Yvonne Thompson: Yvonne Thompson - The Innovative Leader

How can we connect the old with the new

Sat, 28 May 2011 02:52:23 PM

Many of our corporate leaders, CEO, Presidents etc are in their mid sixties. How do these leaders connect to the youngest workers coming into our organizations. Or do they? Imagine the shift. All this talk about how truly different this newest worker is Is a connection possible between the 65 year old executive and the 24 year old employee? My suspicsion is that it would take a significant amount of work to connect these two groups of people in a meaningful way. As I research the attributes of the 20somethings I can't help but think it must be difficult to find common ground. Are we leading organizations in 2011 as if it were still 1970 and if so what are the implications for the 20something.

WOW, Inspiration comes from the Millennials

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 11:36:22 AM

We, the older workers, have a ton to learn from this new generation. I am so excited to explore the attributes, natural talents and incredible intuitive abilities of our younger workers. They seem to have skills that many of us only think about or are only learning in the twilight of our working life. The intuitive skills and evolution that I, and many of my friends, have gone through over the past 10 to 15 years are things our 20 year olds already know. WOW. That is inspiring to me. New World Leaders recognize that this younger generation has a huge amount to teach us about connection, intuition, truth telling, and the infinite possibilities that await us. The collective energy of a team, the positive united collective energy of a team, will make the difference between those companies that are highly prosperous and those that are not. New World Leaders need to be genuinely curious about the young workers on their teams. Must explore their gifts and talents. And will discover a highly evolved generation chomping at the bit to run with projects, responsibility and vision. Sounds good, don’t you think? Then why do we have so much trouble seeing this new reality? What are the barriers we keep tripping over? And how do we remove them so that we can all benefit from the power of today’s young people? What do you think?

The BIG Shift: Are we fundamentally changing?

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 09:43:26 AM

For a while now, I have been pondering the generational differences and, through reading and dialogue with others, I am coming to believe that a significant shift is taking place. My kids are 26, 25 and 23 years old. They are highly intuitive, introspective, and seem to have a connection to themselves, their families, their friends and the universe in general, in a way that I could never have imagined when I was their age. Why is this? I don’t think I am alone in this observation – or in asking, “Why now?” Recently, having lunch with a senior VP of a large organization, I discovered that she, too, was wondering why is there such a significant shift in this younger generation. What makes them so different? My children have taught me an enormous amount about life, and many parents my age say the same thing about their children. I know I did not have this effect on my parents. In fact, the evolution of my parents seems much slower than my husband and I have experienced. But I can hear you asking: “What has all this got to do with New World Leadership?” And I’m here to tell you: “Everything!” Because, if we are going to lead this younger generation into their leadership roles before we retire and pass the torch, then we must genuinely understand them, recognize their talents and appreciate their potential.

On to something completely different

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 11:23:28 AM

A significant shift in the air is in the air. If you read or listen to many spiritual leaders, business leaders, and those who continually seek to understand, you will have noticed what I have: There is a common theme. We are in the midst of a significant shift. Humanity is fundamentally changing. Our needs, desires, focus and intentions are changing overall. Why do I say this? In my Mastermind group I posed this question, shared some of my recent learning and discovered that my fellow group members also thought something is significantly different. What if the younger generation, just entering the workforce, is fundamentally different than the baby boomers, who entered the workforce more than a generation ago? What if the young people’s thinking, their intrinsic needs, their natural skills and their abilities have evolved beyond what those of us at the age of 50 can imagine? One of my Mastermind group members said, “We have been trying to figure out our younger workers for some time and they just are not like any other generation. Maybe this is not just a generational thing, but rather a shift in human evolution.” I’m excited at this possibility. How about you? What do you think?

New World Leaders Know what we are looking for

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:24:52 PM

NW Leaders know that employees are looking for their work to bring value into their lives. NW Leaders recognize that we cannot continue to manage (lead) in the same way we have for the past 50 years. The newest generation of workers is showing us the way to a better work life. NW Leaders know it’s important to listen closely to this younger generation, so that we can shift our practices to ensure we meet the constituents’ needs. Providing environments in which employees can contribute in a meaningful way is crucial, and NW Leaders know how to build these environments. We ask: “What jazzes you?” “How can I help you create the work environment you need?” NW Leaders have real conversations. Listen with open ears and heart. And nurture a calm sense of evolution.

