Comments on: Coachology: How to wrestle leadership roles from boomers http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:24:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: 16th letter » Blog Archive » 5 things you can learn about being a project manager by organizing a community service project http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-109061 16th letter » Blog Archive » 5 things you can learn about being a project manager by organizing a community service project Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:19:29 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-109061 [...] ·         Are you are an effective leader? – To be a leader, people need to follow you. By inviting people to participate in a community service event, you can gauge your ability to lead. If people are willing to give up their free time to participate in the event that you’re organizing, you’re likely going to be able to get your employees to help you with a work-related project. Granted, in a work situation, you’re paying people and they are required to follow you, but that issue is likely comparable to the loyalty that people feel to the cause that you’re working toward with your community service project. If you have trouble getting people to participate, however, don’t despair; you can learn how to be a better leader. [...] [...] ·         Are you are an effective leader? – To be a leader, people need to follow you. By inviting people to participate in a community service event, you can gauge your ability to lead. If people are willing to give up their free time to participate in the event that you’re organizing, you’re likely going to be able to get your employees to help you with a work-related project. Granted, in a work situation, you’re paying people and they are required to follow you, but that issue is likely comparable to the loyalty that people feel to the cause that you’re working toward with your community service project. If you have trouble getting people to participate, however, don’t despair; you can learn how to be a better leader. [...]

]]> By: mark http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105788 mark Wed, 08 Aug 2007 00:13:44 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105788 Mike, she deleted mine too... all she wants to hear is what feeds her ego. Mike,
she deleted mine too… all she wants to hear is what feeds her ego.

]]> By: mike http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105753 mike Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:05:13 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105753 Interesting that you deleted the post I left yesterday.... Interesting that you deleted the post I left yesterday….

]]> By: Torchwood http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105607 Torchwood Sun, 05 Aug 2007 09:14:04 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105607 Yep, dunno about in America (USA) but in Britain and Europe they are already starting to tell people that they will be paying mortgages their 'first' mortgage for thirty five years or more, and that they'll have to work into the seventies before they have made any significant pension contributions. High powered jobs come with good health and pension plans, relocation costs & incentives. Your average Joe is looking at buying a one room studio flat with a massive mortgage hoping that prices will continue to rise astronomically So that he can sell up and move out from his/her cell. But they haven't quite stopped to figure out where they are going to move out to when property prices rise well above income increments OK so nothing to do with this post, except now more than ever single career women are looking for partners who can get them out of the trap they have fallen into. Mortgage to the hilt hoping you'll get promotion and your income will rise, and that the property will leave you a sufficient remnant for a deposit on a decent home Who is driving this social engineering? Women putting careers before raising children, may be liberating for 'successful' women, but not so hot for women locked into a job they hate to pay the mortgage on a studio flat that grows more and more claustrophobic. And ladies there are not enough princess or bosses out there to get you all out of the trap. Of course if your family help you with the home purchase, or you inherit the family grand home or large house/flat in the City, the dream goes on. If you are not in this situation, maybe you've just been suckered into the unreachable dream. Sure success & independence are great (whether you are female or male) but modern society is making it impossible for your average Joe or Jabe to get on the husing ladder without a partner (of whichever sex). C'est la vie. If you are competitive and on your way up, I can't give better advice than Jo Miller, certainly better advice than stomping on toes or stabbing work colleagues in the back to get ahead Yep, dunno about in America (USA)
but in Britain and Europe they are already starting to tell people that they will be paying mortgages their 'first' mortgage for thirty five years or more, and that they'll have to work into the seventies before they have made any significant pension contributions.

High powered jobs come with good health and pension plans, relocation costs & incentives.

