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Thursday, June 23, 2011

5 Four-Letter Words to Generation Y

You know what a four-letter word is. It’s a bad word. It’s a word that mom taught you to never use. It was often a swear word (translate that cuss word). It was evil.

Well, I have a list today that Generation Y (the Millennials) would say are four-letter words to them. Bad words. Ideas they hate and avoid. My son, Jonathan, and I met recently and discussed this list together. He is a member of Generation Y. If you lead students or even young adults—you will want to avoid this list of literal four letter words as you plan, manage, mentor and lead them this year. I will share five more words tomorrow.

1. Wait.

You know this. Students today, by and large, are not good at delaying gratification. I have said before, they have a “Google Reflex.” They’re used to getting feedback, food, answers, affirmation, toys and resources…now. Things are instant. They expect them to be. You’ll have to be intentional about teaching patience and pace.

2. Copy.

Students abhor thinking they might be a copy of someone else. To them, everyone is unique and awesome. They are all special. To simply emulate someone else; to be an imitation of another brand (while they may be guilty of this) is an idea they hate. Find unique features about the students you lead and tell them.

3. Dues.

I discovered in every focus group I’ve led, young people have a disdain for the phrase: “You gotta pay your dues. You don’t have anything to say yet, you’re too young. Get a little experience—pay your dues—and we’ll let you participate later.” They want to be listened to now, believing they have something to say.

4. Fear.

Even though nearly every Generation Y student I interact with admits to having fears and insecurities—fear is a word they avoid. “No Fear” is a term they grew up with. So, they exhibit and sometimes feign confidence and security in front of others. We must help them get past this pretense and help them genuinely face their fears.

5. Solo.

May I remind you this generation of students rarely does anything alone. They hate being disconnected. In fact, the average adolescent is disconnected from technology (Social networking sites) only one hour a day. They often won’t make a decisions without getting consensus from friends. We must teach them to stand on their own.

I recognize these words are anecdotal, but they come from years of working with about 50,000 students annually. And…a candid informal focus group with my son.

Tomorrow, I will provide five more words for you.

What are your thoughts? Any words you want to add to this list?

Tim

In: Culture, Education, Generation iY, Parenting

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Creating Programs for the Lady Gaga Generation

I was inspired by an article in Fast Company magazine a few weeks ago. Sarah Nagle, of Smart Design, made some suggestions for those who are designing products for the “Lady Gaga” generation. I have tweaked those thoughts and added some of my own to provide a short list for you who build programs for students. In case you’d like to peer into the brain of that young person you wish to reach, here are some statements that help you understand them and their culture:

1. Everyone is awesome.

Generation Y is a population of self-confident optimists. Why? Helicopter parents, trophies for just playing on a team, schools that won’t say no and TV shows that portray this generation as brilliant. Gen Y was the first group who grew up with reality TV, dot.com billionaires, Columbine High School, virtual relationships on-line and 9-11. They soared through each one of them feeling good about themselves. If you want to attract young adults—be sure and communicate belief in them, but be truthful. They now see through hollow flattery and want what’s real.

2. Change is compulsory.

Stop and think about their world. MTV, Twitter, RSS feeds, texting and Facebook updates have transformed these kids into people who expect change and it can’t happen fast enough for some of them. Lady Gaga is a vivid example of this reality. Her ever-evolving persona and costumes are an expression of this fluid ideal. Nostalgia has already set in—some things are constant, and others are constantly changing. Our offerings to Gen Y must exhibit the same—ancient future. Always be re-inventing and always do something new.

3. Sharing is second nature.

This is something older generations don’t always understand. For elders who want to “own” everything, and accumulate possessions, the new generation is used to crowd-sourcing, working in teams, gaining consensus on Facebook and sharing almost everything with peers. Collaboration has shaped their perspective. Inspired by Zipcar, Relayrides – the first peer-to-peer car-sharing site in the nation – has built an entire business plan on this ideal. When you create programs, I suggest you find ways for Gen Y to share—to both give and receive from others in the process.

4. Emotions rule.

Let’s face it. Both programs and commercials on TV have changed over the years. What do scriptwriters and retailers use to sell an idea? It’s emotion, more than logic. They recognize in this world that overwhelms us with information, what really captures the minds and hearts of people is a pull at the heart-strings. When you have an idea or program or cause to invite students into—your best bet is to appeal to their emotions. That is not to say you only use an emotional pull. There should always be rationale behind your idea. But they’ll jump onboard via their emotions.