Compelling purpose is to find our purpose

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 01:30:09 PM

Earlier this week I asked the question: Do all human beings at work need the same thing? I am not sure I have any answers but I do believe that to some degree we all need similar things; like a sense of contributing, belonging and independence. I think our purpose is to find our purpose. The younger generation seems to have the courage to be vocal and to state that they intend to keep balance; to keep perspective of their work live. This is fabulous; the baby boomers could take a good lesson from their younger counterparts. Did the baby boomers lose their sense of human needs because our long standing mechanistic organizations said we should or did they lose it because it just wasn’t important. More and more people of all ages are saying, “They want a better work life”. We have an obligation to provide this to them. Let’s not lower our expectations and standards just to fit in but lets listen to the younger generation they may be onto something.

Are all Human Beings Created Equal

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 02:31:49 PM

Do you ever wonder if all human beings are created equally? I believe we are, because I think that we all have similar needs. Or do we? We all need to feel a sense of belonging. We need to feel we contribute to something meaningful. And we need a sense of independence, even though most of us like interdependence – relying on each other for support. Why do I ponder this question? Well, I am fascinated by the thought that we are all in this together and that we all share things in common. In a work setting, when it comes to employee engagement, we need to reflect on whether the younger generation needs something different than the baby boomers do…or have the baby boomers just forgotten what they really need or want? Or, maybe, older employees wait for the employer to work it out for them. Regardless of which it is, what’s true, for sure, is that we’re all created equally, but we’re all different, also.

The “one thing”

Sun, 23 Jan 2011 05:51:45 PM

What lies at the heart of your company? What is the one central thing that drives all else in your business? What is your company’s “one thing” that is expressed in a million different ways in your organization? Speaker and author Ian Percy talks about the importance of knowing your “one thing”, of knowing who you are as a business, of knowing what you stand for, of understanding what truly compels you in your work. Think about it. Organizations are no different than individuals in the need to clear and focused in their goals. Organizations are living systems that need purpose and direction, and they also need a soul and a moral compass. Think about well-known companies, like Patagonia, for example. If we were to guess what that one thing is for Patagonia, we could guess that it is environmental stewardship. Everything that company does arises from and leads back to that commitment, that core purpose. Now think about your business. What is your “one thing”? What do you and your employees live by, every day, regardless of whether times are good or bad.

Engaging the Newest Worker

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:13:01 AM

Employers are crying out for enthusiastic new recruits to help them in their business, yet I often hear HR managers and leaders complaining about their most recent hires. The complaints are simple enough: “Why can’t these younger workers stay with a company for more than 6 months?” “Young people today have no loyalty. They’re always looking for another job and as soon as they find it, they are gone.” “Their work ethic is so poor. They don’t know what work is!” “They have no commitment to their employer or to their work.” What’s interesting to me is that these same managers don’t ever stop to consider their role in all of this. Work is not just about the tasks we do, it’s also about the organizational context within which that work is done. The challenge for managers today is to provide the right environment, the right organizational context to retain their employees. Rather than trying to shove a square peg (employee) through a round hole (work culture), why not bring those two shapes into better alignment? If it helped you retain your current employees, wouldn’t the effort be worth it? It takes both sides to make a happy workplace, so it’s worth paying attention to the engagement factors that will keep your employees on board for the long term. Managers must create an organizational culture that inspires rather than repels their staff.

There is Magic in the Air- Spirituality and Authenticity

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:00:19 PM

WOW... I continue to be impressed with this young generation. Last night on the way home from the ballet we decided to stop for a glass of wine at a local resturant. My husband and I struck up a conversation with a young server who appeared to want to talk. She had a great smile and was able to make a connection to us easily. We started to talk about the world, the universe, our connections, and the law of attraction. She gets it! Hands down, I had just met another young person (20 something) that was truly trying to figure it out. She believed in her power to move the world, herself and to have a significant impact on those around her. She understood her unique connection to these 2 total strangers who had just stepped up to the bar. At her young age, she has read Ekhart Tolle, Deepak, Hicks etc. It was a great conversation. If our younger generation is already thinking about this stuff, what will they be reading and thinking about when they are 40?