Your average Joe is looking at buying a one room studio flat with a massive mortgage hoping that prices will continue to rise astronomically
So that he can sell up and move out from his/her cell. But they haven't quite stopped to figure out where they are going to move out to when property prices rise well above income increments

OK so nothing to do with this post, except now more than ever single career women are looking for partners who can get them out of the trap they have fallen into. Mortgage to the hilt hoping you'll get promotion and your income will rise, and that the property will leave you a sufficient remnant for a deposit on a decent home

Who is driving this social engineering?
Women putting careers before raising children, may be liberating for 'successful' women, but not so hot for women locked into a job they hate to pay the mortgage on a studio flat that grows more and more claustrophobic.

And ladies there are not enough princess or bosses out there to get you all out of the trap.

Of course if your family help you with the home purchase, or you inherit the family grand home or large house/flat in the City, the dream goes on.
If you are not in this situation, maybe you've just been suckered into the unreachable dream.

Sure success & independence are great (whether you are female or male) but modern society is making it impossible for your average Joe or Jabe to get on the husing ladder without a partner (of whichever sex). C'est la vie.

If you are competitive and on your way up, I can't give better advice than Jo Miller, certainly better advice than stomping on toes or stabbing work colleagues in the back to get ahead

]]> By: L. Bates http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105597 L. Bates Sun, 05 Aug 2007 01:16:03 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105597 Wow - sometimes I feel squeezed - the Gen X'er in the middle between the boomers who won't budge and the Gen Y'ers who are super amitious. The good news for you Gen Y'ers is that there are a heck of a lot less of us Gen X'ers than there are boomers OR Y'ers. If you wait a little bit, there will be no choice but to move up Y'ers, because of the sheer drop in volume when the boomers finally age out. Don't forget, Y'ers, when you're trying to help move them out, the boomers are your parents... Wow - sometimes I feel squeezed - the Gen X'er in the middle between the boomers who won't budge and the Gen Y'ers who are super amitious.

The good news for you Gen Y'ers is that there are a heck of a lot less of us Gen X'ers than there are boomers OR Y'ers. If you wait a little bit, there will be no choice but to move up Y'ers, because of the sheer drop in volume when the boomers finally age out.

Don't forget, Y'ers, when you're trying to help move them out, the boomers are your parents…

]]> By: Tom http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105587 Tom Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:48:58 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105587 I'd like to add an observation about the boomer generation, THEY WILL NOT LET GO! It's like they're holding onto everything they have with an iron grip, I find that they are incredibly selfish. When you talk about advancement, being in the IT industry I find the best way to advance myself is two-fold: 1) Get certified in the areas you currently work on at work. Example at my job I installed two computers with a particular type of software so that I could use it to help the company and help myself 2) Don't work for small companies - they're great because many will let you "be your own boss", but they stink because the only way you can go up is to change jobs. BTW I work in a company with the owner being male, myself being male, and one lawyer who is male, there are 30+ women, and that about does it for the entire company. I have a lot of "game", I find that's the best way to deal with working with 30+ women, they like me, they listen to my suggestions, and together we get a lot done. I have no problems with it and enjoy my job completely. I'd like to add an observation about the boomer generation, THEY WILL NOT LET GO! It's like they're holding onto everything they have with an iron grip, I find that they are incredibly selfish.
When you talk about advancement, being in the IT industry I find the best way to advance myself is two-fold:
1) Get certified in the areas you currently work on at work. Example at my job I installed two computers with a particular type of software so that I could use it to help the company and help myself
2) Don't work for small companies - they're great because many will let you "be your own boss", but they stink because the only way you can go up is to change jobs.
BTW I work in a company with the owner being male, myself being male, and one lawyer who is male, there are 30+ women, and that about does it for the entire company. I have a lot of "game", I find that's the best way to deal with working with 30+ women, they like me, they listen to my suggestions, and together we get a lot done. I have no problems with it and enjoy my job completely.

]]> By: Peter Varhol http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105582 Peter Varhol Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:48:01 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105582 As a boomer, I would say to someone seeking my leadership role, "Take it, it's yours. But be careful of what you wish for." It is much better to carve out a career path that is varied and interesting, rather than one whose denouement is a leadership role. As a boomer, I would say to someone seeking my leadership role, "Take it, it's yours. But be careful of what you wish for."

