In This Issue

• Mixing Generations 
• DecisionPoint Events
• Quote of the Month
• Word of the Month
• Suggested Reading
• Holiday Gifting Idea
• Recent and Upcoming Talks
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Mixing Generations and
Shifting Work Practices
by: Chris Kuwamoto
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Have you heard about the "thin middle" in our population and the looming leadership gap? Here are the approximate numbers-

• Under 26 years old = 110 million
• 27 to 45 years old = 70 million
• 46 and older = 120 million

This thin middle group is going to seriously impact US competitiveness because they are less educated and less prepared for leadership and management roles. With baby boomers leaving the workplace by the millions over the next decade, we face major gaps in senior and middle management.
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To keep up in the global marketplace, we need to identify and prepare the next generation of leaders who can start, grow or manage companies. And, increasingly, we need a tech savvy workforce to help drive and sustain growth.
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Now enter Generation F. Sneaking up behind this "thin middle" is the Facebook Generation- the young folks who have grown up online.
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For many of us over 50, the online world, especially social media, is a foreign land. The reality is social media tools and online learning are being quickly integrated into our work processes. Generation F can help.
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The following list of 12 work-relevant characteristics of online life is taken from "The Facebook Generation vs. the Fortune 500" written by management guru Gary Hamill. (For more, click here)
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• All ideas are comparable and on equal footing
• Contributions are more than references
• Hierarchies are natural, non-prescribed
• Leaders serve, they do not lead
• The tasks are chosen, not assigned
• The groups define themselves and organize themselves
• Resources are attracted and not affected
• The power comes from the sharing of information, not the retention
• Opinions are made and decisions are reviewed by peers
• The user can veto political decisions
• The intrinsic rewards matter most
• Hackers are Heroes!
  

Hamill says companies looking to attract the best and brightest young talent in the future must understand and adapt to these new realities since growing up online provides Gen F's with a very different business outlook.
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They are completely at home with emerging technologies such as social media, online learning (even Ivy League schools offer online degrees now), systems complexity and consultative selling approaches. They are less hierarchical and bureaucratic in their orientation.
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Generation F's will need other kinds of guidance and mentoring, but when you combine these dynamics with shifting demographics, it becomes clear that the business landscape is rapidly changing.
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The new outlook of the Facebook Generation can ensure the competitive edge of our industries.
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The United States will continue to see a jobless recovery for a few more quarters. As such, it will remain an employer's job market for a while longer, but that will change. The key questions for business leaders are:

• What are you doing to prepare for this shift in workplace expectations?
• How will you recruit and retain Gen F's?
• What kinds of technology training are you providing for new and old employees?
• What new processes are needed to support the new expectations?
• What new management practices are necessary?
• What kinds of coaching and development plans are in place for your leadership?

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Tell us about your experiences with "Generation F" or the "thin middle" and how your business is affected. Send your thoughts in an email to Christine Kuwamoto at ckuwamoto@mydecisionpoint.com or call 216-469-6764 to share your stories. We will publish your responses in our next E-Newsletter.
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Suggested Reading:
Books Worth Your Consideration
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Philosophy and Business Ethics:
•  Justice: What's the Right Thing to do
   by: Michael J. Sandel
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Psychology:
•  Invisible No More: The Secret Lives of Women Over 50  by: Renee Fischer--
•  In Midlife by: Murray Stein

Theory, Math & Architecture:
•  101Things Learned in Architecture School
   by: Matthew Frederick
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• Sales and Business Development
• Temperament
• Transitioning
• Developing Leadership and Talent
• Women and Leadership Styles
• Understanding Macro Patterns and Personal Responses in the Marketplace
• Energy and Time Management in an Unbalanced World

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To schedule your free consult or inquire about a speaking engagement, please call us at (440) 356-2952, or email us at info@mydecisionpoint.com.