5. Creativity is worshipped.

Creativity has always been important for youth, but the fact that it plays a paramount role in today’s generation is unique indeed. Programs that seem like imitations of another won’t fly, unless it’s a purposeful parody of the original. What really makes it are creations that are original. Sites like Etsy give the creative people a way to fund themselves and Kickstarter encourages a community to help turn innovative ideas into realities. Be sure when you start something—you are on to something unique and original. Programs must meet a real or felt need and differentiate themselves.

My guess is—you’ve thought about this concept yourself. What have you learned about creating programs for students? Can you reply to me and share them?

Tim

In: Culture, Generation iY

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

New Research on Social Networking—What It’s Doing to Us (Part 2)

Last week, the findings Pew Research Center made on SNS (Social Networking Sites) was released. They are a mixed bag, but there is some good news about these sites. The findings on Facebook alone are interesting and I thought you’d enjoy them:

1. The number of people using social networking sites has nearly doubled since 2008 and the population of SNS users has gotten older.

In this Pew Internet Project sample, 79% of American adults said they used the internet and 59% of internet users, say they use at least one of the SNS. This is more than double the 26% of adults (34% of internet users) who used a SNS in 2008. Among other things, this means the average age of adult-SNS users has shifted from 33 in 2008 to 38 in 2010. Over half of all adult SNS users are now over the age of 35. Some 56% of SNS users now are female.

2. Surprise, surprise! Facebook domintes the Social Networking scene.

Facebook dominates the SNS space in the Pew survey: 92% of SNS users are on Facebook; 29% use MySpace, 18% used LinkedIn and 13% use Twitter.

There is considerable variance in the way people use various social networking sites: 52% of Facebook users and 33% of Twitter users engage with the platform daily, while only 7% of MySpace and 6% of LinkedIn users do the same. On Facebook on an average day:

▪ 15% of Facebook users update their status.

▪ 22% comment on another’s post or status.

▪ 20% comment on another user’s photos.

▪ 26% “Like” another user’s content.

▪ 10% send another user a private message.

3. Facebook users are more trusting than others.

Pew Research asked people if they felt “that most people can be trusted.” When Pew used regression analysis to control four demographic factors, they found the typical internet user is more than twice as likely as others to feel that people can be trusted. Further, they found Facebook users are even more likely to be trusting. Pew used regression analysis to control four other factors and found that a Facebook user who uses the site multiple times per day is 43% more likely than other internet users and more than three times as likely as non-internet users to feel that most people can be trusted.

4. Facebook users have more close relationships.

The average American has just over two discussion confidants (2.16 on average) — that is, people with whom they discuss important matters. This is a modest, but significantly larger number than the average of 1.93 core ties reported when we asked this same question in 2008. Controlling for other factors we found that someone who uses Facebook several times per day averages 9% more close, core ties in their overall social network compared with other internet users.

This Thursday and Friday, our organization, Growing Leaders will host a National Leadership Forum called, “Develop: Cultivating Growth, Engagement and Success in Students.” One of the issues we’ll discuss is now to harness new technology to help students grow. Join us in Atlanta if you can: www.NationalLeadershipForum.org.

Tim

In: Culture, Education, Generation iY, Parenting, Workplace

Monday, June 20, 2011

New Research on Social Networking and What It’s Doing to Us

For years, I’ve been in dialogue with teachers, coaches and parents who wondered if social networking sites are good or bad for students.

Questions have been raised about the social impact of widespread use of social networking sites (SNS) like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter. Do these technologies isolate people and truncate their relationships? Or are there benefits associated with being connected to others in this way? The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project decided to examine SNS in a survey that explored people’s overall social networks and how use of these technologies is related to trust, tolerance, social support, and community and political engagement.

Tomorrow, I will summarize the findings Pew Research made, but for now, let me provide a summary of my response to their findings:

1. Social networking is not going away any time soon. Parents and educators must find ways to harness and capitalize on this technology as a tool for growth.

2. Social networking can actually foster relationships and certainly enable an introverted person to be more “social.”

3. Social networking sites can also make us lazy—so we must balance “face” time with “screen” time to ensure we maintain our people skills, emotional intelligence and communication skills.