It is much better to carve out a career path that is varied and interesting, rather than one whose denouement is a leadership role.

]]> By: Jo Miller http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105580 Jo Miller Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:14:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105580 Carmine Coyote, I want women to know you CAN advance your career by building personal skills. For too many women, their strategy for getting promoted is to work hard, work harder, in the hopes that someone higher-up will notice their brilliance, and reward them for it. Which results in your reputation getting buried under a pile of work, i.e. burnout and frustration. One of the coaches on my team has had had 70% of her coachees negotiate a promotion in the last 11 months, by building the skills Penelope listed. Until the corporate workplace 'rules of the game' change, there are many ways women can proactively take charge of their own advancement. Carmine Coyote,

I want women to know you CAN advance your career by building personal skills.

For too many women, their strategy for getting promoted is to work hard, work harder, in the hopes that someone higher-up will notice their brilliance, and reward them for it. Which results in your reputation getting buried under a pile of work, i.e. burnout and frustration.

One of the coaches on my team has had had 70% of her coachees negotiate a promotion in the last 11 months, by building the skills Penelope listed. Until the corporate workplace 'rules of the game' change, there are many ways women can proactively take charge of their own advancement.

]]> By: Doug http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105570 Doug Sat, 04 Aug 2007 13:59:56 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105570 <p>Reading this blog, you'd think everyone under 40 is working for themselves or changing jobs every 18 months. Why should we care then if baby boomers won't move out of the way at some ancient corporation?</p> * * * * * * * * <I>This is a great question. People change jobs when there is no way to continue growing in the direction they want to be growing in their current job. Because corporate jobs are not generally geared toward personal growth but rather toward money and power, people hit a wall in their jobs every 18 months. But this doesn't mean it's what people want. Everyone, no matter what their age, would rather have a stable path to a life they want rather than a path of high risk and uncertainty. In fact, even entrepreneurs try everything they can to mitigate the risk they are taking: http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/23/you-dont-need-to-love-risk-taking-to-start-your-own-business/ So, once we understand that everyone likes stability, it's easy to see why people would like to figure out how to grow into another position at the same company than have to leave the company. Or even at another company. If you can figure out how to get into a leadership position in your chosen field, you will not have to change careers or start your own company in order to grow. People like stability. Deveoping yourself into a leader is a good path to stability for people who are already in corporate life and doing well. Penelope</i> Reading this blog, you'd think everyone under 40 is working for themselves or changing jobs every 18 months. Why should we care then if baby boomers won't move out of the way at some ancient corporation?

* * * * * * * *
This is a great question. People change jobs when there is no way to continue growing in the direction they want to be growing in their current job. Because corporate jobs are not generally geared toward personal growth but rather toward money and power, people hit a wall in their jobs every 18 months.

But this doesn't mean it's what people want. Everyone, no matter what their age, would rather have a stable path to a life they want rather than a path of high risk and uncertainty. In fact, even entrepreneurs try everything they can to mitigate the risk they are taking:
http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/04/23/you-dont-need-to-love-risk-taking-to-start-your-own-business/

So, once we understand that everyone likes stability, it's easy to see why people would like to figure out how to grow into another position at the same company than have to leave the company. Or even at another company. If you can figure out how to get into a leadership position in your chosen field, you will not have to change careers or start your own company in order to grow. People like stability. Deveoping yourself into a leader is a good path to stability for people who are already in corporate life and doing well.

Penelope

]]> By: Almostgotit http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105548 Almostgotit Sat, 04 Aug 2007 03:44:07 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/08/03/coachology-learn-to-wrestle-leadership-roles-from-boomers/#comment-105548 Sometimes it's a good idea to get ideas from more than one book. Sometimes it's a good idea to get ideas from more than one book.

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