Nothing Worse then Losing Great Talent

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:33:30 AM

The New World Employee needs to be involved and engaged, and their engagement must be driven by them for them. Here is what I mean: When a team member loses interest in their work and we don’t notice, it can hurt everyone. The company is impacted by the loss of productivity, the employee is impacted by their lack of engagement and other team members start to notice and can be affected by it. It is really tough on everyone. No matter how much we like our co-workers or how much they like the company, if we can’t assist them in finding great interesting work that truly jazzes them, it is time to move along. Work must be meaningful, provide daily opportunities for innovation, creativity and a self-directed and self-managed approach. If you are a leader in this new world, you must be on the look out for bored and under challenged team members. If you aren’t, you risk losing them. When an employee moves on to find new challenges, it is not always a bad thing. It merely means that we need to be more aware of the interest level in our teams. How engaged are your team members? Which of them are fully engaged? Which of them are at risk of leaving?

Keeping it REAL !

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 08:25:15 AM

Sometimes it is hard to keep it real at work, but it is the only way to build authentic and meaningful relationships with co-workers and bosses. I am often asked questions about how to address personnel issues: What should we say? How do I deal with this problem? My answer is always the same: Deal with it directly. Get right at the heart of the issue. Be sensitive to the person. Have a real conversation with everyone involved: Don’t include anyone whom it does not impact directly and don’t leave anyone out whom it does. Share what you believe or feel is going on, and then be quiet. Let the other person (or people) have the floor. This approach is so simple that most people can’t grasp it, but it’s not rocket science. It’s just common sense: Remove barriers to communication. Eliminate posturing, politics and spin doctors. Get real. The solution to your problem will follow, quite naturally. Sure, there may be raised voices and hurt feelings involved, but that’s just open communication between people engaged in authentic and meaningful relationships.

Building Your ONE Thing !

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 03:38:57 PM

Many organizations understand the need to have a compelling purpose – that ‘one thing’ that drives everything and all actions. But not very many organizations know how to determine what that compelling purpose is. Unlike Patagonia or Change Innovators, which developed out of their compelling purpose, some organizations must figure this out well into their life span. Pull together a group of dedicated and interested team members (anyone who wants to come) and ask them: What does excellence look like for us? Who are we? What do we do differently than everyone else? What makes us unique? Nurture these discussions and take lots of notes: Get all of the ideas on paper. Work in groups, work individually and work as an entire organization. If you just ask for their input, your team members will amaze you with their talent, their passion and their commitment. Once you have defined your compelling purpose, you can put your energy into building a path towards it. Figure out what sets you apart. Then build your CP or 1T around it.

What Jazzes YOU ?

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 06:45:59 PM

What jazzes you? Makes you feel amazing inside? When do you feel most happy? Most productive? Like you’re really contributing and making a difference to yourself or someone else? These are questions that we don’t often take the time to consider. Not in our personal life and definitely not in our work life. Think about it: Has anyone ever asked you if you are doing what jazzes you at work? My experience has proven to me that team members who are highly engaged are those people who are doing what jazzes them most of the time. Some call it their passion. Others call it Dharma, but whatever we call it; I firmly believe that everyone should be doing what they love at work. And it’s totally possible to create a work environment where this exists. All we have to do is ask our team members what they love to do, identify their strengths and passion, and then find the fit for those pieces of the puzzle within our organization. Better yet, let them create the fit. Let your team members shape the organization so that it takes full advantage of their skills and passion, energy and commitment. This is how we will create life-long jobs again – jobs that people begin at a young age, pursue as they gain wisdom and continue to enjoy as they approach retirement. This isn’t hard. It’s sensible. For the individuals. And for our organization.

Employee Branding Buzz

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 05:05:11 PM

Organizations are often looking for what they call “employee branding”. I have never really understood what this means, because “employee branding” suggests to me that we are branding our employees – and this does not make sense to me. But what does resonate with me is branding your compelling purpose, especially if that branding happens organically. If at the core of what you do is a purpose that compels you to keep going even, when things are really tough, you will eventually be able to brand that purpose with little or no effort. It is like the flywheel. You just keep pushing it. You do it because you have to, because you are called to. This is a compelling purpose. When organizations have a compelling purpose that they live by and that is reflected in all of their actions and decision-making, they are able to much more easily brand themselves. In fact sometimes the branding happens organically without really trying. People line up to work there. Retention is never discussed because it just isn’t an issue. We can all have this within our organizations if we just identify our organizational purpose and stick to it. As Ian Percy says, “pick that one thing” and do it a million different ways.

