NHRD Network Journal
ISSN - 0974 - 1739
NHRD Network Journal
April 2014
Volume 7
National HRD Network
The underlying philosophy of the NHRDN is that
every human being has the potential for remarkable
achievement. HRD is a process by which employees in
organizations are enabled to:
•
acquire capabilities to perform various tasks
associated with their present and future roles;
•
develop their inner potential for self and
organizational growth;
•
develop an organizational culture where networking
relationships, teamwork and collaboration
among different units is strong, contributing to
organizational growth and individual well-being.
Leadership : Gen Y
The National HRD Network, established in 1985, is an
association of professionals committed to promoting
the HRD movement in India and enhancing the
capability of human resource professionals, enabling
them to make an impactful contribution in enhancing
competitiveness and creating value for society. Towards
this end, the National HRD Network is committed to the
development of human resources through education,
training, research and experience sharing. The network
is managed by HR professionals in an honorary capacity,
stemming from their interest in contributing to the HR
profession.
Leadership:
Gen Y
April 2014
www.nationalhrd.org
Issue 2
Tamara J. Erickson
Rama Bijapurkar
Priyanka Bhotiya and
Dr. Arvind Agrawal
Lalima Chhabra
Aditi Tandon
Russell Mason
Shama Dalal
Saloni Chaturvedi
Disha Mehra
Priyanca Vaishnav
Gaargi Ramakrishnan
Siddharth Kanoria &
Shagun Seth
Shaheen Mistri
Sonali Roy Chowdhury
Kurt Piemonte
Mini Menon
Prince Augustin,
Namrata Gill,
Raghav Pareek, and
Neha Londhe
Mona Cheriyan
Amuleek Singh Bijral
Ashish Dhawan
Uma Ganesh
Dr. D. Prasanth Nair
Yogi Sriram
Amrita Chowdhury
A Quarterly Publication by The National HRD Network
www.nationalhrd.org
ABOUT THE JOURNAL
NHRD Network Journal
he National HRD Network publishes a semi-academic quarterly journal where in each issue is
dedicated to a theme.
T
Leadership: Gen Y
Volume 7
Issue 2
April 2014
The journal publishes primarily three categories of articles :
NHRD Network Board Members
•
Conceptual and research based
National President:
Mr Rajeev Dubey, President (Group HR & After-Market) & Member of
the Group Executive Board, Mahindra & Mahindra
•
Contributions from thought leaders including a limited number of reprints with due permission
Past National President :
Dr. T V Rao, Chairman - T V Rao Learning Systems
•
Organizational experiences in HR interventions/mechanisms.
Dr Santrupt Misra, CEO, Carbon Black Business & Director, Group H.R.
- Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt Ltd
Dwarakanath P, Advisor-Group Human Capital - Max India
Aquil Busrai, Chief Executive Officer - Aquil Busrai Consulting
NS Rajan, Group Chief Human Resources Officer and Member of the
Group Executive Council, TATA Sons Ltd
S Y Siddiqui, Chief Operating Officer - Administration (HR, Finance,
IT & COSL), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd
About this issue :
Gen Y (those born from 1980 to 2000) are taking over the workplace. What is the best way to
lead and manage this global, hyper connected ‘youth bulge’? How should young Gen Y leaders
lead multigenerational work places? This journal brings together research, case studies, book
reviews and a spectrum of views on these leadership questions, including for the first time, voices
of Gen Y. Business leaders, HR practitioners and Gen Y members will all find nuggets of wisdom
that they can apply.
Regional Presidents:
East:
Nihar Ranjan Ghosh, Executive Director (HR) - Retail Sector,
Spencer’s Retail Ltd
South:
L Prabhakar, Vice President (HR) Agri-Business Division, ITC Ltd
West:
Ms Anjali Raina, Executive Director, Harvard Business School
North:
Ms Veena Swarup, Director (HR), Engineers India Ltd
National Secretary:
S V Nathan, Director Talent (US-India), DELOITTE
National Treasurer:
Ms Shelly Singh, Co-Founder & EVP, People Strong HR Services
Director General:
Kamal Singh
Editorial Team
Ms. Anjali Raina,
Executive Director, Harvard Business School India Research Center
(Guest Editor for this issue)
Dr. PVR Murthy, Managing Editor,
CEO, Exclusive Search Recruitment Consultants,
[email protected]
Dr. Pallab Bandyopadhyay,
[email protected]
Dr. Arvind N Agrawal, President - Corporate Development &
Group HR, RPG Group
Publisher, Printer, Owner
and Place of Publication
Printed at
Kamal Singh, Director General, NHRDN
on behalf of National HRD Network,
National HRD Network Secretariat, C 81 C, DLF Super Mart, DLF City,
Phase IV, Gurgaon122 002. Tel +91 124 404 1560
e-mail: [email protected]
Nagaraj & Co. Pvt. Ltd., 156, Developed Plots Industrial Estate,
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The views expressed by the authors are of their Copyright of the NHRD Journal, all rights reserved.
own and not necessarily of the editors nor of the Contents may not be copied, emailed or reproduced
without copyright holders’ express permission in writing.
publisher nor of authors’ organizations
Editorial Board Members :
Dr. P.V.R. Murthy, Managing Editor is a product of I.I.T., Kharagpur and IIM, Calcutta with close
to thirty years experience in H.R. field. He founded and runs an executive search firm Exclusive
Search Recruitment Consultants. He is associated with a number of academic institutions. He is
trained in TQM in Japan and in human processes from ISABS and NTL, U.S.A. He is the Past
National Secretary of National HRD Network.
Dr. Pallab Bandyopadhyay, A doctoral fellow from XLRI and AHRD, he is trained in OD and
Human Processes from NTL, USA and he believes in applying HR concepts to practice to make
it more meaningful and effective. He is a mentor and coach to many young HR professionals.
Dr. Arvind N Agrawal - Dr. Arvind N. Agrawal, Ph.D. serves as the President and Chief Executive
of Corporate Development & Human Resources and Member of Management Board of RPG
Enterprises. Dr. Agrawal has worked at RPG Enterprises since 1999 and his current responsibilities
in RPG comprise of HR and TQM. Agrawal held senior positions in Escorts and Modi Xerox. He
was the past National President of the National HRD Network. Dr. Agrawal is an IIM Ahmedabad
alumnus and also an IIT Kharagpur alumini, and also holds a PhD from IIT Mumbai.
NHRD firmly believes in and respects IPR and we appeal to the
contributors and readers to strictly honour the same.
For any further clarifications, please contact :
The Managing Editor
Dr. P V R Murthy, CEO, Exclusive Search Recruitment Consultants,
#8, Janaki Avenue, Off 4th Street, Abhiramapuram, Chennai 600 018.
[email protected]
Dear Readers,
The National HRD Network has been bringing out a semi-academic, theme based, quarterly journal
for the last few years. It aims at compiling and publishing the professional views and experiences of
reputed HR professionals, line professionals, CEOs, researchers, academicians in each theme area. We
carry out extensive research, identify and invite persons who have eminent publications or have rich
experience in the theme area to contribute articles for each issue. Through the journal, we aim to build a
body of knowledge in all facets of HR which is not otherwise easily available for the current and future
HR Professionals. So far, close to 350 eminent authors have contributed articles. Each issue is guest
edited by a person of eminence in the concerned theme area.
This journal is circulated free to the members of NHRD Network to stimulate their thinking and towards
their professional development.
Publications so far have been based on themes such as :
• “IT in HR”
• “Performance Management”
• “Attracting and Retaining Talent”
• “Career Management”
• “Organizational Change”
• “Global HRM”
• “Women in Corporate Leadership Roles”
• “Organization Development”
• “Learning and Development”
• “Leadership”
• “Work-Life Balance”
• “Institution Building”
• “Coaching For Performance and Development”
• “Human Resources Management in Rapid Growth Organizations”
• “HR Competence”
• “HR and Employee Relations”
• “CEO and HR”
• “People Power – Draw, Drive and Deliver”
• “Getting HR Ready for Gen Y”
• “CSR & HR”
• “Shapes and Structures of Organizations - Today and Tomorrow”
• “Managing Change, Transformation and Enhancing Competitiveness : The HR Role”
• “Dots and connections: winning hearts and minds through internal communication”
• “Skill Building and HR”
• “Technology and HR”
• “Social Media and HR”.
• “Building Sustainable Organizations : Role of HR”
• “Innovation and HR”
The copies of these issues of the journal can be accessed from www.nationalhrd.org.
The current issue is on the theme of “Leadership : Gen Y”.
Some of the guest editors for future issues include Dr. A.K. Balyan, MD & CEO, Petronet LNG Ltd. and
Dr. Pallab Bandhopadhyay.
This is your journal and will be as rich as you want it to be.
In order to further enrich it, we would like to receive your
1. qualitative feedback on issues brought out so far, and
2. suggestions for themes to be covered in our future issues;
3. Any other suggestions.
Kindly send in your thoughts to [email protected]
Dr. PVR Murthy
Managing Editor
(On behalf of the Editorial Team)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Our heartfelt thanks to all the contributors of articles, who have taken time off from their
busy schedules out of their passionate interest in the field of Leadership:Gen Yand HR.
We acknowledge the excellent contribution of the Guest Editor - Anjali Raina, Executive Director,
HBS India Research Center for conceptualizing the entire issue and inspiring all busy experts
in the field to share their thoughts.
A special note of thanks to Rachna Chawla, Assistant Director-Research Services, Harvard
Business School India Research Center for her untiring efforts in making this issue a reality.
Our special thanks to Amrita Chowdhury for the book review.
We acknowledge the support from Sunathy of Exclusive Search for passionately working
with me.
– Dr. PVR Murthy, Managing Editor
(On behalf of the Editorial Team)
CONTENTS
S.No.
Title of Article
Author
Page No.
Setting the Context through Research
1.
Make a Multigenerational workforce
work for you
Tamara J. Erickson
1
2.
Taking Stock of the World of Young India
Rama Bijapurkar
21
3.
Leadership for Gen Y
Priyanka Bhotiya &
Dr. Arvind Agrawal
26
4.
Many Names, One Generation;
Through the lens of a Gen Y
Lalima Chhabra
34
Gen Y Speaks Up
5.
Leading Gen Y
Aditi Tandon
40
6.
Thoughts on inspiring, Motivating, and
leading ambitious Gen - Y employees
and teams
Russell Mason
45
7.
Confessions of a Gen Y Professional
Shama Dalal
50
8.
Gen Y : Why more of us don’t wear
lab coats!!!
Saloni Chaturvedi
55
9.
The Leader whose team I’ll join
Disha Mehra
59
10. The Lead voice
Priyanca Vaishnav
61
11. Going Digital : Generation Y and our future
in the online space in India
Gaargi Ramakrishnan
70
12. Gen - Y Leaders : The times they are
a changin’
Siddharth Kanoria &
Shagun Seth
75
13. Leadership in Generation Y
Shaheen Mistri
79
14. Leadership : Hindsight is 20/20!
Sonali Roy Chowdhury
82
Through the eyes of Gen X
S.No.
Title of Article
Author
Page No.
15. Recruiting millennials in a global market
Kurt Piemonte
86
16. Young & Restless
Mini Menon
90
17. Moving Beyond ‘Age’
Prince Augustin;
Namrata Gill,
Raghav Pareek,
Neha Londhe
94
18. Challenges Faced by the Gen Y Woman
in Today’s Workplace
Mona Cheriyan
100
19. Building a Brand
Amuleek Singh Bijral
104
20. School leader training : Critical missing
link in school quality improvement
Ashish Dhawan
109
21. Gen X and Gen Y : Is Co-existence Possible?
Uma Ganesh
114
22. An important driver - Industrial Relations
Capability to manage the new generation
Dr. D. Prasanth Nair
118
Yogi Sriram
122
Tamara J. Erickson
124
From the Vantage Point of the Boomers
workforce
23. Leadership: Gen Y
Case Study
24. Gen Y in the Workforce –
HBR Case study and commentary
Book Reviews
25. Reviewed by Amrita Chowdhury
132
EDITORIAL COMMENTS
Spotlight on Gen Y
Ms. ANJALI
RAINA
(Guest Editor for
this issue)
Executive Director,
Harvard Business
School India
Research Center
Gen Y, generally described as those born from 1980 to 2000,
have been the subject of intense scrutiny. This generation,
variously called the Millennial generation, the MeMeMe
generation, Digital natives, and the Net generation, is one of
the largest population groupings the world has ever seen. In
the US alone they number 80 million strong; in India, Africa,
and most of South America and the Middle East, more than
50% of the population is under 30. Even in China, 40%
of the population is under 301. Further, the interconnected,
global world in which Gen Y has grown up has made them
more similar to each other, than to earlier generations within
their own countries. It’s a generation that has a flexible view
of time and space — and is used to a 24 by 7 schedule — to
being ‘always on’ and ‘always in touch’. The size, globality
and hyper-connectedness of this ‘youth bulge’, and the different
expectations they hold, make it vital to understand their
perspective on leadership and work culture. That’s the first
step to crafting work places where Gen Y can be engaged,
contribute, and thrive.
In terms of absolute numbers, at 426 million, India today has
one of the largest Gen Y work forces in the world. (China has
around 218 million).2 While much research has been done on
Gen Y in the US, Canada and the UK, comparatively little
is available on the Indian cohort of Gen Y. This journal
has therefore tried to bring in the perspective of those who
understand, work with and lead Gen Y in India; as well as
1
2
http://www.theguardian.com/world/graphic/2014/
mar/19/world-map-of-youth-youth-bulge
A research project by Steelcase Workspace Futures , ‘Gen Y:
India’ , page 3
the voices of Gen Y resident in India, on how they prefer
to lead, and be led, work, live and communicate.
It has been a privilege to edit this journal. I have learnt
from each one of the articles, from the cerebral ones focused
on research and macro trends; from those that are heartfelt
expressions of the expectations and viewpoints of Gen Y; as
well as from the Gen X (1965 to 1979) and Boomer (1946
to 1964) contributors who have been leading and managing
Gen Y teams and have shared their learning generously.
The first three articles in the first section are research
led. They build appreciation for Indian and Global
intergenerational mindsets, and an understanding of
what influenced them. Tamara Erickson3, President of
nGenera Innovation Network and popular blogger “Across
the Ages” has described different generations in the
workplace; she contrasts the perspectives of Gen Y with the
Traditionalists (1928 to 1945), Boomers and Gen X. The
time breaks we use in India to define generations are similar
to the West.Boomers in India are sometimes termed the
Post Independence generation, Nation Builders, or the
‘Older Generation’; and those born 1900 to 1946 are
called ‘Freedom Fighters’, and loosely correspond to the
Traditionalists of the West. However the context is not
identical to the West, experiences and memories differ
and hence perspectives are not the same. Rama Bijapurkar
has analyzed the difference in contextual influences
and shared her insights on the varied perspectives across
generations in India. This includes a masterful analysis of
Gen Next angst. Dr. Arvind N. Agrawal and Priyanka
Bhotiya both with RPG Enterprises, have shared their
research on the leadership expectations of Indian Gen Y,
3
HBR Blog Network, http://blogs.hbr.org/tammy-erickson/
including Gen Y’s impatience with ‘finicky leaders’ who
emphasize formatting over content! This section closes with
a review of relevant global research material by Lalima
Chabbra enlivened by her Gen Y commentary.
This sets a great background in which to hear the voices
of Gen Y – and the next section has a round up of
9 articles contributed by a smorgasbord of Gen Y members.
Work experience of the writers’ ranges from 3 to 10 years,
with most of them having worked for two, sometimes as
many as five organizations. Many of them have lived and
worked in more than one country, and all have travelled
widely. Their perspective is, as expected, different (!), but
is unexpectedly mature, and uniformly well presented.
Takeaways are available for HR practitioners on workplace
design, HR systems and employer branding (Gen Y speaktrendy hipster vs. nerd), for business leaders on effective
leadership and communication styles, and for Gen Y members
on career choices. Immediate ‘aha’ moments’ - including
what is wiki-how, and why unlimited Internet access to
Facebook, and shopping sites during working hours increases
productivity, guaranteed.
The section opens with Aditi Tandon’s engaging argument
on the need to redefine, redesign and refresh management
practices related to ‘Leading Gen Y’ – and a well-articulated
route map on how to do so. Aditi has lived and worked
in both UK and India and her contemporary take on the
Guru-Shishya relationship has lessons for all mentor- mentee
programs. This is followed by a series of first person views
by Gen Y professionals from different industry sectors
on what engages and excites them. Russell Mason, a US
national, explains the wanderlust that brought him across
the world to work in an Indian conglomerate in a country
he had never seen, and kept him here for more than two
years. Shama Dalal who has worked in both Indian and
multinational firms, ‘confesses’ the dilemmas that she
faces, as a Gen Y in a multigenerational workplace, and
generously shares the mantras that work. Saloni Chaturvedi
convincingly explains how nerdy employers can appeal to
the ‘thrill seeking’ Gen Y. Disha Mehra shares the Gen Y
commitment to work and excellence, and definition of
‘smart’ working habits that enable a full life. Priyanca
Vaishnav has detailed ways in which to reach the hearts
and minds of a generation with an attention span no greater
than 140 character Twitter bites. Individually the articles
are eminently readable; as a set, they offer an invaluable
window into Gen Y minds, with implications related to
attracting, selecting, retaining, rewarding, mentoring,
growing,motivating and communicating with this cohort.
The last but one article in this section is from a Gen Y
digital entrepreneur, Gaargi Ramakrishnan, on why the
entrepreneurial route is so attractive to this age group
and lessons on ways in which to deal with the inevitable
skepticism of parents. She reflects on the inherent challenges
of dealing with bureaucracy, old-fashioned marketers, and
silos. The section ends with an honest analysis by Siddharth
Kanoria and Shagun Seth on the difference in styles between
Gen Y leaders and the ‘oldies’, and the reasons why the
fresh approaches are relevant and effective in these times.
What’s fascinating to me is that so many of these writers
have quoted from eclectic sources—ranging from Steve
Jobs and Shakespeare to Dr. Seuss, and Bob Dylan. For a
generation that is impatient, they are certainly well read!
Gen Y’s in India share much of their generation’s digital
savvy, self obsession (think selfie), and sense of entitlement
(think of the number of 30 year olds who are gainfully
employed, but live with their parents). They have grown
up with no colonial hangover, in a vibrant democracy,
accompanied by the heady sense of excitement created by
the ‘91 liberalization wave and opening up of economic
opportunity. Their sense of possibility and abundance is
very different from their parents, who were accustomed
for much of their lives to the Hindu rate of growth, and
shortages of everything—cars, phones, food, TV, electricity,
jobs. The nation builder parents built a platform for Gen Y
in India; and Gen Y takes this platform for granted; is
impatient with the basics and wants to deal with higher
order stuff. They are socially aware, and patriotic; keen to
add value, but don’t always have the patience to mend the
cracks in the platform.
For the Traditionalist, Boomer and Gen X Indian who
always put Family First, confronting Gen Y that put
Me First- ‘my work, my friends, my things, my
world,’4 is a shock. The million-dollar question - how do
you lead and manage Gen Y?
The next section has a range of views from those who lead
Gen Y teams, or deal with them in the course of their work.
It opens with an incredibly humbling two pager from one
of the most inspirational leaders in India – Shaheen Mistri.
Under Shaheen’s leadership, over 1200 GenY members have
devoted two years of their lives to transforming the lives
of underprivileged children. She says “I don’t have any
advice… I only have learning from my own life to offer.”
Sonali Roy Chowdhury shares 7 leadership lessons she has
imbibed living and working across India, Singapore and
Vietnam. Kurt Piemonte from the Career and Professional
Development office at Harvard Business School, with 20
4
‘Gen Y: India’, a research project by Steelcase WorkSpace
futures, 2009
years of first hand experience of advising and serving both
Gen X and Gen Y across the world, offers his experience
on recruiting Millenials in a global market. He reminds us
that the next generation gap — Gen Z — looms ahead!
Mini Menon, shares insights of working with ‘young and
restless’ news rooms teams, the average age of which is
less than 30. This is followed with the foursome of Prince
Augustin, Namrata, Raghav and Neha sharing the Mahindra
Group approach to Gen Y, including the Mahindra unique
personalized career path model ‘mPower’. Mona Cheriyan,
highlights the fact that this is the first generation of Indian
Women who have entered the professional workforce in
sizeable numbers, and dwells on their career aspirations
and challenges. Mona brings in her experience to suggest
effective ways to leverage the Gen Y female dividend.
Amuleek Singh who has built India’s first branded Tea
Retail Chain (Chai Point) and leads a Gen Y team, largely
from North East India, leaves us with a question on the
HR leader as brand ambassador.
This section closes with an analysis of what’s needed to
build the future by Ashish Dhawan. Ashish shares the
positive impact made by Gaurav and Shalini, Gen Y leaders
of schools. The Indian education system is the largest in
the world, and desperately needs to attract leaders that can
deliver on India’s demographic dividend. Ashish succinctly
lays out opportunities for companies and human resource
professionals to contribute to school leadership development.
The next section which is from the Vantage point of the
Boomers begins with Uma Ganesh sharing the applicability
of the age old principles of engagement, involvement and
ownership across Gen Y and Gen X. Dr. Prashanth Nair
has highlighted the IR challenges thrown up by the change
in the demographic profile of the blue collar worker. Yogi
Sriram reflects on the change in labor markets, and the
consequent changes in employer and employee expectations
related to work tenure.
The concluding section in the journal includes a case study
from HBR, the first line of which is in the new language of the
text world- ’RU BRD” which Gen Y decipher immediately
and others may need help to decode-answer revealed in the
case! The clash between a Gen Y subordinate and a Gen X
boss reflects the tragedy and comedy of our daily work lives.
Read it to assess your own readiness to lead a Gen Y team.
This journal has focused on leadership - from two points of
view- that of Gen Y itself, and of earlier generations that
are grappling with the challenge of leading Gen Y. The
2011 October edition of the NHRD Network journal edited
by Dr. Sripada Chandrasekhar dealt with Gen Y and HR.
Rereading that journal and reflecting on the experience of
HR practitioners who contributed to that edition added an
interesting dimension to my perspective.
At the tail end of the journal are reviews by Amrita
Chowdhury, of Harlequin India, of 4 books she has selected
because they deal with common human aspirations to
grow. ‘Rules of the Game’ by Sumit Chowdhury draws
on reflections of Gen Y, Gen X, Boomer and Traditionalist
leaders from India to build a framework that can help Gen Y
(and other generations) craft success.
That’s a good way to end- because this Gen Y youth bulge
is in many ways like all other generations. Yes there are
differences- Gen Y in India has moved from inheriting
identity from family to crafting their own identity based on
education, merit and effort. Job-hopping is the new normal,
with no expectation of loyalty to or from the company. The
focus of the job is personal growth and monetary rewards,
not to provide security for self or family. Face time measures
of commitment have given way to expectations of flexi
time, with work life balance replacing the old value placed
on overtime payments. The favor market of connections,
hierarchy and networks that was the passport to jobs,
promotions and business development is viewed with
suspicion by Gen Y; they have a collaborative mind set
which expects to be empowered and recognized for their
skills. Yes they are tethered to their phones, though they
use them for everything but talking; and yes, they want
continuous feedback and approval.
Gen Y is taking over the work place; and is already a
majority that will redesign work to suit their unique
expectations. It is leaders from earlier generations who
will need to change.
Dr. PVR Murthy
Honorary Managing
Editor on behalf of
the Editorial Team
Dr. Pallab
Bandyopadhyay
Dr. Arvind N
Agrawal
Press
Make a Multigenerational
Workforce Work forYou
Tips for GenerationY
E x cerpted from
Plugged In:
The Generation Y Guide to Thriving at Work
By
Tamara J. Erickson
Buy the book:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
HarvardBusiness.org
Harvard Business Press
Boston, Massachusetts
ISBN-13: 978-1-4221-7825-6
7820BC
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
1
Copyright 2008 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
This chapter was originally published as chapter 10 of Plugged In:
The Generation Y Guide to Thriving at Work,
copyright 2008 Tamara J. Erickson.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the publisher. Requests for
permission should be directed to [email protected], or mailed to Permissions,
Harvard Business School Publishing, 60 Harvard Way, Boston, Massachusetts 02163.
You can purchase Harvard Business Press books at booksellers worldwide.You can order Harvard
Business Press books and book chapters online at www.harvardbusiness.org/press,
or by calling 888-500-1016 or, outside the U.S. and Canada, 617-783-7410.
2
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
 m
 ake a
multigenerational
workforce work
for you
Why do they do what they do?
Today, you are sharing the workplace with individuals
from three other generations, each shaped by markedly
different teen experiences and now approaching work
with diverse assumptions about how the world works
and what they want from life:

The Traditionalists: Born between 1928 and 1945

The Boomers: Born between 1946 and 1964

Generation X: Born between 1965 and 1979
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
3
you got the job—now what?
The backgrounds that shaped these
generations have significant implications
for the role that work plays in their lives,
what they expect to receive from the work
experience, and how they are likely to judge
your actions and performance, fairly or
not. Rather than be frustrated by these
differences, it’s better to understand them
and use that understanding to help plug in
with each individual effectively. Working
with people of all ages is critical to your
success in a multigenerational workplace.
Understanding why colleagues from other
generations might behave the way they
do will give you an advantage as you work
with them—whether they be your bosses,
colleagues, clients, partners, or customers.
As you read this chapter, you’ll be
imagining what it would have been like
to be a teenager during each generation’s
formative moment in time. Each time,
ask yourself, “What assumptions would
I logically have formed about how the
world works if this were the world I saw?
Whom would I respect and trust? What
would I expect to do with my life? How
would I measure its success?”
I hope that doing this will give you
some useful insights into what “they”
might be thinking, will make the work
world seem a little more understandable,
and will help you steer clear of some of
the unfortunate misunderstandings that
seem common in the workplace. By
understanding the perspectives of other
generations, you will be better able to
position your ideas and requests in ways
that are likely to have positive results.
traditionalists
It’s particularly important to understand
people who belong to this generation
because even though their presence
in the workplace is decreasing, many of
their assumptions are deeply embedded
4
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
in the fabric of organizations. The very
corporations where you are or might
soon be working are the result of the
teen experiences of the generation that
may have included your grandparents.
Also known as the WWII (or Silent)
generation, Traditionalists were children
during World War II, but, importantly,
many were teens in the hustle-bustle
postwar years.
traditionalists
BORN: 1928 to 1945
TEEN YEARS: 1942 to 1963
IN 2008: 63 + years old
Key world events during the Traditionalists’
teenage years included the resolution of
World War II and, later, the Cuban missile
crisis—triumphs for government and those
in authority. Russia achieved the first
manned space flight, and Pan Am, an
airline that went out of business before the
oldest of you turned twelve, introduced
the first round-the-world commercial air
flight. The United Kingdom and France
become nuclear powers.
In the booming postwar economies
of Europe and the United States,
opportunity appeared on every street
corner. Suburbs popped up, and the
dream of home ownership was suddenly
within reach. Factories that had made
war machines began cranking out
washing machines at an astounding rate.
Television purchases skyrocketed; by the
end of the decade more than 80 percent
of all U.S. households owned these new
marvels of technology. Family dinner
table conversations probably included
comments about the amazing new
conveniences just acquired by the family
down the street, as “keeping up with
the Joneses” became a national pastime.
Now, assume that you are a teenager
looking at the world for the first time at
this moment. What assumptions would
you form about how the world works?
Whom would you respect and trust?
What would you expect to do with
your life? How would you measure its
success?
As I’ve said, any theory of this sort
involves a bit of generalization, stretching
as it does to capture the common
characteristics of people in many
different circumstances. But for most
who grew up in this economy of grand
promise and endless optimism, this was
a world that probably appeared to be
heading in the right direction. Authority
figures seemed to have things well in
hand. Corporate leaders and government
officials warranted respect. Global
issues were being resolved in reasonably
satisfactory ways, and technology
promised an alluring future. Financial
success became a logical life goal. It
would be natural for any teen living at
this time to leap enthusiastically into the
work world if possible, to become part of
the existing establishment and attain the
financial rewards that it promised—to
get a piece of the pie.
There were important exceptions to
this sense of unlimited optimism, based
primarily on people’s perceived access
to this promising world. For minority
teens, particularly African Americans,
the world held the same allure but not
the same sense of attainability. The path
to personal success was then much less
clear. But this was a world where a logical
desire would be to want to join it; the train
was moving out of the station and headed
in the right direction. The goal was to
get on board and achieve for yourself
the prosperity promised along the way.
By and large, the business organizations
built by Traditionalists reflect these
values. This generation constructed many
of today’s most successful corporations
based on practices that made sense
at the time: hierarchical roles, chains
of command, structured career paths,
banded salary levels, and well-planned,
multiyear strategies. Traditionalists
tend to be respectful of authority and
comfortable in hierarchical organizations;
they see value in stability and assume
that fairness is provided by consistently
applied rules (the same for everyone).
It’s not hard to see why Traditionalists
might be reluctant to make major changes
in the way things have “always” been
done. To you, they are likely to appear
rule bound. And although things may
be slowly changing, you’ll find that the
current structures, management practices,
and policies shaped by these values are
still in place in most corporations.
Traditionalists tend to be strongly
influenced by financial reward and the
security it can bring. Of course, most
people—in any generation—appreciate
and, to one degree or another, are
motivated by monetary rewards. For
Traditionalists, however, money has
an almost symbolic role. It serves as a
metric for achievement of their important
teenage goal. By achieving financial
rewards, they affirm to themselves and
others that they have indeed gotten their
piece of the pie.
This assumption—that money is
everyone’s dominant motivator and
reward—is one of the most common
sources of misunderstanding between
corporations and Generation Y employees.
You’ll run into many senior managers, some
a bit younger than the Traditionalists,
who have a hard time understanding
the trade-offs you are making and the
role that money plays in your decisions.
Over the next several decades,
Traditionalists will continue to participate
in the workplace. Although almost all of
them are (or soon will be) of conventional
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
5
retirement age, many are already
choosing to continue working in a variety
of ways. Going forward, as you work
with them, keep in mind the importance
they place on financial recognition,
security, and hierarchy. Individuals in
this generation are not likely to be
effective and engaged participants in
the workforce unless these assumptions
about how things are supposed to work
are acknowledged and, to the extent
possible, accommodated.
To them, you look, above all . . . young.
Most Traditionalists that I’ve interviewed
are confident that you’re going to “grow
out” of some of your more distinctive Gen
Y views—for example, that you’ll come
to place the same value on money and
security that they do when you get a bit
older. Or that your sense of immediacy
will diminish and you will assume a
longer-term, deferral-based perspective
on life.
Table 10-1 shows examples of some of
the situations that you may encounter
in which a Traditionalist is likely to see
things differently than you do.
Success with most individuals in the
Traditionalist generation requires, at a
basic level, respect for them and the
companies they’ve built. You need to
acknowledge the legitimacy of their
rules and adopt an attitude that comes
across as, “I can see why that was
a great way to do it, but now that
[something has changed] let’s consider
whether there might be a better way.”
In the next chapters, I talk more about
some of the specific approaches that
I’ve found most effective in initiating
changes successfully.
In addition, it is important that you
recognize that a Traditionalist’s offer of
additional monetary compensation is a
big deal, and a great compliment.
Table 10-1
Different perspectives: Traditionalists and Generation Y
Situation
Traditionalists see…
Y’s think…
Your parents are actively
and visibly involved in
the recruiting and hiring
process, mailing your resume,
confirming your interview
times, driving you to
interviews.
A candidate who is overly
dependent on others and
perhaps unable to think
for himself.
This is a normal and
logical way to involve
people who are ready
and willing to help
out with some of the
mundane tasks and
likely to have relevant
expertise.
You get a job offer that has
attractive financial benefits, but
another firm’s offer includes
paid time off to do community
service
A no-brainer-isn’t money
the reason people work?
Of course you’ll choose
the offer with the greatest
compensation.
I need enough money,
but not the most I can
possibly make. I’m
willing to trade off
money for other things
I care deeply about.
Your initial month at the
company is spent in a training
program, providing you with
step-by-step knowledge of
how to do the assigned task.
A sensible relationship
between training and
doing-pay your dues and
learn our way first.
BO-ring I’d much
rather figure it out
myself as I go.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
Different perspectives: Traditionalists and Generation Y
Situation
Traditionalists see…
Y’s think…
You have an idea that could
represent a real opportunity
to improve, and you send a
suggestion to the CEO.
A shocking breach of
proper hierarchical
behavior. Everyone
knows ideas should go up
the chain of command.
Why waste time? Send
any idea or question
to the person who is
most likely to benefit
from it.
You are invited to dinner at
your boss’s home. He clearly
assumes that your new spouse
will be there as well, but you
show up alone.
Is this Y’s spouse
supportive of his or her
career? Spouses should
publicly demonstrate
their enthusiasm and
commitment to your
work.
Are you kidding?!
My spouse is an
independent person
with his or her own
priorities. The days of
“two for the price of
one” are long gone.
The company has no policy
that allows sabbaticals or even
unpaid leave. Your have a
once-in-a lifetime opportunity
to do something that requires
two months off. You request
the time.
This situation could set
a dangerous precedent.
Rules are rules; you need
to conform to ours.
How ridiculous! Rules
should be adapted to
make sense for the
situation at hand.
You routinely finish your work
by 4 p.m and offer to help
others. When no one takes
you up on the offer, you head
home early.
A slacker–we’re paying
for eight hours a day; you
need to stay here. Work
is a place you go to for a
specified period of time.
Work is something
you do–anytime,
anywhere. If there’s
no “work” to be done,
why stay?
You find the work being
done in another department
intriguing and ask for a lateral
transfer. You are told that you
were up for a promotion in
your old department but will
have to “start over” at the
bottom in the new group.
A puzzling move.
So?
Wouldn’t the opportunity
to gain more positional
authority (and money)
trump an intriguing job?
You are feeling restless and
openly discuss with your
colleagues your interest in
moving to another firm.
Unacceptable behavior.
Loyality to the firm is
essential, and this is a
clear sign of disloyalty.
Moreover, you could
incite disloyalty among
colleagues by discussing
your throughts openly.
Who better to bounce
these concerns off than
colleagues, who may
be feeling them as
well?
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
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Different perspectives: Traditionalists and Generation Y
Situation
Traditionalists see…
Y’s think…
You announce you’re leaving
the company
A dumb move. If you’d
stayed another thirty
years, you would have
had the security of being
able to retire with a solid
pension.
On to new adventures!
boomers
For many of you, Boomers are your
parents. Their teen years—the time when
they in all likelihood took their first good
look at the world and formed their most
vivid and lasting impressions of how
things work—were during the 1960s
and 1970s. This was a time when the
world was changing radically, yielding
a generation with dramatically different
perspectives from their Traditionalist
parents’ about the type of relationships
they would form with corporations, peers,
and family; about the importance and
definition of financial success; and about
the ultimate objectives for their lives.
boomers
BORN: 1946 to 1964
TEEN YEARS: 1960 to 1982
IN 2008: 44 to 62 years old
Boomers’ teen years were filled with
causes and revolution. The 1960s and
1970s were decades of general unrest and
discontent in many parts of the world. In
the United States, teenage Boomers saw
the assassinations of idealistic leaders—
John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy,
Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King
Jr. They experienced the Vietnam War,
widespread protests, the civil rights
movement, and, toward the end of their
teen years, the Watergate scandal and the
resignation of President Richard Nixon.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
The sense of unrest was pervasive in
many parts of the world. Nearly three
hundred thousand so-called boat people
fled Vietnam; the Cultural Revolution
was under way in the People’s Republic
of China; there was rioting in France,
Germany, and Italy, and a revolution in
the former Czechoslovakia.
Not surprisingly, growing up amid these
events caused many Boomers to conclude
that the world was not working very well
and needed to change. Many, regardless
of political persuasion, concluded that
the world did not appear to be headed
in the right direction.
Even worse to many Boomers, the adults
in charge didn’t appear to be making the
right decisions or setting the right course,
or necessarily even telling the truth.
Many Boomers developed skeptical,
even cynical, attitudes toward authority.
