Orange Slices

CREDIT: Photo by richelleantipolo via Flickr (CC)

Part of my fitness routine these days is swimming with a Master’s team three mornings a week. At the beginning of the year, I made a simple sounding resolution — stick with the workout from start to finish. But it’s really not that simple.

Swimming, like many things in life, is more mental than physical. Once you are in relatively decent shape, it’s not that hard to swim 3,000 – 3,500 yards each workout. But mentally it is very hard to push through each set and not quit before the last lap. I have a bad habit of not finishing the final 20 laps and slipping out of the pool early.

After nearly four decades of competitive swimming and training, I call it The Grind. A quality workout is important, but there is no substitute for quantity. The Grind is about putting in the time and effort when it would be easy to slack off.

What applies to swimming is equally true for work. We are already seeing that 2010 is the year of The Grind. It requires long hours from virtually every level of an organization to get things done. The economy is improving, but it has not negated the need for perservance and hard work. In fact I believe in this environment those qualities are equally as important as being smart, creative and strategic in our business.

In January, I watched several members of the RLF team grind it out as they prepared for the opening of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. You know your staff is working hard when the security guard tells you that people are working too late.

The opening was a big success, and looking back, we cannot point to what particularly late night or extra effort made the difference. The work and commitment built upon itself, day after day, minute task after minute task. It would have been easy to leave things undone in the belief that small details were not important. But in the end, we know that they are. So we stick it out. We grind it out. And our clients and agency are better off for it.

I recently attended the annual employee meeting at one of our client companies. Although I had no formal role in the process (their internal communications team does a great job organizing every facet of the event), I have been fortunate to attend the past five annual meetings. This year’s meeting – although smaller and more low key – may have easily been the best. The executives in this company focused on the core issues that employees are focused on in these turbulent times. With clear, compelling speeches and examples, they laid out the case that:

• The company was on the right track to navigate difficult financial times, and that there is  a clear path forward that will allow the company, and its employees, to be successful.

• The leadership of the company is committed and capable. At a time when corporate leaders are either being publicly ridiculed or jailed, it was critical for employees to see that their executive team is up to the task at hand.

• Employees are the bedrock of the company’s values and vision. The capstone of the annual meeting was an awards presentation (complete with crystal trophies and $1,000 checks) that celebrated teamwork, innovation, leadership and community service.

Our client, like virtually every company in the U.S., has faced many tough challenges in recent months. But the character that was shown in how company leaders address those issues and lay out a vision for the future goes a long way to ensuring that its employees are committed to tackling the challenges ahead.

For the first time in history, four generations of Americans (WW2, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y) are in the workforce at the same time (New York Times). Undoubtedly, this is going to affect the way business is conducted. Misunderstandings and miscommunications are bound to occur, stereotypes could abound. However this is a great opportunity to not only learn from others, but to also learn about ourselves and the way we communicate.

Before determining how to work with millennials, it’s important to clarify what exactly a millennial is. Millennials were born between the years of 1978 and 2000 and are the largest (80 million strong) and fastest-growing group of employees in the United States (A.C. Croft and Associates). What does this mean for the U.S. workforce? It means things are going to change.

Millennials have a lot working for them. They’re one of the most educated, most qualified and most enthusiastic generations to enter the workforce; however, they’ve got a few things working against them as well. Often characterized as selfish, overconfident and impatient, millennials are eager to make it to the top of the corporate ladder, but they’re not always willing to do the climbing.

Although this isn’t true of every millennial, this is the stereotype that’s been associated with the generation; therefore, we need to find a way to blend the generations. When working with millennials, here are a few things to take into consideration:

• They’ve been raised in a culture of flattened hierarchies where everyone is considered equal; therefore they respond positively to having mentors and coaches rather than the traditional boss.
• Give them a voice. They just want to be heard; even if you don’t use their ideas or suggestions, just listening will make them feel like they’re a part of the team.
• Encourage teamwork. Although independent, millennials also depend on their peers and those around them.
• Keep your door open. Although it doesn’t always seem this way, millennials are eager to learn from their managers. Foster an environment where they feel like they can come to you with questions, advice and instruction.

So when it comes to working with millennials, give them the benefit of the doubt. After a little time and patience, we just might surprise you.