I was reading an article by Paul Kix where he looked at the research done by OfficeTeam, a California company that focuses on job placement. The research showed that 76% of employees had no interest in becoming a manager. The issue? The X generation wants to have a great job but also have time for family.
In order to do this, these Generation Xers need flexibility. According to Neil Howe, an expert on generational differences, these Gen Xers need and want a new way of working. Technology plays a role for sure. Mobile devices and access at home help but is there another play?
Is Social a player in this new way of working? The payoffs of working smarter and overcoming these deficiencies are tremendous. Think about the opportunities before us if we can work smarter delivering flexibility. To work smarter, we need smarter organizations – enhancing and benefiting from their people’s expertise, enterprise and creativity, rather than inhibiting them. We need to change the where and how decisions are made.
One compliant is that today’s organization are: “20th century relics, reliant on a regimented routine in a centralized location.”
Social changes the mix.
Social is about connectedness. Tapping into the knowledge of people we know and don’t know to extend expertise. And we can do this in a way that optimizes cost for our organizations. It is not in a centralized location — it is everywhere. Bringing the right people together from anywhere at any time to increase people’s productivity.
Social is about leveraging relationships. It is not about being isolated but about being people centric.
And it is all about Agility. It is about transparency that drives information sharing in all different ways, top down, bottom up, and everyway you can imagine. It is about the corporate lattice as Deloitte entitles it. Technologies like mobile and cloud give you that flexibility.
How do you see Social Impacting the way you work?!
As a genX – person, I know whats important for my genrration. Having good friends is one of the top value, relationships are more important than leadership. And there is the mainproblem with managment. Based on Max Webers theories about leading, managment has transformed in a processorientated and rule based thing. People are important, but not their personality, more there skills and theire knowlegde.
Is this intressting for genX people? I think, no. Skills are not funny, but the stories behind the skills are important. And the hole social business idea brings the persons wiht theire stories back in the focus and back in the center. And with the person also theire connections, reputation and social capabilities.
I hope that social will redefine the hole managment theorie.
Very interesting comment. I love the stories and those stories make the people. Do you see Social filling that gap? I do . It brings back the personal I believe.
However, I think we need to think through and work through the transition from today and where we need to be. How do corporations do this? Do you have thoughts here as well?
Thanks for your inspiring answer. Here a first idea http://guedebyte.wordpress.com/2012/03/14/core-values-are-more-important-than-processes/ .
I love this one! Core values matter. Companies can either choose a social project that fits those core values (advised!) or start a business transformation (needed in a lot of situations!). Can’t wait for your next version.
Social is part of Millenials’ DNA and other generations need to bridge this gap in their skill set to keep pace in today’s ever changing world. I recently read a book called “Fuse: Making Sense of the New Cogenerational Workplace”. It addresses many of the themes outlined in your blog post.
Fuse isn’t just another generations book. It shows you how to weave together the experience of Boomers and the techno-smarts of Millennials in ways that benefit you and your organization. Authors Jim Finkelstein and Mary Gavin suggest that common points of fusion exist in all of us.
To find out whether your organization is cogenerationally savvy, take the Fuse quiz at http://www.fusethebook.com/is-your-company-cogenerationally-savvy/ . Your results might surprise you. Mine did!
For more on this topic, you can read a FUSE blog post at http://cafelina.me/2012/02/03/grow-your-business-you-fuse-you-win/
Lina (Millennial at heart) Arseneault
Interesting! I am at SXSW now but will check out the link! Thanks for sharing.
I’m solidly a Gen X and LOVE being a manager. I think this assessment applies much more to Gen Y/Millenials, who have grown up immersed in new technologies and don’t want to be confined by time (8-5) or place (cubicles).
Social media is allowing broader idea generation than ever before, because we are exposed to so many more ideas “just-in-time.” The challenge is to work with the team to harness those ideas in ways that are relevant to our business. Stepping outside the cubes and allowing people flexibility to innovate in creative spaces – home, coffee shop, parks – will help us move the business forward in creative ways. The managers’ charge is to provide teams that flexibliity and creative space, while making sure the efforts are tied to the company’s objectives.
Michele .. thanks for your post! I have heard from a lot of Gen xers now that say “that’s me!”.
I actually think “who” is less important than the what and what needs to change.
I do think we can work through how to make this better for all!
What do you think?
I am on cusp of gen x/y, and am a manager. I love the job role and believe it offers my the flexibility I need for my personal life which includes a wife and a 2-yr old toddler. Flexibility comes from at least two things: 1) working smarter and 2) climate and culture. With respect to climate and culture, my group IBM ICS Austin has got to be hands down the best culture there is! 😉 regarding working smarter, social business has changed how i operate completely. I cannot live without the connections, relationships, and the people centric , people-driven capabilities that Social business provides me. It allows me to stay connected with the right folks to get the job done in the most effective and efficient of ways.
Thanks for sharing and for sharing the way you use social. Do continue and I love what you are doing! IT is interesting at SXSW I had a roundtable and this topic from the research was a big debate. In the end though, all agreed Social needs to improve internally.
[…] I was reading and answering to a blog post of Sandy Carter about GenX and management, I was inspired to share some stories and ideas about how social business can change the way […]