I was meeting a few days ago with a few younger biz leaders, and out of the blue, someone asked me “Bea…what do you think the key to success is?”

The answer just flew out of my mouth “Just help people out.”

I cannot tell you how true this is. Throughout my life, I have been a “helper”. I just can’t “help it.” Okay…enough of the corny stuff. People call me generous, but I honestly learned this trait from my parents and grandparents. We all believed that when someone needed help, you did not wait for them to ask. You just went and helped them. Some people call this a character flaw in me, because I often give way too much. I call it a blessing.

I have found in life that the most important question you can ask a friend, colleague, customer, employee or boss is “How can I help you?” Then…go help them. If you just ask the question without any follow through, then your word cannot be trusted. If you ask and then act, the rewards you feel from giving can fuel your passion.

At some point along the way, we all have to strike that balance…between helping people who constantly take from us and knowing how to be in a mutually supportive relationship. You have to know when to be of support and when to then ask for help, and if someone refuses to help you out, well…just do your best to still be kind and be very selective about how much giving you do back to the person who is constantly taking from you (I call those people the blood suckers, and we all have them in our lives unless we choose to do something about it.)

Over the last two years, I have written two books and have contributed two chapters to two other books, and I have certainly learned who the true “helpers” are in my life. And, they did not turn out to be the people I thought it would be. I thought the people I have helped out numerous times over the last few years would be there by my side, but they weren’t and did not seem to really care. Hey…that’s certainly fine, but I have learned that the people you might least expect to be there will be there in a flash…if you just ask and continue helping them out along the way. I have learned through this process that I have had to surround myself with a brand new group of people who are respectful of the work I do, who enjoy spending time with me and who want the best for me, so it’s then delightful to be in a helping relationship with them.

So…go out today and help someone, and then turn around and ask someone in your life for help. Let me know how it turns out for you.

Scott Wilder and I will be on The Coaching Show tomorrow morning at 8:00 Pacific/11:00 Eastern on WSRadio.  We will be exploring the topic of leading, managing and coaching Gen Y in the workplace.

According to a survey by Peanut Labs, San Francisco, 51% of Gen Y social networking users (between the ages of 13 and 25 years old) said they either never click on banner ads or only do so once or twice a month.

Get the full story here on BrandWeek .com

This is interesting.  I am someone who honestly does not even notice a banner ad.  I am looking for information…not ads, so maybe this has something to do with it?   That Gen Y is looking for information…not an ad.  Also, Gen Y is going to buy based on what their friends tell them, not from a flashing banner ad. Keep it simple!

The Pew Internet & American Life Project reports that “two-thirds of internet users under the age of 30 have a social networking profile, and half of these use social networking sites to get or share information about politics or the campaigns.”

The Pew Internet & American Life Project reports that “two-thirds of internet users under the age of 30 have a social networking profile, and half of these use social networking sites to get or share information about politics or the campaigns.”

Great article today in USA Today.  Lots of great ideas on marketing to Gen Y.

Interesting post by Rusty Weston on Fast Company on the retention woes for Gen Y. This really caught my eye:

“Taleo teamed with Harris Interactive to conduct a survey of 2,045 adults ages 18 and older, a series of questions about their first jobs and first employers.

Three out of five respondents said that their first employer did not provide a clear path for advancement. Of course, the reality is that few employers provide a clear path to anything, much less to the corner office.

Other key findings:

• Describing how their first job made them feel, 13% said they couldn’t wait for Friday to arrive, 10% wanted to quit every day and 8% felt it was a waste of their time
• 19% of 18-34 year olds wanted to quit their first job every day, compared to 3% of those 55 years old and over”

My response:

In the work I do with Gen Yers and their bosses/leaders, the common complaint I hear is that Gen Y is bored. Because they have been so exposed to so much stimulation, the Millennials I have met say that they most want variety and meaningful work. Companies like Intuit are addressing this through top notch rotational development programs, which gives young workers tons of opportunities to do something different every day. Maybe it’s time to shift the way we all work…spice things up a bit, and keep it interesting.

Tom Heck sent me this video today. Great take on generations at work by Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Thanks Tom!

Millennial Leaders

Mari Moss has recently been voted one of the top twenty-somethings under the age of 40 for Stark County, Ohio. The YStark award honors young leaders who have exhibited leadership and dedication to community. Mari is featured in Chapter 24 of Millennial Leaders.

Get the full story here.

Following is a profile of one of the 20 Stark County professionals under age 40 being recognized by YSTARK! as among the best and brightest young leaders in our community:

She realizes it’s pie in the sky, but Mari Moss would love to create hundreds of jobs for young people in Stark County.

She envisions 21st century jobs that use creativity and technology. They would be jobs that connect to young people and help keep them in the area.

She won’t stop dreaming, but Moss will settle for the chance to make a positive impression in the lives of Stark County’s youth. She wants to help inspire kids, show them there are positive things in the world and that they can make positive decisions.

It’s a mission Moss has pursued since 2002 when she launched PEACE TV. She said she is trying to give something back to the community by working with young people.

She believes young people will be inclined to remain in the area and participate in the community if others listen to their ideas and put them to use.