Their world was one in which authority
figures were suspect. Many concluded
that they needed to get personally
involved. Their logical desire, based
on their teen experiences, was not, like
the Traditionalists’, to join a world that
was by and large headed in the right
direction, but instead was to change a
world that clearly had gone off course.
This fundamental difference in life view
has played out in several important
ways. As I noted in chapter 1, perhaps
most important for you is that many
Boomers did not see eye-to-eye with
their parents. Most Boomers couldn’t
wait to escape from their parents’ control,
moving to distant locations and creating
independent lives as soon as possible.
This, in turn, affects the judgments they
form about you; they are puzzled about
your closeness to your families and
wonder whether it means you are in
some way less competent or ambitious
than they were at your age. As I discuss
later in this chapter, I don’t think that’s
an accurate view, but it is a reality of the
world you’re entering.
As a result of their common teenage
experiences, many Boomers tend to harbor
a significant seed of antiauthoritarian
sentiment. Although they may be in
leadership positions, many remain
skeptical of positional leaders. No matter
how buttonedup a Boomer colleague may
seem to be, there’s usually an instinct
to question and, to some extent, resist
hierarchy. To this extent, they may be
natural allies for you.
much of their immediate world was “too
small” for the size of the generation.
Many Boomers went to high school
in Quonset huts or other temporary
buildings, because the existing schools
were too small to accommodate this new
bulge of students. They have competed
for virtually everything all their lives—a
seat in nursery school, a place on the high
school sports team, college admissions,
and every step of their career progression.
Boomers, as a generation, have learned
to value individual achievement and
individual recognition. Competition
runs deep through all their assumptions
about how the world works. Winning,
for Boomers, is a very big deal.
Boomers also retain a strong sense of
idealism. Although many have dedicated
the past thirty years of their lives to building
careers, paying mortgages, and rearing
children, most Boomers still have a deep
desire to make a difference in the world.
Again, these values echo many of yours
and position Boomers as logical partners
to further some of your life goals.
This competitive streak caused most
Boomers to jump into the workforce
with passion and commitment. As a
generation, they have been hardworking
and fantastically productive. They still
work longer hours than any other
generation. They like merit-based
pay systems and use both money and
position to measure the degree to which
they are winning. They have played
life’s games with abandon, in some cases
without questioning the rules, and have
lived life—at least until now— under
the axiom, “Whoever dies with the
most toys wins.” Only recently have
they begun to pause to inquire about
the true value of the prize.
But—and here’s the big difference
between your generation and theirs—
Boomers tend to be highly competitive
and extremely driven. When they looked
around during their teenage years, the
other major thing they saw was . . . lots
of other Boomer teenagers. They grew
up in a crowded world—with the largest
group of peers yet—at a time when
Notice the subtle but important difference
in the role of money for the two
generations discussed so far. Traditionalists
see money as a symbol that they
have successfully joined the business
“club” and are reaping the benefits of
membership. For Boomers, money tends
to be a symbol of competitive success—of
winning. Although the significance is
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
9
slightly different, money works as the
primary reward and motivation for both
generations and causes both generations
to misinterpret the attitude of Y’s toward
the supremacy of financial rewards.
The Boomers’ competitive streak plays
out in another way that is important
for you to understand: if your parents
are Boomers, they are likely to sweep
you up into their natural competitive
moves. This means that they often may
seem more eager for you to succeed (by
their standards) than you are yourself.
Partnering effectively with your parents—
recognizing and appreciating their sincere
interest in your success and happiness
without getting overtaken by some of
their more competitive tendencies—
requires attention. In chapter 12,
I offer some suggestions on where to
draw the line and how to enlist their help
in positive ways.
Boomers who are not your parents are
often ambivalent in their initial view
toward Y’s. On one hand, many of
them have children your age and are
rooting for your success. And, willing
to be challenged, antiauthoritarian, and
idealistic themselves, they admire your
rebel spirits.
On the other hand, Boomers played by
the rules as they competed their way
up the corporate ladders; they may not
have liked them much, but they fell in
line and played the game. And, to the
extent that they were willing to conform
to the existing system, some resent your
unwillingness to do so. They find you
remarkably impatient and comment
repeatedly on your reluctance to pay your
dues. They are the most likely to judge
that whatever you’re doing is not being
done the way they would have done it
when they were your age.
Again, the differences between
their outlook and yours can create
misunderstandings. Table 10-2 shows
examples of some of the situations
that you may encounter in which a
Boomer is likely to see things differently
than you do.
At the core of working successfully
with Boomers is finding your common
ground. Some common ground will
come in the form of your desire to learn
and Boomers’ enjoyment of teaching
and helping you succeed. Boomers, in
general, will be wonderful mentors. Seek
them out, and enjoy the advice that they’ll
likely be happy to share.
Table 10-2
Different perspectives: Boomers and Generation Y
Situation
Boomers see…
Y’s think…
You have two job offers in
hand–one with a prestigious
firm on Wall Street, and
the second with a small
company with flexible hours
and no dress code.
A no-brainer. Of course
the prestigious job is
better. It will demonstrate
to others that you’ve won
this round.
If I do take the Wall
Street job, it will
probably be for a short
time, just to get money
to pay off my loans. The
work style of the other
firm is closer to what I
prefer.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
Different perspectives: Boomers and Generation Y
Situation
Boomers see…
Y’s think…
The company has organized
a detailed recruiting process,
with an opportunity to
meet many executives, who
spoke glowingly of the work
experience. The ex-employee
Web site, however, is very
negative.
Job well done–an
effective process well
implemented… What
do you mean you’re not
accepting the job?
I’ll always exercise all
my sources to get the
inside story. With the
Internet, you can find out
how almost anyone feels
about anything.
You see a job opening that
looks really interesting.
you don’t have any of the
qualifications listed on the
job description, but you’re
confident you could handle
the work. You apply.
A joke! Don’t you
understand that formal
qualifications and degrees
are critical evidence of
your worth and ability?
My parents always told
me I can do anything I
set my mind to. I believe
that–and have set my
mind to do this.
Your resume lists the six jobs Someone who can’t make
you’ve held in the four years up his mind or settle
since leaving college.
down-probably a flake. In
my day, everyone knew
that you couldn’t change
jobs more often than once
every two years.
This is great evidence
that I’m willing to take
risks and seek out new
opportunities.
You move back home to live
with your parents for a few
months.
Someone who can’t
take care of herself and
is overly dependent on
parental support.
It’s a sensible way to save
money.
You are asked to take on
a new role–a position that
has not previously existed
at the company–tackling
an important, urgent, but
ambiguous issue. Your
boss asks you to spend the
first few weeks preparing a
detailed job description for
approval higher up.
Clearly the best way to
begin is to gain consensus
on the rules of the game
and the way you’ll be
judged.
What a waste of time.
Just give me the tools,
lattitude, and day-do-day
guidance, and I’ll get the
job done, improvising as
necessary as I go.
Your Boomer boss stops by
to tell you that you’ve been
selected to become an office
head–in another city. You
don’t want to relocate, so
you decline.
Someone who lacks
commitment to her
career, loyalty to the
company, ambition, and
confidence. A slacker.
Clawing my way up the
corporate ladder is not a
priority–or maybe even
someting I want at all.
The move would mess
up a number of other
important priorities in
my life.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
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Different perspectives: Boomers and Generation Y
Situation
Boomers see…
Y’s think…
Your boss stays in the office
until 8 p.m. each day and
sometimes comes in on
Saturdays. You leave at 5,
confident that your work is
complete.
Someone who is not
fully dedicated to getting
ahead. Face time spent in
the office is a key sign of
commitment. You need
to put in atleast sixty
hours a week to be taken
seriously.
It’s too bad it takes those
older workers so long
to get their work done.
I work faster and much
more efficiently.
You present a proposal for a
new campaign and suggest
that your bos poll everyone
today for input. You plan to
launch in a couple of days.
Slow it down! We need to
get a meeting scheduled
with all the relevant
people (and some who
only think they’re
relevant) so that everyone
can provide input. It will
take at least three weeks
to match everyone’s
calendar.
Collecting input through
a synchronous physical
meeting is a quaint–
and very inefficient–
approach. This could be
accomplished in a couple
of hours on a social
networking site.
You let your Boomer boss
know that you’re not really
finding the task you’ve been
assigned satisfying.
A spoiled nuisance. Of
course not every task is
inherently interesting.
That’s not my problem.
You should focus on
the end game–winning
longer term. Head down,
nose to the grindstone.
Life is filled with
uncertainty. I want to
enjoy every day fully.
Time to look for another
job.
Your boss asks you to
attend an important sales
conference next week.
You’re hosting a party for
your mom’s birthday, so you
decline.
An unacceptable
response. Do you have
any idea how many
family events–birthdays,
recitals, school pageants–
I’ve sacrificed for the
company’s benefit and in
pursuit of my career?
I remember how it felt
when Dad and Mom
missed my birthday. I’m
not going to do that to
my kids. She’ll only turn
two once.
Your boss appoints you
to tackle an exciting new
business opportunity. You
immediately rally your
colleagues and ask them to
work with you on it.
Someone who just
doesn’t get it. This is your
opportunity to break out
of the pack–and you’re
involving the rest of the
pack in your big move.
How can I tell that you’ve
won?
Approaching the task
collaboratively will result
in a better outcome and
will be more fun.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
Different perspectives: Boomers and Generation Y
Situation
Boomers see…
Y’s think…
You get your first formal
feedback from your boss.
It focuses on how you rank
against your peers and what
you can do to get ahead.
A well-designed process.
Comparative evaluative
feedback is the most
important input a boss
can provide.
This is disappointing.
Why isn’t there
more emphasis on
acknowledging what I
have accomplished?
You’re asked to become
the progam manager for
an important initiative.
Your boss asks to see your
detailed plan for how and
when you will communicate
with the team. You don’t
have one.
No schedule! It will
be impossible to make
progress. You need to
get a series of meetings
on everyone’s calendars–
Now!
No problem. I’ll text the
group whenever we need
to coordinate our moves.
You get invited to a
corporate strategy session.
The conversation focuses on
evaluating which businesses
are stronger and deserve
additional investment.
A solid, well-accepted
process.
I wonder if there might
be a better way? Maybe
we should be designing
experiments to try some
new ideas or get some
of the weaker businesses
repositioned.
A woman is promoted to be
the CEO of your company.
A momentous event!
All that sacrifice and
hard work has paid off.
A woman has broken
through the glass ceiling!
This is news?
Another form of common ground may
come through your shared goals of
creating change in the corporate world
and beyond. Many of the types of changes
you might like in workforce practices are
closely aligned with the types of changes
Boomers would now like as they look
toward adopting flexible schedules at
this point in their careers. Team with
Boomers to find constructive paths to
help organizations adapt to both your
needs and theirs.
More broadly, most Boomers have
not had, or have
not taken, the
discretionary time they’d like to make
a change in the world. Their passion
for life, for change, and for meaning
has by no means faded. Many Boomers
are finding themselves hit hard with
a sense of midlife malaise—an “Is this
all there is?” reflection as the end of
the first game (the typical thirtyyear
career) draws near, and a desire to
make a positive difference with their
remaining time. Finding ways to
partner with Boomers to combine your
passions for change with theirs presents
a powerful opportunity for you to make
an even bigger impact on the world
around you.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
13
generation x
The generation that immediately precedes
you—for some of you, your older siblings;
for others, perhaps your parents—has yet
again very different characteristics and
assumptions. Born between 1965 and 1980,
Generation X is much smaller in size than
either your generation or the large population
of Boomers they followed. They are, in
a sense, a sandwich generation— locked
between two very large and influential
groups of age mates—and not altogether
happy about it.
generation X
BORN: 1965 to 1979
TEEN YEARS: 1980 to 1998
IN 2008: 28 to 42 years old
Gen X’ers were teens in the 1980s and
1990s—a very different period from the
turbulent 1960s and 1970s. The world
stage was much quieter. The cold war
had ended, the Berlin Wall had fallen,
and, as a result, attention was much less
focused on global events. The Vietnam
War had ended, and, although important
conflicts continued throughout the world,
their visibility to most teens in the United
States, in particular, was slight.
Much of the focus during this generation’s
teen years was on the domestic scene—
both at a national level and, even more
significantly, within the home. Many
domestic economies, including those
of European countries and the United
States, were stagnant. Persistent financial
crises flared throughout Latin America.
In contrast to the relative quiet of the
world stage, the home front for many
teens in this generation was undergoing
major change. For the first time, women
entered the workforce in significant
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
numbers. This generation’s Boomer
mothers represented the first real
industrial age generation of working
women, with 80 percent choosing to
work outside the home for reasons other
than the extraordinary circumstances
of war. On average, the percentage of
women in the workforce during the time
Generation X’ers were teens rose from
about 35 percent to nearly 60 percent in
the United States. The entry of women
into the workforce was hastened by
the significant increase in divorce rates.
Gen X’ers living in the United States
saw divorce rates among their parents
skyrocket from about 20 percent when
they were young to more than 50 percent
by the time they were teens.
The women who made this step into
the external world of work found that
their entry was, in many cases, hard
fought and little supported. There was
virtually no infrastructure in place—few
day care centers, no nanny networks
or company- sponsored child care. As
a result, the Generation X children
became a generation of latchkey
kids—home alone many afternoons,
often depending on friends for both
companionship and support.
Teenage X’ers also witnessed a significant
increase in adult unemployment, as
reengineering and other corporate
restructuring dramatically revamped
any concept of lifetime employment.
It’s unlikely that any person growing up
in this generation in the United States
would not have known some adult who
was laid off from a job that he or she had
planned to hold until retirement. It may
not have been a parent—perhaps it
was a neighbor or a friend’s parent—but
the sense that adults in their lives were
being laid off from corporations that
they had depended on for a lifetime
commitment is probably the single
most widely shared experience of this
generation.
The impact of these experiences is not
hard to predict. The need for self-reliance
and the ability to take care of oneself
is deeply embedded in the assumptions
many in this generation hold about the
world. For support, many rely more on
friends than on institutions and even, in
some cases, family. Gen X’ers are often
reluctant to relocate away from their
established “tribe.” Most continually
question whether the job they have
now is still the best opportunity possible
and need to be “re-recruited” every day.
They are uneasy about putting their fate
in the hands of a potentially capricious
corporation that could, at any moment,
decide to downsize. As a result, many
members of Generation X feel a bit outof-sorts in large corporations. Boomers
often judge the X’er to be less committed
and less hardworking than Boomers are.
In your eyes, X’ers may lack the technical
skills of your own generation. Generation
X grew up alongside the Internet—they
learned it as it grew—but many don’t
have the same level of proficiency as
most Y’s. It was in its infancy when they
were in theirs. They are skilled at accessing
a wide range of information, but in most
cases, they don’t have the accompanying
behavioral changes discussed in chapters
2 and 9 that many of you do.
Rules have often proven to be a source
of conflict between X’ers and the
corporations they work for. The mores of
the computer games X’ers played as teens
extend to many aspects of their lives; to
them, rules are interesting, certainly worth
considering, but if they don’t make sense
in the specific situation at hand, X’ers
believe in changing them. Holding on
to outdated or inapplicable rules for fear
of setting a precedent is a nonsensical
concept to many Gen X’ers. In this, their
views probably seem similar to yours;
the difference is that they, in most cases,
lacked the leverage to push for change.
Most X’ers buckled down and followed
the rules—and many resent it when it
seems you don’t have to.
Like you, Generation X as a group has
a terrific set of traits that is valuable
in our economic society. For example,
their independence leads to a strong
streak of out-of-the-box thinking and
entrepreneurial energy, their tribal
behavior enhances any team-based
activity, and their lack of a win-at-all-costs
mentality raises important questions
about the way we all balance work
commitments. Many X’ers are avid
users of collaborative technology in their
personal lives. And, if you form strong
relationships, Gen X’ers can be strong
allies with Y’s in the workplace— in part,
because you share a preference for new
ways of working.
However, tensions exist. As Bruce Stewart
and Brendan Peat of New Paradigm
Learning Corporation explain, X’ers
are “currently among the most resistant
workers within corporations . . . They are
deeply conservative in their work styles,
and are keen users of e-mail, but are less
overtly collaborative in their approach to
work. (The formative work experiences
seem to have reinforced the importance
of ‘looking out for yourself.’) These people,
when in positions of some authority,
often become roadblocks to collaboration,
forming what we call a ‘frozen middle’
that is difficult to penetrate. They are
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
15
often concerned with what their superiors
will think, are unwilling to act as a
champion, and are uncertain how to act if
they ‘lose control’ of their subordinates.”1
Understandably, X’ers skills may make
this group appear less qualified than
Y’s when compared with the deep
knowledge of Boomer colleagues. In our
research, we found Y’s who resented Gen
X managers and worried that their
Boomer allies were being passed over
by new X bosses. A sampling from our
focus groups: “In a recent reorganization,
people with 35 years’ experience were
‘dropped’ behind 3 PhDs . . . It’s a joke.
They’re much more qualified with 25
years of process technology/chemistry
experience.” “New people don’t know
what they are talking about. The older
people get disgruntled.”
And some X’ers find Y’s threatening. In
our conversations, they worried about
your greater technical sophistication and
high, fresh energy. Many X’ers feel that
they have been stuck in crummy jobs
behind the huge bulge of Boomers for a
decade or more, counting the days until
the Boomers clear out of the workplace.
Just as that is beginning, they now face
a new wave of competition; you are
attractive candidates for the good jobs,
just as they’re beginning to open up.
Table 10-3 highlights examples of some
of the situations that you may encounter
in which an X’er is likely to see things
differently than you do.
Keep in mind when working with X’ers
that one of their strongest values is selfreliance. Motivated by the need to keep
as many options open as possible,
they share your desire for continuous
learning. Consider whether the moves
you hope to make can support their
16
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
goals, and be sensitive to where they
are in their lives.
when you’re the boss
Over the coming years, you are
increasingly likely to have people who
are (much) older than you reporting to
you. As the overall mix of ages in the
workforce shifts so that an increasingly
higher percentage are older by definition,
bosses will find themselves supervising
people who are older than they are. I
also expect that many of the Gen Y’s
who are entering the workforce now will
assume leadership roles at earlier ages
than we’ve seen in other generations, in
part because of the departure of large
numbers of Boomers and the resulting
increase in leadership openings.
Keep in mind that, although it may
initially feel awkward for you, it is also
likely to be awkward for the older worker
who is now answering to a younger boss.
Although it depends on the individuals
involved, there are several typical
complications. There is likely to be some
tension if the older worker is stepping
down from a leadership position or
feels in competition with the younger
boss. As I’ve said, Boomers, in particular,
tend to be competitive and may often
have a harder time ceding leadership than
those from other generations do. And, of
course, differing generational perceptions
will make it easy to misinterpret each
other’s actions.
How can you as the younger boss
help make this relationship a successful
partnership?
The key, as with any relationship, is
to recognize that both people bring
something to the party. The older worker
may well have more experience in the
Table 10–3
Different perspectives: Generation X and Generation Y
Situation
X’ers see . . .
Y’s think . . .
You interview for a
job that you’re really
interested in. You don’t
hear anything at all from
the company for more
than a month.
A normal recruiting
process, certainly the
way it was done when
we were job hunting.
A shockingly rude
and discouraging
reaction on the part
of the company.
You expect frequent
updates on your status.
Without that, you look
elsewhere.
You are asked to tackle
a project that you
have no experience
doing. You reach out
to several Boomer
colleagues in other
departments for advice
on the best way to
proceed.
Disrespectful—don’t
you realize that I’m
your supervisor? You
should follow protocol.
I certainly had to follow
the rules.
I’m going after the best
sources of information
like a heat- seeking
missile.
Clearly these Boomers
know a lot more about
the specifics of this
problem than my direct
boss does.
Your boss assigns you
a new project and
indicates that you’ll
be up for review in six
months.
A normal performance
management process,
certainly the way it was
done for us.
You confide in your
mom how disappointed
you are about your most
recent performance
review. Unbeknownst to
you, she calls your boss.
Someone who shows
a troubling and highly
annoying lack of
independence.
Are you kidding? You
mean we’re not going
to touch base this
afternoon? I’d rather
have continual informal
feedback.
Who can control those
Boomer parents? All
you did was confide
in someone you view
as a trusted friend and
adviser.
You have an idea about
how to use a new Web 2.0
collaborative technology
in one of your projects.
You open a site and post
your ideas there.
A good idea, granted,
but not one that the
company has used
before. We need to get
everyone up to speed
on this new use of
technology (especially
me—I don’t want to be
left out of the loop!).
What’s to think about?
Why wait? This is the
obvious way.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
17
Different perspectives: Generation X and Generation Y
Situation
X’ers see . . .
Y’s think . . .
You send your ideas and
questions to your boss
by e-mail or IM as they
occur, often six or eight
times a day. You rarely
get a response.
Someone who is very
high maintenance and
engages in odd and
disruptive behavior
that’s inconsistent with
the way we work.
This is a normal and
desirable way to
communicate with
colleagues. If they have
something to say, they’ll
respond. I wish my boss
would shoot me frequent
notes.
You add a variety of
your favourite programs
to the computer your
company provided.
A breach of company
policy.
Computers are an integral
hub for a wide variety
of my activities–music,
photos, personal contacts.
It makes no sense to
maintain two systems.
Your boss offers you
a role as a first-line
supervisor, saying that
after you’ve done it for
a year or so you will be
qualified for a broad
range of next steps.
An attractive next step–
one that will increase
your self-reliance by
providing you with a
wide range of possible
options for your career.
That job does not look
attractive–too much time
and paperwork in return
for too little additional
benefit. And doing it for
a year would be much
too long. No thanks, I’m
enjoying with I’m doing
now.
Your ask your boss for
information about your
career path and are given
a broad and somewhat
vague menu of possible
options.
A great response.
Doesn’t everyone want
numerous options and
the ability to choose
what they prefer?
Pretty lame. The company
should do more to outline
exciting paths and sit
down with me to help
customize a successful
strategy to meet my
needs.
You and a group of your
friends decide to resign.
You’re planning to start
your own company.
A great move–loyal to
your friends, giving
you more self-reliance
and control over your
destiny.
An adventure I want to
try now, while I’m at a
point in life where it’s
easy to take risks. And,
if it doesn’t work, I can
always go home for a
while.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
specific industry than the younger boss,
but the younger boss may have some
new perspectives that will improve the
way things have “always” been done.
Each individual needs to be open to
learning from the other.
It’s important for each party to figure
out how the other likes to communicate.
Keep in mind that you are very likely to
communicate more frequently than your
older report is accustomed to doing. Help
older workers see that they should not
interpret frequent messages from you as a
sign that you don’t trust them, but rather
just as a difference in communication
style and habit. Similarly, you may be
used to communicating through different
approaches; your older workers may
find that you use much less face-to-face
communication than they are accustomed
to. Try to find good ways to meet in the
middle.
Avoid coming in with preconceived
notions; listen for a while, and ask lots
of questions. One of the most common
mistakes a young manager can make is
thinking that the way it has been done
so far has no value. The way things are
done may need to change, but it’s worth
understanding why intelligent people
have made the choices they have in the
past. The young boss needs to think in
terms of “What can I learn here?” as well
as “How can I make it better?”
If possible, position your ideas as
building on the strengths of the group,
rather than repudiating the group’s
previous approaches. For example, many
Y’s have experience in collaborative
environments; bringing these approaches
to the team may offer a new way of
working. Integrating technology that
makes the work processes faster and
easier may be another contribution a
young boss can make.
Respect for your leadership is something
you’ll earn over time, so don’t be
discouraged. Demonstrate your
capabilities, and the respect and trust
of your older subordinates will follow.
The age difference between a younger
boss and older workers need not be a
troublesome factor if you each approach
the relationship with a spirit of mutual
appreciation and shared learning.
.....
Perhaps the most important suggestion
of all is simply to remember that the
way something looks to you is probably
not the way it looks to others. This
doesn’t mean that members of other
generations are wrong. Looking at the
situation through their lens will give
you a clue about why they do what
they do. “Underlying Assumptions:
Four Generations” recaps the strikingly
different basic worldviews of all four
groups.
underlying
assumptions: four
generations
TRADITIONALISTS: I want
to joint the world and benefit
accordingly
BOOMERS: I want to help
change the world–but I also
need to compete to win.
GENERATION X: I can’t
depend on institutions. I need
to keep my options open.
GENERATION Y: I need to
live life now–and work toward
long-term shared goals.
Remember, it’s easy to come to the
wrong conclusion about colleagues’
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
19
motives if you view their actions through
your lens and not through theirs. Table
10-4 summarizes a few things to keep
in mind.
Bottom line: as you work with people
from other generations and other
backgrounds, think about their formative
years for clues about why they may see
things differently than you do. Given
their teen experiences, the differences
among the four generations at work are
striking. Understand them—and work
constructively to accomplish common
goals.
Table 10–4
Y’s and the other generations
How they look to you
Gen X
•
Boomers
•
Experienced and
knowledgeable
•
Often very supportive,
almsot parental
•
Very competitive and
obsessively driven
•
Very rigid and rule bound
•
Very focused on money
How they feel about you
Inexperienced, particularly • Threatened by your
when compared with
technological sophistication.
Boomer colleagues
• Resentful that you are
• Not very sympathetic to
candidates for the “good”jobs
your views
just as they’re beginning to
open up.
Traditionalists
•
Frustrated–you seem
remarkably unwilling to play
by the rules they had to play
by.
•
Ambivalent–they both
admire and resent you.
•
Confident you’ll soon
outgrow your views–you
appear very young.
•
Confident you’ll respond to
money.
notes
Chapter 10
1. Bruce Stewart and Brendan Peat, “The Wiki Workplace: Leveraging Collaborative Technologies
in the Enterprise,” New Paradigm Learning Corporation (now nGenera), July 2007, 6.
This document is authorized for use only in NHRDN Journal April 2014 by HRDN from April 2014 to April 2014.
20
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
TAKING STOCK OF THE WORLD OF YOUNG INDIA
RAMA BIJAPURKAR
About the Author
Rama Bijapurkar is a market strategy consultant and an insightful
commentator on social and cultural change in India. She has
been on the boards of several of India’s blue chip companies and
public institutions. She is a visiting faculty at IIM Ahmedabad and
writes extensively on India’s consumer economy and business.
www.bijapurkar.com
Rama Bijapurkar has recently published “A never-before world : Tracking the
evolution of Consumer India”.
L
eadership is about how people behave
and what values and tendencies
drive such behaviour. All behaviour
has psychological social and cultural
foundations; and anyone attempting to
influence leadership behaviour of a cohort
or understand it better needs to understand
the social environment in which the cohort
grew up and the challenges it faces in life
at this point in time. Needless to say this is
the “baggage” that they will bring into the
workplace that HR professionals need to
be cognizant. But first, a necessary caution
that has to be heeded by anyone seeking to
lead young India or prepare young India
to become better leaders:
Young India is not singular and
homogeneous. It is very heterogeneous
and the different segments of it are quite
different from each other. Yes, all of them
are a singular age cohort – liberalization
children, born after 1991 and now entering
the work force. But just as post liberalization
Indian society has sharply fragmented into
the haves and have nots, the cans and cannots, the happy upwardly mobile and the
angry frustrated underbelly i.e. those who
can seize the boons of liberalization and
those who suffer-the-banes of liberalization
- so too is young India. HR professionals
will encounter all segments in the work
force in one form or another and need to
be able to recognize which segment they
are dealing with and also know that one
size of solution will not fit all.
There is ‘Arrived, privileged young IndiaÊ
which typically comprises the children
of affluent and well placed parents, who
income or socio economic strata wise
comprise the top 30 to 40% of urban India
and about 10% of rural India. These are truly
liberalizations beneficiaries, who have an
abundance and variety of higher education
choices and career choices, irrespective
of their educational attainments. They
can join their parents business and take
it forward or in a different direction, and
many of them do; or they get a job in
the traditional career spaces like doctor,
lawyer, company executive, fund manager
and so on; or opt for one of India’s new
and burgeoning career space like those
described in one of the newspaper’s career
pages - RJ, VJ, party planner, script writer,
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
21
games tester, sound artist, fashion designer
or even things like, food service, travel
and hospitality etc. They can also set up
their ‘own business’ and be entrepreneurs.
For this segment, there are no limits
except in the imagination, the globe is
their playground and their parents are a
supportive backbone to lean on. If they run
into trouble or crash land, their parents
are always there for them and the basics
of decent living are taken care of.
There is another group too that is less
privileged and cushioned but has joined
the ranks of the “arrived”. Lets call
them “Arrived with struggle young India”.
There is a significant chunk of young
people who come from what could be
described as “ordinary backgrounds” with
parents who are white and blue-collar
workers in lower middle level jobs. This
group has fiercely competed their way to
good colleges and now there are enough
role models from within such backgrounds
to fuel the growth of this group – provided
the prices of education and coaching
do not spiral beyond their reach and
the absence of collateral free loans
continues.
Does this segment of the “arriveds”
blaze new trails and reinvent things
and reject the environment that has
nurtured them? Far from it. They do
blaze new trails, but the umbilical cord
to the support system that they came
from or to the old ways is never cut.
Students at premier business schools
will get impatient with old rules on
some counts but are not willing to
embrace new placement paradigms that
are truly free market. They want the
rules to be able to chafe against them
but they are not revolutionaries. They
are pragmatists testing the waters and
negotiating for change within the confines
of the established order. And it is here
that the girls fight harder than the boys
for their rights.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
This is the group that Corporate India
employs in its management cadre. Let’s
not forget that fewer than 10% of employed
Indians are employed in formal sector jobs.
Within the ”arrived” young India is the
creamy layer, a subset from where a lot
more formal corporate sector recruitment
is done – the better engineer + MBA from
good colleges which are hard to get into.
First of all, it is depressing to see how
few non-engineer MBAs we have in
India. The reasons provided are many
including the better quality and quantity
of engineering colleges as compared to
other kinds of colleges. Good law school
or architecture college or even CAs don’t
do their MBAs as much because now they
have a lot more opportunities in their
own chosen fields. But diversity of mind
wiring because of educational training has
become a casualty here. Why are they risk
averse? Young people who have ‘made it’
in terms of good colleges for engineering
and MBA or have put their lives on hold
from Standard 9 onwards and the odds
of getting through competitive exams are
so great that you cant afford the luxury
of experimental answers or experimental
study procedures. They have also been
nurtured carefully like hothouse flowers
by their parents, given the right controlled
environment to help them cope with the
pressure and the workload. Add this
risk aversion to the lack of diversity
emanating from left brained engineers
and you have a cocktail that makes you
worry about future leadership challenges
corporate India will face in a world
that is famously described as VUCA
(volatility, uncertainty, complexity and
ambiguity). And a business environment
where innovation is the mantra. I would
prepare future leaders by getting them to
complete their incomplete education – get
introduced to the world of literature and
philosophy and history and social sciences
and history. Make them rounded human
beings who recognize that two plus two
can be four or twenty-two or zero. Their
interpersonal and social skills are quite
high for the mainstream, as many of them
have moved away from home at young
ages and made friends and got support
groups for themselves in a peer group
that is immensely competitive by nature
– or is it by training and conditioning at
home? There is a small ill adjusted and
beleaguered group that cannot cope with
the pressure of all this, which gets written
about and which signals societal distress.
But by and large, this group of privileged
cushioned corporate choosing young India
are a curious mix of hothouse flowers in
their need for good environments for them
to flourish and of hardy jungle weeds
with survival and social skills and high
learnability and adaptability. How this
cocktail is moulded for leadership that
is relevant to the times ahead is for HR
professionals to decide.
The entrepreneurs are an aspirational and
growing lot in this group. In premium B
schools, the successful entrepreneur is the
role model. And the young entrepreneurs
are persistent in their search for mentors.
Not for them is the idea that the gen
before them known nothing about the new
world. They want to access the wisdom,
not the directives.
All of Young India are people in a hurry.
They have put too many years of their
lives on hold getting ready for the tough
world, and not having much fun in their
teenage or early 20s years. They are not
in a mood to wait and get more trained.
Corporate employers realize that and are
already adapting to atomise organisations
and give quicker movement upwards.
VCs funding young entrepreneurs are in
a hurry themselves so it’s a good match
with impatient entrepreneurs. It’s the
family businesses that have a tougher time
but many carve out a piece or facilitate
a new entrepreneurship opportunity for
the young people to earn their experience
and make their mistakes.
This good narrative of Young India applies
not just to the privileged and the well
educated but also to a section of “modestly
educated but have connections or drive”.
They study in average institutions, they
have average degrees, do some courses, but
have higher degrees of social confidence.
These are children of what is India 2,
that which serves upper class India 1.
These young people have above average
exposure and their family has connections
with India 1 to get them an entry into a line
of work or apprenticeship or a contract job
that can give them an entry into the world
of well-paid work.
Taking all to get to a quarter of all young
people, about 65 million by my estimate.
There is a bad narrative that applies to
the rest. About 200 million of the 15 to 24
year olds have been described by analysts
as “Unskilled, Unemployed, Angry: India
tomorrow headed for disaster?” and as
“a generation of functionally uneducated
Indians being churned out in a fourth
rate education system” (for further
references to these quotes, see the chapter
Generation Next angst, in my book A
Never-Before World). Those among them
with exceptional chutzpah or drive manage
to go into some business of their own.
But for the rest of the “left behind, angry
Young India‰, largely poor and unskilled,
struggling for contacts or sipharish, it is
unemployment staring them in the face
or any contract work they can get big
or small. Recent data on unemployment
rates of graduates speaks for itself. The
newspapers are full of incidents – and I
shall not recount them – of people with
graduate degrees applying for peons jobs
and as another observer pointed out, the
angry young man is back. Many of them
have no role models and no authority
figures at home, a significant number from
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
23
the poorer populous states have absentee
fathers who are migrants, and live in areas
with poor law and order. All of them
have aspiration and see the world of the
haves around them. Leadership for them
is a whole different discussion that for
the educated young India, and no skilling
initiatives or missions are treating this
problem holistically. Nor perhaps are the
HR managers of the contract labour era
reading their anger holistically.
There are certain circumstances that are
common to all of them. Young India is
the liberalization generation. Born after
1991, they have seen more change in
the world around them than any Indian
generation before them. They therefore
know how to cope with change per se,
but also know that you have to look out
for yourself and not grow roots so deep
into anything that you cannot uproot and
move when you have to.
It is also the generation that has been
told that earning more and acquiring
more and aspiring to earn and acquire is
a good thing. But it is also a generation
with vastly different job opportunities
available (or not) to different segments
of it to match its aspiration. It’s also the
generation that has had no job security,
even if it had a job. Every generation
has to pay a price for something. There
were the generations that paid the price
for getting independence. And the
generations after it who paid the price
for nation building. This generation of
liberalization children has paid the price
of integration with the global economy
and all the volatility and shocks that go
with it – both economic and social.
They also are children of a troubled society,
struggling with new inequalities, with new
power balances, with old value systems
and rituals under severe questioning and
the new ones not yet created. They are the
children of uncertainty and negotiation.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
They are the children of a country caught
between a 21st century economy and a
18th century society.
They also are a generation whose ethical
compass has not been strengthened by
all that they see. Coalition politics of
negotiation on principles and stands,
absence of clearly stated ideologies
and principles of those in power,
rampant corruption, valuation and profit
maximizing short termism from companies
manifest in increasing contract workers
and variable pay (you eat what you kill),
no social security and high levels of
exploitativeness.
And as a generation they seem to cry out
for authority figures who will sort out the
mess and create an enabling environment
for them to flourish.
There are also certain phenomena that
apply to society as a whole that applies to
young India as well. The two that I would
like to flag are decreasing ‘power distance’,
which is the degree to which the less
powerful accept that power is unequally
divided and the social pressure coming
from the visible increase in education, legal
rights, assertiveness and power sharing
by women while the men have not been
conditioned or prepared to make way for
that. So sexual harassment and rape laws
have been strengthened, but the discourse
at home on gender equality and respect
has not caught up. (For a more detailed
discussion on these, please see chapters on
“Its her turn”, and “society and culture”,
in my new book “A Never-before world”.