Quick Way to Lose Credibility; Withhold Information from Team Members

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 01:54:38 PM

Authentic relationships, based on transparency and trust, are a key characteristic of New World Leadership. From my research and experience, it’s clear that employees want real relationships based on real information. Gone are the days of “need to know only”. Today, employees are demanding transparency and full disclosure from their business and corporate leaders. Is this unrealistic? I don’t think so. When has withholding information ever benefited an individual, organization, department or division? In the end, the information always comes out and, in most cases, when it does, people feel betrayed. During my work as a consultant, my clients often say: “Don’t spin it. Just tell me the truth. I can take it.” This desire for genuine interaction and real communication defines authentic relationships. But in the workplace they can be built only if we are willing to be honest with our employees. Today’s employees are savvy, knowledgeable and capable of handling the truth. They have no delusion about their role within organizations. They know their job is to help the business be successful. All they ask in return is clear, accurate information about their work and their organization. So, why are we reluctant to be transparent with our most valuable resource? I think it may be fear that holds us back from being honest. Leaders need to examine their fears, be freer with information, and become as transparent about the organization as possible. If you have the courage to be authentic with your employees, you will build real relationships with them, and you will be astounded at the rewards that come your way.

Authentic Relationships

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 06:04:26 PM

When I was researching the factors and catalysts of employee engagement, I met a young man who knew exactly what he wanted from his employer. Keep it real, he said: “I have no misconceptions about my role in this company. I am here to be productive and to make money for the organization. What I ask in return is to have real relationships at work.” This is not exceptional any more. Many of the young people I speak with want a work environment that is free of bureaucracy, red tape and need-to-know-only attitudes. They want transparency and authentic relationships. I have heard “don’t spin it” more than once. Why do employers think they can hide anything from the very people who are making the company work? Management only looks foolish when the employees already know what’s going on but management tries to “spin it”. Why does management always underestimate their employees? We are dealing with a very savvy group of young people who are often “in the know” before we are. Today’s digital natives are more connected than any generation in history. Their communication is constant and always brief. We must stop underestimating this group of employees and start asking them what they really need. They will tell you. So go ahead and listen carefully, because if you do you might just learn something important about building real relationships at work that have meaning and are transparent. High Performing Teams emerge from these authentic relationships… but that is a blog for another day.

Work Life Balance, Lets we honest and take a balanced approach !

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 03:23:01 PM

I couldn't stand it anymore, I had to write to the editor of the Globe and Mail. The feature over the past days on Work Life Balance was fascinating. Here is my response to the writers and commentaries of this series. I have been reading and following the discussion on Stress and Work Life Balance in today’s business context. I find the commentary fascinating. Especially the comment by one CEO's that “Work Life Balance is not a corporate issue but a personal issue”. As someone who works in the field of employee engagement, commitment and loyalty I see firsthand the impact of a scale dipped in favor of the employer. When employees are given 14 hours of work and expected to complete it in 8 hours we have an immediate imbalance. Time after time I see unrealistic expectations being made of employees. Now you might think I am under 25 years of age, talking like this, but trust me I am well beyond those years. My work and research in the field of employee engagement and high performing teams has shown me that executives lead the way in the workload imbalance. CEO’s and VP’s sending emails at 11pm on a Saturday night to their executive team who respond and forward down the chain. The next thing you know everyone is working crazy hours and remaining connected 24/7. We need to adjust our expectations. There are simple ways to address this problem and one is through a real assessment of workload and expectations. The other is through developing leadership programs that focus on the new worker and their unique style of interacting and working. If we reach them the way they want to be reached BINGO you have engagement, commitment and loyalty. More importantly you have high productivity and low stress. The scale begins to balance. Trust me we don’t need fancy incentives like paid dry cleaning and fancy lunches delivered to each person. We simply need leadership that speaks to the new constituent. Balance will happen organically when we provide the right environment.

What is success?

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:24:00 PM

Every organization must have a compelling purpose at its core, and it must be felt deeply by its leaders. Success has been defined by many people as the realization of a worthy goal, and at the heart of an organization’s compelling purpose must lie a worthy goal. Does your organization have a worthy goal? If it doesn’t, it is time to get one! A goal that will attract the right people to your organization. Once the goal is defined, you need to spread the word and make sure that everyone in the organization understands it. Consider the impact your team can have if they are all focused on and disciplined about reaching a common compelling purpose. When we recruit employees to that compelling purpose, align all decisions and actions towards the compelling purpose – that’s when we build credibility and create a team focus that is unstoppable. This force of focused energy is felt in the deepest corners of the organization, and it guides everything we do. There are many examples of an organizational compelling purpose but one of my favorites is Patagonia, an internationally successful company that has a compelling purpose at its very core. Check out their website or purchase a copy of the founder’s book, Let My People Go Surfing. You will love the fresh perspective and will quickly be able to define Patagonia’s compelling purpose that has brought the company enormous success.

