By Michelle Simms

 

In case you haven’t notice there’s a new generational cohort entering the workplace and they are making their presence know.

 

Generation Y (aka iGeneration, Google Generation, Millennium Generation, and the Boomerang Generation), have grown up in a world of diverse Internet resources.

 

If you want to bring out the best in your Generation Y workforce you may have to begin by letting go of traditional methods in favor of a more creative approach. According to experts, Generation Y workers were born generally from 1977-2002. Their force is almost 80 million strong out numbering the Boomers by approximately 1 million.

 

In a recent survey conducted among hiring managers and Human Resource professionals, across all industries, the generation gap is more pronounced in the areas of communication styles and job expectations in the workplace. The business world as we know it is changing.

 

As the skilled Boomers retire, companies will have to go the extra mile to replace them. Gen Y workers will have a huge impact on the workplace. An inaccurate description of this group is since they have been pampered their whole life they are lazy.

 

They are not only high maintenance but high performing as well. This generation of workers comes computer literate and high tech ready. In addition they have very high expectations of themselves.

 

Employers are scrambling to implement new policies and programs that appeal to the new workforce. Those managers that hold steady to old belief about the workplace and how work is done in the business world—will find themselves out of jobs.

 

There is still much to be learned about this new cohort of workers but here’s a start on some basic principles to keep in mind.

 

Recruiting – Gen Y are civic minded and socially conscious and very aware of the world. They volunteer and feel personally responsible for making a difference in the world. Gen Y is all about choices and meaningful work and social networks. Don’t be put off by the tattoos or piercing, those are considered stylish and/or spiritual.

 

Motivate – They like to have choices focusing on output not method. They’ll get the job completed according to the deadline but will resent being reminded to. Members of Gen Y are not obsessed with work.Although they want to make good money, it is not what motivates them.

 

You will find social networks of friends are their preferred environment and they love to be decorated with their iPods, Blackberry’s, and laptops. Realizing anything is possible they are determined to live their best lives now.

 

Retain – Gen Y is known for gender bending. When creating new policies list the benefits with out assumptions as to which gender will use them (eg. maternity leave).  Don’t be surprised to find they need flex time to compete in some extreme sports activity or to travel. Expanding their experience, education, and mentoring are important to this generation.

 

This young workforce will job-hop when they see no other choice. They have a reputation for experiencing boredom and frustration with slow-paced environments, traditional hierarchies, and slightly outdated technology.

 

Telecommuting programs are in great demand allowing Gen Y to work remotely. They are also likely to be boomerang employees. Those who leave and come back, will return knowing the company and culture and bring a new perspective and institutional knowledge which will be an asset.

 

Trying to keep up with their demands could send any company into a frenzy but remember workplace diversity is not just about culture: it’s about the way people think. Expect to get professional consultation to transform your organization and coaching for your managers. This generation is very different from any other generation the workplace has seen.

 

Unlike Boomers who lived for their careers, today’s young workers are more interested in making their jobs accommodate their families and personal life. They place a high value on self fulfillment.

 

As Bruce Tulgan, author of Managing Generation Y, says, “If you thought you saw a clash when Generation X came into the workplace, that was the fake punch. The haymaker is coming now.”

 

Author bio
Copyright Michelle P Simms, personal development coach. Her ideal client is not defined by a specific profession, but by the passion she has to grow personally and professionally. At http://www.SimmsInternational.com Michelle works with women from all around the globe.

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By Michelle Simms

For years, researchers have debated over whether the entrepreneurial personality is an innate or learned behavior. Economists, sociologist, and psychologists have all weighed in on the issue in hopes of ascertaining whether successful startup businessmen and women can be made, or whether they are simply born with the skills to create innovative and thriving companies.

However, as scientists have found with so many other aspects of human personalities, tendencies, and even diseases, the answer in the great debate between nature and nurture often lies somewhere in the middle. 