Decreasing power distance plus the
anonymity of the digital world makes the
employee employer relationship different
and more complex. An IT company that
prided itself on the law of omerta that it
expected all employees to maintain on
company matters found to its chagrin
that its young work force were discussing
increments and other matters affecting
them on social media with peers from
rival companies. They set up a “come
talk the ceo’ digital hangout but very few
people turned up. HR was struggling to
calibrate what level of upset in the real
world the sharpness of comments in the
anonymous digital world translated to.
Decreased power distance also explains
why arranged marriage requests from
young people are on the rise. They know
that their parents cannot force them to
marry someone against their wishes.
Yet most young people do believe “my
parents know best”. So that seems to be
their ideal – authority figure but accessible
and seen to be competent and wise and
“on my side”.
Conclusion
Young India is a large component of
Indian society and is changing the way
circumstances and society changes.
For example a ten year rule of a clean
authoritarian regime with absolute power
taking the reigns of this country and
being directive will shape India’s gen y
differently both good and bad. A tenyear rule of leadership and governance
of expediency and pragmatism with
continuous erosion of the moral authority
of institutions will shape it differently.
Different kinds of affirmative action or
quotas will, and already have, shaped
the work force making it different from
previous generations. The decrease in the
government servant middle class (bank
officers, civil services, armed forces,
railways etc) whose children formed a
large chunk of the corporate work force
and the increase in the children of the new
mercantile and business middle class will
bring a new set of value systems as the
mainstream ones in the work place. HR
practitioners need to see the surround far
more widely than perhaps they do now
when building policy and strategy and
perhaps need to re evaluate their entire
tool kit and see how good it is for shaping
and enabling leadership of all segments
of the new generation. Transplanting best
practice from elsewhere will not suffice.
Learning from the best and creating a
new body of knowledge on leadership of
and for India’s next gen is how the HR
community can serve the country. This
is the need of the hour. Holistic ways for
harnessing the abundant human potential
that we have.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
25
LEADERSHIP FOR GEN Y
PRIYANKA BHOTIYA and Dr. ARVIND N AGRAWAL
About the Authors
Priyanka Bhotiya, Head Campus Engagement & RecruitmentGroup HR, RPG Enterprises. Priyanka Bhotiya is a graduate from
Delhi University and is an alumnus of Tata Institute of Social
Sciences.
Arvind N. Agrawal, President – Corp. Dev. &
HR, RPG Enterprises, Mumbai.
Arvind Agrawal is an IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bombay and IIM (A)
alumnus. Since 1999, he is President – Corporate Development
and Group HR in the RPG Group.
Objective:
T
o identify the key factors a leader and
organization should have to match Gen
Y expectations and preferences.
Introduction
In today’s time, Gen Y is one topic that
is discussed widely. This generation is
discussed in newspapers, magazines,
conferences, corporate, to be precise just
everywhere. In fact there is so much
research done on Gen Y. So, what is Gen Y?
Gen Y is the youngest of generation cohort.
They are categorized in different brackets
by different people with birth years ranging
from 1977-1997. Also popularly known as
millennials, this cohort has many names
that also indicate their characteristics;
Digital Generation, Net Generation, Echo
boomers, N-Gen.
Presently there are four generations in
workplace: Veterans, 1921-1945; Baby
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
Boomers, 1946-1964; Gen X, 1965-1976; Gen
Y, 1977-1997 (Dulin, 2008). Gen Y differs
from other age cohorts in their lifestyle,
preferences and traits. This age group’s life
revolves around the internet, wants quick
action and quick results and definitely
needs time to pursue their passion.
Gen Y is in the league of becoming the
largest cohort in the workplace and with
changing demographics, the employer’s
challenge in terms of employee engagement
and talent management is increasing like
never before. With this, understanding
Gen Y, their needs and preferences has
become imperative.
This study aims at identifying the
preferences of this emerging cohort.
Findings of this study will give an
indication if a company’s leadership style
and policies will help in retention, or result
in resignation or worse absconding of these
employees.
Research questions
Sample size
This research has mainly focused on
finding the answer to two questions:
Survey
• Do Gen Y preferences require company
to revise their leadership style?
• Will corporate traditional policies suit
Gen Y?
To find answers to these questions, the first
step was to identify the factors that Gen
Y wish to see in their leaders followed by
important employment factors.
Methodology
We started this study with secondary
research. Inferences were drawn from
the existing research done in the western
countries. The findings were then tested
taking a deductive approach followed by
inductive approach.
From our secondary research we identified
factors important to Gen Y. A five point
scale questionnaire was designed around
the findings to conduct the survey. The
scale was, barely important, less important,
important, highly important and essential.
After the analysis of raw data, the findings
were further validated through FGD.
Responses received from the survey were
classified into two categories ‘must have’
and ‘should have’. Factors which were
rated as highly important or essential
by more than 85% of respondents were
categorized as ‘Must have’ factors of
leaders. Factors which received 80%-85%
participants response as highly important
or essential were categorized as ‘Should
have’ factors of leadership. The importance
of these factors was discussed by the
participants of Focus Group Discussions
(FGD) to validate the findings.
604 students from 10 premier business
schools of India participated in the survey.
These students were 1982-1992 born. More
than 86% of the participants were 19871991 born with close to 21% participation
from 1989 category and close to 20% from
1987 & 1990 each. 1981-1986 categories had
close to 10% participation.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
27
‘Must have’ factors in a leader
FGD- Birth year wise Distribution
Focus Group Discussion
Competency
% response
as highly
important or
essential
Sound decision making
94.5
Is trustworthy/Honest
88.7
Has personal
accountability
88.7
Positive attitude
86.8
Manages conflict
effectively
86.6
Goal oriented
86.3
Effective listener
86.1
Some employees in management cadre of
RPG group, born in 1981-1991 participated
in FGD. 2 FGDs were conducted with 9
participants in each.
‘Should have’ factors in a leader
With 5 participants from the 1986 bracket,
majority participation came from this
category followed by 1991. None of the
participants was 1990 or 1992 born.
Competency
Leaving 1986, 1981-1988 categories had
equal participation with one participant
each.
Findings
From the 40 various factors of leadership
that the participants were asked to rate,
the following were identified to be of key
importance.
Sound decision making
Sound decision making has come across
as the most essential factor of a Gen Y
leader with more than 94% respondents
rating it as highly important or essential.
Focus group discussion participants
have stated, sound decision making as
key component of effective leadership.
Participants suggested that the judgment
of leaders should be based on hard facts
rather than perception, which should be
followed by prudent action. Also a leader
28
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
% response
as highly
important or
essential
Treats other with respect
84.6
Speaking with confidence
84.6
Encourages others
83.6
Future Oriented
83.4
Is ethical
83.4
Speaking clearly
83.1
Approachable
81.0
should be able to differentiate between
what is important and unimportant.
“It is important for him to do his background
work properly, his action should be fact based.”
“You have these too finicky leaders, telling you
this letter should be in caps, color is wrong,
stapling is not done properly. Why can’t they
focus more on subject than formatting?”
“Leader needs to have a brain of his own, if he
flows away with others words he cannot be a
leader. He shouldn’t go by others words and
should have analyzing factor”
“Leader should know how to behave in different
situations. He should be aggressive when
needed and not be when not needed. He should
have sound judgment of right mix of EQ & IQ.”
From the data it could be inferred that the
capability of taking sound decisions is a
‘must’ have component, for those who
lead GenY. Gen Y weighs the quality of
decisions and look forward to working
with leaders who exhibit sound decision
making quality.
Is trustworthy/Honest
Gen Y is clear that personal qualities of a
leader are important and amongst various
personal qualities ‘being trustworthy’ and
‘honest’ stood out as most essential. The
survey result and FGD indicates that trust
factor is important in a team; more than
88% of respondents have rated it as highly
important or essential. The Results suggest
that trust is a must; absence leads to a
lack of transparency and leads to politics.
“Be clear on what you need and make
objective clear, you can’t be political with
your own team. As a Leader you have to
be transparent”
“I personally feel that trust factor can only be
built if the leader is honest. Trust in a team is
of utmost importance.”
“He has to give me due credit for my work,
rather than overshadowing or stealing credit.”
“Leader needs to give honest opinion. It is
important to let a team member know if he is
doing something wrong. Personal biases should
not be practiced by leaders. Any criticism
should be a genuine one.”
Has personal accountability
With more than 88% respondents
rating personal accountability as highly
important or essential the importance of
this competency is evident. Even from
the focus group discussions it could be
inferred that Gen Y want their leader to
take ownership and admit mistakes when
they falter.
“He should openly tell if he has made any
mistake, he need not go and say that in a mike
but yes admitting and taking ownership is
something that he must do.”
“Leader has to tell bluntly when things are
going wrong, after all he is also reporting to
someone and is accountable for results.”
“He has to lead from the front and take charge
of things.”
Positive attitude
Gen Y belief towards importance of positive
attitude is very strong. From the responses
it seems that looking at the brighter side
is a ‘must have competency’ that leaders
of Gen Y should have and exhibit.
“In case of crisis situation how do you lead
your team? He should have positive mindset;
this will give courage and hope to team when
they actually need it.”
“He could be aggressive or emotional but
positive attitude is a must.”
Manages conflict effectively
From the survey and FGD response,
conflict management skill of a leader is
identified as one of key important factors.
More than 86% respondents rated it as
highly important or essential.
“At times you hear the problem but don’t
do anything and just sit over it. You think
ignoring the issue is better as it may raise
conflict. So I think he should very diligently
be able to handle these issues.”
“Right amount of strictness in dealing with
people and taking decision is important for
a leader.”
“We are impatient we want leadership to be
effective and quick. If something goes wrong
the feedback should come early rather than
piling it up to avoid conflict.”
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
29
Goal oriented
More than 86% of respondents rated ‘goal
oriented’ as highly important or essential.
From the FGD it could be inferred that
Gen Y wants its leader to focus on the end
objective rather than the means.
“Too much involvement in people development,
he will lose his vision. There is no point working
this way, if the vision is lost no matter how long
we work, we will not attain the end objective.”
“I would prefer to work for leader who is more
goal focused rather than task or people oriented.
He needs to have a bird’s eye view”.
“Leader should define the where and how to
of vision.”
‘Goal oriented’ has been rated and stated
as one of the most essential components
of leadership by Gen Y. Gen Y does not
like micro management; therefore, a clear
defined vision is a must. Once the goal is
defined they like the leader to give them
autonomy and space to work. Gen Y wants
leaders to focus on goal achievement as
this will lead to the growth of team and
organization.
Effective listener
Gen Y people are with ideas and want their
leader to hear them out. The survey and
FGD respondents suggest that Gen Y need
their leader to be approachable and a good
listener. He should not just listen but also
take actions based on the conversation.
“Rather than telling that you have done this
wrong, he should be willing to listen to the
reason.”
“When you talk about leader, he should be a
good speaker but a better listener. Leader will
be perceived as approachable by everyone if
he makes people comfortable when he is being
talked to.”
Apart from the above mentioned factors,
other factors which Gen Y would like
their leader to possess are treating people
with respect, speaking with confidence,
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
encouraging others, future oriented,
being ethical, speaking clearly and being
approachable. Based on survey and FGD
responses, these factors are categorized
into ‘should have’ category. The data
did not indicate these factors as the most
important but it was found that these
factors are relatively way more important
than other remaining factors. Some of the
verbatim of participants strongly support
the findings.
“He should respect our time; leaders who
call us and make us wait are seriously very
irritating. This only shows how much respect
he is giving you.”
“Good command over language, it is important
for communicating clearly. Moreover he should
be precise; to the point and not too texty text
types. ”
“A leader who can’t motivate his team is not
a leader.”
With Gen Y so forward looking one may
assume that a leader needs to be friendly
and should have contemporary style. The
responses suggest that being humorous,
friendly or fun loving is good to see factor
in a leader but there is a possibility of it
acting like a boomerang.
“If he gets too friendly then he will find
problems in delegating. People may start taking
him lightly. Maintaining thin line between
being friendly and assertive is challenging.”
“Fun loving is not a prerequisite, but good
to have.”
“As long as he is comfortable and open with
the difference, it’s ok.”
A step ahead
A leader may have all the desired factors
that Gen Y wants their leader to have;
but the task of the leader does not end
there. Gen Y desires other factors in the
workplace. As a leader one has to ensure
that these factors exist in a company or
the possibility of attrition of Gen Y will be
high. One factor that has been identified
as the most important factor is work life
balance.
Work life balance can also be seen as
the differentiating factor between Gen
Y and other generation employees. Gen
Y believes that work is important but
it should not result in hampering the
personal life of employees.
“We are not machines; we have our passion,
relationship and emotions. They need time
and should be taken care of.”
“In my previous organization I used to work
for 12-14 hours and trust me this life is
blissful.”
Gen Y understands that there may be
occasions when work will demand more
time. In such situations they state that it
is important to cooperate and give their
best. However it should not be regular
practice.
“If it is need based than it is ok, but beyond a
point you can’t take it. It should not become
a habit; if it does then it’s the time to start
looking out”
“We are the new generation and have our
passion. This was not the case with earlier
generations. Many a company has realized this
and has work from home or flexi policies. In
fact people look at these aspects of employment
before joining.”
Another factor of employment that
has emerged as ‘very important’ is the
‘quality of work’. Compensation on the
other hand was not mentioned to be the
most important aspect.
“If you ask me what are the top 5 things I look
before joining a company, compensation will
not be in my list.”
“I would not mind going for lesser
compensation if I get other factors.
Compensation will not be my top priority if
I have culture which is more flexible.”
“If a company is paying a few lacs extra but
it is getting compensated not through my
CTC but through variable elements, I will be
fine with it.”
Gen Y preferences in terms of compensation
may change with experience. FGD
suggests that initially the focus is more
on learning and self development but
with time, compensation will become
important and may supersede factor such
as learning opportunities. 30% of Survey
respondents have stated that good initial
compensation is important whereas good
quality of work and challenging work has
evolved among the top components of
preferred employment.
“In the beginning you would like to learn
everything and for that you will accept lower
package. But there will be point when you
say that I have learnt enough and you ask for
better compensation.”
Further, time based promotion and
job rotation is a complete no for Gen Y.
From FGD it could be inferred that for
promotion and job rotation, performance,
exposure and potential should be the
criteria rather than time. However time
bound job rotation is somewhat acceptable
than time bound promotion.
Other findings
Western research ‘New Generation, Great
Expectations: A field study of the millennial
generation’ by Eddy S.W. Ng, Linda
Schweitzer and Sean T. Lyons, suggest that
work life balance is of prime importance
and majority of respondents have ranked
work life balance as number one priority.
In FGDs, participants expressed beyond
doubt that work life balance is the most
important factor. This finding is pretty
much in sync with the western research.
One of the key findings of our research
is the difference with western research.
Western research ‘Leadership preferences
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
31
of a generation Y cohort- A mixed-methods
investigation’ by Linda Dulin, suggests
that ‘Management of others’ is among the
most important factors but surprisingly
among the various measures of this factor
none was supported by even 80% of the
respondents.
The FGD findings also supported the
survey where respondents suggested
that leaders should know how to manage
but that is not the key competency they
look for in their leader. Stating clear
objectives and trusting team’s capability
in accomplishment of objective will
supersede ‘Management of others’.
Gen Y in RPG
People orientation and transparency
& integrity are amongst the values of
RPG. These values are evident in the
way we operate. In RPG we promote
empowerment where micro management
is a complete no-no.
RPG GMR (Group Management Resource)
is the programme for Gen Y. GMRs are
hired from premier business schools and
right from the start, they are involved in
key projects. They are offered key roles
such as Executive Assistant to CEOs or
Heads of Strategic Business Units (SBUs).
We nurture the passion of Gen Y and
conduct dance and dramatics training in the
company premise. In RPG, our consistent
effort is to understand Gen Y and see how
we can meet their expectations.
With respect to grooming and growth of
these high caliber young professionals,
we invest a good amount of time,
money and effort. We have a Young
Executive Board (YEB) which comprises
of members between age group of 28-33
years. YEB is a shadow board with 10
members. YEB takes up projects which
are strategically important to RPG and
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
give their recommendations on it to the
Top Management. The chairperson of this
group too comes from Gen Y category.
Discussion
Our research findings suggest that some
factors of leadership are of key importance
to Gen Y. In all probability absence of any
of these factors in a leader will result in
dissonance.
The findings of this study are more relevant
to the Indian context. Results of western
research on Gen Y results do not match
completely with our findings. Management
of others which is mentioned as a key factor
of leadership in the research conducted in
US has not emerged of equal importance
in Indian context. Our research finding
indicates that Gen Y likes leadership with
clear defined vision and prefers to work
independently. On the other hand work
life balance has emerged as the most
important factor on the job and validates
the finding of US research.
Another point to be noted is that our
survey respondents were students of
premier business schools and did not
capture responses of Gen Y from other
demographics such as doctors, lawyers,
journalist etc. Therefore the findings of our
research are best suited for the corporate
world, where students of premier B-school
join. Aspiration and leadership preferences
of Gen Y of other categories may differ as
per the demographics.
Target audience of this research was Gen Y,
leadership preferences of other generation
cohort is not taken or used anywhere in
this research. The findings are relevant to
Gen Y but it can’t be concluded that it is
specific to Gen Y. The relevance of findings
to other generation cohort can be tested by
further research.
Conclusion
Research conducted on Gen Y in western
countries has some difference in relevance
to Indian context. Gen Y in India wants
their leader to exhibit good interpersonal
and self management skills more than
management of others. Further, sound
decision making and goal orientation are
other key factors that Gen Y in India likes
to see in their leaders.
With the growing strength of Gen Y,
employers need to ensure that company
policies are aligned with the preferences of
Gen Y. HR should ensure that policies with
respect to work life balance are made and
followed. Contemporary practices such as
compensatory off, flexi hours and work
from home should be embraced.
Reporting managers of Gen Y should be
sensitized with the preferences of Gen
Y and should conduct training for these
managers on how to manage Gen Y.
Timely feedback of Gen Y should be taken
to gauge their engagement level, followed
by interventions to address their changing
needs and expectations.
References
Dulin, L. (2008). Leadership preferences of a Generation Y cohort: A mix-methods investigation. Journal of Leadership Studies, 2(1).
NG, S.W., Eddy, S., Linda & Lyons, T., Sean (2010), New Generation, Great Expectation: A field study of the millennial Generation.
Springer, J Bus Psychol, 25,281-292.
Espinoza, C. (2011). Managing Millennials. NHRD Network Journal: Gen Y and HR, 4(4), 1-7.
Munro, R, C (2009). Mentoring needs and expectations of Generation-Y. Journal of Management Research, 1(2).
Human resources practitioners: Preparing the next wave of strategic business partners. Journal of Management Research, 1(2).
Natarajan,G & Jayaram, L.(2013).Aspiration and dreams-they have power to change the world. In What we really want? Aspiration
of Gen Y.1st ed. Pune, India. Menaka Prakashan. 1-25.
Krishnaswami,O.R & Ranganatham, M. (2011). Methods of data collection. In Methodology of research in social sciences. 2nd ed.
Mumbai, India. Himalaya Publishing House. 163-216.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
33
MANY NAMES, ONE GENERATION
THROUGH THE LENS OF A GEN Y
LALIMA CHHABRA
About the Author
Lalima Chhabra is a program coordinator for the Harvard Business
Publishing Corporate Learning team in India. She supports
the Learning Services team with designing and coordinating
leadership development programs for clients in India and Middle
East. She has done her Masters in Psychology from University
of Delhi with a specialization in Organizational Behavior. She is
very passionate about theatre and has 8 productions and over 150
performances under her belt. She can be reached at [email protected].
Dear Boss,
I am extremely happy that you have assigned
a new project to me but I am feeling a little
uncomfortable that I will be up for review in
three months. Are you kidding? Is this a normal
performance management process? You mean
we’re not going to touch base this afternoon?
I’d rather have a continual informal feedback
(you could whatsapp me anytime if you like).
Please let me know your thoughts?
Regards,
Gen Y/Millennial/Net Gen/Echo Boom
A
lmost all of you must have observed
some of your colleagues or interns
behaving in a similar fashion and I can
absolutely understand if you couldn’t help
but ask yourself — who are these folks or
who do they think they are?
In this article, I am going to help myself and
my readers acquire a deeper understanding
of Gen Ys- Why are Gen Ys the way they are?
Who are Gen Ys really? What motivates them
34
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
in the workplace? How can the interactions
between Gen Y’s and other generations
improve?
WHY ARE WE THE WAY WE ARE?
Generation Ys are individuals born during
the twenty years spanning from 1980 to
about 2000. I belong to this generation and
my fellow Gen Ys should be somewhere
between 14 to 34 years old in the year 2014.
To understand Gen Ys in India, we need
to look at the way India’s history has had
an impact on different generations. For
instance, Gen X experienced the impact
of market liberalization of the 1990s very
early in their careers and benefited from
the initial boom in outsourcing. As a result,
they were often more entrepreneurial than
the previous generations and favored
career progression based on merit rather
than tenure. The economic boom of the
1990s presented a boom in opportunities
that resulted in rapid career advancement,
decrease in loyalty towards employers
and increased demand for wage inflation.
The above mentioned trends especially
with regards to the employee aspirations
continues well into the Gen Y’s who seem
to be more inclined to switch jobs to
pursue career advancement. My generation
represents a new class of employees: one
shaped with a deeper appreciation for
technology, global exposure and one who
aspire for financial affluence. We (Gen Y’s)
are digital natives—our lives are greatly
influenced by social networks. While past
generations watched the internet and
technology develop, Y’s are immersed
in it since birth; many of us don’t even
remember logging on to the internet for the
first time. For us, high-paced technology,
communication, and information gathering
has always been around.
In India there is a sudden and prominent
emergence of Gen Y’s in the workforce.
Around 1/3rd of the Indian workforce is
now under the age of 30. These facts clearly
highlight the upsurge of the younger
population within the workplace and
hence the increase in importance of “our”
needs and expectations. (Source: Talking
about Whose Generation, DUP, 2010; Deloitte-CII
“Generation Next Workforce study, 2013”)
WHO ARE WE?
Our generation has been called by many
names. Three of the most common are the
Millennial Generation, signifying that our
developmental years spanned the turn of
the century; the Net Generation, reflecting
one important influence on our lives—the
rapid evolution of digital technology; and
the Echo Boom, because many of us are
the children of Boomers (people born in
the eighteen years—1946 through 1964). I
can sense the irritation levels of my fellow
Gen Y readers rising as I list these labels,
so let’s very swiftly move toward a more
comprehensive understanding of “us”
with the help of one-liners created by me
that almost seem to define our generation
(inspired by the incredible work of Tamara
Erickson’s Harvard Business Press Chapter
“Shared Views and Common ChoicesWho Is Generation Y, and What Does That
Mean for Your Career?”).
Ć I am confident and I know it. We are
more than willing to express our own
ideas, bring new thinking to counter
issues or problems, and critique the
way things have always been done
if we think we have a better way.
We enter into the professional world
with confidence and seem to have a
high level of self-esteem. This sense of
confidence is by no means a Western
characteristic of our generation. Gen
Y’s in India, for example, are waking up
to the huge potential and opportunity
they face. They tend to be extremely
confident, to the point that retention
has become a major issue.
Ć I want it all, and I want it now. We
come across as a little impatient and
eager to live life now. Some people
claim that our impatience is a holdover
from a childhood as many of us perhaps
became accustomed to getting what
we wanted when we wanted it—new
toys or clothes. I think our sense of
immediacy will be a hallmark of our
generation until the end of our days.
We will neither grow out of it, nor
is it simply caused by a pampered
childhood. The events we witnessed
when we were in our impressionable
teens— the sudden, devastating, and
unpredictable world events have left
us with an undeniable impression that
tomorrow just might be too long to wait.
Ć All is well. I am POSITIVE. Despite the
terrorism and environmental disasters
that occurred during our teen years—
or perhaps even in part because of the
contrast between those tragic events and
the life we now lead—as a generation,
we have an optimistic outlook. This
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
35
sense of optimism is likely to be
reinforced by many of our experiences
in the workplace. Whereas previous
generations ran up against a stagnant
economy and a tight job market, Ys are
likely to find ever-growing demand for
their skills. In some fields, this demand
is already allowing Gen Y’s to approach
work almost as paid “volunteers”—
joining an organization not because it’s
the only game in town but because we
genuinely want to.
• What do we want: challenge but
without traditional responsibility—
perhaps our boss’s job.
We do want significant challenge
and meaningful work. Most of us feel
highly engaged when we are given
big jobs and challenging assignments.
But our managers sometimes fail to
understand that the favorite job of any
Y is one that is critically important
which he or she has no idea how to do.
The explanation comes from the way
we differentiate between “challenge”
and “responsibility.” As with the word
workforce, the word responsibility
connotes a way of working— perhaps
conjuring images of bureaucracy,
constraints, and answering to other
people’s rules—that is not appealing
to us.
Ć Money is EVERYTHING. Attitudes
toward money show perhaps the
most divergent thinking among Y’s
around the world. Our economic
and cultural experiences—and
therefore our expectations about the
role money will play in our lives—
are quite different. Overall, Gen Y’s
seem to value interesting work and
meaningful job way more than they
value money. Although simultaneously,
it is important to point out that money
connotes value, confers prestige, and
provides immediate benefits in the
36
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
form of a higher standard of living.
Indian employees often live with
parents and even grandparents and
provide as much as 70 percent of the
family income. In light of the number
of auxiliary meanings we associate
with money, financial reward holds
reasonable value for Indian Gen Y even
though it is NOT everything.
WHAT MAKES US TICK?
Drawing from an interesting HBR Article
“How Gen Y & Baby Boomers Will
Reshape Your Agenda” (written by Sylvia
Ann Hewlett, Laura Sherbin, and Karen
Sumberg), I am going to address a few
facets of what makes us tick.
Networking by Nature Working in
teams is a top motivator for me and
my fellow Gen Ys. Gen Ys love to
connect with others and enjoy working
in offices that are open and conducive
to socializing. And want people, even
bosses, to be readily accessible.
Ambition-I remember innocently
writing in my first self performance
appraisal form that one of my biggest
strengths is being ambitious and
achievement oriented. And my Boss
gave me a reaction which I will never
forget- “Isn’t this strength part of the
deal? I mean, isn’t it a part of the legacy
of being a Gen Y”. Indeed, Gen Ys are
go-getters: About as many Gen Ys who
call themselves very ambitious say they
are willing to go the extra mile for their
company’s success.
Loyalty vs. Quest I am in my first job
right now and I find myself telling my
friends that I am going to probably
get old in the same job. And studies
indicate that Gen Y’s fully hope to
remain faithful to a workplace, but the
clear majority says they also want work
to bring a range of new experiences
and challenges. We might be more
susceptible to wanderlust than we
realize.
Multicultural Ease I personally find
working in a global team very exciting
as I get to interact and learn about
people from different cultures and
backgrounds. This is true for the
majority of us—Gen Ys are clearly at
ease with diversity. We are proud of
our diverse tastes and styles which
makes us open towards interacting
with people of different ethnicities
and culture.
BEST WAY TO PAY GEN Y
Generation Y values six types of
rewards as at least as important as
compensation. In order, they are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
High-quality colleagues
Flexible work arrangements
Prospects for advancement
Recognition from one’s company or
boss
5. A steady rate of advancement and
promotion
6. Access to new experiences and
challenges
COMPANIES WHICH ARE
GETTING IT RIGHT WITH GEN Y
Some real-life examples of companies
which are indeed getting it right while
interacting with Gen Y workforce. Let’s
take a closer look at the crucial elements
these companies are bringing to the
table which appeal to “us”:
Progressive policies: Many companies
have discovered that a progressive work
environment is deeply appreciated
by Gen Ys. Coca-Cola uses message
boards in its work environment as
tools to convey messages and assimilate
employee feedback. In addition, it has
an open door policy and associates
across hierarchies have access to
senior managers along with open
forum breakfast meetings hosted by
the company’s president at regular
intervals for junior managers. Similarly,
access to social media sites is never
blocked at Marico so as to keep 63%
of the workforce happy.
Career Path: “They want clear line
of sight on their careers, are open to
change as the time comes, but need to
have this clarity always,” says Ashutosh
Telang, executive VP and global head HR of Marico. The FMCG firm, for the
first time ever, has included a few Gen
Y employees in leadership roles and is
paying them close attention, to address
the slightest dissatisfaction.
Opportunities to give back: “Gen Y
looks beyond money and the commercial
objectives of the company, and aspires
to work with an organization that is
associated with a larger purpose,” says
Sripada Chandrasekhar, VP and head HR, IBM India & South Asia. IBM has
realized that this generation has a social
conscience, among other things. The
organization started Corporate Service
Corps, which partners governments
and nonprofits in emerging markets
around the world. The best performing
young employees are made part of this
group wherein they offer expertise in
technology and management consulting
to address pressing problems of the
community.
Intergenerational mentoring: Mahindra
Group in India has shadow boards for
employees below 35 years, involving
groups taking up business challenges
in consultation with company leaders.
Young Mahindra is another platform
for younger employees to engage
with each other and the leadership in
the automotive and farm equipment
division, with the aim of empowering
Gen Y to develop entrepreneurial and
innovation capability.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
37
Feedback: Being an IT company,
Accenture makes extensive use of
technology to get feedback from
young employees and incorporate
this into policies. It gathers data
from social networking sites and the
company intranet to understand what
younger staff is saying about the work
environment, rewards, recognition,
leadership and culture. “The company
is also piloting a mobile app that
will provide employee feedback on
policy, infrastructure, facilities, work
environment, etc. We will do this for a
couple of quarters and see the result,”
says Manoj Biswas, managing director,
human resources, Accenture.
Training but not for Gen Y: One of
the leading domestic Airlines in India
which has Gen Ys comprising 40% of
its total population frequently invests
in Leadership Training Programs in
collaboration with Harvard Business
Publishing for Gen X managers who are
managing Gen Ys. The idea is to help
these managers understand the ways of
working/ style of Gen Ys, equip them
with the right skills to deal with Gen
Ys and create a facilitative environment
for Gen Y’s to realize potential.
(“Engaging Gen Y at workplace: Coca Cola,
Accenture, Mindtree & others create career
progression model” by Rica Bhattacharyya
& Shreya Roy; “Gen Y demands: What
companies are doing to keep young employees
happy and motivated” by Devina Sengupta
& Sreeradha D Basu | ET Bureau)
TIPS FOR GEN Y TO EFFECTIVELY
DEAL WITH MULTI-GENERATIONAL
WORKFORCE
It’s not only our company, other generations
or our boss who need to bring about
changes in behavior while dealing with
“us” but we are also equally responsible to
step up our game so that our interactions
become smooth and effective. Tamara
Erickson in her book “Plugged In: The
Generation Y Guide to Thriving at Work”
comes to our recue with some handy and
effective tips which I have handpicked
and personally applied in my workplace.
1. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
You must be able to communicate well
in writing, using a style that is suitable
to business. Generation Y, as a whole,
has a bad reputation when it comes
to writing, even though I know some
of us who do it extraordinarily well.
It’s important because communication
skills are specifically what employers
look for in recent graduates. Academic
grades are actually at the bottom of the
TIPS FROM “US” FOR “THEM”
TIPS FROM MILENNIALS FOR
THEIR COMPANY
TIPS FROM MILENNIALS FOR
THEIR BOSS
Please develop my skills for the future
Please help me navigate my career path
Please offer me a clear career path
Please give me straight feedback
Please exhibit strong values
Please mentor and coach me
Please offer customizable options in my
benefits/reward package
Please sponsor me for formal development
programs
Please allow me to blend work with the
rest of my life
Please be comfortable with flexible
schedules
* From Mentoring Millennials by Jeanne C. Meister and Karie Willyerd
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
list. Always remember, your colleagues
are not mind readers so you must be
able to express your thoughts logically,
clearly, and persuasively.
2. L E A R N I N G L A N G U A G E O F
BUSINESS
You need to understand and comfortably
speak a language that is the foundation
of any enterprise (including nonprofits):
the language of finance. “Reason,
reason is my middle name” should be
your mantra. If you are going to succeed
in business in any capacity, you need to
understand finance even if you’re going
into a role that isn’t “financial.” All roles
in business are financial. Every single
one.
3. B E I N G E F F E C T I V E I S M O R E
IMPORTANT THAN BEING RIGHT
Gone are the good old days of school
and college, where being “right” was
the answer to everything. In the work
world, you begin to be evaluated
increasingly on process—your ability to
make things happen, to get things done.
Being “right” becomes less important
than being effective (and right, of
course—clearly you don’t want to get
the wrong things done!).
4. TAKE INITIATIVE
Look for new and better ways to do
things, starting with the specific tasks
you’ve been hired to do. Do your
own work smarter, and share your
improvements with colleagues. For
example, you might create templates
for common tasks or write scripts or
standard e-mails for common customer
interactions. Find ways to get more
done in less time.
5. C O L L A B O R A T E
COLLEAGUES
&
HELP
You can demonstrate leadership by
helping other employees be more
effective. Be generous: help others
format documents, create spreadsheets,
or find information on the Web.
Answer questions for fellow Gen Y’s.
Introduce older colleagues to some of
the timesaving technologies you may
use. If you have workers of every age
looking to you to be more effective,
you’ll have their respect by default.
The below Dilbert cartoon pretty much
sums up how Gen Y’s (“we”) are
usually perceived by other generations
at workplace and how we feel about it.
I hope this article helps different
generations to look beyond the labels
assigned to Gen Ys and understand
the context in which our identities
were shaped. I also hope that it enables
my fellow Gen Ys to have a deeper
understanding of themselves, overcome
the generational traps and deal better with
colleagues across generations.
*Source: 08.09.2011, Scott Adams, Inc.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
39
LEADING GEN Y
ADITI TANDON
About the Author
Aditi Tandon is a media and communications professional with
seven years of experience in print and digital media in India and
London. She started her career in 2005 as a journalist with the
Times of India and is currently working in the media section of
an international government organization.
Introduction
W
hen I was asked if I wanted to write
an article on Gen Y and leadership,
the first thing that crossed my mind was
“Am I Gen Y?” Having seen 8 year olds
more proficient on an iPhone than me and
reading international newspaper reports
on Gen Y being “lazy”, “selfish”, “anti
authority” – none of which I identify with
– I wondered if I was being mistaken for
being in a generation much younger than
what I am. I looked into the definition
and yes, I fit into the Gen Y definition -people born between the early 1980s and
the early 2000s. With every passing year I
go further away from being the youngest
person at work. And this is considering I
work in a government organization where
Gen Y-ers are a minority. To be honest,
despite being a Gen Y-er I feel the stark
difference between the older segment of the
generation where I belong (people born in
the 80s) and the younger segment (people
born in the late 90s and 2000s). There are
differences in culture, skill and perspective.
So as I started writing this article on Gen
Y, I was sceptical how I would represent
an entire generation when segments of it
seem like yet another generation in itself.
But looking at it from a wider perspective,
we do have common things that bind
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
this generation together – comfort with
technology, a plethora of opportunities
fuelling our ambition for constant growth
and our workplace expectations and
behaviours.
Young blood is everywhere. There are 430
million of us Gen Y people (15-34 years)
in India. India has the youngest workforce
among large economies. By 2020, the
average age of the Indian workforce is
expected to be 29 years. 116 million people
in the 20-24 years age group will be part
of India’s workforce by then. With this
anticipated surge in the youth working
population, workplaces and employee
management techniques are being (and if
not, they should be) redefined, redesigned
and refreshed.
Gen Y and Technology
Gen Y was born in a world of emerging
technology and has grown up with it
around. Technology dominates daily
activities and being constantly plugged
in is a way of life. While an outside view
may see Gen Yers as ‘addicted’ to their
smartphones, Gen Yers are more ‘in
control’ than they are given credit for.
There are plenty of media reports, surveys
and research which portray statistics of
technology usage and consumption – 90%
of Gen Y check their texts and mail before
getting out of bed, one in every five Gen
Yers checks their phone every ten minutes
– often leading to psychological analyses
of the Gen Y’s digital habits. Whether
these habits are healthy or unhealthy is
debatable. The bottom line though is that
technology has permeated significant
facets of life today. Once that is accepted
and the initial shock, surprise, dismissal
and debate about Gen Y the obsession with
technology is over, a more constructive
step of how to work better with Gen Y-ers
can be considered.
