced with fulfilling personal lives, according to research just released by Accenture.  The research also generated the Accenture Millennial Women Workplace Success Index, which identified two primary qualities as key to workplace success – the ability to balance personal and professional lives and a job where they can make a difference.

Ultimately, more than half of the respondents define success as doing meaningful work, while maintaining balance between their personal and professional lives (cited by 66 percent and 59 percent, respectively).  Other factors of workplace success include stable employment that provides financial security, a positive work environment, open and honest communication with supervisors and opportunities to grow professionally.

Almost all of the respondents – 94 percent – believe they can achieve a balance between a satisfying professional life and a gratifying personal life.  Similarly, when asked to list typical qualities of a successful female business leader, seven in 10 (70 percent) cited “maintains work/life balance,” followed by “is flexible” and “is able to make an impact” (reported by 66 percent and 64 percent, respectively).  At the same time, almost six in ten (59 percent) report being at least somewhat negatively affected by the current economic downturn, and one-third (33 percent) are more concerned with keeping their jobs than achieving work/life balance.

For these respondents, quality of life is often more important than their career growth.  Seven in ten (70 percent) reported that they believe they will be successful, and fully one-third of these young female professionals said they believe they will reach the top of their professions.  However, they cited medical benefits and flexible hours (reported by 63 percent and 50 percent, respectively) as drivers of professional success, compared to classes and training for professional advancement (37 percent).  Similarly, when asked about what is important to them, 66 percent cited family life, compared to 29 percent who cited career success.

Perhaps fueling confidence in their future, respondents reported that barriers to professional success are changing.  When asked to rank barriers to their careers, just 12 percent cited marriage, and 19 percent mentioned maternity policies, compared to 30 percent who cited pay scale for women.   Respondents also reported that women are increasingly joining the ranks of senior executives.  Fewer than one in ten (seven percent) reported that fewer women are being appointed to C-suite positions and boards of directors than five years ago.  

Yet gender barriers have not disappeared completely.  According to respondents, ongoing gender obstacles include a corporate culture that favors men, general stereotypes/ preconceptions and sexism (reported by 28 percent, 26 percent and 22 percent, respectively). 

Manage Your Career Via Your iPhone

My friend and role model Stephen Covey and his partner Jennifer Colosimo, have just released the new book, Great Work, Great Career: How to Create Your Ultimate Job and Make an Extraordinary Contribution.  Even better, though, they've developed a companion application for the iPhone so that you can think about your career and pursue action steps during downtime!  Features are based on the key content areas of the book and include:

• Know Your Strengths – Research-based assessments help users to discover personality, strengths and career interests
• Define Your Contribution – A contribution statement builder helps users specifically define how they can match their strengths, talents and passions to an opportunity that matters to an employer.
• Build Your Village – A unique network-building and -nurturing tool; enables users to take specific actions and track them to build and maintain their most important career relationships
• Find Resources – Helps users identify “hidden resources” that can assist them to overcome specific challenges, or take advantage of promising opportunities, in building their career
• Action Center – Tracks, prioritizes and accomplishes all the necessary tasks to build and maintain a great career
• Ask an Expert – Allows users to submit questions to Stephen Covey and Jennifer Colosimo as well as get answers to frequently asked career questions.

In addition, Great Career iPhone app users can watch a range of FranklinCovey videos to support their career growth, as well as learn about and get discounts to FranklinCovey events. And iPhone users can receive much-needed support and advice from the Great Work, Great Career community on FranklinCovey.com.

The Great Career iPhone app is available here or at the Apple App Store for an introductory price of $9.99 for both the iPhone and iPod Touch. Check it out!

Nonfiction and Fiction Writing - Worlds Apart

One of my role models is Cory Doctorow.  Cory's the co-editor of Boing Boing and the author of Little Brother, a teen sci fi adventure set in San Francisco in the near future. 

I love Cory because like me, he has about ten jobs, and I admire him because he's made a successful transition from nonfiction to fiction writing.  You heard it here - this year I'm hoping to publish my YA (young adult) novel, Doubtful Sound.  The book is in editing right now, and here are some things I've learned about how writing fiction for teens is different from writing career advice for the over twenty set:

Good fiction writing does not happen on command:  When I'm on deadline for a Wall Street Journal piece, I just sit down and write.  It doesn't matter if I'm not in the mood, I produce anyway, and I'm fortunate in that the quality does not suffer.   For my fiction to be any good, however, I have to feel inspired, and such a feeling is often difficult to pin down.  If I had to earn a living every week based on how many decent fiction paragraphs I could churn out, I would probably starve.

Good fiction writing is an art form:  To write my journalism articles, and even my nonfiction books, I follow a strict process that begins with research, continues with interviewing and draft writing, and finishes with one - maybe two - edits.  When my editors provide feedback, it's usually in the form of nips and tucks.  Novel writing, on the the other hand, involves mixing a pallet of characters, settings, and plot lines.  Sometimes you get lucky and you come across something brilliant, and sometimes it all goes horribly wrong.  And the editing is often done by chainsaw. 

An objective style will kill you:  My nonfiction editors balk when I insert too much of myself in my material, even when it's an opinion piece.  My job is to be a non partisan distributor of information, and I am to do that job as parsimoniously as possible.  As a fiction writer, though, I am expected to possess an artistic style that is unlike anyone else on the planet, and to feel comfortable expressing that style fully.  A removed, unrelatable author and/or narrator is the kiss of death.  This takes some getting used to, and I'm still working at it. 

Immersion helps:  I write nonfiction pieces on so many different careers and aspects of the business world that if I were to go onsite and experience each and every one for myself, I would never get anything done.  I rely instead on the accounts and experiences of others to make my material true to life.  As a writer of YA fiction, I can't get away with this.  In order to accurately portray the lives of teens in the early 2000s, I need to be among them.  For this reason, I workshopped my novel at a private school in Chicago among 60 eighth graders.  What I lost in time, I more than made up for in authenticity.

Maybe it's different for everyone who writes both nonfiction and fiction, but for me, the latter is much, much, more difficult.  Fiction writing is more creative, but you shouldn't be fooled.  The effort and strategy that go into every strong novel are immense and sometimes overwhelming.  I am humbled to think that someday my book can stand alongside the novels of authors who make it look easy.

Working Moms Need More

Says the recent Shriver Report:  “For the first time in our history, half of all U.S. workers are women. Mothers are the primary breadwinners or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of American families. Yet some of our institutions lag behind and don’t yet reflect this new dynamic. Government, business, the media and our faith communities, in many cases, still cling to outdated models of who works and who cares for our families.  For example, men now agree with women that government and business need to provide flexible work schedules, better childcare, family and medical leave and equal pay. And over 80 percent of men and women agree businesses that fail to adapt to the needs of modern families risk losing good workers.” 

Premiere Global Services, a provider of communication-based technology, has developed a list of guidelines/ tips/ tech needs for companies that will help create a flexible workplace to match the needs of the modern American family:

• Set an example from the top down. Managers should utilize flexible works hours to communicate the company’s commitment to providing an adaptable work environment.        
• Provide the basics - laptop, smartphone, office software such as Word and PowerPoint, IM tools and access to good audio and Web conferencing solutions.
• Unblock social media sites and allow employees to communicate via these growing tools. Set corporate social media policies to ensure professionalism while allowing connections. Blocking Facebook today is like blocking IM five years ago or blocking the Internet 10 years ago.
• Train employees to use technology tools properly and have an IT helpline available for those working off-site.
• Clearly communicate your own workstyle and preferences including your location/time zone.