Stepping Into Your Gooo

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 07:14:52 PM

It’s the hole in the donut that makes it what it is. And we’re no different. Each of us has unique strengths and gifts that we bring to our organization, family and community. These unique gifts are what make us special, define us as who we are. But each of us is as much about what we do not have as what we do have. What do I mean by this? Each of us has gifts. Each of us has liabilities. And our liabilities define us just as much as our gifts do. While I don’t believe that we should spend huge amounts of time examining our weaknesses, I do believe there is value in such analysis for people who are – or want to be – leaders. I call this ‘stepping into your gooo.’ When we focus on our gifts and strengths, it is those gifts that often lead us to make judgments of others and to limit our ability to see the value in differences. But when we spend time truly understanding what we do not have and how that lack impacts our everyday life – particularly our work life, we are able to look at others who are very different from us and see the significant potential of their contributions and value. Working to our strengths is important, but it is also easy; stepping into our gooo is the hard stuff. This is how healthy organizations and the people within them evolve.

Living a Compelling Purpose

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 07:02:00 AM

Why are you in business? If you – and your employees – cannot articulate your raison d’être quickly and briefly, you need to rethink your organization’s reason for being. Organizations today must have what I call a compelling purpose that guides decisions and actions. Never has this been more important. People of every working age want to contribute to something more significant than a mere paycheque. It’s not surprising that this trend has emerged in the dawn of the 21st century. Access to vast amounts information shows individuals how much opportunity exists in the world. No longer does anyone have to settle for a job that is boring and just puts food on the table. Today’s younger generation wants balance in all areas of life: physical, mental and spiritual. Fine, but how do organizations meet this need for their employees? By having, at their very core, a compelling purpose for being – a purpose that matters beyond the bottom line. Don’t miss understand; bottom line is crucial and making money is essential, inspiring and fun, but the energy people share between each other that focuses on a compelling purpose will translate into high performing teams. Successful organizations are moving away from the standard vision and mission statement posted on the wall (and let’s face it, no one really believes in them anyway) and creating a work-life that is meaningful, has genuine purpose and resonates with others. A compelling purpose will put life into your recruitment strategies, boost attraction and increase retention of valuable employees.

Employee Engagement, Change

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:00:00 AM

Employees give their all – are truly engaged in their work – when they are directly involved in a change initiative in the workplace that challenges their skill set and intellect. This came through loud and clear in research I recently conducted on employee engagement. Employees saw these change initiatives as special, allowing them not only to excel but also to contribute to the organization in a meaningful way. Most often, the employees were working in teams to develop, initiate and implement a change process. As the organizational change was implemented in the work systems and structures around them, the employees were able to witness – experience – the impact of their contribution. Every example in my research involved employees working with others; not a single example came from on an individual working in isolation. Sure, some of the tasks were completed by only one person. But every employee reported back to the larger team, and the team was usually led by a peer rather than a senior manager. So what? If organizations genuinely want to engage their workforce, must they live in a constant state of change initiatives? Must they identify the change agents within their organizations and work closely with them to keep them engaged? Is the usual routine day is a thing of the past? Yes! Change is constant in the 21st century work world, and employees want to be part of it. Open the doors to their participation and you will be amazed at the results you’ll see.

New World Leadership

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:09:00 AM

Organizations that “act flat” even when they are not have heightened employee engagement and increased opportunities for authentic relationships. What does “Acting Flat” mean? Organizations with New World Leaders Act Flat even if they are hierarchical by structure. Depending on the size of the organization hierarchy is often a necessity but that does not mean that the people in the organization have to behave in a traditional hierarchical mechanistic manner. New World Leaders understand the importance of being in touch and truly connected with the grass roots of their organization. Communication flows in all directions; up, down and sideways. They recognize that every team member from the cleaning staff to the CFO is no more important or less important then another. Each team member’s contribution is equally valuable and contributes to the whole.