With every generation, a new type of
communication is developed. Messengers
gave way to letters. Letters gave way to the
telephone. And now telephone has given
way to social media. In fact phone calls are
way down on number five on the list of
most preferred ways of communication for
Gen Y-ers. Texting is number one followed
by email and social media.
Here’s an example of a daily work task
in a public relations job and how a Gen
Yer would tackle it vs an older employee.
Task: Contact the journalist who covers
technology in ABC newspaper.
Older Employee: Picks up the phone and makes
a series of calls to other contacts in the industry
and probably the newspaper office.
Younger employee: Gets on to Twitter
and posts: “Anyone know who covers
technology at @newspapername in #Mumbai?
@anotherjourno” followed by a quick search on
Google, Linked In and a text to a journalist
friend.
There is no better or worse way. Both are
doing the same task and will achieve the
same result. The method of doing it and
the technology used for the same task is
where the difference lies.
Another example of where social media
is preferred over a phone call, and which
has been a case study in many social media
presentations, is that of Faaso’s tweet-toorder service. A traditional way of ordering
food would be to make a phone call, ask for
options on the menu and place the order
over the phone. But Faaso’s has introduced
this service which is lapped up by Gen
Yers. They find the menu on one of the
restaurant review sites and send a tweet to
Faasos with the order and home address.
Gen Y is a generation that is constantly
plugged in and has a natural ability to
connect and communicate. Because of their
comfort and strength with technology, Gen
Y have influenced change in traditional
communication job roles in media, public
relations, advertising and others.
In fact, Gen Yers find themselves fitting
in with ease in new age jobs borne out of
developments in technology over the past
decade or so – social media manager, app
developer, cloud computing technologist,
digital strategist... newer roles are probably
being developed as you read this!
Gen Y’s influence on the media and
communications industry has first been
as that of a consumer. The interactive,
convergent and digital formats of
traditional media developed to cater to
Gen Y as a ardent consumer of content in
such formats. Subsequently, as Gen Y-ers
become employees within the industry,
they adapt to the new media formats and
multi-platform communication tools faster
than older employees. The generation
gap stands out in the journalism field
particularly, where older journalists prefer
to focus on the content, while younger
journalists find the format of putting out
the content equally important. You may
see discussions on “is print journalism
dying?”, “are bloggers the new journalists”
and the like. It’s useful to analyse and
predict trends. And may be in some
countries these differences are stark. In
India though, an average Gen Y journalist
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
41
usually has the same core journalistic
values as their predecessors. The only
major change is the delivery method.
What was once a 1000-word article in a
magazine is now a 700-word article in the
magazine with a ‘complete’ 1000-word
version on the website, supplemented with
a 140-character summary on Twitter and
sometimes an un-edited version on the
writer’s personal blog.
In a recent campaign by the Guardian in the
UK, the features content was handed over
to 10 Gen Y trainee journalists. Called the
“Gen Y Takeover”, the activity highlights
that Gen Y is politically motivated, socially
active and creative, yet has a different
perspective and a different style of telling
stories. An interesting thing that stands
out during this ongoing campaign is the
interaction in the comments section of
the website. Unlike older journalists, this
young crop jumped head-on in to the
discussions and responded with opinions
rather than standard statements to the
reader’s comments. While older journalists
often prefer keeping comments standard
and on an if-required basis, upholding
the sanctity of their content, the young
journalists are happy to explain, argue,
apologize, debate or disagree with the
readers.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
Gen Y and Leadership
As more of Gen Y comes into the work
force, managers need to adapt to the
changing work styles. What is the work
style of a Gen Y employee and how does
a company adapt to it? What does Gen
Y expect from managers? How do you
balance the needs and behaviours of old
and young employees? These are only
a few of the many questions that those
managing Gen Y employees are thinking
of.
First off, it is good to recognize that having
a Gen Y employee is beneficial for your
organization. Other than bringing in fresh
perspectives to the workplace, they are
also fluent in skills that are necessary for
every organization in today’s age – techsavvy, good at networking and in some
businesses, they represent the generation
that organizations want to target (your
very own focus group right there!).
Managing expectations of Gen Y
employees is often a big challenge for
managers. There may be a variety of
reasons, but one common reason that I
have come across is that managers often
have stereotypical ideas of Gen Y-ers and
preconceived notions about today’s youth
– about them being overconfident, lazy,
self-obsessed and other behaviour analyses
that “trend” reporters in media come up
with. These preconceived ideas hinder the
managers from really understanding what
the young employee wants. According to
an Ashridge survey, around 65% of Indian
graduates want their managers as a coach
or mentor. Gen Yers recognize that they
need coaching and are eager to learn.
They look up to their managers for the
appropriate guidance. It may not be the
traditional “guru-shishya” relationship -a Gen Yer may address a manager by the
first name instead of “sir/ma’am”, may
feel comfortable sending a text instead of
a phone call when they are unable to come
into work and may even disagree or argue
with the manager. But these actions do
not indicate casual, lazy or disrespectful
attitudes; these are ways that Gen Y
communicates. At the end of the day, they
still respect and look up to the manager
for guidance. As the manager, one has to
recognize and adapt to these attitudes,
while continuing to play the mentorship
role one is meant to.
The other reason I have seen why managers
are unable to manage a Gen Y employee is
insecurity about not being as techno-savvy.
Many older managers who are not good
with technology, hide their insecurity by
dishing out either defensive statements like
“Oh you young people are obsessed with
all this fun social media but real work is
much beyond that” or simply offloading
it completely by saying “Oh all this new
age technology baffles me, you figure it out
yourself.” Either way is detrimental to a
positive manager-employee relationship.
Gen Y-ers know they are good with
technology and social media but they
also know that older generations have
different wisdom to offer. It is okay for
a manager to acknowledge the strengths
of young employees, it is okay to admit
weakness and it is okay and recommended
for managers, to be willing to learn... and
be willing to guide.
Building a Gen Y-friendly Workspace
and Work Environment
Other than personal relationships, a
Gen Y employee is also influenced by
the workplace environment. Things that
seemed straightforward many years ago
are now key parts management decisions
– work space design, access to technology,
organizational structure, the brand image.
– Fluid work space: Gen Y-ers like to
work comfortably. Whether from
their desk, from a coffee shop, from
a couch, on the floor, standing up...
or a combination... their multitasking
minds can focus in social and casual
environments as well. Of course this
doesn’t mean that the professional
setting of a workspace should be
compromised. But there are ways to
build in spaces that give employees
alternative options – silent desk spaces
for people to work individually,
open plan work stations, informal
collaborative work areas, lounges
and cafeteria spaces for a relaxed
atmosphere or enclosed meeting rooms
with formal and informal setups are
just some of the ways that companies
have integrated design for effective
workplace environments.
– Access to technology: Gen Y
wants to work with a company that
embraces and implements technology.
Particularly when being hired for
digital communication roles, outdated
and restrictive technology is not only
a hindrance to quality work but also
demotivating for the employee. This
isn’t to say that all companies should
blindly upgrade to latest technology.
But it is important to periodically take
stock, consult the people using the
technology, hire people who know the
technology, understand the difference
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
43
between tech toys and useful tools and
be open to change.
– Organizational structure and work
style: Gen Y does not easily adapt to
organizations where hierarchy and
power roles are given high importance.
Particularly in the communications
industry, Gen Y is more likely to
be comfortable with organizations
which have approachable structures,
employees calling bosses by their first
names, pitching in ideas and changes
no matter where in the structure one
stands, expressing disagreement openly
and climbing up the career ladder based
on merit rather than age and years of
experience.
– Work life balance: Gen Y-ers enjoy
mixing work with fun. They are as
focused and diligent on completing
the work at hand but do it in their own
way. They want work to be enjoyable
and fulfilling rather than a duty or
committed service. While an older
employee may sit at his desk, skip lunch
and complete the task before going
home, a Gen Y employee is likely to take
a break and watch a movie and then
stay up all night completing the task
in time for the deadline next morning.
Again, what way is right and what is
wrong is debatable. But giving Gen
Y employees some flexibility in their
way of working as long as they deliver
consistently, is productive for both the
company and the employee.
The Other Gen Y
In most conversations about Gen Y in the
workplace, there is a significant chunk of
the Generation that is completely ignored.
In India, there is approximately 70% of the
youth who live in rural areas or are part of
the urban poor. The discussion so far thus
applies to less than 30% of Gen Y in India.
While the 70% may not be part of current
urban workplaces being discussed here,
it is important to consider the following
– what responsibility do companies have
in giving these youth the access that their
urban privileged counterparts have? And
when they do come in to urban workspaces
what are the ways to lead this “other Gen
Y” that is not as techno-savvy and exposed?
We are talking about a generation where
one part lives and breathes technology
and another part does not have access
to it. What roles should companies play
in bridging these gaps? This makes for a
whole other discussion but these questions
are crucial while thinking about making
workplaces truly inclusive for all of Gen Y.
References
CISCO. (n.d.). Cisco reduces costs and attracts Gen Y employees with new workspaces and work styles. CISCO.
Gibson, R. (2010-2014). Generation Y. Retrieved March 2014, from www.generationy.com
Hays. (2013). Gen Y And The World of Work. London: Hays plc 2013.
Hobbs, D. (n.d.). Gen Y Journalists. ejournalist.com.au.
Pitalwalla, Y. A. (2011, November). India to have 20% of world’s workforce in the next decade. Financial Chronicle.
Rajendram, D. (2013, March). The Promise and Perils of India’s Youth Bulge. The Diplomat.
Schofield, S. H. (2012). Generation Y and their managers around the world. Ashridge Business School.
Thampan, L. (2013). Jobs in the Future – The Career Path of Generation Y & Z. Retrieved from www.wagepoint.com: http://wagepoint.
com/blog/jobs-in-the-future
The Guardian. (2014, March). Generation Y takeover: the issues that matter to us and why. Retrieved from The Guardian: http://www.
theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/14/generation-y-takeover-guardian-digital-journalists
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
THOUGHTS ON INSPIRING, MOTIVATING,
AND LEADING AMBITIOUS GEN-Y
EMPLOYEES AND TEAMS
RUSSELL MASON
About the Author
Russell Mason works with Mahindra Lifespaces, where he is one
of the founding members of the new affordable housing business.
The Co-Founder and Co-President of the Harvard Club of Mumbai,
Russell studied Economics at Harvard College. He was also
Executive Producer of City Step; Staff Director and Writer for the
Harvard Political Review; and a Peer Advisor.
T
hree weeks after graduating from
my undergraduate studies in 2010,
I moved to India to gain understanding
of the aspirations, challenges, and forces
underpinning the emerging world’s rise.
As a 22 year-old thirsty for an experiential
“real-world” education, the prospect of
accelerated personal and professional
development that naturally results from
adapting to the unknown excited me. I
decided to jump into the deep-end. I signed
a two-year contract with a conglomerate
headquartered in a country I had never
visited!
Immersing myself in an environment
I did not understand forced me to
deconstruct and reconstruct many things
I was previously confident I understood
– including leadership. Before starting my
career, I viewed leadership as responsibly
leveraging formal authority to coordinate
individual effort towards a common target.
After four years of working in India, I
consider strong leadership to exhibit the
following three characteristics:
1) Framing, defending, and inspiring
achievable vision
2) Bravely acknowledging weakness,
failure and errors, and confronting
them with solutions
3) Leading by example to consistently
walk-the-talk.
Why have I defined leadership this way?
I believe managers who exhibit these
leadership traits are best-suited to inspire,
motivate, and manage ambitious Gen-Y
employees and teams. Considering myself
an ambitious member of Gen-Y, I’d like to
share some of my reflections on strong and
weak leaders I’ve experienced.
Today, to say the world has become a
smaller, more connected place is cliché.
However, remembering this truth is
necessary to understanding, motivating,
and leading Generation Y. The internet has
increased access to knowledge, accelerating
my generation’s understanding of the good
and bad in the world. Global competition
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
45
and more easily available resources for
education and personal development
have heightened pressure to succeed.
With a more transparent understanding
of the world, more competition, and
more resources, Gen-Y also seems to be
redefining success as pursuing a higher
sense of purpose.
No generation before us has been exposed
to the world’s truths so early and so deeply.
We’ve seen, in real-time, respected leaders
and institutions fall. We’ve listened to
self-made women and men from across
the globe share how their hunger and
“foolishness” changed the world. The
reflective, often correlated with the
ambitious, amongst Gen Y have identified
the characteristics of failure and success
early-on and see both within themselves.
Simultaneously, Gen-Y faces stiffer
competition for the best education, the
best jobs, and success and purpose from
talented individuals across the globe. For
many, society’s definition of success is no
longer enough. We want to be life-long
learners. We want to grow faster. We want
to be rewarded on merit. We want our own
definition of success. We want to earn the
gratification of achieving that definition.
Most importantly, we want to live and
work in an environment that allows us to
self-actualize.
Some may ask: so what? shape up or ship
out. our company was successful without
you and will remain successful if you
leave. I believe this is a short-sighted
response. Given that the trends driving
the desire for self-actualization are likely
to increase, the values and approach
towards life that the ambitious amongst
Gen-Y currently promote are likley to
become more widespread. Leaders who
and organizations that demonstrate
understanding of these motivations and
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
aspirations will gain Gen Y’s loyalty,
dedication, and willingness to work within
“the system.”
My advice to all those who are leading
Gen Y teams – by exhibiting the three
leadership qualities detailed below, you
can demonstrate your understanding of
and value for Gen-Y’s needs, and motivate
and inspire us.
Leadership Characteristic 1: Framing,
Defending, and Inspiring Achievable
Vision
Gen-Y craves a higher calling. How can
managers provide their employees a higher
sense-of-purpose?
First, either define or lead your team
through a collective exercise to define
a “big-picture” vision. To align activity
and values, organizations define
themselves through mission statements
and set aspirational targets through vision
statements. Doing the same for your
function (at a team-level) or employees (at
an individual-level) can infuse a greater
sense of purpose in an employee’s work.
More purpose will naturally increase
motivation.
Two, on an individual-to-individual level
understand what is achievable. Set stretch
targets, but be realistic. Sincerely make the
effort to understand what steps would
be involved in achieving the target you
are providing. You don’t have to share
how you would approach the situation
– it’s ok to let us figure it out – however,
make sure it’s something you think you
could stretch yourself to do in our shoes
(given our skillsets, resources, experiential
knowledge, etc.). If you’re unsure, have a
sincere conversation with your employee.
If you have fostered a rapport and
reputation with your team that you will
productively respond to their concerns, an
employee will appreciate the opportunity
to share her thoughts. The conversation
should naturally end with a convergance of
opinion and will encourage your employee
to own the task in front of her.
Three, explicitly explain the connection
between your employee’s work and the
bigger picture. As we’ve established, Gen
Y craves a sense of purpose beyond “this is
what I’m required to do.” A quick dialogue
or connecting statement on how a given
task influences the decisions you take or
impacts overall business performance
both enhances purpose and also exposes
us to management-level thinking. The
former motivates (like the “big-picture”
exercise described above) while the latter
provides opportunities for reflection,
understanding, and professional growth.
Both encourage your Gen Y employees
to go the extra mile. Moreover, you will
generate opportunities for your employee
to empathize with your dilemmas and
decisions, which will likely enhance their
loyalty to you and respect for the tough
decisions you have to make (even if the
employees are negatively impacted).
To give an example, about six months ago
I attended a lecture with the former VP of
Marketing for Lonely Planet. In that role she
drove a frugal reframing of the company’s
mission – Lonely Planet was no longer
about selling travel guides, instead the
company was a catalyst for cross-cultural
exposure and travel in an increasingly
interconnected world. Her point was
that by appealing to a larger vision, she
gained significant mileage on a small
marketing budget. Managing ambitious
Gen-Yers can be similar. Providing and
reinforcing purpose for the day-to-day will
motivate your team to go the extra-mile,
allowing you to do more with less. Further
connecting an individual’s contribution to
the bigger picture offers opportunities for
the learning, growth, and mutual respect
that drives Generation Y to higher levels
of performance.
Leadership Characteristic 2: Bravely
Acknowledging Weakness, Failure and
Errors, and Confronting Them with
Solutions
Gen-Y chases transparency and
authenticity, but business is messy. How
can managers meet Gen-Y’s expectations
while maintaining respect and authority?
Generation Y has seen young and “foolish”
twenty-year-olds transform lives across the
globe (including their own). Most of these
role-models, while promoted with celebrity
given their success, publicly reflect on
their weaknesses, previous mistakes, and
recognize the role failure had in their path
to achievement.
Generation Y craves the personal and
professional growth seen in these
individuals and are inclined to replicate
similar lessons and experiences in their
own lives. Managers and organizations
that provide the opportunity for Gen-Yers
to do so in the corporate setting are likely to
capture and retain the best talent who may
otherwise seek this growth through their
own ventures (Google has even attracted
some of the world’s most notorious
entrepreneurs back into the corporate
world). Leaders can cultivate such an
environment by bravely acknowledging
their own mistakes and shortcomings
while providing their subordinates the
opportunity to learn and own both success
and failure.
I recently attended a panel discussion at
HR College where several of India’s most
celebrated MDs gave words of wisdom
to current students. Their message to the
Millenials was clear: don’t think you need to
have a lifelong plan or perfect career strategy
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
47
to be successful, most of us didn’t and some
still don’t. The keys to success are confronting
failure, constant reflection, and a value for
lifelong learning. Their message really
resonated with me. However, as I took a
step back, I felt a large disconnect between
these ideals and their observed presence
in my and my peers’ experiences in the
corporate world.
Many managers present their mistakes
through the wrong lens. In refusing
to acknowledge them, they pursue
communication acrobats to rewrite the
history of interaction or place responsibility
somewhere else. I suspect they see an
admission of fallibility as something that
will weaken their authority or lessen
the respect of their subordinates. The
opposite is more likely true, especially
amongst ambitious Gen-Y professionals.
We see mistakes and failures as part of the
human condition and a step on the path to
success – as long as we learn from them.
Moreover, we are more likely to trust,
respect, and seek to emulate leaders who
demonstrate the bravery necessary to share
this vulnerable side of success. If a manager
is open to honestly acknowledging and
confronting weaknesses, challenges, and
mistakes, his or her moral authority
will certainly increase, increasing that
manager’s ability to inspire and motivate
the next generation.
In the right context and structure, ambitious
Gen Y-ers seek opportunities to succeed,
even in the face of a substantial probability
of failure. Said more simply, ambitious,
young talent wants to be stretched and
we understand that we may stumble, but
only by stretching ourselves will we grow.
That said, many times we’re confronted
with managers, cultures, or even policies
that disproportionately reward leaders for
our successes while disproportionately
placing the burden of responsibility for
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
failure on us. The rational response to
such an environment is to avoid risk,
avoid innovation, and become defensive.
This certainly is not in the manager’s or
organization’s best interest.
Those managers that most inspire
Generation Y are those that stretch us,
while offering genuine support when
requested. They offer suggestions in both
good times and bad, demonstrating their
authentic motivation to help us succeed
and learn. Most importantly, they provide
rewards and public recognition of our
contribution when warranted and an
honest analysis of what went wrong when
we fail. They do not abdicate responsibility
or micro-manage. They also do not claim
influence only in the face of success.
They’re fair and they’re present to support.
Leadership Characteristic 3: Leading by
Example to Consistently Walk-the-Talk
Gen – Y seeks consistency and demands
less hypocrisy from authority figures. How
should managers communicate with their
employees given these values?
Societies are often seduced by rhetoric –
he’s an excellent writer or she is a great public
speaker. If leaders see verbal and written
communication as their only tools for
management, they are unlikely to inspire
Generation Y. Don’t underestimate the
power of actions.
To use a non-professional example, if a
smoker in your life consistently tells you
they are going to quit smoking, but doesn’t
demonstrate adequate follow-through,
your scepticism of that individual’s rhetoric
will increase. Even if she eventually quits,
you are likely to suspect she’ll pick
the habit up again. That distrust could
also spill over into other areas of your
relationship. However, if she demonstrates
her commitment by first attempting to quit
cold turkey; fails, but then tries patches,
you’re likely to respect her attempts and
provide her support whether she’s talked
about quitting or not. Beyond just trust,
your respect for her will likely increase.
Why should a manager-subordinate
relationship be any different? Managers
who consistently do not “walk-the-talk”
– no matter how small the discrepancy
between action and words – are more likely
to lose their subordinate’s trust. If serious
lapses are observed, their respect for their
manager may decline. Of course, the
manager will still have formal authority,
but the inspiration, trust, motivation, and
potentially respect, that drive exceptional
output will be lost. Later down the road,
the best resources are likely to grow tired
of this management style and pursue
environments with less hypocritical leaders
who they trust, feel motivated to support,
and emotionally bond with.
Facing trade-offs are a part of business.
Sometimes, those trade-offs present
unpleasant outcomes no matter the
decision. Beyond walking-the-talk,
ensuring your actions remain as anchored
as possible to your professed values is key
for Generation Y.
For example, if a manager is a selfproclaimed advocate for ambitious Gen-Y
employees, she should have an honest
conversation on why an employee did not
receive the promotion or bonus he thinks he
deserves. The manager should explain the
employee’s current areas of development
and prepare specific development goals
and milestones for him to achieve that
promotion. On a more macro-level, if a
manager describes process-orientation
as a key business objective, then to lead
the team, he should follow processes, no
matter the situation. If he does not, he
sets the precedent that processes are not
actually important, the rest of the team will
mimic his behaviour, and in the long-term
future professed values are likely to be met
with scepticism. Gen-Y wants its leaders
to approach every activity, no matter
how small, in a more rigorous way than
its leaders would expect them to. Beyond
cross-cultural connection and motivation,
exhibiting a no-task-is-too-small attitude
while walking-the-talk allows leaders to
truly understand ground-level realities,
to understand small process-changes or
innovations that will enhance business
performance.
In conclusion, I believe it is in organization’s
interests to take Gen-Y’s value for selfactualization seriously. As more and
more of the world’s most competitive
talent – both in India or outside – pursue
the pinnacle of Maslow’s hierarchy,
those organizations who have cultivated
understanding and respect for the younger
generation’s values will reap the rewards.
Organizations who value leaders that
display authenticity (and even vulnerability
when appropriate), develop policies and
processes that both proactively enable
ambitious talent to take risks and provide
rewards for success or support for failure,
and seriously invest in their high-potential
Gen Y employees will capture the strong
business results of the future.
Today, managers can motivate and
inspire their Gen-Y employees to deliver
exceptional output by demonstrating the
three leadership characteristics discussed
in this article: framing an achievable “big
picture” vision, authentically sharing
their own journey through success and
failure, and working towards a stronger
consistency between action and words.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
49
CONFESSIONS OF A GEN Y PROFESSIONAL
SHAMA DALAL
About the Author
Shama Dalal a marketing specialist, majored in Advertising with
BCom at HR College Mumbai, and later pursued an MBA at the
ISB, Hyderabad in Marketing & Strategy. Career started with
marketing in financial services handling brand communication,
social media marketing and database marketing. Worked for
brands such as HSBC and HDFC Bank. Currently working
as a Marketing Professional leading a beauty category in a
multinational organisation.
I
can’t remember the last time I checked
Facebook at work. I did actually check
it recently, but not my newsfeed, I was
studying some brand pages to check what
was ‘on trend’ in social media marketing.
I don’t even know what notifications I
have on my personal page, how many
friend requests I got (do I even have any
for that matter, where’s the time to meet
new people!) or who all those twenty
seven unread messages are from. That’s
a complete transformation from when I
actually used to check Facebook for my
own updates eight years ago, when I had
just started working. Work timings actually
existed back then, maybe not nine to five,
but pretty close to that, and we had time to
‘network’ socially. Where’s the time today.
Now I’d rather network professionally in
my free time – or maybe that’s what I’ve
been conditioned to doing as I’ve evolved
in the workplace over the years in my brief
professional experience.
As a Gen Y marketing professional,
having worked in financial services and
consumer goods, and in both Indian as
well as international organisations, I do
feel the workplace, has a lot to offer us. The
‘Millennials’ are attributed with thinking
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
outside of the box, embracing change,
being digitally wired and staying positive –
key for success in any organization. On the
other hand, these very traits create issues
of expectation management, organizational
loyalty and increasing pressures at work.
There are a plethora of mantras that have
worked and sometimes not worked for me
in my endeavour to survive and succeed
in corporate India and the constantly
evolving expectations of current-day
workplace. Let me explain some of these
mantras:
Accepting and course correcting
There is no man who has not made a
mistake and every man who has ever
achieved anything has always made
mistakes. I still remember my first job,
in a multinational asset management
company. I was bedazzled by the brand,
the office space, the professional set-up
which one always longs to experience, the
‘star’ performers who always managed to
get things their way. It all seemed very
exciting yet slightly intimidating. In fact,
it seemed so professional that making
a mistake was not acceptable. Thinking
that was my first mistake! This one time
I actually went wrong, I got frazzled and
confused and pondered indefinitely before
confrontation. Confrontation wasn’t easy,
it never is, but it’s important. Helps you
to think about the bigger picture, the
impact and eventually find solutions. I
now freely confront should a situation arise
at my current workplace, a multinational
beauty conglomerate where I now work
in marketing. And that’s where I feel we
benefit the most, in terms of capitalising
the expertise of senior management, and
learning from mistakes and how we could
have done it differently. Organisations
now-a-days expect employees to course
correct and change gears all the time, and
they appreciate people who are willing to
do that.
Balancing between creative
independence and compliance
I’ve always liked doing things my way, at
home. Fortunately, for Gen Y, that’s the
mantra at the workplace as well these days.
Creating your own workable system within
an ecosystem is increasingly valued by
organizations. The very same corporates,
built on black and white rules and stringent
processes are now open to circumvent
or change the very same processes to
enhance efficiency and fuel innovation.
Having worked in the marketing function
throughout my career, I find creative
freedom extremely exciting and it has
been very motivating to have worked
in organizations that have encouraged
entrepreneurial styles. The fact that we can
lead our teams the way we like, structure
our plans and define priorities, goes to
show that there is increasing comfort in
creating intrapreneurs. This free-spirited,
self-motivated DNA of Gen Y, is fully
congruent with the present-day corporate
culture and requirement. However, this
is not to say that the rule book may be
discarded. Redundancy is to be weeded
out by creative thinking but discipline laid
down has its importance.
Effectively utilising the power of
networks
As exciting as it is, to do things your own
way, it’s very difficult to interrupt an
already existing system. That’s where the
power of networks, if used appropriately
is truly beneficial. In my line of work – i.e.
the marketing function - I have always
had multiple dependencies on projects.
Whether it’s working with an advertising
agency, the press office, packaging and
development departments, there’s never
a dearth of people you need to partner
with to get output. I have certainly found
that whether it’s casual non-work related
conversation by the coffee machine, or
offering someone a ride to work, familiarity
leads to likeability which eventually
increases the propensity to getting
output from dependencies. Without an
efficient network, this would be practically
impossible. Ensuring communication with
identified sources of influence not just
vertically above you in the organization
chart, but also with peers and those junior
to you is supremely essential to success
at the workplace. As I’ve evolved on the
corporate ladder, I’ve realized the strength
of your network defines your source of
power in an organisation. I have to say,
increased global exposure & travel coupled
with electronic networking platforms, have
made it much easier for Gen Y to efficiently
network!
Embracing change
Change is constant. I don’t think any of
my peers are afraid of change. In fact
they thrive under change. They want
change. They detest boredom. Functional
specialists and industries gurus are always
respected. They’ve attained that by being
in a consistent function across industries
or the converse, worked across functions
in an industry. It’s still great to aspire
to be an industry veteran but what’s
even more thrilling is being able to do
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
51
something that’s not your current area of
proficiency. I started my career in financial
services, then moved to retail banking,
followed by a brief stint in retail apparel
and now eventually beauty. I can say I
have maintained functional consistency,
but what always drove me from one thing
to another, whether it was within the
organisation or from one organisation to
another, was how unknown that area was
to me and being able to make some sense
of it with though on-the-job learning. In
financial services, marketing plays a very
different role as compared to how it drives
business in an FMCG company. I can
firmly say that with every new role I’ve
endeavoured to take on, it’s not just been
more responsibility but also voluntarily
more of the ‘unknown’. They say Gen Y
is adept at adapting. Companies like that.
You then become a movable resource even
within the organisation.
Staying on trend, technologically
I hate waiting in line to pay my bills. My
credit card company has never levied late
payment charges on me. That’s because my
wallet is on my phone. It comes naturally
to transact online, whether it’s shopping or
bill payments or even paying a friend back.
I still remember a conversation between
my peer and a top management employee
who couldn’t figure out the technical issue
with his laptop. It took my colleague five
minutes to help sort it out. I just ‘wiki-how’d
it’ she told him. He looked at the screen
that was displaying a clear, simple, crisp
help navigation, and all he said was – OK
I know who to call next time! Not, ‘Great
thanks, I’ll try this next time’! A lot of
people are still averse to online information
and transacting, and have privacy and
security concerns. Gen Y is digitally
wired - another quality organisations are
happy to take advantage of. Gathering
and weeding out online information,
understanding online audiences and
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
ecommerce has gained strategic importance
for organisations. It’s a space that cannot
be under-leveraged. A majority of these
specialists are from Gen Y, in- fact not just
specialists but super specialists – whether
it’s an online reputation manager, an online
leads generation expert, a social media
marketing expert, a blogger, an ecommerce
transaction analyst you name it and they’re
all there! The quest for digital managers,
is always on in organisations.
As much as the current-day workplace has
to offer Gen Y, the challenges are no less.
There are key concerns that directly arise
out of all the above. In my experience,
the very traits that set Gen Y apart, also
cause difficult situations at work and
complexities that are taxing to manage:
Facing Competition
Competition is fierce. Firstly, this is
because of increased supply. There are
more MBAs available for organisations to
choose from. The statistics say it too - MBA
seats in India almost quadrupled - from
94,704 in 2006-07 to 3,52,571 in 2011-12
— resulting in a five-year compounded
annual growth rate of 30 per cent.
However, employability was only at
21% in 2012 according to a study by
MBAUnieverse.com which was a decline
from the previous years. Secondly,
within an organization, as much as
the free-flowing networks work as an
advantage, they bring with them the
disadvantage of increased information
exchange resulting in excessive access
to peer performance and opportunity
tracking. Finally, promotion cycles are
also toughened. We need to wait longer.
We compete with more people for the
same promotion. Organisations are
making it clear that we need to prove
our worth over a longer period to ace
that appraisal and bag promotions. I
remember how in one of my previous
organisations, we were clearly told that
the hierarchical pyramid was getting
heavy on middle management and
they had to change the ‘grid’ which of
course, is never revealed, but on average
I observed it took more than 2-3 years
for the same promotion that would have
taken 1-2 years, in the earlier grid. This
time period seems to be the norm now.
Increasing work pressure
With increased competition comes
increased work pressure. It’s all about the
survival of the fittest and what more one
can bring to the table that someone else
cannot. Gen Y employees are willing to put
it more hours a day. Peers are constantly
compared with each other. The pressure
seems great at first, and as a typical Gen
Y professional when it reaches a level
you can’t take you want out. I feel we’re
constantly in ‘launch mode’ – a term that is
used to identify phases in a period which
are linked to product or communication
launches and therefore heavier activity.
I don’t see this as phase anymore, it’s
routine.
Being optimistically naive
Gen Y is associated with being positive,
looking at the brighter side of things
and following their heart. This very
premise, under which we’ve been
raised, makes it very difficult to face
set-backs. The expectation out of a
workplace – to feel empowered, to
have a stake in the smallest of things,
develop and motivate our teams the
way we like and a non-hierarchical
organisational culture to name a few, are
never-ending. Motivations are also not
purely monetary. Something as basic
as a monosyllabic email response from
your boss which says ‘super’ is enough to
motivate for the next 3 weeks, and on the
other hand a simple conversation about
a lapse works diametrically opposite and
can severely demotivate. This outlook as
great as it works towards be driven in
the workplace, can be a serious deterrent
when it comes to reality checks and
taking feedback for improvement.
Increasingly questioned loyalty
An outcome of the high expectation out
of the workplace, is heavy job-hopping. A
recent study by the Hay Group suggests
India is expected to lead APAC attrition
rates region at 26.9 per cent (in the
organised sector) in 2013 — the highest
globally and expected to go up in 2014 to
be at 27.5 per cent. I’ve always believed
that it’s great to be able to seize a new
opportunity. Staying e-connected also
fuels more opportunities for job-switching
for Gen Y. Goal setting tends to be more
short term than long-term and that’s why
employee loyalty is being increasingly
valued and hence questioned among
existing employees by organisations. In the
rut of going after a fantastic opportunity,
it’s very easy to overlook the advantages of
long-term tenure in any organisation. One
of the biggest challenges I feel Gen Y faces.
Perennial Confusion:
Being caught between two modes of
thinking, the traditional method (playing
by rules, being cautious, lesser interactions
but more personal and stronger ties) and
the ultra-modern method of working
(thinking out of the box, taking risks, more
interactions but impersonal with weaker
ties), is what plagues the Gen Y manager
in their professional set up. While you
want to transcend boundaries to reach
new frontiers, there is an innate tendency
to be sensitized to your professional
surroundings and stay cautious. This very
dilemma makes decision making a longer
process, which in turn affects efficiencies
and makes projects more complex.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
53
There will be challenges where there are
opportunities. Gen Y has always been
at a crossroads - attempting to follow in
the slipstream of the trendsetting Gen X
while building an identity for itself that
sets it apart. There is a very intriguing
observation made by Charles Darwin in
his theory of evolution of species. It is not
the species which is the strongest or fittest
that survives in the long run period, nor
is it the one which is the most intelligent
that survives in the long run period. It is
that species which adapts to the new and
changing environment. In much the same
way, Gen Y innately adept at adapting,
survives in corporate India.
References:
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/education/why-the-world-still-chases-top-bschool-grads/
article3738295.ece
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/india-in-the-eye-of-an-employee-turnover-storm-survey/
article4791185.ece
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
GEN Y: WHY MORE OF US DON’T WEAR
LAB COATS!!!
SALONI CHATURVEDI
About the Author
Saloni Chaturvedi holds a BA (LLB) (Hons.) from the National
University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata and an M.Sc in
Globalization and Development from the University of Manchester.
She has worked for a law firm, as a short term consultant for UNDP
India and has been a research associate at the Harvard Business
School India Research Center since December 2010.
In 2014, none of the Indian Universities
found a place in the top 100 in the
annual Times Higher Education (THE)
‘World University Rankings’. Considered
the definitive rankings for academic
institutions the world over, this wasn’t
great news for Indian educational
institutions, especially since all three of
India’s BRIC counterparts had institutions
featured in the list – two universities from
China ranked in the top 50 while Brazil and
Russia, each, had one institution that had
made it to the top 100. While a number
of people including the Indian Human
Resources Development Ministry have, in
the past, dismissed the rankings as being
irrelevant in the Indian context, they do
drive home the point that despite having
one of the largest higher education systems
in the world, India’s universities and
institutes are struggling to be ‘world class’.
Consider a different statistic: according to
the University Grants Commission, less
than 1 % of the total number of students
enrolled in higher education institutions
in 2010-11, was in research (doctoral or
post-doctoral). A quick glance through
reports and news items that cover higher
education in India highlights several
factors that may be responsible for these
abysmal numbers and the shortage of
enough high-quality research – limited
access, lack of infrastructure and resources,
losing qualified candidates to foreign
universities, etc. There is growing
acknowledgement of these factors within
the Indian government and academia
and several initiatives are underway to
improve the quality of higher education
and research in India.
While improving access and infrastructure
will definitely give a boost to academic
research in India, I would like to focus
on just one aspect of this problem – an
aspect that often escapes discussion. Is
the Millenial generation—the generation
that will provide the supply for doctoral
and post-doctoral candidates over the
next decade, inclined to pursue a career
in research? It is imperative that we think
of ways to attract this generation into
research if we want to boost the quality
of research in India. After all, improving
external factors can only go a long way if
there is a steady supply of candidates that
would like to pursue research.
I would like to draw on my own
understanding of the characteristics
necessary to pursue research and discuss
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55
how, if at all, these characteristics fit with
the profile of the average Gen Y.
