Issue #52
In this issue:
In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
Theodore Roosevelt
Every artist was first an amateur.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
The world is full of willing people; some willing to work, the rest willing to let them.
Robert Frost
The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle.
Unknown
A sudden, bold, and unexpected question doth many times surprise a man and lay him open.
Francis Bacon
You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
Anonymous
I think college administrators should encourage students to urinate on walls and bushes, because then when students from other colleges come sniffing around, they’ll know this is someone else’s territory.
Jack Handey—Author
of Deep Thoughts
See
Eric in Action!
Click
for a video preview of Eric's
dynamic, insightful presentation style.
Links of Note...
The answers are just a few clicks away...
Getting
Them to Give a Damn: How to Get Your Front Line to Care About Your Bottom Line
the
new book by Eric Chester reveals the management techniques that leading-edge
employers are using to get these quirky, book-smart, and streetwise employees—Eric
calls them 'kidployees'—to contribute in innovative and entrepreneurial ways.
Available now. Order your copy today! -more-
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A Grad at the Launching Pad
…Hoping Dad Won’t Get Mad!
Hi. This is Zac Chester—Eric’s son. Maybe you’ve heard about me in one of my dad’s speeches or read about me in one of his books. Well, while Dad’s away celebrating his wedding anniversary in Maui, I agreed to fill in and write the eZine. Now, if you’re thinking that this month’s eZine is going to be nothing but filler, you couldn’t be further away from the truth. You see, I’m going to share some very valuable insight into the minds of your new young employees. I’m young myself (two weeks shy of 22), and, while I can’t guarantee that my opinions are universal, there’s a pretty good chance that other young adults and twentysomethings share my outlook.
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First, a few things you should know about me. I just graduated college toward the top of my class as a creative advertising/journalism major. I’ve held numerous leadership positions, and I’m about as networked as the most connected person you’ve ever met. I have a great attitude, an excellent work ethic, and a strong loyalty to my employers. Oh, and one other thing. There’s a good chance that, no matter what, I wouldn’t accept a job offer from your company.
Before you dismiss me as arrogant and naïve let me give you a little more background on myself. I’ve been employed all but about twelve days since my sixteenth birthday. I’ve had over 10 different jobs and probably 20 or more managers, and I’ve never been fired. I’ve done everything from fast food to retail. From selling books door-to-door to waiting tables at the world’s largest restaurant to being a cameraman for the NBA all-star game. I give 110% to everything I do, and I always strive to be a model employee. And now that I’ve graduated, I’m looking for the right place to start my career. The stakes are high, and my expectations are even higher. You want the truth, right? Well, that’s the truth.
So what exactly do I expect from my job and from my employer? Well, the first thing I think about as I leave college and embark on a career is community. I’ve grown up in a generation where most of my friends had their own phone lines and their own cell phones. It’s increasingly difficult to find a household without the internet, and most kids my age send instant messages and text messages daily. If this sounds foreign, it’s time to open your eyes. Today’s teens and young adults are not merely good at staying in touch—staying in touch is what we do best. Social communication has become as important as the air we breathe.
In looking for a job, then, my most important criterion has become the company culture. I want to know how employees interact, how comfortable it is to be in the same place every day, and how friendly the office environment is. Starting a new job is extremely intimidating. I want to work side by side with people who understand where I’m coming from. People I’ll hang out with on evenings and weekends. To people my age, entering the workforce seems akin to landing on the beaches of Normandy, and as I venture into a new job I want to know that I’m there in the trenches with people I like and care about.
The second thing is that I want to work somewhere that makes the world a better place—a company with a strong social consciousness. I’m reminded of a movie called Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest that played in theaters about 15 years ago. It was about deforestation and its effect on the world. The movie was targeted largely at children and had a huge impact on me. Raised at a time in history where people increasingly feel the environment is in danger, I definitely want my employer to give back—to the environment, to the local community, to the world in which we live. Today’s young adults tend to associate “business” with “dishonesty” and “greed.” To be brutally honest, some young adults think most every business is an Enron and Halliburton in the making, and there’s a lot of trust to be built back. Young employees want to be a part of something with heart. They want the company to sometimes leave the bottom line behind
Third, I want opportunities for advancement. The truth is, though, that the zest to achieve at any one particular company seems less prevalent in my generation than in past generations. I believe this is because of a free agent mentality. From what I’ve gathered, previous generations had the opportunity to prove themselves and eventually gain a major stake in a business they helped (even in small part) to build. Now, such a pursuit seems to be a pipe dream. I can work as hard as possible for any number of firms, but I’ll probably only ever get as far as middle management. And, the truth is that hard work doesn’t always pay off. People of my generation believe that the only real way to advance in business is to job hop—to keep trading up to better paying jobs. Many small businesses, however, can motivate young employees to do a great job for the long haul by giving them challenging work and lots of opportunities. Larger firms, however, may need to find a way to better motivate their young employees. Large firms that find a way to motivate their younger staff members are going to find success quicker—I’d bet the farm on that one.
Let me say once again that I know I’m asking for a lot. I also know the competition is stiff—when I go into an interview, I’m up against a number of other qualified applicants. When you think about it, it’s really a two-way street. You want a great employee, and I want a great employer. Still, it seems like some companies look at the incoming workforce as “fresh meat,” not as their best opportunity for long-term growth and success. If you can give me a fun, forward-thinking, and collegial workplace that cares about more than just making money and that offers a real opportunity for growth, I’ll buy in and you’ll reap the rewards. The real question is this: How can you make me enthusiastic about maximizing your bottom line?
If I have a job that I enjoy, you can count on me singing the company’s praises, so much so that it’ll make my friends jealous. And here are two things you can be sure of: (1) I’m likely to become your best employee, and (2) bright kids like me hang out with other bright kids. If you can create a job that I love and a business that I’m invested in, I’ll help you recruit the best workforce imaginable; which will make your bottom line top-of-the-line.
Editor's Note: If you'd like to comment on Zac's article, you can reach him at zachary.chester@colorado.edu.
Holy Cranium, Batman! - When Matt Robison, 21, of Ottawa, IL, learned that a Brit had recently set a world record for the number of body piercings in one sitting, he set out to break the record. After 500 piercings at a tattoo studio, he modified his goal: it was so painful that instead of a planned 1,200 studs to break the record by a good margin, he'd settle for just breaking the record. After 14 hours and 1,015 punctures, he declared victory. "It was taking its toll," he said afterward. "I'm just relieved it's done." But then he had all the piercings removed, which was just about as painful, he said. Was it worth it? Oh yes, Robison said. "I feel like I've done something memorable with my life." (Peoria Journal Star)
Another shining example of the growing margin between "memorable" and "worthwhile".
The topic of Gen Why coming of age continues to draw massive national attention, and Eric Chester is the one American journalists call on to provide insight and perspective. This past week he was referenced in a lead story appearing in Newsweek (May 22nd Issue – The Long Goodbye) and just this past Tuesday morning, Eric appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America via satellite from Maui, to respond to Sen. Hillary Clinton’s comments about Generation Why’s aversion to work.
Download the Newsweek story at GenerationWhy.com
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