4. Social networking sites are taking the place of the Roledex for the Baby Boomers and the cell phone for the Gen Xers. In other words, don’t assume Facebook is just plain bad for kids. It’s a new, more efficient way to connect.

So here’s my question for you: how are you using social networking sites to develop the students around you? Are you capitalizing on them to educate kids? Do you remember what happened with television back in the 1960s? Everyone said how evil TV was…then along came Sesame Street, Captain Kangaroo, Barney and Blues Clues. TV is neutral. We simply had to learn a way to harness TV as a tool.

What’s your feedback? Do you (or someone you know) do this well? Please share it.

Tim

In: Culture, Education, Generation iY, Parenting, Workplace

Friday, June 17, 2011

An Amazing Generation iY Student

In a post earlier this week, I introduced you to Olya, a Ukrainian girl from who was adopted by a family here in the U.S. Today, my new friend, Brett Millican will share her complete story—one that will inspire you whether you’re a student or adult.

Olya was born in the mid 90′s to a very affluent Ukrainian family. Her birth father was a wealthy doctor in Ukraine. Because there is still a strong communistic undercurrent in their culture, society views anything that is not perfect or the best as ultimately not worth keeping. So when Olya was born missing half of her right arm her mother and father refused to even touch her. They told the nurse to take her away because they didn’t want her. Olya was then placed in one of the many overcrowded and under-resourced Ukrainian orphanages where she would spend the next 18 years if something miraculous didn’t happen.

Three years later an American couple, Allen and Kayleen, felt God calling them to travel to Ukraine and spend their foreseeable future as missionaries in that country. Allen and Kayleen had been unsuccessful at having children for a number of years. Having accepted their fate they decided to give their lives to reaching the people of Ukraine. Due to work schedules Kayleen was able to travel to Ukraine first while Allen finished out his responsibilities at work and joined her at a later date. While there by herself, Kayleen went to visit the very orphanage where Olya had been living. She spent a few days loving on the children and in the process had taken a few pictures to send back to Allen to show him what she had been doing. Olya was simply one of many children at this orphanage that Kayleen had visited.

When Allen received the pictures his eyes were immediately drawn to the little girl in the background of one of the pictures who was missing half of her right arm. As soon as his eyes saw the picture he knew in his heart that this little girl was meant to be his daughter. Allen soon joined Kayleen overseas and upon visiting the orphanage they began the adoption process for both Olya, and a two-year old boy named Phillip. Shortly after, Olya and Phillip were part of the Haun family.

At the end of that year they came back to the United States. As she grew up Olya would endure funny looks from other kids, but she was determined to live a “normal” life. It would force her to work harder, persevere longer, and be more determined than the average child, but Olya had made up her mind that the lack of one arm was not going to keep her from living life to the fullest.

Fast forward to this year. Olya, a 15 year-old Freshman at Happy Hill Farm High School in Granbury, TX, had to not only face the normal insecurities and obstacles of a teenage girl entering into high school, but also the added pressure of the strange looks and comments that many disabled people experience on a daily basis. This girl who had been rejected by her birth parents and endured the looks and comments from other children growing up would now have to face it all over again in the unpredictable context of teenage culture. And, as she has done her entire life, Olya was up for the challenge.

Being a gifted athlete most of her childhood Olya has continuously demonstrated her grit and determination in proving people wrong. Most of her life she’s been told what she couldn’t do only to prove to her naysayers that she could not only do it, but she could be the best at it. Her freshman year would prove to be no different. When she tried out for the girls’ basketball team she was told not to get her hopes up. Fortunately for the Lady Pioneers, Olya not only got her hopes up but had set her mind to help the team win their very first state championship. Olya not only made the team, but as a point guard on the varsity basketball team she played a role in the Lady Pioneers 26-1 season and 58-43 victory of defending state champions Geneva High School.

However, one state championship was not enough for this amazing 15 year-old from Ukraine as she moved from basketball into track-and-field where she would compete in the 300-meter hurdles, one of the most strenuous events any person can compete in. Improving on her time from one week to the next, Olya soon found herself competing in the State Championships for her event. In this particular race Olya not only set a personal best, and school record time of 52.17, but her time proved good enough to take first place and win her second state championship as a freshman.

Over this summer Olya, back in Austin with her family, is also stepping into a leadership role with the student ministry at Christ Community Church.

Now—what was the problem you said was weighing you down?

Tim

In: Generation iY, Parenting

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