Focus: At its very basic all research requires
a deep dive into the research subject.
It requires cutting out the noise and
studying something with concentration
for long hours to understand it; because
without understanding there cannot
be analysis. In my experience as a case
writer, I have realized that to even write
two paragraphs on a particular industry,
requires that I study analyst reports and
industry briefings, before I can describe it
with some authority. Contrast this need
for focus with the mental orientation that
Gen Y has – a generation whose attention
span is fairly low, largely because of the
immense amounts of information vying
for their attention. In fact, today, most
web content is optimized for rapid click
through; web designers dislike working
with a lot of text and designing pages
that require scrolling because they realize
that the consumers of this information are
unlikely to bother reading reams of text.
Isolation: Academic research at its purest
is isolating. Sure, one can attend classes
and conferences; partner with other
researchers; conduct secondary research
and hold focus groups; however, a large
part of the ‘study’ requires reading all the
research that already exists on the subject;
immersing oneself in the data gathered
—analyzing the changes in the petri dish.
However, Gen Y isn’t used to being alone.
Even when they are physically alone,
they’re always connected. The proliferation
of social media and the boom in the number
of instant messaging apps is evidence of
this very trait.
Result-orientation: There are no quick
fixes in research. Sometimes scholars toil
over datasets without knowing what the
outcome will be; sometimes desired results
are not achieved even after investing large
amounts of time and energy. Reaching any
outcome requires perseverance. Research is
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also slow in that there is no leap-frogging
or immediate rewards in the form of
promotions or monetary benefits. For a
generation that desires achievement, this is
an absolute anathema. However, Gen Y’s
desire to achieve and achieve fast is not the
same as being solely motivated by money.
While financial security does matter to
Gen Y, they are far more motivated by the
promise of doing something fulfilling that
with the mere promise of a fat paycheck.
While Gen Y maybe somewhat turned
off by the limited monetary benefits in
research, they can also be motivated by the
satisfaction that unearthing a ‘discovery’
can provide.
Flexibility: Since a large part of research
tends to involve working in isolation, it
also provides a certain degree of flexibility.
As someone who has worked in related
fields, I have seen that the stereotype of
the scholar or the lab researcher sleeping
during the day and working late into the
night isn’t all that far from reality. One can
work at whatever time of the day works
best, albeit within the restrictions that daily
life puts on us. Gen Y loves flexibility.
Research shows that they would rather
juggle their own time than be tied down
by fixed working hours. In addition, they
like to spend time nurturing a hobby,
or volunteering, rather than burn the
midnight oil to impress their bosses and
prefer to be evaluated on tasks completed
instead of the time spent in office. In some
ways, academic research with its focus on
output provides the perfect foil for this
desire.
New Ideas: Despite its perception of being
a stoic profession, research welcomes
new ideas. It is in fact the pursuit of new
conclusions that motivates research. And
new conclusions can only be reached if the
old is studied in a new way, or something
new is studied for the first time. Gen
Y has the demographic advantage of a
multicultural perspective. In addition, it’s
a generation that craves an adrenaline rush
– think of all the Millennials you know,
wouldn’t they love to go paragliding?
This unique perspective as well as this
quest for the thrill can actually make
Millenials a good fit for research. While
comparing research to paragliding maybe
taking things too far, there is a certain
thrill in having a hypotheses confirmed or
making a new discovery that can attract
the thrill-seeking millennial. Their varied
perspective gives them the ability to
approach problems from various angles – a
valuable problem solving tool.
Technology: While technology has always
been integral to scientific research, it is
also becoming a useful tool in humanities
and other types of research. Almost
all forms of research use some generic
and specialist digital data sources. In
addition, the field of digital humanities
is attempting to involve both humanities
academics and technology specialists.
The University of Oxford describes
the motivation behind this integration:
“Digital technologies have the power to
transform humanities research, making
it easier and more efficient, enabling
new ways of working, opening up new
questions and creating new knowledge,
or answering existing questions more
fully and systematically.” Gen Y was
born in a world that was witnessing a
rapid immersion in technology. Growing
up with gadgets and in a world that’s
always plugged in has given Gen Y an
almost intuitive ease with technology.
The difference between Gen Y and Gen X
when it comes to technology is akin to that
between a native speaker of a language,
and one who has had to learn the language.
While both may be able to speak it with
the same proficiency, for the latter this
proficiency can only be earned by investing
hours of labor to master the tongue.
While the isolation, the need for deep
focus, and the lack of rapid progress might
repel Millenials from pursuing academic
research, there do seem to be some
synergies between Millienials’ inherent
predisposition for working with new
ideas, seeking flexibility, and being happy
to be surrounded by technology, and
academic research. How then can leaders
in academia leverage these synergies so
to attract Millenials to pursue research?
Based on my expectations as a Millennial
researcher, I would encourage leaders to
focus on the following:
Encourage collaboration: Sending young
academic researchers to conferences is
not enough. The reason I have shied away
from undertaking a doctorate is because
the thought of spending four years buried
in tomes that weigh as much as gym
weights, all alone, has me running in the
opposite direction. Today, doctoral degrees
are largely structured in a manner that
encourages solo work. Research guides
and leadership would do well to explore
how collaborative research can be fostered.
And while this may not always be possible,
encouraging multidisciplinary research
even where there seem to be no organic
synergies, are all factors that would appeal
to Millenials.
Be open, be flexible and communicate:
Gen Y is often blunt about their opinions
and has a low tolerance for hierarchies
and bureaucracy. Traditional academic
institutions on the other hand tend at
times to operate through layers that limit
interaction. To marry the two would
need research leaders to be direct, to
communicate and involve, instead of losing
the millennial in a haze of paperwork and
bureaucracy. If they can use social media
to do it, even better.
Validate: The Millenials are a generation
hungry for validation, yet they are also a
generation that has been sheltered from
failure and harsh criticism. They want to be
heard, to see their ideas take center stage.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
57
While their confidence in their ideas and
in themselves can border on arrogance,
their aura of infallibility is fragile and can
often be broken with a few harsh words.
To preserve the Millenial’s passion and
talent needs research leaders need to take
even weak hypotheses and seemingly
untenable ideas, and instead of dismissing
them outright, treat them to an objective
assessment – all the while encouraging
and prodding their millennial mentees to
refine and rethink.
Recast the image: Millenials and tradition
are like opposite polarities. It is no wonder
then that a significant number of people
from this generation are choosing to
be entrepreneurs, and work in offbeat,
‘exciting’, professions. A number of my
classmates from law school have chosen
to be entrepreneurs instead of working in
established legal services firms or corporate
houses. While some have started their
own firms, others are running successful
businesses in travel and hospitality.
Unfortunately, academic research is still
perceived as traditional and therefore a
bit boring. However, it isn’t necessarily
so. Some of the most exciting experiences
of my life – visiting the Kumbh Mela;
seeing how the Jaipur foot is crafted from
scratch – have all been in the course of
pursuing case research. Research leaders
need to think of ways in which they can get
Millenials to think of research as a trendy
hipster instead of a nerd.
References :
1.
‘Times Higher Education World University Rankings,’ http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2013-14/
world-ranking, accessed April 2014.
2.
‘Our Higher Education has hit a low: PM Manmohan Singh,’ India today, February 6, 2013, http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/
higher-education-in-india-has-hit-a-low-prime-minsiter-manmohan-singh/1/249035.html, accessed April 2014.
3.
“Higher Education in India at a Glance,” University Grants Commission, February 2012, http://www.ugc.ac.in/ugcpdf/208844_
HEglance2012.pdf, accessed April 2014.
4.
University of Oxford, ‘What are the Digital Humanities?,’ http://digital.humanities.ox.ac.uk/Support/whatarethedh.aspx, accessed
April 2014.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
THE LEADER WHOSE TEAM I’LL JOIN
DISHA MEHRA
About the Author
As a member of the Executive Education team at HBS IRC Disha
Mehra’s core area of focus is Client Service. She builds relationships
with clients for conversion into program participation. During
her stint with HBSIRC she has been instrumental in devising the
processes customer relationship management for this region.
Disha holds a graduate degree in Law from Mumbai University,
a diploma in Human Resource Management and is a Masters in
Commerce from Mumbai University.
M
uch attention has been focused in
the recent years on the issue leader’s
face when they confront the expectations of
Generation Y. As the proportion of Gen Y
members in teams increases, this challenge
becomes more complex.
As a Generation Y myself let me start by
defining what we look for in our leaders,
and in our work teams. We are confident
and multicultural, and comfortable with
diversity. We are most happy working in
teams that are cooperative, where everyone
is equal and none is left behind. I recall that
when I had initially started working, in my
first entry level job, my boss was surprised
at my expectations. I thought it was normal
to expect my workplace to be creative,
fun, and financially rewarding with new
opportunities and challenges.Work-life
balance is the key: We strive for a balance
between work and a good personal life.
We have the ability to balance our work
and personal space in such a manner that
neither of them suffers and both aspects
of life complement each other. As a Gen Y,
I strongly endorse the statement that says,
“I show you love by how hard and smart
I work ; not by how long I stick around
in office.” The end result is what matters
the most.
Some of the common attributes of
Gen Y work to our advantage. Comfort
with technology is one often talked
about. Helping to put across information
in an interesting format while creating
information handouts /PowerPoint slides/
excel sheets comes naturally to most of us.
The second is communication. There are
differences between the ways the older
generation and Gen Y communicate
the message. Communication across
platforms and various modes, formal
and informal, has been our strength.
Informality in communication, using social
media platforms, is used well by Gen Y
to personalise outreach to all customers.
(Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, etc). This
actually strengthens our connections with
our customers, and the immediacy and
24 by 7 nature of the connect makes the
relationship very special. The customer
feels we are always available, and keen to
help. The older team members sometimes
say to me, “Disha, you should be asleep not
replying to emails so late at night” …but
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
59
for me, checking my email and responding
if I can asap is no big deal. It makes me
more effective at work, as I have very little
backlog to deal with. This enables me to
leave on time, and manage to live a life
other than only be at work.
I strongly believe that teamwork and
collaboration amongst various functions
is the key to success for organisations as
well as individual teams. Most of my Gen Y
colleagues like to keep the bigger objective
in mind, and prefer to work as team
players, helping each other if needed. The
ability to step into various roles helps us
in taking on varied roles, be it a leadership
role in the temporary absence of a leader or
assisting the leader and learning the traits
required to prepare for the next level. Of
course we also expect others to stretch and
extend help to us if needed. Again, as team
members, we find it tough to understand
hierarchy. I recall sitting in a meeting
where a presentation was being made to
a very senior person. I spoke my mind.
Later an older team member mentioned
that it wasn’t expected or required for me
to express my views. “Then why include
me at all,” I asked. Things have changed
though, as the number of Gen Y members
increases. If a large part of the team is
made up of Gen Y, its easier to influence
the work place.
It’s often said that young minds are
productive and fertile. Believe in learning
concepts, and unlearning as well —
this aspect helps me to innovate. For
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
example, I work as a Client Service
Specialist. In my role customer interaction
place an important part. I believe that
Customer Relationship Management is
now changing. Customer relationships
are about more than making a sale—its
about assessing the customer’s needs/
requirements and suggesting the optimal
solution. I look for ways to personalize
my connection with each customer. This
is not only limited to a phone call or an
email. There are other modes such as Social
media/ External Events / Conference
and Social Connections. With the help
of advanced technology this has become
even more competitive and a challenge
for the leaders today. The demand is not
for face-to-face interaction, but authentic
interaction. Hence, a personal touch point
is the key to success.
What do Gen Y members expect of those
who lead them? Providing flexibility,
training opportunities and being fair are
critical. In addition, Praise them when
they earn it, when they meet/exceed
expectations, Provide continuous Feedback
for improvement, mentor them and
validate their effort and output.
“Change is the Unchanging law of
Nature” — workplaces will change. Gen
Y influence is growing and businesses
stand to benefit greatly from the inclusive,
diverse, flexible, and transformational
working environment that they will bring
to the leadership space.
THE LEAD VOICE
PRIYANCA VAISHNAV
About the Author
Priyanca Vaishnav manages internal and corporate
communications at Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd. With 6+ years across
journalism, advertising, corporate communication and public
relations, Priyanca’s previous stints include L&T, Times of India,
and Madison PR. She is an MA in English from the English and
Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad.
From the Personal to the Mass
F
riends, Romans, countrymen, lend
me your ears!” The classic speech
by Mark Anthony in Shakespeare’s play
exemplifies the three primary qualities of
a leader with outstanding communication
skills. Mark Anthony has his audience
warm up to him, draws a common thread,
and finally speaks to collective pride. The
world may have gone round the sun a few
thousand times since, but these principles
remain unchanged - irrespective of time,
demographic, language and background.
However, the modes, pace and adaptability
to deal with these elements have changed:
they make use of, in equal parts, technology
as well as creativity.
“
A generation that has been raised on
all things fast, easy and instant has little
patience for the long-winded. With the
average continuous focus attention span of
an adult spanning no more than 40 minutes
(Dianne Dukette; David Cornish (2009).
The Essential 20: Twenty Components of
an Excellent Health Care Team), there’s a
lot out there vying to grab our eyeballs.
Only the other day, I grumbled to a senior
advertising industry veteran about the
time and effort I had invested in my last
professional assignment (of nine months).
I received a stern reprimand from my
mentor . He was quick to label me and the
rest of those who fall in my age group, as
impatient. “We have turned into a people
who cannot wait for results, who expect
a chief minister of 6 months to churn out
miracles!” he said .
We are a nation that boasts of more than
half its population falling in the under-40
age bracket. While that means more of us
are willing to learn and work hard towards
excellence, very few get direction. The
patience levels of the majority are also
lower than the previous generation and
therefore we often miss key messages in the
clutter that comes to us. This phenomenon
is unlikely to change in a hurry, unless
leaders organise and tweak communication
strategy aimed at Gen Y. The good news
is that well crafted communication can
create sustained impact with youth for
long-term action. From my vantage point
– of a Gen Y leader in the communication
arena – I see a plethora of opportunities
opening up, awaiting exploration, and
exploitation of the full potential of our
audiences’ impatience.
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61
Trending ‘NEW’ News
Youth today chooses abridged news
(headlines in 140 characters on Twitter,
for example) instead of skimming through
reams of data in print or electronic
newspapers. However doling out a
rehashed idea or not checking if it’s
been done before can offend the Gen Y
audience. In any case, you cannot dupe
an audience of a billion! Communication
across platforms must reflect research; if
the news is repeated, adding an individual
perspective on to the item and presenting
it with greater finesse should be the aim. If
well done, the audience will disseminate
the message, re-Tweeting, forwarding or
sharing it on Facebook, adding photos and
comments.
If the short cut is resorted to, word
about inanities such as Sonam Kapoor’s
statements on her latest appearance on
Koffee With Karan (Robert deNiro said “An
eye for an eye…”) will also spread like wild
fire. The message is a direct reflection on
the actress’s brand credibility, not so much
the interviewer’s. In the case of consumer
products and services, the digital platform
is the easiest way to garner eyeballs from
the company’s communication team.
Overworked customer care representatives
are no more blamed – the tardiness is
almost always the fault of the collective
brand image. Communication in the b2c
space has to be prompt and conceding, not
condescending. Then rebranding and new
positioning campaigns also stand undone.
by Karen Anand’s Kitsch Mandi. Anand
has conducted a few one-day sales
of organically grown raw food and
products prepared from such food in
Pune and Mumbai. The idea is simply
that of collaboration. NGOs, small-time
entrepreneurs, organizations of some
magnitude, and celebrities gather at this
one day event and much interaction and
exchange of ideas occurs. Karen sources her
vendor-participants via email and Twitter.
The Godrej,India Culture Lab already
had a database of potential participants.
Their ‘Vikhroli Skin’ art-music-science-fun
event attracted crowds by the thousands.
Not only was it widely spoken about
on digital platforms thanks to all the
creativity (Twitter/ Facebook/ Instagram,
primarily), but it also garnered much
unpaid press coverage.
For that matter, reworking an idea that
has worked in the past can serve as a good
example to emulate. It may even turn out
to be a cost saver if learned from and
refined. Instead of reinventing the wheel,
why not just put it to better use?
For example, Vikhroli Skin, a ‘popup’ event by Godrej India Culture Lab
essentially followed the trend of an
increasingly popular model popularised
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
The messaging was in line with Godrej’s
overarching social responsibility
philosophy, and all communication
was diligently put out. Checking for
contradictions, and adding to older
messaging is the sign of incisive
communication that aims towards building
credibility and brand loyalty of its
audience.
As a representative of the brand, as well
as a respected persona in the culture
preservation space, Head of Godrej India
Culture Lab - Parmesh Shahani’s own web
presence created amplified the message
many times over. Godrej debuted into the
‘fun’ community initiatives space with a
bang.
Finding the Right Tone
One of the most common mistakes we
make in writing or speaking to the Gen Y
mass audience, as a communication leader,
is condescension. This attitude can come
through in the use of complex language
or the words used. Going to the other
extreme – of simplicity- can seem rather
patronizing as well. Acknowledge your
audience is worldy-wise even while you
educate them.Sentences that are short and
easy to read with simple language appeal
to a young audience. Of course, easy
regional translations support the cause
better. Not only are these signs of engaging
communication, but also of empathy and
initiative. Much like video, even written
communication requires scripting – a
sort of structure where data is translated
into knowledge effectively. Innovative
visual representation - graphs, tables,
images, sketches or digital illustrations -is
a popular and effective tool that supports
this translation in modern communication.
Arvind Agrawal, CEO, Atherstone
Investor Communications Limited
(AICL) exemplifies this. A strategic
communications consultancy in the niche
communication arena, AICL produces
(concept, design and copy) annual reports
during ‘season’ (FY ending March and
December), apart from designing reviews
and brochures.
As a qualified chartered accountant and
published writer in one of India’s oldest
English dailies, Agrawal already had a
fair idea of logic and placement of copy.
In his entrepreneurial venture of close
to a decade now, Agrawal employs
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
63
some of the best design sensibilities to
incorporate refined visual representations
and imagery that separates reams of text
into bite sized information represented by
graphs and simple yet attractive vector
elements. Having worked with Agrawal
on a season’s worth of reports myself,
I learned the importance of rendering
data and supporting the written word
visually, while using a logical and well
thought out script.
Digit-All
When I was first asked to write this piece,
the guest editor asked me a simple question
– “How would you communicate to the
youth of India?” I jumped to “digital”
without a blink. However, the blurt
did deserve a second thought. I did some
math: Internet penetration in the country
may not have crossed even 16% of the
population yet (Times of India, Nov 13,
2013, web story). Internet usage is largely
driven by mobile users, which amount to
about 110 million (recent report released
by Internet and Mobile Association of
India (IMAI) and IMRB). 60% of this
user base resides in the cities. However,
a whopping 25 million is contained by
rural areas. 42% of this 25 mn prefer
reading in local languages and therefore
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
the prevalent English language content is
an underestimated hurdle.
When one looks at the bright side, these
numbers represent a beacon of hope for
the immediate future. Since the report
also foresees a staggering addition of 43
mn by June 2014 to the total internet user
base, this represents a huge opportunity
for wider communication dissemination.
However, the fairly significant rural
internet user number illustrates that key
opinion leaders and change drivers aren’t
exclusive products of the cities. Those
living in rural areas, whether by choice or
by compulsion, deal with basic issues such
as availability of electricity and existence of
the broadband fibre network. Identifying
and reaching influencers for this segment
is an ongoing challenge.
While social media lends itself aptly to
younger audiences (almost 82 mn active
users in India on Facebook alone), older
audiences prefer only email, print and
other conventional (or akin to) modes
of communications. And this variety
in audience is precisely the reason for
communicators to integrate messaging
media in their strategy design. Catering to
a minority non-internet-user population is
a priority even in the 80% internet savvy
USA.
Virtual Live Events
Mass live & semi-live experiences at music
concerts, college fests, multiplexes, theatre,
sports arenas have become the norm. From
gladiator challenges to operatic concertos
to cock fights, homo sapiens enjoy a good
spectacle. Several FMCG brands have
taken a leaf from this practice. Brands that
can, choose to speak to their stakeholders
by creating opportunities where the Gen
Y mass can directly see proof of product
performance, or invite media, sometimes
exclusively, to first buy the claim, and then
be the influencers for the masses to make
decisions on consumption. Whether it is
the launch of a new mosquito repellent
or a Grammy award winning rock band
visiting the country for the first time, legacy
thinking is that no virtual experience can
match the magic of body language and the
trust established by eye contact.
However with fast internet broadband
connections reaching more and more
citizens, this live experience has been
replicated so people connect with their
idols – hear & see them live through
webcasts. Google Hangouts has opened
the space further by allowing threeway interaction on the platform – so
participants can speak to the celebrity as
well as others in this virtual ‘audience’.
The Challenge and Opportunity of
Video Reach
With high quality digitisation at the helm
of every broadcast, recorded content can
be distributed to internet video providers
as well as mobile network providers.
This adaptability translates into the ease
and flexibility of accessing content via
any platform, upto any length (easy to
edit and often open to edit), at one’s own
convenience. No wonder then, that Netflix
is known to have more subscribers than
any cable network in the United States!
Broadband connections are increasing
in numbers in more cities, including
tier two and three. This pervasiveness,
combined with continuously upgraded
infrastructure contributes to binge viewing
– a phenomena that contributes to almost
15% of total internet video viewing across
the globe. If tapped upon via better and
widespread infrastructural development,
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65
this insatiable appetite for bespoke
viewing may be addressed with qualitative
programming targeted at Gen Y.
The private sector in India actively engages
in high-risk, high-return ventures to bridge
the gap left by the public sector whilst
cautiously setting up fibre networks in
high feasibility and optimal consumption
areas. As the private sector finds more
takers, and further sets up infrastructure,
the industry has been able to lower costs
incurred, and translate the benefit to the
customer, thus starting a vicious cycle of
demand and supply, heavily dependent
on content and the price at which it is
made available.
While infrastructural availability and
costs are matters to be resolved between
individual networks and regulatory
bodies, content quality has been widely
rated based on production finesse and
emotional appeal. With the nation’s urban
youth aggressively defying all things
regressive, issues ranging from women’s
safety, national security, restrictions on
social behaviour and personal choices
have found several takers - serious or
humourous, well edited or amateur
attempts. We have emerged from the
shadows of our predecessors’ attitude of
N-I-M-B-Y - not in my back yard - and
look forward to evolved video content as
close as is possible to experience change
first hand.
Fluid Adaptability
Gaurav Jain , Producer of Illusion Interactive,
told me in a Twitter conversation, “Video is
the future of communication.” Through the
Twitter interaction, we discussed the fluid
adaptability of video to several platforms.
Even hitherto static-image oriented social
media forums now support the video
function . The brand marketing fraternity
in the FMCG market has adopted the
proven credibility of videos as the next best
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
thing to the ‘real deal’. Television and print
advertisements come at a high cost, while
brand mentions or profile news pieces
can get tricky on account of repetition.
Branded multi-platform videos however,
are a great sign of preparedness of the
communicator. Present day smartphones,
tablets and other smaller handheld devices
pack in GPRS, 3G as well as WiFi drivers
to allow easy transition between social
media, internet-based free messaging &
calling services, and email to share or
exchange information. Finding something
interesting instantly translates into sharing.
If an interesting piece of communication
is adaptable to several platforms (PCs/
laptops, tablets as well as mobile – at
least iOS and Android), the likelihood
of it being shared across a second hand
audience is higher. In that, it forms a chain
of influencers who will endorse the ideas
or messaging on social platforms.
Virality
As a topic one relates to, or just a great
conversation starter, such communication
pieces (images, articles, videos) hold high
value. This “infection (that) usually comes
from evoked emotions that spur the viewer
to share” (Elise Moreau, ‘What Does It
Mean to Go Viral Online?’, About.com) is
termed as a viral piece of communication.
No communication is born that way,
however there are means and ways to
achieve it. In my agency experience (both,
advertising and public relations), the client
has often demanded ‘viral videos’. We
struggle to explain that videos or images
or memes happen to become viral because
of the right strategy combined with rich
content and well presented & edited
production values.
A communication property may go viral
quickly if a story is told or a message
delivered effectively. It began with the
entertainment space exploring the video
medium to gain popularity – the Korean
Gangnam Style video being a famous
example. Rebecca Black, the American
teen pop music sensation is a classic
example of Youtube virality. All she did
was post songs of hers with videos of
rudimentary production value. The songs
themselves had simple lyrics and received
a phenomenal number of shares in a matter
of days. How Virality works, no one has
been able to pin down, so claims of tricks
and tips to ensure this are better viewed
with some scepticism. However there
are ways and means to track this, and
this tracking yields statistics that can be
analysed, and learned from.
The obsession of most Indians with fair
skin was exploited in the form of a fairness
cream spoof by a popular stand-up comic.
This went wildly viral in a matter of
minutes through a post on Twitter. The
original 1.24-minute video on Youtube
garnered close to 60000 views in 24 hours.
People saw this video on their laptops,
tablets, mobile phones. The record number
of shares that this video received has been
attributed to the fact that it taps into a
deep culutral context, and was adaptable
across mediums. Digital videos must be
adaptable across screens (mobile, tablets,
computers, and even multiplex screens)
in preparation for virality. Adaptability
merely ensures that should the message
resonate with many, the communicator
is ready and prepared for wide spread
sharing. Identifying what will create
resonanace is still largely uncharted
territory.
Broadcast
Picture this: of the 150 mn tv owning
households in India (FICCI Media Report
2014), 77 mn subscribe to cable tv. Between
6000 multi-system operators, the digitised
cable tv revenue is swiftly and smoothly
growing, opening up a la carte menu
of channels to the end user. The highly
aware young consumer also sees return
on investment as a huge incentive to
consume more meaningful programming.
This investment is no more limited to
capital - it encompasses time and talent
too, in the case of those who choose to
create innovative video content for tv
and the internet. Intellectual stimulation
is thus extensively sought after at the
points of both, supplier/ creator as well
as consumer/ recipient.
Perhaps behavioral psychologists will
evolve a rejoinder to my observation –
viewers of recorded live performances
tend to mimic audience reaction – they
often end up experiencing at least some
of the euphoria of a live audience even
when they see it inside a video. Whether
live music, literary readings, wildlife
exploration, award ceremonies, news
reports or product demonstrations, the
immediate mass reaction is governed by
the experience. Once the quality of video
is supervised to perfection, other factors
are largely cerebral in nature.
Integrate
With a view to reach out to a wider
audience, most urban brands often
adapt their online campaigns with some
on-ground activities for tv and print to
amplify their messaging further. Apart
from the language barrier that inhibits
several regional users, the complexity of
gadgets can also throw off several potential
consumers.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
67
of the internet in the older leaders is
counter-productive. What is ironical is that
a medium like the internet that cashes in on
people’s swiftly reducing attention spans
is scorned in India over a decade into the
21st century.
Connect
I recall, in my first full-time professional
assignment, being reprimanded by my
supervisor, an educated man of (then) 54,
for spending too much time browsing
the internet. It took me a while to realize
that the internet, even six years down the
line, is perceived as ‘fun’ and a ‘Gen Y
time waster’, the use of which needs to be
controlled, managed, and in some cases
prevented during the work day. When I
grumbled, my parents counseled me to
be patient- they shared that in their time,
use of telephones was restricted- there
was only one land line, which usually
was on the boss’s table, and personal
calls were NOT permitted, except in a
dire emergency! Resistance to change is
normal; but as a Gen Y leader I feel that the
pervasive suspicion of the addictiveness
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To know how to speak to an audience is
only about half the job done. In a country
of well over a billion, the need to know the
subconscious concerns of your audience is
vital. With elections in full swing across
India, concerns, beyond smartphones and
sex, surface vehemently and frequently
among the young people that reside in
India – over 70% of India’s population
(below 35 years of age) (Census 2011), and
one fifth of the world’s total youth. (The
Economist, 10th February 2014, “Our poll
of young Indians: A New Generation”).
To assess the enormity of the clash between
the old and the new India, The Economist
teamed up with a leading mobile phone
messaging platform, called Nimbuzz, to
quiz young Indians and find out what
they think. The exercise is planned to be
repeated each month until the national
election in May. The first round of
questioning was conducted in January,
and the results published in an article on
the 10th of February 2014.
audiences and viewers think about whats
socially relevant.
In the recent past, some of the most
successful campaigns (Unilever’s Lifebuoy
Handwash campaign, or MTV’s Rock The
Vote series, All India Bakchod’s It’s My
Fault video or even Acorn Foundation’s
Dharavi Project.) have also been about
social awareness. Irrespective of whether
or not they are branded, they have had
At the end, it is safe to say, that a leader
who wants to speak to the youth today,
needs a multitasking brain. The successful
communicator to this audience not only
thinks of the subject, but also its backdrop,
etymology, context, appeal, tools and
strategy in order to optimise response
for the resources invested. One size or
product does not fit all demographics.
Customisation is key. It is okay to copy a
model, so long as you either acknowledge
it or bring a novel flavour to it – which, in
itself can be a modest tribute to the original.
Thorough knowledge of numbers and
scalability of your strategy can enhance
the effectiveness of your communication
strategy.
The path is clear. The pulse, throbbing.
Craft your message, bring out your best
voice, throw it across the halls of the
digital world, and reach the amphitheatres
of hearts and minds of Gen Y.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
69
GOING DIGITAL: GENERATION Y AND OUR FUTURE
IN THE ONLINE SPACE IN INDIA
GAARGI RAMAKRISHNAN
About the Author
Gaargi Ramakrishnan is the Co-Founder of Findable.in. Not only
is she the Co-Founder and Co-President of the Harvard Club of
Mumbai, but also the Executive Secretary of the Young Women’s
Wing of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry. Gaargi worked with UNICEF as a State Consultant in
Maharashtra, developing a training module on entrepreneurial
skills for adolescent girls.
F
act: 65% of pre-school children today
will be employed in jobs and careers
that do not currently exist
Fact: The top ten jobs that were most in
demand in 2010 did not exist in 2004
Fact: By 2015, the Millennials, which is
another moniker for our demographic
cohort, will be 50% of the workforce,
worldwide.
Technology for us is not just an addiction.
It is what drives us, and what we use
to discover and comprehend the world.
In India itself, we have over 900 million
mobile phones and we are second only to
China. By June 2014, it has been predicted
that we are going to have over 185 million
mobile-phone based internet users. As tech
entrepreneurs, if we have a solid idea and
are able to execute it well, we will be able to
transform these lives, rapidly and at scale.
As Millennials, we are also global citizens,
and we are only tethered to our wanderlust.
We want to visit every country, and we
want to travel as much as we can. We
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
live, engage and learn visually. For us, it
is cool to be smart, and to be able to put
those smarts to use. We are at the helm of
a society that lionizes intelligence, whether
it is innate, acquired or artificial.
Technology, then, helps us to assimilate
large amounts of information quickly,
so that we can better leverage what we
know to make the world a better place.
Business for us is not just about earning
an income, it is genuinely about how we
can make use of our own strengths, and
find synergies with the strength of others,
to improve and impact society at large.
In India, we have a rather large number
of problems that need solving, rooted in
operational inefficiencies. It is wondrous
to see how an increasing number of
entrepreneurs are coming up with a slew
of innovative, market-based solutions that
profoundly transform lives and empower
societies. In the social sector, there is a
surge in investing in rural companies that
use new technologies to tackle problems
around access to healthcare, clean water,
sanitation, renewable energy, and better
logistics and delivery mechanisms. In the
retail sector, e-commerce companies like
Flipkart and Jabong are penetrating rural
markets far more rapidly than their brickand-mortar counterparts.
So rather than accepting the rules in front
of us, prima facie, we would like to make
our own. A clear symptom of our evergrowing autonomy can be seen in the
fact that an increasing number of business
school students from top schools abroad,
who were sponsored by top companies to
earn their MBA degrees, are choosing to
pay their employers back, so that they can
change industry and/or function, or start
something of their own. Another symptom
is the increasing number of students from
top college and graduate programs abroad
that are returning to India to lead change
and build from the ground up here.
This is, then, a great time to be an
entrepreneur in India, particularly in
the technology space. Not only are
startups gaining traction in terms of
employment demand among young
college recruits, but families are also
beginning to support their loved ones as
they establish or work for startups. This
is largely a new phenomenon, as I still
remember that in 2011, my usually-notso-traditional South Indian family, would
refer to my professional qualifications
as ‘Co-President of the Harvard Club of
Mumbai’ (a voluntary position), and not
as ‘Co-Founder’ of Findable.in (my official
employment credentials), when asked by
curious neighbors, friends and colleagues.
Findable.in is an online and app-based
product locator, which helps you find a
wide range of products you want in stores
near you. It was not until they visited our
Mumbai office, after we opened offices in
Mumbai and New Delhi, till we had over
15 employees, and till I patiently took them
through the website and the beta versions
of the app, that they considered this to
be a fruitful endeavor. It is great to see a
marked change in the widening familial
acceptance of choosing roads that, earlier,
were often discouraged from being taken.
Not only is there more demand for jobs
at startups, but there is also a burgeoning
and now almost robust infrastructure
around the startup ecosystem. We have
a smorgasbord of investors and capacitybuilding entities to help startups take off.
From early stage venture funds and angel
investors, to large scale venture capital
and private equity funding, there are
plenty of people willing to take a chance
on a talented individual with a solid idea.
More importantly, there are also a large
number of incubators and accelerators,
particularly growing on college campuses
across the country, that help students get
their ideas off the ground and that provide
experienced help with operational and
strategic constraints. There is also a wide
range of supporting infrastructure, in the
form of shared office space rental options,
special bank accounts, and companies that
specialize in design, technology, human
resources and legal matters for startups.
My experiences at the frontlines of the
entrepreneurial landscape have also
made me acutely aware of the gaps and
challenges of the sector. Although there
is a strong confluence of opportunity,
entrepreneurism, money and slowly
changing government policies, there is
still a dearth in the number of contextually
informed businesses that are able to get
past the constraints and connect the dots.
So here are a few reasons why, and what
I have learned and tried to do to solve
these problems.
(a) Finding the right talent
Before you are a leader, success is all about
growing yourself. When you become a
leader, success is all about growing others.”
~ Jack Welch
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71
To be able to build the right technology, we
need to first invest in the right people. Even
though the rules of the game are changing,
and there are younger generations that are
interested in taking that leap of faith with
a small company, seasoned professionals
and qualified executives often do not want
to give up their lifestyles and income levels
to work at a startup, unless they are starting
up their own. So world-class entrepreneurs
at the Founder level in India are rather
ubiquitous, but finding the right talent
the middle and lower rungs of company
hierarchy is extremely challenging. Not
only is it difficult to find the right talent at
these levels, but it is even harder to keep
them motivated.
What worked for us: Hiring bright, young
students from top schools that are innately
hungry because they need the experience
to pursue graduate programs (so they are
more interested in getting the right learning
experience and our recommendations than
in a large salary), and getting interns with
similar backgrounds and intentions. We
also invested in smart people that have
a strong work ethic, and that are hungry
to shift industry and/or function. When
you give someone the opportunity to shift,
you are training them up in that space
(since they do not come in with any direct
experience), and inherently, it is easier to
earn and retain their loyalty. They not
only bring in a different and valuable
perspective, but we also found it easier
to train talent to learn than to unlearn.
This recruiting strategy of focusing on
hiring junior employees that are already
intrinsically motivated ended up working
out very well for us.
(b) Bureaucracy
Our senior management spends a
significant proportion of time on legal,
tax and compliance issues, which in itself,
carries a large opportunity cost. This is time
that could be better spent on increasing
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
operational nimbleness and developing
and executing better user acquisition
strategies. We need a tectonic shift in
governmental policy and in the execution
of these policies for startups to become
speedier, and to soar higher. However,
given that these are external factors that
are largely outside of our locus of control,
we try to find solutions to work alongside
these constraints.
What works for us: This is where jugaad
innovation becomes invaluable. We
consistently try to find creative operational,
technical and strategic solutions to better
use the time we have, to counteract the
almost inevitable amount of time that
needs to be spent on red tape.