“It will increase participation in the community,” Moss said. “When your ideas are received, you feel a part of the community.”

ABOUT MARI

Age: 29

Education: Timken High School graduate; bachelor’s degree in psychology, Hampton University, Hampton, Va.

In the community: In 2002, launched PEACE TV (Positive Events in Arts Culture and Education Television) as a way to inspire youth through artistic expression and sport-related programs and projects.

Accomplishments: Martin Luther King Jr. Community Builder Award in 2006; Ohio Martin Luther King Jr. Commission; Pathfinder Award this year; assistant talent coordinator, Inner City Theater Group’s “It’s Showtime at the Apollo,” New York City.

Family: Single; fiancé, Christopher Yawn; daughter of the Revs. Walter and Darleen Moss.

Nominated by: Bob Bowers, Absolute Post Productions Inc., and Steve Katz, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Bowers says: “Mari is one of a kind. People, and especially young people, like her come along very rarely.”

Katz says: “Her efforts provide young people with positive alternatives to gang violence, drug abuse and other risky business.”

A little less than one year ago, my coach, Sue MacReynolds (who by the way is one of the best executive coaches in the country) asked me if she could perform a 360 Degree Review on me by talking to some of my friends, colleagues, vendors and clients.  I agreed to do so, yet I have to say I was a bit surprised…because for me, a 360 Degree Feeback process was something I used with companies and teams to work on their company and team development, and here I was, a solo biz owner getting ready to go through a review process.  Hmmm.

So, we gathered about 8 people who I had worked for, worked with and have coached in the past.  We gathered people who were my raving fans and some people who were not only not raving fans but who really did not like me very much (and I knew that), and Sue talked to each of them, one by one, in private about my performance as a coach, business leader and human being.

On a Friday afternoon about two weeks after the interviews were finished, Sue sent me an e-mail, and in it she said “I have the results of your 360 degree review attached.  Please just take a deep breath, read the survey, and then read it again over the week-end.  We will talk about all during our coaching call on Monday.”

“Uh-oh! Take a deep breath!  What does this darn thing say?”  Reluctantly, I opened the document and began to read…I remember vividly that I was quickly scanning the document to see my strengths, but the shortcomings were popping up all over the place.  Here is a list of the comments:

Bea is an incredible synthesizer.

Bea is a masterful coach.

She gets it all done in record time.

Bea is one of the best business owners I know.

Bea is organized.

Bea is disorganized.

Bea seems scattered…all over the place.

Bea is only loyal to people who get results.  She cuts herself off from people she could learn from if they are not getting results.

Bea gives too much away…she lets people take advantage of her skills, knowledge and talent.

Bea is extremely creative…would like to see her do something with that in the world.

Bea’s communication style is very direct.  Some people like this, and some don’t.

Bea is not playing big enough.  I don’t understand some of the projects she works on, because they keey her playing way too small for her capabilities.

Bea needs a much bigger stage to play on.  She keeps herself small.

Bea confuses me…she seems so sharp, smart and professional, but she plays so small that it makes me wonder if she feels confident in her abilities.

Ouch!  Man…did that sting!  I looked at the results, and I saw disconnect all over the place.  Some comments were contradicting each other.  People seemed confused about me, saw me as playing small, wanting me to play bigger, very direct and cutting people out of the picture if they were not getting results.  My initial impression was that I was totally ticked off and thinking ”I really wonder who said all of this!”  But of course, this process was strictly confidential, so I would never know who said what.

After I sat with this information for a few days, I began to really consider this information and took it to heart.  The thing that I kept hearing in my mind was “Their perception is your reality, so do something about this!”  So I did!

I began to really look at my entire life…the work that I am doing in the world, my relationships, my body, my everything (you know me…my whole environment went under a microscope), and I began to formulate a plan.  This plan would involve putting myself out in the world as a much bigger player, taking big risks, getting much more organized, asking for help, listening more than talking, honing in on my strengths, biting my tongue more (just enough but not so much that I was not speaking my truth) and being quite selective about who I was spending time with.

As a result, my business has really turned in an incredibly positive direction in 2006.  I am working with the most ideal clients I have ever worked with all at one time.  Each client is a leader of an organization or a big community leader, all very tech savvy, very results oriented and very willing and able to pay very handsome fees to work with me.  I am also in the middle of writing my first book (yes…I know…finally!), which will be out in Summer of 2007, and I am now launching this program: The 360 Degree Challenge and The 360 Degree Challenge for Coaches.  Along with my close colleagues, Rob Newbold and Scott Wilder, I am opening The Gen Y Project, and I am contributing a chapter to Jay Conrad Levinson and Mitch Meyerson’s new book, Guerrilla Marketing on the Front Lines. And all of this happened because of one tiny (but HUGE) 360 degree feedback process.  Imagine that!

I hope that in telling you my story that you gain a bit of inspiration today and that you begin to consider your next steps as a business or community leader.  If you are a coach or a business or community leader, I invite you to step up to the plate and go through the 360 Degree Feedback process.  Is it easy?  NO!  It takes guts and not everyone has the courage to go through a 360 review.  Is it worth it?  ABSOLUTELY!   It will change your life!  I know…it sure changed mine!

Wishing you much success!

Bea