Although some entrepreneurial traits are inborn and some people have the predisposition to become entrepreneurs, other traits can be taught and even those without the initial inclination toward business success can flourish with dedication, practice and hard work.

What are the central aspects of an entrepreneurial personality?

Whether entrepreneurial characteristics are inherited or learned, most experts agree on what these traits consist of. Generally, those with the entrepreneurial personality are:

• Independent. Entrepreneurs enjoy working on their own and being in charge of their own projects. They have difficult working for others or executing others’ ideas without adding their individual spin. They would rather work for themselves and chance failure than work for a regular paycheck and feel security.

• Willing to take calculated risks. While most people enjoy the safety and comfort that comes with regular work and a patterned lifestyle, entrepreneurs are willing to put themselves on the line for their ideas. However, they also understand how to calculate these risks and protect what they have worked so hard to create.

• Creative. Simply said, entrepreneurs think outside the box. They are constantly looking at the world in a new light and considering how a product or service could be improved. They often take fresh angles on old problems or harness new technology for novel uses.

• Hard to satisfy. Entrepreneurs are not satisfied with moderate success. They often think many steps ahead of where they are now and often quickly invest profits into new projects, businesses, marketing campaigns, and ideas. Even when their business is going well, they are constantly striving to improve and innovate it.

• Energetic, driven and passionate. Even if you have all of the other traits of an entrepreneur, it is almost impossible to succeed through the long hours and hard work needed to create a successful business with out energy, drive, and passion. Not only do these traits help businesses get off the ground, but they also improve the energy, drive, and passion of those working for him or her.

• Self-Confident. In business, being hesitant or unsure can quickly lead to failure and often prevent business deals and opportunities. The ability to convince others to believe in your product is sometimes as simple as sincerely believing in your product yourself. If you think you can succeed, you improve your chances of success significantly.

• Able to learn as they go. You often hear of this or that entrepreneur who never attended high school or who dropped out of college. However, this does not mean that they are not educated or that they cannot learn. It simply means that they often have the ability to learn through experience and extract practical lessons from real-life situations and ventures.

How can one hone the skills and traits of successful entrepreneurs?

While some of the above traits, such as a passion for what you do, have large intrinsic and innate aspects that we can’t altogether change in ourselves, many of the facets of the entrepreneurial personality can be practiced, improved upon, and learned.

For example, although some put forth that creativity is something you are simply born with, the truth is that you can hone and sharpen your creative mind. 

Many agree that the simple act of sitting down and brainstorming will improve your ability to think critically about the world around you – that is, even though some might be born with the gift of being creative without a concerted effort, all of us can learn the skills and steps that creative people take when developing ideas and detailing the particulars of a new venture.

The ability to learn as you go is another skill that, while it can be a natural ability, can also be perfected by those born without the inclination. Step back from a recent business transaction or plan that you were recently involved with. 

How could it have been executed more smoothly next time? How did the other person act, and what aspects of their business could be remodeled and molded to help your own enterprise? How could you have saved time and money?

Another step that you can take toward becoming a more successful entrepreneur is to simply become comfortable with aspects of the entrepreneurial personality that may seem uncomfortable, difficult, or awkward to you. 

Perhaps you want to act independently and take more calculated risks, but find that you are stopped by your fears or by other conflicting personality traits that you might have. In this case, you need to ease yourself into the idea of becoming more independent by taking small steps in that direction and by completing small tasks that familiarize yourself with these thoughts and actions.

In the end, the key to becoming a successful entrepreneur may lie in the ability to self-reflect and learn to emulate those successful entrepreneurs that have come before us.

Author bio
Copyright Michelle P Simms, personal development coach. Her ideal client is not defined by a specific profession, but by the passion she has to grow personally and professionally. At http://www.SimmsInternational.com Michelle works with women from all around the globe.

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You are welcome to reprint the article but please respect the copyrights of the author by publishing the article without any changes to the title and content. Articles must be published "as is",  include the authors bio, and agree to make all links available with no syntax changes .

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