(c) Content & information asymmetry
‘Be a yardstick of quality. Some people
aren’t used to an environment where
excellence is expected’ – Steve Jobs
For the longest time, brands used to create
and disseminate clear communication
strategies on what the brand was about
and what it stood for. Since the internet
began consistently delivering, consumers
are extremely knowledgeable not only on
the products of a particular brand, but
on the products of its competitors. The
asymmetry is now skewed towards the
consumer, whose ever-changing demands
mean we have to come up with content
that suits these demands just as quickly.
Outside of Bollywood and cricket, one
of the biggest gaps in the online space
is indigenous, quality content. Given the
inundating number of players in the online
content market, it is difficult to fathom that
this would be the case. However, there are
only a handful of players that are able to
provide credible, consolidated, original,
and functional content that is also able to
keep users consistently engaged. Creating
this type of content is extremely labor-
and cost-intensive, and is also often not
prioritized heavily enough.
What works for us: Aesthetics and content
matter. Pay attention towards and money
for creativity. We invested in a high
quality graphic designer, as well as solid
content experts. Our blog, for instance
(blog.findable.in), is one of our greater
success stories – it has visually strong
and well-written content, it has helped us
consistently pique the interest of our users,
and has also been a strong driver of users
to the website.
(d) Balancing Customer Acquisition and
Retention
One of the biggest challenges is balancing
our focus on building a new user base with
managing our existing user. Given that
we are severely resource limited in terms
of both labor and marketing budgets, it
is extremely difficult to achieve the right
balance.
Today, we are also constrained by the fact
that this is a new generation of internet
users in India, and a lot of users and
companies still do not have the dexterity
that is largely present in Silicon Valley.
We have to consistently evangelize our
product. In terms of marketing, on the user
acquisition side in the current operating
context, venture capital and private equity
money in online retail is being largely
spent on extravagant marketing budgets.
E-commerce companies are pumping
crores into online and ATL user acquisition
campaigns, and the winner is going to be
the company that can sustain this spending
pattern the longest.
What works for us: In terms of customer
acquisition, we spend less on online
marketing, and try to find and invest in
creative ways to have this grow organically.
We then try to maintain a fluid two-way
approach to marketing, with campaigns
that are relevant and dynamic, and that
consistently keeps the users engaged. In
terms of business development, we have
curtailed the categories and geographic
areas we are focusing on, so we are able to
effectively build new relationships while
paying attention to our existing users and
retailers.
(e) Going outside of the box to build
and manage retailer relationships
“To handle yourself, use your head; to
handle others, use your heart.” ~ Eleanor
Roosevelt
In India, there has been a significant change
in the technological infrastructure of
organized retail. However, basic software
like centralized point-of-sales (POS)
systems is currently understood by only
a few technical personnel that know how
to wield this technology. There is also
some sort of Chinese wall between the
technical teams and marketing teams in
larger companies, which makes it difficult
to find the right person to talk to. We then
have to educate business development and
marketing personnel from a large number
of these retailers on the rather expansive
limits of the technology they already have
in place. This is a time-consuming, laborintensive endeavor. However, we took
comfort in the fact that even Google has
to do it. I recently went for a seminar on
marketing strategies for SMEs, and we
had a representative from Google talk
about the benefits of using YouTube to
reach out to target audiences. In the west,
Google is evangelizing its new products
like Google Glass, but in India they are
still evangelizing one of their most basic
and popular products – YouTube.
What works for us: Where interests align,
and for relationships that matter to us
the most, we pursue these relationships
doggedly, and monitor them closely. We
also expose ourselves to as many different
networking and learning forums as
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
73
humanly possible. This not only helps us
with acquiring more retailers and users,
but it also helps us with expanding our
circle of ideas and identifying strategic
partnerships. We focus on networking
down, not just up, and on connecting
and aligning interests between our
stakeholders. We try not to gate keep
our relationships (except to respect and
protect the privacy of our retailers), and
we try to facilitate fruitful relationships,
which usually end up having high future
rewards. We also try to exert influence by
having a value proposition that is tough
for retailers to refuse.
(f) Prioritizing what you want to do
most with your product
Finding the right direction for a viable
product is inherently difficult. There are
usually a lot of choices and often not
enough information available to make
the right choice. We cannot even stand on
the shoulders of giants, as the operating
context for the tech industry in India is
so new. There are not enough mentors
available to guide us on such matters, given
the nascence of the industry.
What has worked for us: With Findable.
in, we learned to focus on one aspect of
the product, and to get it right. We had
the choice of being:
We chose (a). We wanted to have a clear
communication message (‘find products
in stores near you’) and have a clear call
to action (get information on the product,
order from their online store, and find/
call/get directions to the closest store).
We picked three stark pain points to tackle
with this information: (a) users want to
browse what’s actually available in stores
near them, (b) they know what they want
but they do not know where to get it,
(c) they want to know whether a product
is in stock or not.
We developed the website and the
app so that the users could get this
information. We are then consistently
trying to improve the user interface to
maximize efficient use and the delivery
of correct information.
In Conclusion
By singularly focusing on our product
first, and making sure we are consistently
delivering on our brand promise, we
have slowly increased our user base,
significantly increased our retailer base,
and we look forward to transforming the
way people shop not just in India, but
globally.
(a) a discovery-utility site and app, which
simply lists products and provides
users information on the availability of
those products, or
I would like to sign off with the words
of one of the greatest philosophers of
our time. These words embody my
generation’s unrelenting optimism about
the future of a better world, and our role
in achieving it:
(b) A community-based, information
marketplace model where users share
recently bought products and favorite
brands and trends with each other.
Users would also have access to experts
on the products and trends in the
categories of those products.
‘You have brains in your head. You have feet
in your shoes. You can steer yourself any
direction you choose. You’re on your own. And
you know what you know. And YOU are the
guy who’ll decide where to go.’ - Dr. Seuss,
Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
GEN-Y LEADERS:
THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN’
SIDDHARTH KANORIA and SHAGUN SETH
About the Authors
Siddharth Kanoria is a Vice President at Quantum Consumer
Solutions, a research and consulting partner to global brands
like Unilever and PepsiCo. Siddharth is responsible for taking on
game-changing mandates from clients across the world, especially
projects that have a strong future focused lens. He leads a team of
25 researchers in Quantum’s Mumbai office.
Shagun Seth is an Associate Manager at Quantum Consumer
Solutions and is a strong advocate of psychology and travel to
unlock powerful consumer insight. Shagun works with global
clients on hybrid projects that bring together multiple research
disciplines towards game-changing insight. Shagun leads projects
teams and is responsible for the delivery of high quality research.
A
re you sure we can do this?” was the
echoing voice in the room when I
presented my Business Plan to the India
Leadership in my first year of leading the
team. My plan proposed that we double
the size of a particular account by going
after very high value global business.
However, it would mean that we might
lose our stronghold over some India
businesses, a few that we had held for a
couple of decades.
A year later, we had delivered 146%
growth and had created a high-impact
network on the account, which opened up
the possibility of discontinuous growth for
the next decade.
In my view, this great comfort with
exponential change is at the heart of
Gen-Y leadership. As Gen-Y leaders, we
add greatest value to our organizations
by imagining and creating a new reality
that was previously considered difficult
or unachievable.
In Asia, when we Gen-Y leaders joined
the workforce, job security and abundant
opportunity was already on the table
and this made us unafraid of finding our
own remarkable life trajectories. We were
burdened with much less bureaucracy and
red tape than any generation before us and
this took away our cynicism. In contrast,
we started our careers with a great sense
of possibility, because of what Clay Shirky
calls the ‘Cognitive Surplus’.
To paraphrase, Shirky notes that in a
connected age of social media, we are no
longer limited to our own environments
for inspiration, creative action and
the feedback loop. As a leader, I have
personally benefited a lot from this
Cognitive Surplus. In learning leadership,
business and marketing, I always had
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
75
physical access to stalwarts in my company
and industry. But unlike any leader before
me, as I learnt the ropes of leadership, I
had access to the philosophy and actions
of Seth Godin, Steve Jobs and Clay Shirky
as well.
It was not always smooth sailing. Most of
us in Gen-Y went through really rough
waters in our early years. Our imaginations
were at a different plane than the reality
and ambitions of our organizations and
we found ourselves in positions of limited
power and influence. Those who are
successful Gen-Y leaders today understood
how to navigate through the resistance of
the status quo, despite the challenge.
Early on, we realized that tact would
matter more than a loud call for change.
Most of us found evangelists who would
further our cause on our behalf and convert
others in the organization. We slowly built
the critical mass and learnt the value of
shooting the breeze. In communicating
our intent, we had to master one-onone conversations before we specialized
in public announcements at Town Hall
meetings.
Successful leaders tried to change a small
part rather than change a large whole at
one time. While our generation has often
been called impatient, those of us who
succeeded were patient with small change
and worked with persistence towards the
eventual sea change.
We demonstrated our philosophy through
our ability and created tangible and
meaningful impact. For instance, when
I wanted the organization to move
towards catching the big-fish, I first went
and caught a couple of them myself and
when large numbers were on the monthly
reports, they spoke on my behalf.
Needless to say, there is frustration in the
early years of a Gen-Y leader. Every no
is resounding and sounds like a broken
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
dream. Naysayers in senior positions
cause the greatest angst. The only ones
who are worse are those who are hierarchy
conscious and put down an idea only
because it comes from ‘someone junior’ or
someone who does not understand ‘how
things have always been done’.
As a result of this initiation, Gen-Y leaders
have adopted a few principles that they
live by:
Breakdown of the Power Distance: Gen-Y
leaders assume that there are no walls
and no rigid compartments within which
leadership needs to be classified. We
have little regard for the power distance
that authority brought for the previous
generation. For instance, it is important
to me that the jokes about me should not
need to be clandestine and there is healthy
banter and camaraderie. This breakdown
of walls is not just directed downwards.
Even with their own bosses, Gen-Y expects
more open and informal relationships,
even if the ‘oldies’ are not ready for it yet.
Openness and Diversity: There is also
a great sense of openness and diversity
encouraged by Gen-Y leaders. I believe
that the most critical dimension of team
building is working with other interesting
people and I am constantly looking for
talent with different backgrounds and
unique skill sets. There is a tendency in any
team to reject those who are not like them
and Gen-Y leaders need to bring diversity
together with their own openness. My ideal
team is one where no two-team members
are alike. Today, my team is an eclectic
mix of people with different backgrounds,
educational profiles and interests. I believe
that when the gay activist, the psychologist
and the aspiring herpetologist collaborate,
groundbreaking work is produced.
A fluid notion of work-life balance: With
digital technology, the demarcation
between work and non-work spaces has
broken down for Gen-Y leaders. A critical
unifier is following your passion, both
at work and outside of work. On a daily
basis, I find myself practicing this fluid
notion of work-life balance and I allow my
team to practice it as well. For example,
I would encourage my team member to
go to her dance class on Friday night and
send me the report on Saturday instead.
I believe that such pursuit of passion
creates greater self-enrichment in each
individual, and they bring this back to the
team. The intermingling of work, social and
leisure spaces also creates a close-knit team.
Not just about money: Gen-Y leaders
recognize that much like them, their
teams are demanding and impatient about
their reward. In every one of my team
members, I see that while the promise of
future growth is exciting, it means little if
they cannot start seeing it today. A bigger
paycheck no longer does the job either.
Today, travel opportunities, company
culture, the quality and energy of the
office space are not good-to-have values
but can be potential deal-breakers. As the
team gets diverse, my challenges increase
exponentially because each person is
motivated in a unique way and one-sizedoes-not-fit-all.
So, why is Gen-Y’s style of leadership
important today?
Rapid pace of change: The business
environment is changing at a pace more
rapid and dynamic than ever before. For
instance, marketing is becoming either
lean and efficient or Big Hairy (and)
Audacious. The middle road is no longer
one of opportunity and is not a place where
growth comes from. In this environment,
organizations need those who thrive in
change and can lead initiatives of change.
As Bob Dylan said it “Gather ‘round
people, wherever you roam, and admit
that the waters around you have grown,
and accept it that soon you’ll be drenched
to the bone, if your time to you is worth
savin’, then you better start swimmin’ or
you’ll sink like a stone, for the times they
are a-changin’”
Non-conformity in business: There is a
greater appreciation of non-conformity in
the world of business and management.
Organizations are realizing that those who
challenge the status quo are creating the
greatest value. This is especially true in the
world of marketing where creative selfexpression is more valued than processadherence. In this environment, we need
leaders who can be flexible with rules and
are only happy to reinvent. For instance,
I have often questioned the fundamental
pillars of global brands and the business
models of my client’s organizations and
this has initiated the beginnings of change
in their brand vision that will fructify at
its own pace.
A simple evidence of non-conformity in
business and leadership is witnessed in
the grooming and persona of a leader. In
a traditional country like Russia, one of
my business partners told me “You can go
to the Opera in Jeans. It is OK. In Russia
now, only clerks and bankers wear suits.
In the marketing business, the more senior
you are, the more informal, expressive and
creative your dressing needs to be.”
Propelling a global consciousness: As our
world gets more global, we need leaders
who are more global as well. Unlike the
previous generation, Gen-Y leaders do not
bring any baggage of racial disadvantage
to a global stage. For instance, I work with
global clients with a culture and ethic that
is professional, creative and global and in
this scenario, being Indian or Asian is only
one of my traits.
As an Italian backpacker friend of mine
noted: “Today, being racist is the biggest
disadvantage you can have. With all the
money in Emerging Markets and with
colleagues, friends and potential bosses
across the world, operating on a truly
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
77
global level is critical for every nationality
in the world if they want to thrive. The
older generation on either side of the
racism divide does not get this change.”
There is a common sentiment in the older
generation that Gen-Y is difficult to work
with. However, change was never meant
to be easy. In my view, organizations
that encourage Gen-Y leadership find
the greatest success in the new dynamic
reality. In 1997, when Gen-Y was in its
teenage years, Steve Jobs summed it up
in the famous Think Different ad:
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits.
The rebels. The troublemakers. The round
pegs in the square holes. The ones who
see things differently. They’re not fond
of rules. And they have no respect for the
status quo. You can quote them, disagree
with them, glorify or vilify them. About
the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things. They push the
human race forward. And while some may
see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough
to think they can change the world, are the
ones who do.”
LEADERSHIP IN GENERATION Y
SHAHEEN MISTRI
About the Author
Shaheen Mistri The Founder and CEO of Teach For India, Shaheen
Mistri is accredited as an Ashoka Fellow (2001), a Global Leader for
Tomorrow at the World Economic Forum (2002), an Asia Society
21 Leader (2006). She is the Founder of the Akanksha Foundation.
She serves on the boards of Ummeed, and The Thermax Social
Initiatives Foundation; and also prominent as a committee member
for the National Council for Teacher Education.
I
don’t have any advice for Generation Y
on leadership; I only have stories and
learning from my own life to offer. I am
still, and will always be, learning to lead.
There’s a story of a young man called Hulio
who was walking down a street on a cold,
winter night and got accosted by a robber.
The robber took out a knife and asked
for his wallet, and Hulio reached into his
pocket, took out his wallet, and handed it
over. As the robber turned to leave, Hulio
said, “Wait. You’ve forgotten something”.
As the robber turned back, Hulio said,
“It’s a cold night, and if you are going
to be out all night robbing people why
don’t you take my coat, too”. The robber
took the coat that Hulio handed him, and
again turned to leave. When he had gone
a little distance, Hulio called out to him
once again. “Hey. There’s a little restaurant
down the road. You must be hungry. Do
you want to go with me to get something
to eat?” Miraculously, the robber nodded,
and they walked together to the little
place, sat across from each other, chatted,
and had dinner. At the end of their meal,
Hulio looked at the robber. “I’d love to
buy you dinner,” he said, “but you have
my wallet”. Smiling, the robber took out
Hulio’s wallet, and slid it across the table.
“And there’s one more thing” said Hulio.
“I’d like your knife too.” Without a word,
the robber slid his knife across the table too.
And they both went their separate ways.
Hulio represents to me the type of
leadership Generation Y needs to have.
He believes that the world needs to change
and become better, but he understands
that all he can change and make better is
himself. He knows himself, has conviction
in what he believes and has cultivated
great compassion and courage. His acts
are small, but their ripples are far-reaching
and resilient. He does not act to teach, or
show, or get. He acts to be.
Leadership, as I’m learning, is about
learning to be.
I started my journey at 18, with a big dream
that all children deserved an excellent
education and with the conviction that I
could change the world. Two decades later,
having founded Akanksha and Teach For
India, I feel even more conviction about
that dream, but I’ve learned that each step
I take is not about changing the world, but
about changing myself. My questions are
evolving. I used to ask “What do I want
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to do?” Over time my question became
“Where can I have the greatest impact?”
and then evolved to “Who do I need to be
to work towards this dream that I have?”
From looking for the big thing that will
change things, I’ve started to believe in
little things – the belief that what I do
now, in this moment, matters. That all I
can control is my actions in this moment,
and that the collection of my actions will
make up my journey.
I have come to believe that three things are
really important in leadership.
The first is the commitment to my own
personal transformation; the belief in
a constant, often difficult process of
understanding myself and taking small
steps to become more of the person that
I want to be. It is learning to pick up
the mirror when anything goes wrong,
whether I’m a part of why or not, to ask
the question “What will I do about it?”
The second is a commitment to something
bigger than me. For me, this is a commitment
to doing what I can to maximize human
potential through education. What you
commit to is secondary, but that you
commit is important.
The third a commitment to collective
action. The belief that alone there is very
little I can do but if we work together, with
a common purpose and pure intention,
there is little we cannot achieve.
This is what I think about when I lead. I
think about an India where all children
attain an excellent education. I think
about how we can work together to make
this happen. I think about what I need to
change in myself to stay on this journey.
A commitment to learning has been at
the center of all of this. For me, my 27,000
Akanksha and Teach For India children
have been my greatest teachers. When
they’ve exceeded my expectations they
taught me that I should have believed
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more. When they’ve shared huge personal
strife, the kind that no child should have,
I’ve learned to have a little more courage.
When they’ve taken difficult decisions and
been guided by personal integrity, I’ve
been pushed to live with more integrity.
I remember years ago my daughter Samara
was in a three-legged race as part of her
sports day. She was tall, and her best friend
much shorter than her, and they wanted to
do the race together. I remember asking her
why she didn’t choose another girl, closer
to her height, so that she’d be more likely
to win. I’ll never forget her words to me.
“Mama, what’s more important? Winning,
or your best friend?” She was ten.
I’ve learned tremendous lessons from my
Akanksha and Teach For India team over
the years as well.
A few years ago, I was invited to drop by
on a Sunday movie day at my Akanksha
teacher Anjali’s home. Her twenty-five
students were huddled in a bedroom,
watching “the Kite Runner”, one of three
movies they were going to see that day.
There was popcorn and pizza, and I
remember leaving feeling like Anjali and
her husband Neel have really made these
children their children. In the unpredictable
and harsh reality of the lives these children
led, Anjali provided stability, belief, love
and the access to opportunity. I remember
thinking about how I could widen my
definition of what was mine. I remember
understanding a little more about love.
A few months ago, one of our Teach For
India Fellows, Harsh, was on the Tata
Jagriti Yatra, a train that takes hundreds
of young people on an 18 day trip to
understand India better. Harsh noticed
that lots of the young people were
wasting food, and so decided to stand
next to the garbage and when they came
to clear their plates would ask if he could
eat their food. Seeing him do this, a few
others joined him, lining up next to the
garbage and, with love, taking plates of
uneaten food to eat. Within a couple of
days, no one on the train was wasting
food anymore.
I’ve learned to learn from everything.
From a book or film, from nature,
from what people do and don’t do,
from things that inspire me and things
that bore me. I’m slowly learning
to take everything as a gift, even the
things I most don’t want to happen in my
life.
I said this at the start and I’ll say it again.
I don’t have any advice for Generation Y
on leadership. I am still, and will always
be, learning to lead.
But there is one thing I know to be true.
It’s a long, slow, beautiful, human journey,
this path to leadership.
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LEADERSHIP: HINDSIGHT IS 20/20!
SONALI ROYCHOWDHURY
About the Author
Sonali Roychowdhury heads Human Resources at Procter
and Gamble India. She completed her diploma in Personnel
Management and Industrial Relations from XLRI in 1998, and
has been with P&G ever since. Sonali has lived and worked
in India, Singapore, and Vietnam. She has varied experience
in Talent & Leadership Development, Organization Design,
Change Management, Strategic HR leadership, and building
high-performance teams. Sonali also has an avid interest in travel.
“Earn your Leadership every day’
– Michael Jordan
There was a time when what it took to be
a leader was clear. Today, much is written,
said, researched and trained on leadership
– one click on Google and a plethora of
concepts, models and frameworks jump
out at you, covering the behavioral, to the
psychological, to the social. Add to that a
VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and
Ambiguous) world – so for one looking to
learn, internalize and demonstrate effective
leadership, it’s truly a jungle out there!
Predicting what the next decade – scratch
that, the next year! – is going to look like
is virtually impossible. No organization
or company succeeds for decades unless
they are constantly looking at ways to
reinvent themselves…no individual leader
is successful unless adapting, reinventing
and leading through that scenario. So
what works as a core of leadership, when
everything around you is changing? Do
you lock yourself way, and think ‘I’m not
going out there, it’s too scary!’ or bury
your head in the sand hoping eventually
the old world will return?
The tried-and-tested may no longer be
relevant, and it’s up to you to chart a new
course
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So take a step back, pause for a moment,
look inwards, and think – what of my
leadership is core? What was intentional
and what was accidental? What did I
discover in myself and what did I learn
from others? Somewhere, in that maze
of self-discovery, you will detect for
yourself what makes you tick, not just as
a leader, but an authentic one, able to lead
successfully through a rapidly changing
landscape.
Stephen Covey said, one ‘detects their
mission in life’ – in the same way, one
self discovers who they were meant to
be as a leader, and what you need to do
to preserve the core, through different
roles, organizations, context, successes,
and failures. I write this today not as an
expert, expounding on fail-safe leadership
behaviors that will take you places, but as a
traveler on the path to authentic leadership,
having discovered a little of what works,
and waiting to unearth much more!
1. First and foremost, live your Values:
‘Talent is a gift – character is a choice’.
Every time I work with a new team, a
new direct report, a new boss, start a
new role, or hire someone, I have taken
time to share and clarify the values that
are core to me. Every leader must have,
and be clear on what they value – it’s
equally important to make that clear
to the team, so that the way results are
delivered and rewarded are consistent
with those values. The most difficult
business decisions over my career have
been made easy once I have looked at
it through the lens of my core values –
Clarity, Integrity at all times, passionate
ownership, and humility. The more you
achieve, the more clarity of personal
values becomes critical. You have to be
rock solid when dealing with matters of
core values or principles.
2. Foster a Democracy of Ideas: Today
we work with individuals who are
ambitious, driven, but also looking for
personal relevance at the workplace –
that ‘intangible’ connect that appeals
to their individuality vs. generic
employment experiences. This is
not a syndrome of ‘what’s in it for
me’ as is often interpreted within
HR, but simply a search for a broad
canvas which allows them to find their
personal equation in the workplace.
They demand transparency, quick
action and need for 2-way dialogue.
The leader that is able to tap into that
energy, harness it to drive innovation,
and stay open to being challenged, will
truly be able to maximize the GenY
contribution. To do that, you have to
be there – in the midst of the action,
generating the dialogue, allowing status
quo to be challenged, and to follow,
when needed. In my role, I have found
great insights by just being accessible –
be it in the office where employees can
easily reach out to me directly by just
dropping across to my open cubicle
(without the red tape of setting up
formal meetings!), spending significant
time training new hires, or just reaching
out regularly to those who may not
cross my path in their normal course of
work. Accessibility to your people is the
most visible sign that you care! Leaders
can bring this to life by extending it to
areas like workplace design – at P&G
we have removed all visible hierarchical
barriers like office cabins, corner seats
etc. Most of our offices have moved to
a hot-desking culture without allotted
work-station which drives an agile and
flow-to-work behavior. Technology
allows each individual to ‘touch down’
at any part of the office as and when
they want..the whole space is their
office, not just one desk! The flow of
information, accessibility to leaders has
grown in leaps and bounds, and creates
a culture where people are encouraged
to ask ‘why not?’ instead of ‘why?’. If
there is a great idea out there, enable
the person to deliver it, and get out of
the way.
3. Maintain autocracy of your vision - Be
clear on what you want to leave behind
– even before you start! At the end of the
day, the leader’s role is to lead. In my
current role, the India business has been
through significant growth and change,
not always simple. Many a time, the
organization and leadership team
have been at a crossroad evaluating
several ideas that come up through
the organization. Add to that, the
complexities of a highly matrixed
company, and you have a potential
recipe for losing your way! At that time,
as a leader, I have looked back onto
what I agreed to leave as an outcome
when I first moved into my role, and
course corrected as needed. The leader’s
vision helps navigate the entire team
towards the light at the end of the
tunnel.
4. Breed talent better than yourself:
I often share the story of the Indian
crab – a bypasser on the beach saw a
row of tightly-lidded barrels. On asking
what they contained, he was informed
that each barrel had a different type of
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valuable crab (to be sold in the market),
and the lid was to prevent their escape.
The bypasser noticed that one barrel
was open – on enquiring what that
was, he was told that it contained the
Indian crabs – there was no fear of
them escaping as if one tried to do so,
the others would quickly drag it back
into the barrel! Too often, leaders feel
threatened to give others their place in
the sun. My biggest successes have often
come from the results of others – my
leadership ethos is to know what one
is very good at, and then nurture those
around you who are better than you in
areas that you are not. Don’t be a ‘one
person’ show. We all see leaders who
are incredibly hardworking but never
seem to be able to get people below
them thriving, churning out innovation
and far exceeding others expectations
of them. Whenever confronted with
a choice, always, but always, go for
coaching others / training first. P&G
being a build-from-within company,
developing other leaders is core to
success. People processes and KRAS
are linked to building capability
of others. This systematic effort to
groom individuals to leadership roles
leveraging their unique strengths esp.
at their early career stage is much
appreciated by the younger generation,
driving better results, and retention. As
Jack Welch famously said, ‘Before you
are a leader, success is all about growing
yourself. When you become a leader,
success is all about growing others.’
5. Stay relevant : Having worked across
several countries, and different
businesses within P&G, one is often
tempted to get complacent. That is the
death knell of a leader’s growth…the
world around us, technology, employee
needs, economic volatility is changing
faster than we can predict. The only
thing a leader can do is learn every day
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– something new in their area of work,
meet new people – which keeps you
relevant. Over the last few years, I have
had the opportunity to interact with
some of the most accomplished leaders
across industries…their longevity and
sustained success does not come from
what they delivered a decade ago, but
what they continue to deliver today
having reinvented their skills to meet
the demands of a VUCA world. Read,
learn, teach, observe, try out something
new, get feedback, and stay humble – to
stay relevant.
6. Build coalitions: Rome wasn’t built in
a day, and not by one single individual
– the same is true for great teams
and institutions. One of my most
challenging assignments was being
part of a M&A team – a highly visible
project, with demanding deliverables,
and a small team drawn from 2 different
companies/cultures, and who had
just met! ‘Position’ power just wasn’t
going to cut it here, but we had to find
a way to discover common goals and
bring everybody along the journey.
Looking back, the tipping point came
when every person on that team (highly
successful leaders in their own right)
found a common meeting ground, and
were clear on their stake in the end
result. It was one of my most satisfying
and successful experiences. Coalitions
are the order of the day – be it internally
in your company, or with your external
networks, find and nurture your
networks / ecosystem that allows you
to grow and deliver in all areas of your
profession.
7. Be Personally accountable: Last, but
certainly not the least, there is no
substitute for ‘fire-in-the-belly’ – the
passion and accountability that a leader
must bring to the table. Without it, one
is merely filling a seat but not really
driving change. Throughout your
career, there will be times when you
will have to make tough decisions,
drive change, and take risks – that is the
time when your personal accountability
to see things through and take the tough
calls will be all-important. Those are
the moments when what the leader
actually ‘does’ becomes their hallmark
vs. what they say. It can be hard, but
is the cornerstone of the credibility of
a true leader. Come into work every
day, ready to be fired – not literally, but
with the energy & passion that to make
change happen, you are accountable!
Be accountable - for recognizing and
rewarding the right behaviors in your
team; for rolling up your sleeves and
getting the work done when needed;
and for doing the hard right when
needed, instead of the easy wrong.
No one articulated it better than Colin
Powell when he said ‘Leadership is
solving problems. The day soldiers stop
bringing you their problems is the day
you have stopped leading them. They
have either lost confidence that you
can help or concluded you do not care.
Either case is a failure of leadership.’
So there you are – my personal seven habits
as a leader. If they resonate with you, or
contradict some beliefs, or challenge some
mindsets, so be it. As long as it makes one
think, it has served its purpose! So what
are your leadership habits?? ‘Whatever you
are, be a good one.’ – Abraham Lincoln
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RECRUITING MILLENNIALS IN A GLOBAL MARKET
KURT PIEMONTE
About the Author
Kurt Piemonte is an associate director in the Career & Professional
Development office at Harvard Business School where he has
served as a career coach for MBA students seeking international
work opportunities since 2005. He has long been committed to
international issues in the United States where he has worked with
international students and professionals for more than 20 years at
several universities and law firms.
T
he recruiting landscape is in constant
flux and influenced by numerous
external factors. The financial crisis several
years ago was a global event that affected
all of us directly. But more often than
not there are subtle changes that impact
an organization’s efforts to identify and
retain top talent. Organizations need to
be nimble and stay ahead of the curve
to effectively target the right candidates
through methods that appeal to them.
As an international educator who has
worked with college-aged students and
young professionals from across the globe
for more than 20 years, I have witnessed
first-hand the transition from serving
and advising both Generation X and
Generation Y. And while all individuals
are different, members of each generational
group share common characteristics that
shape their behaviors and desires and
result in different motivations for success
and happiness in the workplace.
to our televisions. By the early 1980s we
were using Commodore 64 or Apple II
computers in our homes, withdrawing cash
from ATMs for the first time, and learning
BASIC in school. By the mid-1980s we were
replacing our LPs with CDs and by the late
1980s we ditched our typewriters for PCs.
The digital revolution had started a few
decades before but it did not really begin
to impact the daily lives of mainstream
America until the 1980s and 1990s; this
was the catalyst for the way technology has
come to shape our everyday lives today.
As a result, Generation X were some of the
earliest adopters of new technologies in
the workplace like e-mail, the first instant
messaging that would come to revolution
and define social media in a few years. As
digital migrants, Generation X immigrated
to a working world that required the use of
technology to survive and to get ahead and
we were the first-adopters of these internetbased technologies in the workplace.
Generation X: The Digital Migrants
Generation X: Different Culture and
Shared Values
Born in 1967, I came of age during a key
digital revolution in the United States.
In the late 1970s my friends and I were
playing video games on consoles attached
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There were several non-technology
related factors that shaped the general
characteristics of Gen Xers in the United
States. Many were children of divorce,
which was less common among previous
generations, or were the first generation in
which both parents had to work. Because
of this they were often latch-key kids,
arriving home after school to an empty
house because parents had to work well
past the school day. Noteworthy also was
witnessing during their formative years
the downsizing of many large, trusted
companies that had promised lifelong
employment to their workers. These
factors led many in Generation X to be
more independent, adaptable, and willing
to make personal sacrifices to achieve
financial success and freedom.
There is no doubt that my peers born in
India and China in 1967 had very different
lives than I did growing up middle-class
America and the cultural divide among
us ran deep. But the late 1980s and early
1990s ushered in the first large wave of
international students to the United States
and they acquired similar attributes to
their American peers. Indian and Chinese
students were almost exclusively in
graduate programs and were supported
by research or teaching fellowships.
Nearly all intended to settle in the United
States after their degree programs. Away
from home and family, they had to adapt
and be independent and self-sufficient, a
dramatic change from the extended family
support network that was common in their
home cultures. These students also left
their countries for what they felt would
be better lives in the United States and
would make many personal sacrifices
to achieve this. So although the deep
cultural traits of each nationality were
always present, the working norms for
all young working professionals in the
United States at the time were essentially
the same—independence, adaptability, and
willingness to make personal sacrifices to
achieve financial success—whether they
hailed from Delhi, Dalian, or Dallas.
Generation Y: The Digital Natives
Jump ahead to 2005 and we find a world
that has been digitally re-mastered. Young
men and women entering college and the
professional workforce in this year grew
up with the internet, e-mail, laptops, and
mobile phones in their everyday lives so
were comfortable with digital technologies
and social media before adulthood.
Technology is the obvious influencer but
there are several other factors that further
define them and affect the way they look
at the working world.
Unlike the previous generation, the
cultural divide between a middle-class
American and middle-class Indian born
in 1987 is not as deep as it was 20 years
prior. The world is flatter now in the
middle and upper socio-economic classes
and the pervasiveness of pop culture and
global brands have dulled the superficial
cultural differentiators. Children today
with financial means around the world
live a similar lifestyle of consumerism
and all are digital natives, having access
to information at their fingertips, and they
are inundated with information from many
directions and at all hours of the day and
night. They were born into a world in
which everyday activities are driven by
convenience and technology and they are
the children of affluence who have grown
up during good economic times. Their
families are smaller and their parents
and grandparents have doted over them
and have embraced them more as friends,
preferring not to be seen as authority
figures by sharing more information
than prior generations and providing
constant words of support to build
confidence. As a result, Generation Y
looks to their parents for advice and
guidance, communicating openly and
seeking validation from them, and they
have a very different view of authority
than previous generations because of this
open communication style.
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A Generational Divide
While Generation X tends to be independent,
Generation Y seeks validation. Gen
Xers sought financial gain and would
sacrifice personal happiness for it, whereas
Millennials want to be financially stable
but talk about ensuring they have a worklife balance. It is no wonder these two
generations struggle to understand each
other in the workplace. But members of
Generation X need to better understand
and appreciate how to effectively work
with Generation Y, which is a much
larger cohort that better understands the
consumer market that drives nearly all
businesses today. Generation Y also have
a finger on the pulse of youth and the
growing middle-class with disposable
income and a love of social media in a
world today that is utilizing technology
quite differently that it was 20 years ago.
Motivators for Generation Y in the
Workplace
My colleagues and I at Harvard Business
School have noticed a change in expectations
among young MBAs with regard to
recruiting during the past several years.
In 2013 we surveyed approximately 300 of
our MBA students to find out what attracts
them to organizations and to uncover what
they felt were key drivers to happiness in
the workplace. We found that once you
get beyond industry and geography, the
top criteria students cited as important to
them in a job and at an organization were:
• Reputation of an organization or brand
• Personal development
• Job function
• Passion and/or affinity for product or
service
• Culture
While I am certain several of these same
hopes could be found in professionals in
prior generations too, it is important to
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consider how these concepts might differ
and appeal to Generation Y by taking into
account their generational characteristics.
As such, I believe that recruiters today
can only be successful in building human
capital if they keep three key elements in
mind that appeal to Generation Y: affinity,
exceptionality, and impact.
Affinity
All organizations define their culture
for prospective employees and develop
thoughtful mission statements to articulate
how their organizations are unique with
recruiters serving as the gateway. While
members of Generation Y understand that
recruiting generally begins with human
resources professionals, they really want
to connect directly with people in the
organization who are like them. They
want to assess the work environment and
culture and determine if the organization
will appreciate their unique characteristics.
Aside from identifying with peers at the
organization, however, affinity needs
to extend beyond people and to the
company itself. Young professionals
today want to know that they will play
an important role in the organization and
not simply be a small cog in a big wheel.
While Gen Xers generally worked for
the sake of working and getting ahead,
Millennials are not only seeking career
and professional development but also
want the organization’s goals, products
and/or services to resonate within them.
Exceptionality
Students today want to be sought out for
their personal characteristics. While in the
past students might have applied directly
to job boards and actively searched for
roles in industries that interested them,
today young professionals expect a more
personalized approach. Generation Y has
been made to feel special by their parents
and mentors and this confidence should
be leveraged to attract them to roles that
will benefit your organization. This can
be done by actively targeting individuals
with genuine and personalized messages
to explain what about them appeals
to the organization. This is far more
effective today than taking a passive
role and expecting students to contact
companies based on brand and reputation.
