The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

In the 1980s In Search of Excellence author Tom Peters made famous the notion that people want to be part of a winning team, but a hero in their own right.  A generation later Mark Zuckerberg tells Harvard Business School graduates that they should want to make a difference and become part of something bigger than themselves.  The words have changed a little, but the essence is much the same.  That’s because human nature hasn’t changed all that much in several millennia.

We hear a lot about the new Millennial generation these days.  Yes, they think a little differently than past generations, but every generation is defined by the times in which they live and the circumstances in society that formulate the way they think and act.  In my book on leadership, I wrote about a few non-negotiables that are part of every generation.  Here are some of them:

People want to know that the effort they put in is appreciated and makes a difference
People want and need to be recognized in their work as contributing to overall success
People need to know where a business is going and how the owners plan to get it there
People want to be “in on things,” and they should be because that’s how you build loyalty
People don’t care how much an owner knows, but whether he or she really cares about them

These fundamentals may seem trite and insignificant to some, but I challenge you to think about them.  Even ask others (perhaps Millennials?) what they think.  You just might be surprised at what they say.

Here are a few Business and Life Tips to think about….

Business Tips:

• If people work for you because they believe what you believe and why you believe it, you will have their heart and soul in the firm.
• Employee retention is a huge issue when an employer’s primary way of addressing performance is through intimidation.
• Inform people of what they need to know, but don’t bore them with everything you know. Endless talk to fill time gets old quickly.

Life Tips:

• If you’re in a position of influence, your challenge is to encourage people to follow not because they have to, but because they want to.
• Try measuring success by what you can do for others. Over time you will achieve significance and priceless personal satisfaction.
• When you sow a seed of doubt, you tear down. When you sow a seed of praise or encouragement or kindness, you build up.

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