“We’re not only Gen Y, we’re Gen Y-Fi. Born and raised as both consumers and creators of media, we are more mobile and more global than ever. We know we can work from anywhere as long as we’re online.” Read on

Ryan Paugh had a great post today about his own challenges with anxiety. As someone who has been anxious since about age 16 (I really can’t remember exactly, but this is about right,) I can empathize with Ryan on many levels. I recall my grandmother telling my mother one day that “Bea doesn’t listen when you talk to her.” I was about 17 at the time, and I was trying to listen to the conversation, but there were several people talking, and I was much more worried about what I was going to say that I became numb to what was going on…really bizarre at the time. I have never had a true anxiety attack and have never been diagnosed, but I have to say that I have spent a lot of sleepless nights worrying about problems which never happened and days spinning about what to say, what to do and how to proceed in life.

The thing that I found interesting on Ryan’s post was a comment from a reader about how it is a good thing that the negative stereotypes around anxiety are somewhat waning…that it has been or still is some sort of flaw or shortcoming that employers consider during the hiring process. While I can somewhat see the view of this (say an employer who is stuck in the past,) I honestly don’t “get this.” Here we are, in the year 2008, in a day and age when technology and information and change are zooming ahead of a human’s ability to keep up with the changes taking place, and we are expected to be calm amidst the storm. We are expected to not be anxious over pressure, and how dare us to be depressed when our great expectations are not met. Tisk, tisk!

In Jean Twenge’s book Generation Me, she discusses not only Gen Y’s self confidence but their natural inclination to anxiety and depression. As a parent of three Gen Y’s who are constantly struggling with trying to keep ahead, the buzz of thousands of possible choices in life and the let-down of hopes and life dreams, my question is “Why in the world do we still see anxiety and depression as stigmas that put our reputations at risk?” I think it stands to reason that if you put someone in a high pressure/must perform/gotta get the “A” environment, eventually, that person will be affected by performance anxiety and with anxiety comes depression.

So, today, if you are reading this blog, I encourage you to speak out on how we can address this situation. While therapy is a great band-aid, I believe we have a much bigger issue at play here…the competitive nature of our world, which includes parents’ demands, our education system’s requirements and the workforce demands that only the best and brightest get the big office with the six figure salary on the corner of the building with the 10,000 foot view. It’s time to breathe…to take a rest and to stop being so damn demanding of our kids.

That’s it for my rant today.

This is such a juicy topic…Do your clients have a pecking order? You know what I mean…Do you pick up the phone with more urgency when a “special” client calls, or do certain clients get preferential treatment over others? Hmmm…very good question indeed.

I had a meeting last week with a biz owner…someone who is quite successful, and she commented to me about a situation. You see, she had hired a web designer for a project about two years ago. At that time, she was in the middle of a transition, and she was doing fairly well but not well enough to write home to the family about her business.

She hired a web designer to help her through her transition. The designer did a great job for her, and she became a walking billboard for his business. As time moved along, the designer began to get more clients (because of her testimonials) and obviously more “important” clients, because this designer began to promote the “more important” clients over her to the public. Hmmm…interesting that she picked up on that.

You see…this biz owner is someone who thought her web designer was a true partner…someone who would stand by her and support her, because she was a first client. But, as time went on, she became like a puppy who then became an old dog…the shine was gone. She was that first client, but now, she was someone who no longer had the pull of the “more important clients” for the designer. She no longer was famous enough for him. Such a shame (in my opinion, because I know this person and her ability to send thousands of people his way.)

I was raised by parents who always taught me “Dance with the one who brought you.” As you may know, this phrase (probably southern) suggests that we need to always remember the people who helped us get where we are. They are the seeds that we plant early on, and they are (in my opinion), the most important people in our business. They help us plant seeds that yield incredible fruits of our labors (more clients, more connections.) My adivce is…take care of those people, thank them and never forget that they helped you get where you are today. If you forget it, your business will take a big hit. It always does.

If this situation is true for you, I have a few suggestions on the topic:

1) When you make announcements about your clients, do it in alphabetical order. You may be saying “Well, I want John Smith to be first on the list, because he has more credibility.” That is bullshit!. By ordering your clients according to who you think is most important, you send a loud and clear message to your other clients: You are not as important! (I also want to remind everyone that money often buys prestige, position and power, so the person who you think is “so important” may have bought their way to success, which then diminishes the efforts of your clients who are working their way up through hard work, sweat and tears.) By listing your clients in alphabetical order, you take the “preferred client” scenario out of the equation, and you put everyone on a level playing field. If you are ordering your clients according to power, position and prestige, you are essentially “playing favorites.”

2) Each time a client does ANYTHING for your business, thank them over and over again. Your clients can never hear gratitudes enough.