A successful recruiting strategy today
requires you to help students see how
they will fit into the organization and
how they will thrive both personally and
professionally.
Impact
People often misinterpret what impact
means to young professionals today.
Impact is less about what an employer
can provide for them and more about
what their value means to the employer.
It does not necessarily mean they are
seeking an organization that will change
the world. Instead, members of Generation
Y want to be part of organizations where
they will be valued, and ones where they
can grow and contribute in meaningful
ways to the organizations themselves.
This is particularly important for large
companies to highlight in an era when the
idea of working at a start-up or starting a
business is a common theme among young
people. Only a small percentage of these
students will be entrepreneurs, but this
entrepreneurial spirit is pervasive among
the vast majority of young professionals
today. Smaller organizations appeal to
them more than larger ones because they
believe that they will be more challenged
and will have greater and more direct
impact within a smaller venture. This can
certainly be true since smaller organizations
tend to be leaner and there may be a greater
level of responsibility among more junior
members of the team. But well-established
companies have the resources and means
to offer young professionals opportunities
to be entrepreneurial within the function
or team. To attract young talent today,
it is important for any organization to
highlight the flexibility of a role that will
allow the individual to contribute and
feel like s/he is adding value and will be
an important and contributing member.
Beyond internal impact, help them to also
see how the organization will impact the
way the world operates and how they will
be an important part of it.
The world around us is changing at
an unprecedented pace. In less than 20
years we have gone from dial-up internet
access through our home telephone lines
to the convenience of connectivity to the
internet at all times through smartphones
and 4G technology. As adaptable as
members of Generation X are, the digital
natives of Generation Y are in a better
place to help organizations grow and
prosper because they know how best to
leverage the technology of today and are
developing the technologies of tomorrow.
Appreciating the unique characteristics of
this generation will be critical to ensuring
success and happiness of our future leaders
and building robust global organizations
that will, in the next decade, once again be
challenged with a generation gap as they
try to discover what motivates and drives
members of Generation Z.
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YOUNG & RESTLESS
MINI MENON
About the Author
Mini Menon is the Executive Editor of Bloomberg TV India and
a well known face on Indian Television. Over the last 14 years,
she has reported on political, business and financial news with
some of the biggest names in the Indian news broadcast space.
Mini has also authored a book, ‘Riding the Wave’ published
by HarperCollins, on seven of India’s top business leaders.
An alumna of St Stephen’s college New Delhi, Mini has been a
Chevening scholar and trained in broadcast journalism in India and the UK.
It is ironical, but for most CEO’s, leading
some of India’s top companies – the
marketplace is never the real challenge.
What is, is the ability to keep pace with it
– through the ups and downs – and grow.
Added to this is the challenge of managing
a young and restless work force.
For the last 2 years I have been doing
a series ‘Inside India’s Best Known
companies’, on Bloomberg TV India. In this
program we have looked at what makes
India’s best firms outperform their peers
and stay ahead, consistently. While the
series has coincided with what has been a
pretty rough patch for the Indian economy
and companies, with GDP growth slowing
to nearly half, an average of 5% per year
from the peak, what has been an eyeopener for me has been the fact that one of
the biggest challenges most CEOs complain
about is talent and how to ensure you have
a team that delivers - especially when the
‘bench’ is getting younger and younger.
The last is a big issue because youngsters
who have just entered the work force
– Generation Y , the ‘millennials’, or
‘liberalizations’ children’ (those born in the
late 80’s and 90’s in the Indian context)
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are unique and are disrupting the old rules
of engagement.
The English language broadcast news
media is a good place to study this
‘Generation Y’ because the sector is new,
(the oldest private news channel in IndiaNDTV is 25 years old), and because it is
often driven by the young. The average age
in most newsrooms is 30. Before we look at
how this trend has impacted the business
of news, it is important to understand what
this generation is like.
Academics and researchers studying this
‘Generation Y’ have identified interesting
characteristics. Authors William Strauss
and Neil Howe, credited with coining the
term ‘Millennials’, described them as a
“civic-minded” generation with a strong
sense of community, both local and global.
Jean Twenge, the author of the 2006 book
Generation Me, believes Millennials are
part of what she calls “Generation Me”
with attributes ranging from confidence
and tolerance to a sense of entitlement and
even narcissism!
Ask people about the so called Millennials
in India and you will get similar reactions.
Most agree that they are self-assured,
strong willed and confident. They are
also ‘doers’ who want to give back to
the community and hence are passionate
about causes (evident in the ground swell
against the Nirbhaya rape case in Delhi last
year.) Not surprisingly then that they often
question the status quo at work.
While generalizations can often be wrong
– there is some logic to it.
In my experience of Generation Y in
newsrooms and across offices, I find them
self assured and clear about what they
want. This is thanks partly to economic
growth and better disposable incomes in
households which have added a blanket
of financial security for them. Research
also points out how educated upwardly
mobile parents have instilled the sense of
self worth and confidence that defines the
Millennials.
At the work place this means that for Gen
Y a job is not something they necessarily
need to do to make a living. It is a choice
they make based on what they enjoy and
are passionate about. This could be open
to change. And ‘careers’ are often a work
in progress.
While this gives Gen Y a lot of room to
enjoy work and hence make a mark in the
‘right’ job - it also means the opposite is
true and companies have to work hard to
keep them interested. With information a
click away, the possibility of getting back
to campus anywhere in the world easy, and
new sectors and opportunities opening up,
walking out of a job is easy and attrition
numbers prove many are doing this.
For organizations and team leaders this
poses a clear challenge – how do you first
attract and then retain good talent and plan
for attrition too.
This is a continuous challenge. Old
values of brand, loyalty and legacy don’t
seem to work as well as they used to but
expectations are high. At every stage
managers have to actively engage with
employees, communicate, recognize their
teams work and contribution. Criticism has
to be constructive and organizations have
to be open and clear in setting expectations.
Since individualism defines Generation
Y–companies have to be able to use the
strengths this talent pool offers. Often
that means a serious mental shift to
accommodate a more ‘bottoms up’
approach that allows GenY to ideate,
and be creative. Companies also have to
invest time and energy on these employees
through mentoring and training to ensure
that they go beyond themselves and have
the emotional intelligence to lead teams
in the future.
In the hyper active and competitive world
of broadcast news TV, the dominance of
Gen Y, rapid growth and the challenging
environment in which news channels work
have combined to redefine the business
and most organizations are working hard
to correct the problems.
The period between 2005-10 saw a burst
of activity in the broadcast news media
with multiple news channels coming up
and stand alone TV stations becoming
networks launching multiple niche
channels. This led to a boom - increasing
the demand for talent and media schools.
As a result, till 2010 it wasn’t uncommon to
find someone with 5 years experience who
had switched as many jobs and managed
a fat pay hike each time. As new channels
launched good talent was scarce and so
most tapped into rivals, wooing talent with
top money. In an increasingly competitive
marketplace talent acquisition became the
key to success and over time also became
a big cost to bear. With running costs
increasing year after year most channels
cut back on training. The frenzied 24/7
coverage of news anyway meant that most
people learnt on the job.
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91
This frenzy didn’t last long and by 2010
the signs of stress were clear. With the
economy slowing, ad revenue falling and
little innovation that would have expanded
audiences, news channels began to sport a
bloated middle that had been pushed up
with the tide, too fast and an inexperienced
and yet costly bottom rung.
Over the next 2 years, as growth slowed
the cuts have been sharp across the board
and most channels have also tried to lean
on increasingly younger teams to manage
the floor. Programming has been crunched,
innovation curtailed and across channels
the focus seems to be on a few shows,
mostly studio based programs, that don’t
require high costs or a diverse talent pool.
The last 2 years have also seen major
job cuts with TV 18 one of the largest
news networks in India, leading the way
announcing over 350 job cuts last year.
Most networks followed.
While this and a tranche of fresh capital
have worked to balance costs in the short
term, many of us are today grappling with
serious issues. Issues that could be similar
across stressed sectors.
1. Constant pressure to keep costs down,
given the slowdown has meant that
there are constraints on recruiting
experienced (and so more expensive)
talent which can really help innovate
and disrupt – both of which are essential
for growth
2. A missing middle (given that most
of the job losses were from here ) has
also meant the absence of critical line
managers to run the show and bring
the stability required
3. An increasingly younger workforce that
needs to be trained
4. A young leadership cadre that has to
deliver with all the above constraints,
in a hyper competitive marketplace
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If this is the challenge among the smaller
companies bigger firms have a different set
of problems. While these companies have
the size, vintage, structures and processes
to ensure a balance between experience
and adrenaline i.e. youth They too face a
demographic challenge and these are as
damaging if not addressed fast. Their key
issues include
1. How to attract the right young talent
2. The need to skill them so that they can
effectively contribute and keep pace
with the demands on the ground
3. Developing a leadership cadre that can
take on increasing responsibility as
companies expand and deal with more
complex challenges
4. The challenge of scaling up talent
acquisition and training
Talent is clearly at the heart of the
challenge of companies. While at a larger
level problems are deep i.e. an education
system that stresses more on theory and
rote than practical real life experience
and an inadequate vocational skilling
ecosystem that has handicapped young
entrants and companies alike, companies
can address specific problems through a
focused approach. Here are four steps that
have worked for us especially when you
are working with Gen Y.
1) Get them interested : This is really at
the heart of it all and money or the starting
salary is only one small part of it. Leaders
need to really be able to spot the right talent
that is genuinely interested in the line of
work that you are offering or is clearly
inclined towards it. This is particularly
true in the media business where work
environments are stressful with long hours,
tight deadlines and fierce competition that
forces you to be a step ahead to survive.
2) Keep them engaged : this is a continuous
exercise and goes beyond simple hand
holding to ease them into a role. Managers
need to constantly communicate and
engage with Gen Y and reinforce their
contribution. They also need to mentor
them and help them keep sight of their
larger goals so that they know how the
work they do is adding up.
3) Be clear: Companies have to communicate
continuously - defining work briefs and
setting expectations. At the same time firms
also need to be transparent on policies and
decisions taken. Engagement with Gen Y
has to be a 2 way process
4) Challenge them to improve and push
their limits : This is especially important
for the Millennials because they have a
real need to do something new. This can
be done by giving them different kinds of
roles and opportunities or different kind of
projects to keep them constantly engaged.
This in the long run will also create loyalty
and give the sense that their work and
efforts are adding up to something much
larger.
While these are things that organizations
should keep in mind – there are three
things that they shouldn’t do
1) Don’t Pull them up too fast – no matter
how brilliant an employee is, you have
to pace growth. Too much responsibility
and authority too early could be counterproductive – so much so that the employee
can lose sight of the factors that got him
or her there in the first place
2) Don’t miss training - Individual
brilliance doesn’t mean you are a great
manager who can deliver – especially in
the case of the Millennials, companies
have to invest in training them to be
good managers and team leaders with the
requisite EQ to manage peers and teams
and inspire them.
3) Don’t forget HR Processes -The process
of attracting the right kind of talent,
training them, skilling them, mentoring
them and engaging with them has to be
continuous and processes and structures
need to be put in place for this.
Often the task of managing a young and
restless talent pool can seem daunting –
but every time it does, I remember my
conversation with N Chandrasekaran, the
CEO of TCS. Chatting on the sidelines of
my interview with him he told me how the
average age of the over 250,000 employees
in TCS is just 27. These employees work in
many centres across the world and often
many of them are in teams that are doing
super critical work. Chandra says that at
every stage efforts are made to engage,
train and inspire these employees and the
question - ‘How best can we do this?’ takes
a lot of his own personal time.
Hearing the head of India’s largest, and
lately most successful IT company , I had
two thoughts cross my mind. First that
our own challenges in dealing with the
demographics seemed small compared
to those of a company the size of TCS.
And second that perhaps the changes this
demographic profile forced on TCS - in
its mindset and approach to employees,
helped the company transform itself into
a nimble, smart and fast company that
rose to be India’s most valued IT firm in
a tough market environment!
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93
MOVING BEYOND ‘AGE’
PRINCE AUGUSTIN, NAMRATA, RAGHAV and NEHA
About the Authors
Prince Augustin is the Executive Vice President - Group Human
Capital & Leadership Development, Mahindra Group. Prince
has over 30 years of Industry experience in various facets of the
Human Resources function with leading Indian and Multinational
corporations. He is on the Board of National HRD Network,
Member-Governing Council of Learning and Organizational
Development (L&OD) Roundtable in India and Society of Indian
Automotive Manufacturers (SIAM) Human Capital Group. He also
serves on the Boards of Mahindra Group companies Mahindra First Choice Services
Ltd, Mahindra Namaste Pvt. Ltd and as the Chairman of Mahindra Contech Ltd.
Namrata is a B.Tech in Electronics from Punjab University and
M.Tech gold medallist from NIIT Kurukshetra. She heads OD and
talent management for Farm and Auto businesses of the Mahindra
Group. Namrata is a certified behaviour analyst in MBTI, FIRO B
and MaC Quaig and has published in IEEE, Microelectronics and
Reliability, Human capital and NHRD. In October, 2010 she was
awarded the ‘Best upcoming Women Leader of India’ by WILL
forum.
Raghav, a postgraduate from XLRI Jamshedpur, works in the
Group HR team of Mahindra & Mahindra and is a part of the Group
Management Cadre (GMC) program of M&M.
Neha did her MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur in
2013. As part of the Group Management Cadre
program of the Mahindra Group, she currently
works in the Organization Development team at the Mahindra
Auto and Farm Equipment Sectors.
Introduction
“
M
ove fast and break things. Unless
you are breaking stuff, you are not
moving fast enough", says the 29 year old
CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg – a
man who built a company that took over
the world in the last one decade. The
quote characterizes the future: disruptive,
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fast and increasingly social. Right from
‘anytime, anywhere’ services via mobile
apps to entire governments being brought
down by leveraging social networks;
everything is going through a paradigm
shift. One can see the emergence of a new
set of beliefs founded on a more open set
of values, leading to disruptive change,
across technology, society or business. This
new set of beliefs and values when brought
into the organization (in form of Gen Y
employees) has the potential to create
friction or breakthrough performance,
depending on the way it is harnessed.
In order to succeed, organizations need
to align to the new ‘work values’. For
instance, today, the spirit of constantly
challenging the status quo or collaborating
through technology is crucial. GenY,
being born and brought up in this new
world order, has a head start when it
comes to leveraging technology.
Organizations need to embrace this new
work culture which both increases the
speed and scale of execution and helps
align the different groups of people spread
across diverse geographies, businesses and
age groups.
In this article we look at some of these
new age work values and move away
from the usual definition of Gen Y merely
by age.
A peep into the Gen Y world
A study of the various research articles
on Gen Y summarize their world view
as below:
Views on…
• Life: I will change the world
• Work: I work to make a difference
• Relationships: I am connected with
everyone
• Workstyles: Network and teamwork
• Value Systems: Look around and adapt
to what’s new
• Technology: I can employ it
Research reveals that they seek variety
at work and constantly want to enhance
themselves with new experiences.
According to a Corporate Executive Board
(CEB) research in India, Gen Y employees
who have a high intent of staying with their
current organization are more likely to do
so due to future career opportunities (80%)
and development opportunities (70%) than
other important factors like compensation
(61%). A good salary is important to them
but not at the cost of personal time, which
is to be used for pursuing their interests.
A clear difference is also emerging in the
learning style of Gen Y, which has become
more technology-oriented and social. This
is the era of just in time learning and
Internet is used as a tool to participate and
build common knowledge.
In the organizational context, it is important
to see the above world views in line
with the external realities which are
now characterized by a familiar term
VUCA – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex
and Ambiguous. The challenge for
organizations is therefore to work on
systems which recognize these world views
while creating value in the marketplace.
Finding Answers in the Organizational
Context
In the above context it is clear that the
whole model of how employees are looked
at by organizations needs a total revamp.
Earlier, organizations looked at people
(or human resources) as those which
need to be recruited for a job, trained and
if found working well, then retained by
compensating for performance.
This model of give and take is now
undergoing a shift to relationship based
management. With the intervention of
technology, changing learning styles and
a high focus on work life imperative, the
new mantra is to build relationship capital
with employees. It starts by initiating,
developing and evolving relationships as
described in Figure 1 below.
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95
Figure 1: Moving beyond ‘Give and
Take’ to ‘Building Relationships’
It is the Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
of an organization that guides it in this
journey and also acts as a communication
tool for the current and prospective
employees as to what they can expect
from the organization. This EVP, when
translated into organizational practices,
leads to a consistency in experience which
not only reinforces the brand but also
enhances the trust between organization
and employees. And this trust plays the
major role in evolving relationships.
Talking of EVPs, it has been a common
myth that Gen Y is more attracted to
organizations having a ‘trendy’ or a
youthful employer brand. However, CEB
research shows that in India, seven of the
top 10 preferences for joining an employer
are common across generations. Gen Y
stands out only in its strong preference
for innovation at the workplace, which
in any case is a robust business need
rather than a need to create connect
with Gen Y. It is therefore suggested
that organizations must communicate
a universal employment brand that
emphasize on the characteristics of the
organization that appeal most strongly
across generations. At Mahindra, after a
thorough research, we have formulated
our EVP which not only resonates strongly
with our brand pillars but also connects
deeply with the employees. One strong
reason for this connect are the efforts
we have put in to design and deliver on
experiences as promised under our EVP.
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We propose that future ready organizations
align with four defining values in order
to create a connect with Gen Y and sustain
performance in the marketplace. In each
one of them, through some examples, we
will see how we at Mahindra have tried to
initiate, develop and evolve relationships
with the Gen Y employees.
A future organization must:
1. Constantly challenge the status quo
– embrace change and dynamism
through technology
2. Endorse flexibility – at work and
outside of it
3. P r o v i d e c o n t i n u o u s f e e d b a c k ,
recognition and opportunity
4. Be collaborative & inclusive – work
interactions which are not linear, but
rather chaotic and span locations/
geographies
Constantly challenge the status quo
The Gen Y think, communicate and learn in
sync with today’s information environment.
They are passionate about innovation,
fast progress and entrepreneurship.
Organizations can help encourage this
by providing a platform for working on
great ideas with other great people around.
The Mahindra War Room, a business case
study competition at premier B-Schools
of the country, is one such platform
which not only gives a chance to some
of the brightest Gen Y undergrads in the
country to present their business plans
to the Top Management of Mahindra but
also projects a brand externally which is
open, innovative and aggressive. Since
its inception, the Mahindra War Room
has consistently been among the top
ranked B-School competitions according
to AC Neilson study and has helped the
Mahindra brand in hiring from the same
campuses.
Internally, we have the concept of ‘Shadow
Boards’ where young out performers
across companies come together to
critique the functioning of businesses
and recommend strategies to the top
management. Over the past years some
great ideas have emerged out of Shadow
Boards, including the one for diversifying
into the commercial vehicles segment.
Such platforms help attract and engage
the Gen Y along with developing some
of the future leaders for the organization.
The challenge here is to design an objective
and transparent method of selecting young
employees for these prestigious programs
as everyone wants to be a part of such
forums providing which helps them with
visibility, challenges and great learning
opportunities. Over the years we have
worked on our talent management process
to help us bring together the brightest
youngsters around.
Endorse flexibility – at work and
outside of it
Learning agility is a hallmark of the
emerging workforce. There is a need
to constantly feed into their skill sets.
Organizations like McDonald’s promote
the “Learn and Earn” concept. While
ordinarily people would have to quit
their jobs and attended college full time,
McDonald’s supports their education both
in terms of program design and the number
of days needed to attend college.
Work-life balance is crucial but is not only
about going home to family. It is also about
how life balances at work. One example
is a large online travel portal - it has inhouse ‘Hackathons’ in which a bunch of
employees get together and hack code all
night — a 24-hour event that the COO
fondly dubs “pajama party” which gives
rise to many innovations. At Mahindra,
we believe that good skills can lead to
some great work, but for excellence one
must have a passion for something. To
ignite this passion for automobiles and
give direction to the ones who already
have, we started with something known
as ‘Auto Passion’. Under this initiative we
launched India’s first auto centric quiz,
Auto Quotient, in association with NDTV,
aimed at showcasing the battle within
India’s engineering brigade and to prove
who’s got the higher Auto Quotient. It
also acts as a powerful tool for employer
branding in campuses and on similar lines
we also started Farm Passion and lined
related initiatives under it to connect with
rural India.
On the other aspect of work-life, we
have just embarked on the journey
by attempting to optimize work place
flexibility through flexi time and work
from home options keeping in mind not
just the age factor but also the diversity
factor. Research in this area, for India,
shows a different picture than generally
assumed for Gen Y. CEB’s analysis
shows that in India, younger generations’
preferences about work-life balance
are very different from more mature
economies like US and Europe where
youth are more focused on the ‘life’
part. Attitudes do not converge globally
until workers reach their late 50s. One
must therefore design work-life balance
programs with caution as they cater to the
individual needs of the employees and
their country of work rather than making
generalizations by age group. Having
said that, as businesses expand globally
to encompass different time zones and
holiday calendars, keeping ‘work’ and
‘life’ disjointed may be slightly difficult
as coordination and dependencies across
geographies may exist.
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97
Continuous feedback, recognition and
opportunity
Generation Y leaders crave attention in
the forms of feedback and guidance. They
appreciate being kept in the loop and seek
frequent praise and reassurance. ‘Manager
connect’ is an important influencer as per
a recent Aon Hewitt study done on Gen Y
in India. They may benefit greatly from
mentors who can help guide and develop
their young careers. Many of the young
guns in our organization frequently seek
“sounding boards” to discuss their issues
and often come back with logical, practical
ways to deal with them. Based on an
employee insights study, Recognition has
been made a key element of our employee
value proposition. At Mahindra, we have
a plethora of awards both monetary and
informal which can be given by any
Manager anytime during the year, within
a specific quota governed by an online
rewards portal.
Organizational systems and learning
interventions will have to promptly
answer questions such as “where is my
career going?” Clearly, transparency is the
key. Legacy and tenure are increasingly
being replaced by clear performance
metrics. Most companies are looking to
start youngsters on career pathing much
earlier and enabling them to fill multiple
roles across the organization in their first
7-10 years. TAS (Tata Administrative
services) or our Mahindra GMC program
for example, places people across group
companies and people emerging from
these programs become the next-generation
leaders for the organization. We recently
launched an online career pathing tool
called ‘mPower’ which enables employees
to establish their dream career path in the
organization. Employees are very excited
about this tool but the challenge here is to
manage their aspirations and organization
reality.
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Collaborative and inclusive mindset
Young leaders seek perspectives from
people across locations, backgrounds and
functions. In fact, the way they interact and
work may seem disorderly and chaotic
but technology ensures that results are
better without compromising the speed
of decision making. Getting access to a
wide network of expert collaborators will
become crucial, as more and more views
will be required for decision-making.
Pervasive data networks will become even
more important as data and insight will be
required across many more locations and
channels to support distributed decision
making. We recently launched the concept
of ‘policy co-creation’ where employees
suggest changes and modifications in
organizational policies and procedures.
Employees welcome this as they get an
opportunity to define their workplace.
An added bonus is that we sometimes
end up getting some remarkable ideas
from employees. When we recently
launched our electric vehicle, Reva E2O
employee purchase scheme, we received
great branding and promotion ideas
from employees who are in this case the
‘customers’.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that Tomorrow’s Leaders
will be in charge of the future. The way we
move employees across the organization,
the way we appraise them, the types of
rewards and how we think about work
and engagement need to undergo a shift to
establish lasting relationships with people,
keeping in mind the business realities.
Many HR organizations have built linear
models for progression, articulated job
descriptions using competency models,
and defined work processes in an orderly
fashion. While all this work is extremely
valuable, we need to make it all the more
dynamic as the business models themselves
are constantly evolving. Peter Drucker has
said, “The leader of the past knew how to
tell, but the leader of the future will know
how to ask.” The responsibility is on us to
prepare our future leaders to ask the right
questions which will enable them to lead
our businesses in their own special way.
References:
Managing Gen Y at the workplace – 6 Myths Series, Corporate Executive Board (CEB), 2011
Driving Breakthrough Performance in the New Work Environment, CEB Corporate Leadership Council, 2012
Multi Generations in the Workforce: Building Collaboration, Vasanthi Srinivasan, IIM Bangalore, March 2012
Big demands and high expectations, The Deloitte Millennial Survey, January 2014
Authors:
Prince Augustin, Executive Vice President-Group HR and Leadership Development, Mahindra Group
Namrata Gill, Vice President-HR, Capability Building, OD and Talent Management, Auto and Farm Equipment Sectors, Mahindra &
Mahindra
Raghav Pareek, Manager, M&M
Neha Londhe, Manager, M&M
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
99
CHALLENGES FACED BY THE GEN Y WOMAN IN
TODAY’S WORKPLACE
MONA CHERIYAN
About the Author
Mona Cheriyan is the HR Director and member of the Advisory
Board of ASK Investment Managers Pvt Ltd. She is also the
President of the WoMentoring Committee of the National HRD
Network, Mumbai Chapter. She has a rich and varied experience
of over 26 years. Prior to ASK, she was associated with Oracle,
Essar Group, NIIT & Sophia Polytechnic in various capacities.
Mona has been the recipient of the “Super Achievers Award”
by the Indira Group of Institutes for outstanding achievement
in the field of Human Resources in 2007, the “HR Leadership Award” awarded by
the Employer Branding Awards in 2008 and the “Women Super Achiever Award”
awarded by the World HRD Congress for 2009.
The reality is that the talent crunch has
been hiding in plain sight. Every year,
large numbers of college-educated women
enter the Indian professional workforce.
Yet somehow this rich talent pool has
been ignored, overlooked and underutilized. An important reality is that
highly educated “white collar” women
are entering the workforce in the Indian
market. What attributes do these women
share? As the first generation to enter
the professional workforce in sizeable
numbers, what is the scope of their
ambition? How does our Indian culture
support or derail their aspirations? What
are organisations doing to attract and
retain this tranche of talent?
Diversity and inclusion have been steadily
gaining traction in corporate India in recent
years. Much of this is centered on gender
diversity, and companies are beginning to
realize the business imperative of hiring
women and creating an equitable work
environment. But there is another aspect
that human resource managers in India
need to wake up to: The importance of
effectively managing a multigenerational
workforce.
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One may argue that organizations across
the world have always had to manage a
multigenerational workforce. While that
is true, India’s demographics are creating
some unique challenges. Even as the world
is graying, India is getting younger. By
2020, the average Indian will be only 29
years of age compared with 37 in China
and the U.S., 45 in Western Europe and
48 in Japan. Currently, more than half of
India’s population is less than 25 years
of age. Employees come from different
regions, religions, linguistic traditions,
castes, communities, culinary tastes, races
and genders. A generational difference
adds another layer of complexity. This
creates a workforce that can find itself
divided in more ways than comparable
workforces in most countries.
To be successful in India, employers
must rely on the country’s exceptionally
educated and ambitious professional
workforce. Unlike in some European
countries where the workforce size is
shrinking, India’s working-age population
is on the rise, steadily growing through
the last years, and expected to continue
to do so in the future. But attracting and
retaining these valued employees – and by
association, their skills and experience -continues to be a challenge. Large numbers
of employees in India are under the age
of thirty; they have new expectations
about fitting together jobs and family life,
and they are speaking loudly about their
desires to be able to balance work and life.
Today’s Gen Y has a completely
different perspective about work. While
earlier women entered the workforce
to supplement an income, today the
motivator is a “career” in addition to
money. The Gen Y woman is clearly
aspiring for the top job and not content
with just “any job”. Her focus is to
compete with the best in class colleagues
and deliver her best.
Discrimination is an ongoing issue—in
both local and global companies. Gender
bias, centered on executive presence
and communication style, continues to
limit women’s careers in India. Cultural
constraints also limit women’s upward
mobility. Because of societal disapproval
of women traveling alone in India, women
often eschew customer/client-facing
roles which involve frequent business
trips. This tends to “cap” their careers.
Safety concerns are a fact of daily life for
professional women in India. Families
frown upon working late, especially
younger women and often this hinders
their work life.
Survey results1 indicate that gender and
age may have a compounding effect. Gen
Y women who had experienced gender
discrimination were more likely to report
generational conflict or discrimination
than those who had not. Fifty-one percent
of Gen Y women who observed or
experienced gender discrimination also
reported generational discrimination.
The types of generational or age
discrimination reported included:
being perceived as incompetent or
inexperienced because of age; name calling
such as “kid” and “girl”; being passed
over for promotions because of age; and
being held to different standards because
of age. The findings corroborate with
previous studies on the gender dimension
of ageism. One study found that in the
age group 16-24, women appeared to
be at more of an age disadvantage than
men in the same age group. According
to the researchers, “Being female tended
to intensify age prejudice and ‘double
jeopardy’ was reinforcing rather than
simply additive.”
Working mothers in India are able to aim
high, in part, because they have more
shoulders to lean on than their Western
peers when it comes to childcare. Between
hands-on extended family, inexpensive
domestic help and an increasingly wide
range of daycare options, professional
women in India are not sidelined by
motherhood. But while childcare may
not be a heavy burden, eldercare is and
will only get worse. Almost all highly
qualified women in India already have
significant eldercare responsibilities,
with a fair number having parents or
parents-in-law living with them. In fact,
“daughterly guilt” can outweigh “maternal
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
101
guilt” among professional women as they
juggle careers with family responsibilities.
Chief among the obstacles to a woman’s
ability to contribute is the realities of the
workplace. With few supports to help
them manage their jobs and families,
women drop out of the professional ranks
at dramatically higher rates than their
Asian counterparts, severely diminishing
the pool of women available for senior
level positions. This so-called “leaky
pipeline” is poised to have significant
economic consequences for employers
who stand to lose these accomplished
women at precisely the moment in their
mid-careers when their knowledge and
ability to contribute is on the rise.
According to a Catalyst study, women in
India reported higher levels of difficulty
managing work and family demands
compared to men, 52% of women
compared to 39% of men. Men were more
likely to say that managing work and
personal life came “easy” to them, 61%
of men compared to 48% of women. 67%
of women agreed that their company
provides enough flexibility, compared
to 75% of men. Women were less likely
than men to convey that their workplace
met their expectations in terms of flexibility,
33% of women compared to 26% of men.
My experience has shown that the greatest
level of female attrition occurs at the
middle-manager level, when conflict is
especially acute around career objectives,
integrating family and professional
priorities, and insufficient training to reach
the top. The numbers of women decline
steeply the higher up the ladder you go,
from 53 percent at entry level down to
just 19 percent of executives in the C-suite.
The drop-off is even more dramatic in
India where a mere five percent of top
leadership and Board members are women.
A recent government bill mandating that
public companies in India must have at
least one woman director is a step in the
right direction. But it looks at the problem
from only one angle — that of creating
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opportunities for women versus what it
will take to build a sustainable pipeline
within organizations. This makes it an
organizational and HR imperative to
rebalance gender diversity efforts away
from merely filling leadership/board and
spots toward both reversing the trend and
building the pipeline early.
What can organizations do to retain
the women in their workforce?
I have found, regardless of what Gen Y
women expect to achieve through their
work or what motivates them to do work,
they report five features that enable them
to do their work:
• clear understanding of goals and
expectations;
• open communication channels;
• encouragement from co-workers and
supervisors;
• having voice heard; and
• clear understanding of roles and
responsibilities.
Sustained interventions toward these goals
should include a process of identifying
high-potential women as early as 3-4 years
into their professional careers. The Gen Y
woman needs to be nurtured by providing
development trainings and mentoring. It
is crucial to help them to create career
maps and address barriers to advancement.
Offering family care supports to make it
possible to successfully manage career and
family is also a way to address the needs
to the Gen Y woman. Organizations that
plant the seed early have been singularly
able to grow a pool of talented women,
create a wealth of role models for young
professional women to aspire to, and
retain the knowledge base these talented
women represent.
While Gen Y women’s experiences vary,
when faced with workplace challenges
young working women largely apply
individual solutions to workplace
challenges rather than working through
or with their employer. For example, the
most reported strategies for achieving
work-life balance included: paying
attention to health, getting sufficient sleep
and taking vacation time as strategies they
have used to achieve work-life balance.
Far fewer women have taken actions
related to their organizations or their
work. Only one in ten women discussed
work-life balance challenges with their
manager or human resource department.
Similarly, Gen Y women’s actions to
confront gender discrimination focus on
individual solutions.
More than 40% of Gen Y women have
confronted managers and colleagues
about the discrimination observed or
experienced, 14% have left an employer
over discrimination and only 13% have
reported discrimination to human
resources. The findings suggest that Gen
Y women may be unaware of employerbased solutions to workplace challenges;
employers may not be addressing the
needs of Gen Y women; and or employers
may not provide uniform solutions to
workplace challenges confronting Gen Y
women. The lack of employee/employer
engagement in solving workplace
challenges may contribute to the inequities
experienced by Gen Y women.
I believe employers should acknowledge
the needs of the workforce and gear
themselves towards more effectively
recognizing employees at different life
stages. Maternity leaves, for example,
often negatively impact performance
appraisals, with women who take
such time automatically deemed less
competitive than their peers. This begins
a chain reaction of diminished roles,
significant slowdown in pay and growth,
low representation in conventional
reward systems (e.g., short- and long-term
incentive programs, trainings, critical
assignments), and finally, inevitable
questions about whether the tradeoff to return to work is worth it. It is
at this moment that women are most
vulnerable to dropping out. In order to
avoid these vicious cycles, organizations
need to think about recognition systems
that value these women and effectively
integrate them back into the workforce
following leaves. Such programs should
help returning women fast-track skill
gaps and become mentors for others
about managing work and family while
providing a performance-rating system
that ensures a woman can resume her
career trajectory following leave.
Changing course I am sure will require a
concerted effort by employers. Building
engagement in particular – the key to
creativity, innovation, and productivity
– will necessitate that employers offer
assistance that helps women grow their
careers, navigate stress, and satisfy their
desires for a balance of work and life.
Those who recognize these challenges and
respond to them will realize energized
workforces able to capitalize on both the
potential of the overall talent pool, and
the considerable contributions presented
by India’s increasingly career-focused and
ambitious young professional women.
Reference
1.
2.
Kara Nichols Barrett ,“From Gen Y Women To Employers: What They Want In The Workplace And Why It Matters For
Business”, Research on Career Choices, Challenges and Opportunities, Business and Professional Women’s (BPW) Foundation,
October 2011. http://bpwfoundation.org/documents/uploads/YC_SummaryReport_Final_Web.pdf Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Ripa
Rashid, “The Battle for Female Talent in Emerging Markets”, The Globe, March 2010.
Laura Sabattini, Nancy M. Carter, “Expanding Work-Life Perspectives: Talent Management in Asia”, Catalyst, May 16, 2012.
http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/expanding-work-life-perspectives-talent-management-asia
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
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BUILDING A BRAND
AMULEEK SINGH BIJRAL
About the Author
Corporation
Amuleek Singh Bijral is the CEO and founder of Mountain
Trail Foods private limited and building arguably India’s first
organized tea anchored retail chain by the name of Chai Point.
Amuleek Singh Bijral is a full-time MBA graduate from Harvard
Business School, class of 2006. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in
Electrical engineering from T.I.E.T Patiala. He was the Managing
Director, RSA for India and SAARC before starting this venture.
Prior to his MBA, he worked in multiple roles at Microsoft
I
am writing on a topic that engages me
constantly as the founder of a start-up
F&B consumer company. Our company’s
progress towards building a brand is in its
early stages and I cannot claim at all to be
an expert on the topic. We have covered
a very small part of the long journey and
little else. I can only hope that my curiosity
and focus on the subject will raise some
productive thoughts in the reader’s mind.
Background
A business becomes a brand when it
occupies a place in the heart and minds
of consumers and they start thinking of
it as an individual with whom they have
a relationship. In the process it starts
acting like a mirror to customers – real or
perceived. Trust, faith, delight, positivity,
beauty, inspiration and many more such
elements of emotions or feelings become
recall factors for the brand. The underlying
business transaction becomes somewhat
secondary. An innate thing starts acquiring
a persona. How amazing!