3) On just one occasion, take the client who you “think” is your least influential, and move that person to a prime position. Give that client an MVP award or some type of award of distinction. You will be rewarded forever for that one effort.

4) Each time you decide to move a client to the bottom of your list, stop to consider his or her network and his/her ability to get out and talk up your company. You may be making the mistake of a lifetime by moving this person to the bottom of your “pecking order.”

During an economic downturn, many employers respond with a knee-jerk reaction to cut bottom line expenses by laying off some of its most critical talent.

Yet the goal during a down economy is to build a visual bridge between what is going on today and where you want your company to go in the future. The Gen Y careerist is certainly one demographic you don’t want to ignore during a down economy. They are the most skilled, tech savvy generation in the history of business, and they can bring enthusiasm and knowledge into your company at an affordable price but only if you know how to speak to their values, needs and desires.  And…if you play your cards right by building an open, respectful relationship with them, there is a good chance that your Gen Yers will come back to you in a few years when you need them (and trust me on this…you are going to need them!)

This article will provide you insight into how to make the most of a slow economy by tapping into the assets and spirit of the Generation Y worker.

1. Embrace Gen Y’s need to job hop. Generation Y is a generation that is well known for job hopping, not because they lack respect or loyalty. They see moving from job to job as an essential step for building a great career. During a down economy, you may find you will reap the rewards of hiring Gen Y on a temporary basis (3-6 months) and doing everything you can to build a loyal relationship with them. They will enjoy the freedom of knowing the job is short-term and if you treat them well, they will more than likely come back to you in the future when the economy turns back around. If your company is one that has strong brand equity, sell Gen Y on the opportunity to add your company to their resume. They’ll love this idea.

2. Invite Gen Y to offer training to your company. Is your company lacking a few tech skills, online social networking skills or the knowledge about what’s really going on in the marketplace for ages 18-29? If so, a down economy may be the perfect opportunity to invite a few Gen Y techies to speak to your company. This generation thrives on teaching others, and they love nothing better than to talk about subjects dear to their heart like text messaging, how to use social networking sites effectively or to talk about what’s going on with i-tunes or their favorite digital download site. Learning what Gen Y knows can give your company a serious upper hand in the marketplace when the economy picks back up.

3. Tap into the entrepreneurial spirit of Gen Y. Many Gen Y careerists are not only working for a company but are running a small business or a non profit outside of work. During a down economy, you may be able to outsource a few tasks to a Gen Y contractor or consultant. At the same time, tapping into Gen Y’s entrepreneurial spirit will add new ideas and bring new networks into to your company which can help you move through sluggish times with a brand new perspective.

4. Market to the emerging careerist through Gen Y. There is one thing to know about Gen Y: They have a very large global network, and they make decisions based on what their friends tell them to do. Savvy business owners will see a slow economy as an opportunity to do some very creative marketing. By getting Gen Y into your company during this time, even on a part-time basis, you can build strong word-of-mouth marketing in the Gen Y community about your company’s brand. Host a social or business event specifically for your Gen Y workers, and invite them to bring their friends. You will hit the nail on the head by including their network in a few of your company events.

5. Use this time to allow Gen Y to get paid to volunteer. Companies like Ernst and Young are actually paying their Gen Y’s to volunteer in countries abroad (Brilliant with a capital B.) Gen Y loves to volunteer and may actually take a reduced salary in order to do meaningful work for your company in a location or neighborhood that needs your services. You may also find grant money to fund this effort, or you may be find a company who is willing to partner with you to make funding available for this form of outreach. Companies like the Peace Corps and Teach for America are quite popular with Gen Y, because the young careerist can see from day one how their efforts are creating a better world. Take advantage of this time to make your company more visible through the civic mindedness of the twentysomething careerist.

6. Offer Gen Y the opportunity to take on leadership development training and shorter stretch assignments which will strengthen both their career and your company. During a down economy, the first thing that many employers cut from their budget is training and development. A down economy is actually a golden opportunity to get young workers involved in stretch assignments and more training and development which can build sustainability for your company. By offering Gen Y the opportunity to train inside your company, you may be able to negotiate a more affordable fee or salary short- term in exchange for leadership and skill development and mentoring with a more seasoned manager or leader. Gen Y thrives on development, so do your best to take advantage of that desire when times get tough.

Great post by Sarah Perez.  She really nails it.  And…as I said on my comment back…Gen Y wants what we all want.    The difference is that Gen Y is the first generation to have the guts to stand up and say what they want (to live more and work less, to be choosy about who they listen to)  and how they want to live life, and this will change the web and the way we live and work.  The rest of us just sit around and sulk because we don’t get what we want, because we are afraid to ask for it.  So…more power to Gen Y!