This takes years and often decades. All
this, while maintaining a relentless focus
on the customer in fast changing markets
that call for ceaseless innovation, a resilient
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team, luck and lots more. It is a thrilling
and a tough endeavour. But there are
surely great consumer brands with riveting
stories that see the light of the day. I have
to admit that for me the most fascinating of
such stories have unfolded internationally.
I know that there are some great Indian
businesses and many good Indian brands
but when we talk, of the greatest, only
international ones come to my mind.
I always used to wonder why this is the
case? The answer is still not fully clear to
me. I am beginning to suspect though that
with our gradual recognition globally and
an associated build-up of confidence and
talent, this will soon be a miss of the past.
For a viable business to hopefully rise to
a level of a brand, it has to be built with a
set of beliefs and ideals. By this I mean a
very crisp articulation of what the business
believes in, how these beliefs are for the
greater good of the consumer and society
as a whole and how it intends to operate
and achieve these beliefs. A relentless
pursuit of these ideals and beliefs by the
founding team is essential for a business
to acquire a brand personality. And this
is no easy task. It takes 5 - 10 years or
more – in my mind, at least in the Indian
context – before a business gets firmly on
to the rails of a core value proposition and
profitability. And these are 5-10 years of
ceaseless execution and often hit-and-trail
learning. To persist for such a long period
in getting a business off the ground is rare,
tough and foremost so fortunate. To do
so with a set of beliefs and ideals, is even
rare. No wonder it is so thrilling to see
great brands emerge.
Sustaining a brand’s belief system
The question that I bring up for reflection
here is as follows - How do we ensure that
the belief and ideals initially formed within
the business never lose their potency but
grow stronger and more viral across all
employees with passage of time? One
can look at this question in a broader
sense and apply it to organizations and
institutions of all sorts but my intention
is to discuss this from a perspective of
a business brand. My views are also led
by my team’s endeavour of building an
F&B brand as an entrepreneurial venture.
I have chalked out time based phases in
the business venture’s evolution to discuss
and evaluate the above posed question. I
have also used the terms CEO and founder
interchangeably – assuming that both are
the same person.
1. Year 0 to Year 1 phase - In my opinion,
this phase needs first and foremost the
CEO or founder’s unwavering focus in
communicating to everyone within the
company a belief system that needs to
be engendered. This while realizing that
his views may not be complete or even
fully correct. His front-deck view has to
give him the confidence on his analysis
and perceptions. This is the stage
when the CEO/founder is engaging
with investors to get their interest and
side by side attracting initial founding
team members or co-founders. In this
stage there is a thrill and head-wind
of the new venture. As one gets some
initial traction here – with investors or
new team members –communicating
the belief system becomes less of a
challenge and more of a delight.
In our case when we started taking
about organized retail for Chai, it
surprisingly, to me, came across as
a bold and perhaps foolish an idea. I
thought of it as a clear cut gap in the
market which was very large. But many
thought of it as something that had
no merit simply because no one had
thought of it as a worthwhile pursuit.
But this made me even more persistent
and passionate. I would go on and on
proclaiming it as a major miss in the
market. There were indeed lot of valid
concerns proposed by many serious
evaluators of the idea. Some VCs felt
that the low ticket size would make it
unviable. I did not have the insight or
even a real appreciation of this feedback
but I still stuck to my guns. My bravado
logic being that once a brand was built
then some premium would get built up
in the offerings and make it viable. And
I very conveniently refused to think as
to who would back it to the stage where
it becomes a brand.
2. Year 1 to Year 2 phase – The CEO
has to ensure that the core team
(slowly taking shape) is continuously
engaged in evaluating the right kind
of belief system for the company to be
successful. This is the stage in which the
new venture is still getting a grip on its
core business. Initial assumptions are
being challenged. Earlier thought target
segments are being reconsidered, cost
overlays occur, time delays are frequent
and products need reconfiguring.
There is reinterpretation of business’s
core focus and so a redefinition of
the business’s belief system. A CEO
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
105
has to engender conflict and debates
around the business. After all there is
substantial diversion from the initial
chalked out route. This phase gives
a good indication of the founder/
CEO’s drive to run the marathon and
importantly the set of initial team
members who are willing to join in the
run.
3. Again for us at Chai Point, this was
a phase when we were forced to
acknowledge and execute a pivot on
our initial plans. We realized that
pursuing blue-collar alongside whitecollar segments would never allow us
to bake in gradual premiums into the
product. And this was essential for
the idea to be financially viable. We
completely shelved blue-collar realestate locations and started focusing
on white collar hubs. I still remember
the tens of hours of debates within our
team on this shift. But thankfully we
aligned and moved ahead. To me as the
CEO, it was still faith that over-rode the
shift while to many in our team it was
a scary turn. To many outsiders it did
seem as if we did not know what we are
trying to do. I was fortunate in having
the support of our angel investors and
as a result I just steamed ahead with this
move. There was no compunction. No
regret.
4. Year 2 to Year 4 phase – This is the phase
where hopefully the core customer
target segment is clearly in sight. This
lends more clarity on business execution
and pace of operations increases. This
leads to newer team members joining
in. They are joining in at a time of
hard arrived at business traction so
the momentum carries them through.
Investors are also often supportive
and often there is capital available to
be deployed. This is the stage in which
the CEO starts seeing a much larger
company for him to singularly engage
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and ensure that all employees have
understood and bought into the brand’s
goals and are working accordingly. The
CEO has to figure out a scalable system
to spread and ingrain the belief system
in every new and old team member in
the company. The questions to reflect
over at this stage include:
a. Who should become the program
manager in driving this belief basis
behind the brand across every
employee in the company? It should
be in my mind the HR leader. What
kind of a person should be the right
HR leader here?
b. What should be the execution plan
behind this agenda? Assuming the
HR leader is the owner for this plan,
what resources would the HR leader
need for this to be done aggressively
on an on-going basis?
c. H o w s h o u l d t h i s e x e r c i s e ’ s
effectiveness be measured?
5. Year 4 to Year 10 phase – This is
the phase wherein the operational
challenges in running the business
take on a new hue. Some of the earlier
leaders find it difficult to adjust to this
reality. The appeal of the early stage
start-up is slowly fading away – no
more cross functional responsibilities,
gut or instinct based decisions are fewer
and more analysis behind decisions is
sought and there is a much more urgent
need to communicate formally so as to
reach out to a larger and often widespread employee base. Some members
of the old core-team may decide to
leave the company. Some new ones
join in and these are typically from
larger established companies. Their
approach to work is more process
driven (typically an area in which the
company is weak) and less driven by
passion. The questions to reflect upon
here include:
a. How to facilitate a strong connect
between the old guard and the new
sr. management joiners?
b. How to ensure that the new joiners
are able to look at the venture with
lens different from the ones in place
in their earlier workplaces?
impact on the whole idea of brand beliefs.
This is no more just a communications
arena. It has a huge operational life of its
own.
HR leader as a brand ambassador
As a CEO of Chai Point, I feel that we have
a very clear business direction ahead of
us. We are growing fast. Our employee
count is increasing dramatically month
on month. We are slowly being noticed
by the largest players in our segment. Our
prelim experimentation is now leading to
a stage where we have to decide whether
we make big bets on some crucial product
development avenues – this implying
major financial and operational obligation.
Amidst all this a culture is spawning within
the company. I often think that I have some
pulse on it but many a times feel that I am
somewhat behind in my perceptions and
need help. I am beginning to feel that we
are at a stage wherein we need a mature
leader to work who will focus on our hiring
and training infrastructure. But critically
do this while partnering with me on
articulating and nurturing our culture. Not
as some goody good extra-mile activity but
something with true operational rigour.
Our company is also just entering the Year
4 to 10 phase and I am getting increasingly
convinced that this stage onwards the
HR leader has a pivotal role to play in
embedding a strong business belief basis
across all employees. The founder-CEO
still has to be the chief force and prime
spokesperson but he needs to act upon a
systemic plan laid out by the HR leader.
There has to be an operational rigor
around establishing and communicating
the business’s belief system. There
are people policy aspects that need to
be carefully tailored to give a deeper
operational authenticity to the brand
beliefs. Recognition and incentives being
an area with the most leverage. Equally
important though are multiple, even if
seemingly minor, aspects of operations
across all functions that jointly create a big
This now brings up an interesting and
the final question for the purpose of this
article. What kind of a HR leader is up
for such a task? Remember the core HR
operations still exist and for a company
at this stage need a whole lot of work.
Number of people continue to increase
fast in the company, processes and policies
still need framing or reframing, training
programs still not very mature – simply put
there is a lot of core HR work to be done.
Yet what is needed is for the HR leader
to undertake all HR operations under
a larger umbrella of establishing a core
belief system throughout the company.
In essence, the HR leader has to lay out a
systemic and operationally rigorous plan
for defining a company’s HR workings
that in turn are based on the business’s
belief system.
c. There is a strong case for formally
arriving at the business’s purpose
of existence and an associated belief
system? A bigger team with new
members needs to keep market
data and insight into perspective
as various brand elements are
discussed. This process of reinfusion of the business’s belief
system needs to happen in a planned
fashion.
d. How should this be done systemically
is the most important question?
How much of this this should be
driven by the HR leader? What role
does the CEO specifically have to
play here?
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
107
Does one pick up a HR leader in the
classic mould? As in someone who has
traditionally led HR operations, ideally, in
the same industry segment. One who has
a proven track record in HR operations
rigor and can easily manage a complex
operation but may not be someone who
has the ring of passion for the business
and brand. Net, should one pick up a
classic mould HR person who will need to
be genuinely initiated into the business’s
belief and purpose before he or she can
lay a similar plan for the entire company.
Or does one find a general management
experienced leader who has a sense of
passion for the industry segment and
finds firm professional meaning it. But
has probably very little or no experience
in classic HR operations. Such a person
will need help and time in successfully
running core HR operations. And time here
may not be something that the company
can afford. As the operation grows, the
people complexity increases rapidly. A
great brand is after all built only on top
of operational excellence.
Where am I leaning on this decision?
One, I have two front runners for the role
and both are women. I have reached the
conclusion that first, what is important
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is the conviction of the right candidate.
That person should give me, as the CEO,
the comfort that I need to take the bet on
her. Conviction matters here. We are at a
stage where HR is the most critical of all
our scaffolding structures. It has to bear
the stress of scale and mistakes in lot of
other functional areas. I see our culture as
the safety net that will allow us to recover
from our mistakes. That candidate has to
exude confidence in stitching that safety
net. I firmly do think that this has little to do
with prior work-experience but lot more to
do with a certain love for situations where
one’s work has monumental implications.
Second, I think I am clear now that I need
to look for genuinely strongly employee
empathy. I am wary of HR jargon that
seems to somehow drain out all the basic
employee friendly emotions. This is a
tricky one though. With scale and speed,
you do need a certain objectivity that
can portray one as being as somewhat
distant, especially in context of employee
management. Humour here I feel has a role
to play. It’s tough to perceive hard-driving
professionals as lacking in empathy if they
go about their jobs with a smile always
handy. And yes, at the time of writing
this article. I am yet to make my decision.
And like the reader, I look forward to a
successful conclusion.
SCHOOL LEADER TRAINING: CRITICAL MISSING
LINK IN SCHOOL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
ASHISH DHAWAN
About the Author
Ashish Dhawan is the CEO of Central Square Foundation (CSF), a
philanthropy fund and policy think-tank focused on improving the
quality of school education in India. Prior to founding CSF, Ashish
ran one of India’s leading private equity funds, ChrysCapital.
Ashish is an MBA from Harvard University and a dual bachelor’s
(BS/BA) holder from Yale University.
G
aurav Singh, in his late 20s, is
the founder of the 3.2.1 Education
Foundation which has been running a
government primary school in Mumbai for
the past two years. The school provides
an English-medium primary education
within government infastructure at the
government operating cost per child. His
school is popular in the community as it
enrolls 240 children – in contrast to the
school it replaced that had 26 children
total in the same space. Gaurav, a former
engineer, taught for two years through
Teach for India and then trained as a
school leader through the US-based KIPP
Foundation.
Shalini Sachdev, in her mid-30s, is the
principal of a government school in
Pune that has been run in partnership
with Akanksha and the Thermax Social
Initiatives Foundation. Last year, Class
10 students from her school were the first
ever Pune municipal corporation school
students to take the state board exam in
English. 100% of the students passed, with
72% achieving a first class, demonstrating
that it is possible for children to learn
effectively despite socio-economic obstacles
they face. Shalini, who worked in the
education NGO space prior to becoming a
school leader, is adding to her experience
as a school leader through the India School
Leadership Institute National Fellowship.
Gaurav and Shalini represent the
emergence of a new generation of school
leaders in India. They want to ensure that
India’s education system, the largest in the
world, delivers the demographic dividend
that India’s youth promises. However,
they have to break through a system that
has historically never acknowledged, and
hence neglected the development of school
leaders and made it extremely difficult for
bright, young leaders to enter the space
or make improvements.
School Leadership in India
Research on the importance of school
leadership suggests that it is a key lever
in transforming our education system.
A study by the US-based New Leaders
shows that the effectiveness of the school
principal accounts for 25% of the impact
that schools have on student learning.1
Stanford University Professor Nick Bloom
and his colleagues studied headmasters in
India and globally, and found that a one
point increase on their scoring of school
management practices is associated with
a 10% increase in student performance.2
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
109
Yet, India has neglected the space of
school leadership and the central and
state government have only recently
begun to introduce measures to improve
the selection, training, management and
support of school leaders.
The challenges start at the most basic
level of the presence of a principal in
every school. In 2011-12, only 59% of
primary schools with enrolment of 150
and above and 54% of upper primary
schools with enrolment of 100 and above
had headmasters.
While school leader selection is a state
function, and states have varying
requirements, generally school leaders
in the government system are appointed
based on seniority of tenure as teachers.
In private schools , most often the school
leader is appointed based on their
performance as a teacher. Neither mode
of school leader selection accounts for
aptitude and experience.
Currently, school leaders in India are
responsible for the entire school but are
typically limited to a purely administrative
role. A 2002 study by Prof. R. Govinda,
currently the head of the National
University of Education Planning and
Administration (NUEPA), on the roles
of head teachers in the management of
elementary schools in six states noted that
centralized management rendered head
teachers completely inactive in school
development planning.3 The study noted
that head teachers could not introduce
a new textbook or course of study, they
had no authority in the school’s financial
management, and they had very limited
role in staff management given that they
are unable to appoint a temporary teacher,
recommend a substitute teacher, or stall/
reverse a transfer order.
The limited view of school leadership is
reflected further in the training for schools
leaders. Currently, there is no special
credential that is required to be a school
leader as long as one is qualified to be a
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
teacher. In the absence of any credential
requirement, there are no post-graduate
degree programmes that school leaders
must have completed.
Within the government system, school
leaders undergo minimal in-service
training once they are appointed. District
Information System for Education (DISE)
data highlights that the total days of inservice training head teachers received
in the 2009-10 academic session ranged
from 0 to 18 days. In states like Bihar,
Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan,
school leaders only receive 2 days of
training. As a result of this lack of training,
they take an administrative approach to
the role, and continue to take a limited
view of the role.
School Leadership Development Efforts
There are various efforts underway to
reform school leadership, to both recruit
and train a new generation of Gauravs
and Shalinis.
In recruitment, a few states such as Gujarat,
Rajasthan and West Bengal have begun
direct recruitment and aptitude testing for
aspiring school leaders. This shift causes
three important results. First, it establishes
the range of competencies for a school
leader as there is a clear rubric on which
candidates are assessed. Second, it ensures
aptitude and merit-based selection for the
role, thereby screening out candidates
that see a limited role for themselves as
school leaders. Finally, it opens up the
realm of school leadership to younger
teachers, who would previously have had
to wait their turn till they could become
school leaders. As these changes are quite
recent, it is important to track the results
of school leaders appointed in this manner
and assess their impact.
School Leader training received a big
boost in 2013, when the National Centre
for School Leadership (NCSL), was
established at the National University of
Educational Planning and Administration
(NUEPA) with support from Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik
Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). The Centre
was established at (NUEPA) to build
leadership capacities for development of
school education in states.
development programme. The curriculum
is a mix of academic and experiential
learning as participants receive exposure
to new ideas combined with intensive
coaching by a seasoned educator at their
school sites.
NCSL has developed a National School
Leadership Framework which outlines the
knowledge, skills and attributes required
of a school head that within the context of
a broader and larger vision for the role of
a school leader. The Framework has been
followed by the creation of National School
Leadership Curriculum that identifies the
requisite content, learning materials and
assessments to guide the training of school
leaders. The phase 1 of this program has
been piloted in 8 states, with plans to
expand to an additional 6 states this year.
ISLI has two year-long programmes –
the National Fellowship and a Delhi
City Fellowship. The national fellowship
includes a three-week academy and six
weeks of additional out-of-school time.
The City Fellowship is being piloted in
Delhi and is designed primarily for school
leaders from affordable private schools
and consists of a week-long academy
and weekend sessions spread across eight
months.
In addition to government efforts, there
have been various non-governmental
organisations that have developed school
leadership programmes. This article
looks at two young organisations that are
leading the development of school leaders
in India – the India School Leadership
Institute (ISLI) and the Kaivalya Education
Foundation (KEF). Both of them have deep
and extensive engagement programmes
with school leaders and combine classroom
learning with coaching and peer support.
India School Leadership Institute
ISLI began in 2013 and is completing its
pilot year. It was founded by a partnership
of organisations with experience in the
education space: Akanksha, Central Square
Foundation, KIPP Foundation and Teach
For India.
ISLI’s curriculum for leadership training
adapts international best practices to
the Indian context. It has drawn heavily
from the strategies of many organisations,
including the KIPP Foundation, which runs
a network of 141 government-supported,
high-achieving schools in low-income
communities across the United States
and is renowned for its school leader
Based on the common traits and practices
of excellent school leaders, six strands form
the framework for ISLI’s programming:
1. Leadership for Equity - Develop
a thorough understanding of the
inequities in education and learn to
set high expectations for the academic,
social, emotional and physical
development of all students from low
income backgrounds.
2. Leadership for Results - Develop a
clear vision, mission, values and goals
for the school and its team, execute
effectively on long and short term plans
and measure student, adult and school
performance using a variety of data.
3. People Leadership - Develop a strong
school culture and manage change
effectively, invest in comprehensive
professional development for staff,
create a collaborative learning
community in the school and celebrate
the team.
4. Personal Leadership - Build awareness
of one’s own strength and areas of
improvement and their impact on
others and the environment.
5. Instructional Leadership - Set a clear
academic vision, demonstrate an
in-depth understanding of effective
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instruction and an ability to support
the team in practising the same.
6. Operational Leadership - Manage
time and resources effectively and
create systems for sustainability and
effectiveness and create school systems
that reflect the school culture and
support student learning.
The goal of the programme is for leaders
trained by ISLI to develop their skills so
that they can transform their schools into
places where low-income students achieve
exemplary learning outcomes and character
values. ISLI will track progress on school
and student performance over the next three
years in these schools to assess the results
of the programme. Over time, the goal is
for these leaders and their schools to serve
as models of excellence across the country.
Kaivalya Education Foundation
Kaivalya Education Foundation is a
pioneer in the school leadership space in
India. Kaivalya’s programmes focus on
government primary schools and since
2008 has worked with 1,235 schools across
the three states of Rajasthan, Maharashtra
and Gujarat. The organisation runs two
related programmes – the School Leader
Development Program and the Gandhi
Fellowship.
The School Leadership Development
Program (SLDP) is a three-year programme
that provides holistic training and support
to the school leaders of government
primary schools. It initiates school leaders
to experientially understand and develop
skills so they can effectively manage
and lead their schools. The programme
inculcates leadership skills and imparts
knowledge to school leaders so that they
can innovate ways for a child to learn
effectively, create a vision for their schools,
manage stakeholders conduct reviews
and assessments productively and solve
problems.
The SLDP curriculum inculcates meaning,
joy, learning and pride in school leaders.
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The programme attempts to build the
integrated capacities of school across four
aspects of school leadership:
1. Personal Leadership: Developing
intrinsic motivation, self-awareness and
ability to critically analyze experiences
and shift own mindsets. Emphasis on
reflective practice, proactive problemsolving and goal-directed planning.
2. Instructional Leadership: Improving
teaching and learning processes and
encouraging adoption of child-centred,
activity-based teaching and learning.
School leaders learn to mentor their
teachers into adopting the attitude and
skills required for making their teaching
more effective and result oriented.
3. Institutional Leadership: Focuses on the
school as a system, improving school
processes and effectively engaging the
stakeholders in the functioning of the
school. The school leader is expected
to design and implement processes to
enable peer-learning and collaboration
among staff, engage families and
the community, and manage the
organisation by strategically allocating
resources and support.
4. Social Leadership: Getting parents and
community involved in the education of
their children, encouraging enrolment
and ongoing participation within
the education system. It encourages
the school leader to involve the
community at various levels
in planning, implementation and
monitoring of the working of the school
by mobilizing and collaborating with
systems that already exist such as
School Development Committees or
Village Education Committees.
Kaivalya’s SLDP is supported by the
Gandhi Fellowship. Fellows are chosen
through a selective process and commit
to two years of supporting school leaders
in government primary schools. Each
Fellow is assigned five schools and tasked
with supporting the school leaders bring
about a significant transformation in
their schools. The role of the Gandhi
Fellows is to help build the school leaders’
leadership capacity, overcome challenges
and improve the quality of learning. They
specifically support the school leader in
creating and implementing the school
development plan.
Opportunities in School Leadership
Development
Despite the pioneering efforts of Kaivalya,
ISLI and others, there is still a huge need
for school leadership training in India.
A key challenge India faces is how to
do school leader training on scale and
training and professional development
departments in corporate bodies have a
large opportunity to developing effective
training programmes.
As the government prepares to strengthen
school leadership training, now is the time
for innovation in training. Companies
with large-scale operations may have
leadership development programmes
that are effective across geographies
and include training and coaching. They
can adapt these to support educational
institutions in developing their leadership
capacity and demonstrate effective
interventions being brought to scale by
the government.
The Companies Act 2013 mandates that
companies of a certain size in India have
to spend up to 2% of their net profits
on corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The new regulations will cover around
16,000 companies. Companies could adopt
schools and their leaders and work to
develop their capacity to deliver quality
learning. The collective potential of
these companies to build the capacity of
community institutions such as schools
is immense.
Another opportunity for companies is for
those that operate schools around their
factories. These companies could invest
in training their school leader and assess
and highlight the impact of this investment.
As their own schools become models of
excellence driven by high quality leaders,
they can demonstrate the importance of
leadership training.
Further, human resource, training and
leadership development professionals
also have a unique opportunity to
contribute with their skills in a unique
way. One challenge in the school
leadership development models is a
shortage of coaches and mentors that
can work with school leaders to provide
them guidance. If individual professionals
could volunteer an hour a week to coach
a school leader it will go a long way in
helping them internalize the theories of
effective school leadership and provide
needed encouragement on their path to
improving their schools.
All of India’s schools are potential gold
mines. They need to be trusted in the
hands of effective leaders. Developing
leadership capacities of the school
heads for quality improvement and
effective management of schools is a
first step toward re-imagining the school
education sector. With the recent progress
in the school leadership space in India,
there is a unique opportunity to create a
new generation of dynamic and effective
school leaders. Gaurav and Shalini are
just two examples of the transformation
that can happen in schools with trained
and motivated leaders.
References (Endnotes):
1.
“Principal Effectiveness: A New Principalship to Drive Student Achievement, Teacher Effectiveness, and School Turnarounds.”New
Leaders. Washington, DC, 2009
2.
Bloom, Nicholas, Rafaella Sadun and John Van Reenen, “Does Management Really Work?” Harvard Business Review.
November 2012.
3.
Govinda, R., Role of Head teachers in School Management in India: Case studies from Six States” The European Commission.
2002.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
113
GEN X AND GEN Y : IS CO-EXISTENCE POSSIBLE?
UMA GANESH
About the Author
Uma Ganesh is the CEO of Global Talent Track, India’s premier
Skills development company, funded by Intel, CISCO and Helion
Ventures. The venture partners with the corporate sector for
capacity building in universities and providing employability
skills to young people in India.
Gen Y comprising of those born between
1980 and 2000 would form close to 75%
of the global workforce by the year 2025.
While it is true that every generation has
got smarter and more prosperous than
the previous one, millennial men and
women born in an environment that has
had transformational impact due to digital
technologies have developed a significantly
different outlook towards various aspects
of life. This is the generation which cannot
imagine life without internet, computers
and mobile.80% of Gen Y is working on
two or more devices while simultaneously
watching TV! So what does all this mean
to the corporates and how do they cope
with Gen Y in the organizational context?
careers albeit mostly in the same location.
Gen Y on the other hand has relatively
much better access to larger amount
of resources and has grown up in an
environment where digital technology has
touched every aspect of their lives. Gen Y
also values education but has been much
better informed and conscious in making
decisions regarding the type of programs
and careers they wish to pursue unlike
Gen X who have had comparatively limited
choices. Gen Y men and women nurture
their careers with great care supported by
active networking and peer influence with
women keen on pursuing their careers of
choice even if it means staying away from
their families.
Recognizing the differences between
Gen X and Gen Y
Fun at Workplace
At the outset, it would be useful to make
a brief comparison of Gen Y with Gen
X. Parents of Gen X grew up in times of
scarcity and limited resources and hence
they were groomed to believe in the values
of focus on hard work, investment in
education and both men and a significant
percentage of women both pursuing their
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It is a fact that most organisations are run
by Gen X comprising of a growing number
of Gen Y employees. The organisation
processes, structure and methods are built
to suit the former and have not changed
much over the years resulting in conflict
with the style and approach required to
deal with Gen Y employees. For instance,
we often refer to Gen Y as lacking work
ethic and not as hardworking as the
previous generation. We fail to recognise
the fact that Gen Y employees love to
mix work with fun. They are as focused
and diligent on completing the work at
hand but do this in their own way. They
are comfortable working from anywhere,
any place and hence work does not suffer.
They may want to enjoy their weekends
but know how to prioritise at times of need
and ensure deliverables are met.
Coping with irreverence
Sometimes Gen Y is criticized for their
irreverence. This is an interesting theme
to delve upon. Firstly because of the
exposure they get, Gen Y employees have
their opinions firmly in place for most of
the things. At the same time, there is a
certain expectation in terms of relationship
that they have of their seniors. It is a fact
that unlike the previous generations where
there was a clear distance between the
parents and the children and the latter used
to look upon their parents with some sort
of fear or reverence, in today’s times, Gen
Y is used to be treated as equals or friends
by their parents. Having grown up thus,
they expect a similar type of relationship
with the adults in the organisation. This
psychology needs to be understood and
appreciated as it becomes easy to give
and take feedback. We need an open and
transparent environment that creates room
for everyone, valuing contribution from
each member of Gen Y or Gen X.
Setting challenging goals
Gen Y gets bored with work that is
repetitive in nature and expects to do
meaningful and challenging work. It is
a fact that every job would have some
routine elements and some elements which
would be interesting and exciting. Gen Y
expects more of the latter, prompted by the
exposure and higher awareness they have
of their environment as compared to the
earlier generations. Therefore managers
have to think of ways of making their
assignments challenging and set tall goals
for the energetic Gen Y.
Supporting aspiration for quick wins
Another concern often heard is the ‘get
successful quick’ syndrome of Gen Y. Gen
Y does not have the patience to slog for
years to attain promotions or to afford a
luxurious lifestyle. They want to make
fast moves and are willing to work hard
to get there, including their ability to take
risks and even pursue entrepreneurial
opportunities to achieve their ambition.
Gen Y employees straddle multiple goals
while they pursue their careers. In a
recently concluded survey among young
IT professionals in Pune, it was interesting
to note that beyond starting on a job
with an IT company and doing an onsite
assignment for a few years in the US,
what they wish to do is to become a ‘rock
star’ or pursue their real interests which
would enable them to get ‘recognised’ by
the media and people far and wide. It is
therefore important for organisations to
rethink their structures and compensation
frameworks. Allowing young people
to don the mantles of responsibilities
faster, providing impressive titles and
designations, facilitating outcome linked
compensation plan rather than years of
experience/level based remuneration,
enabling quicker promotions feasible and
redesigning organisations with flatter
structures are some of the measures
that would significantly motivate Gen Y
employees to stay with the organisation
and build their careers instead of looking
for frequent changes in order to satisfy
their quest for success.
Special Attention for Gen Y women
Is there also a significant difference
between Gen X and Gen Y women ? The
answer is a definite ‘Yes’. Gen Y women
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115
are far more career focused, confident of
themselves, have clear views on equality
of men and women at workplace as well
as at home and have demonstrated that
with perseverance and commitment,
they are able to grow successfully with
the organizations and make a significant
impact. A McKinsey report shows that
companies with gender-balanced executive
committees have a 56% higher operating
profit compared to companies with maleonly companies. Another study conducted
by Catalyst shows a 26% difference
in return on invested capital between
companies with 19-44% women board
directors as compared with those who
had no women on their boards. Hence
increasingly businesses are working
towards hiring and retaining larger
percentage of women in their workforce
recognising the value women executives
are capable of bringing to their workplace
through their unique characteristics that
businesses can benefit from namely,
multitasking, paying attention to detail,
conflict resolution, ability to deal with
fuzziness, flexibility and creativity required
for problem solving and innovation. These
are some of the key capabilities in demand
today as businesses are redefining the
new leadership capabilities required
for building and sustaining successful
businesses and Gen Y women have a
natural advantage in contributing to this
new leadership construct.
Gender profile in employment is a useful
indicator to highlight the industries which
are attracting large percentage of Gen Y
women and the environment they are
creating to retain them. According to the
survey carried out by McKinsey, services
sector employs the maximum percentage
of women employees. Within this sector,
the financial services and insurance (60%),
professional services (56%) and media and
entertainment (42%) industries employ the
largest percentage of women. Even if it
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
means a lot more efforts are still required
to ready women candidates to be absorbed
by other sectors and attract a significant
pool of educated women who are not part
of the workforce currently, we now have
a huge head start in enabling corporate
India take advantage of women’s pull
towards services industries. We have the
opportunity to build on this vantage point
to nurture and develop women leaders
from this pool while continuing to enhance
the attractiveness of these sectors for
women. As the Mckinsey Study indicates,
even the conservative estimates show that
GDP would increase by up to 2-4 percent
annually if women’s employment rates
were raised to 70 percent which is the
current rate in the developed countries.
As Muhtar Kent, Chairman of the
Board and CEO, Coca-Cola says, “Smart
organizations — and those that succeed
over the next decade and beyond—will
understand that the 21st century is the
‘Women’s Century.’ Therefore, several
organizations have started working in right
earnest to bring on board capable women
employees in larger numbers and identify
mid level and senior managers to provide
them with focused mentoring and coaching
support with the view to developing them
as future leaders in addition to sensitizing
the current workforce on how to adapt
to gender diversity at workplace. They
are also rethinking policies and work
environment which would enable women
executives, particularly those belonging to
Gen Y to successfully pursue their career
goals. At the same time, it is also important
to examine the traditional concept of work
and workplace which were designed
primarily for men previously and reflect
upon what is the fundamental redesign
that is required to recognize the presence
of large number of women at workplace
and how this redesign could lead to
better productivity and a conducive work
environment.
A happy co-existence of Gen X and Gen Y
Gen Y employees have undisputedly better
skills than the previous generations in the
use of technology and their understanding
in the smart usage of technology to
solve problems or innovate. Gen Y lives,
interacts and test their ideas with known
and unknown people around the globe
with absolute ease. Organisations should
encourage them to use these skills and
knowledge in the work context and
involve them in rethinking the business
propositions propelled by the power of
technology.
Gen X, on the other hand, has rich
experience and valuable insights on
various aspects of the business and in
the past the younger generation by and
large learnt at the feet of these masters.
The days of looking upto the managers
with awe and reverence and as the sole
source of learning and guidance are over.
Hence the traditional management style
of command and control and expectation
of respect because of age or levels in
the organization have to be put aside.
The challenge for Gen X managers is to
how quickly earn the respect of Gen X
and get him/her quickly to be aligned
with the organization goals. This would
mean casting away the traditional role
of a ‘manager’ and donning the role
of a ‘coach’, a ‘mentor’ and a ‘team
player’ without compromising on the
focus of moving towards the target with
appropriate task allocation by inculcating
a sense of ownership and responsibility.
This makes the organisation dynamics
interesting as it highlights the
interdependence of both the generations
and underscores the importance of learning
from one another and simultaneously
contributing towards organsiation’s
capability building process. Ultimately,
successful relationships, healthy work
environments and positive outcomes
could emerge by applying the age old
principles of engagement, involvement and
ownership – principles which continue to
be effervescent be they Gen Y or Gen X.
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AN IMPORTANT DRIVER FOR GROWTH –
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS CAPABILITY TO MANAGE
THE NEW GENERATION WORKFORCE
Dr. PRASANTH NAIR
About the Author
Dr. D. Prasanth Nair, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical
Engineering from Calicut University and doctorate from the
Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.Currently, he is
the Managing Partner and Country Head of Inhelm Leadership
Solutions – a HR firm specializing in search, consulting and
outsourcing. Before this, he headed Global HR for Cipla. He also
headed the Human Resources function and Insurance distribution
business for Thomas Cook India Limited. He was a member of the Thomas Cook
Group HR Directors Forum and the Thomas Cook Group Sustainability Working
Party.
O
f late we have been seeing Industrial
Relations (IR) problem emerging from
different places across Industries. While there
may be specific issues in each case, this also
points to the need to improve IR capabilities
in organizations and the requirement to
understand and relate to the new generation of
blue collar employees. The paper analyses the
reason and comes up with possible solutions.
Context:
In the last couple of years, we have
industrial relations issues erupt in various
reputed organizations. What is striking
is the fact that this is neither a localized
phenomenon nor industry specific, as
the flare ups have happened in locations
across India – Gurgoan, Chennai, East,
Coimbatore and parts of Karnataka among
other; and across industries – automobiles,
engineering, electronic and aviation, to
name some. And there are others that we
have not come to know of.
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
While the specific reason behind each
of them might be different which this
paper does not intend to get in, this
also forces us to introspect whether
there is adequate Industrial Relations
(IR) capability in organizations.
Further, do the HR managers have
the requisite skills to engage with
new generation blue collar workers?
Do we have the capability to manage IR
situations driven by competitive forces on
one side and new age worker dynamics
on the other?
Why is this important? In fact it is important
not just from a pure organizational need
of harmonious relationships so as to
maximize productivity and minimize
disturbance, it is critical from a larger
economic point. If India desires to grow
at 8%+ in the next 10 years (with many
attendant benefits in social-economic
sphere), the manufacturing sector needs to
propel the same. And for manufacturing
to grow, harmonious industrial relations
become the key.
Analysis:
The factors that have contributed to the
need for appropriate IR capability emerges
from macro factors such as contributors
to India’s GDP, changing demographic
profile of the blue collar workers and
declining power of powerful trade unions,
industry specific factors like business needs
arising due to global competitive pressure
and focus at the firm level and functional
factors such as the orientation of the HR
professionals. We will briefly analyse these.
Macro-economic factors: Since the early
1990’s the %age contribution of the
service sector has increased. While
manufacturing continued to be important,
both from resource allocation and talent
opportunities, the options increased
leading to discretion in preference which
at times did result in sub optimal choices.
A very important element that has
contributed to the need for a different IR
capability is the change in the demographic
profile of blue collar workers. A completely
different generation of blue collar workers
– having grown up in the liberalized
economy (post 1991) – have come to the
work place. The present employee is
different from the employee 25 years back.
He/she is as “aspirational” and connected
as any other in the demographic band, is
ambitious and respects knowledge and
behaviour, not authority and chain of
command. From a transactional analysis
point of view, ‘adult-adult’ transaction is
the desired one, different from the other
possible scenarios.
Another aspect that needs to be taken
note is that with rising migration, he/
she may not be from local community
wanting a life time employment with the
organization having a huge stake in its
continued success. He/she wants value
add in terms of experience, job knowledge
and who knows after some years, may
go to some other place including abroad.
Managing an “aspirational”, migrant
worker today requires a different skill set
as compared to the worker two decades
back. Additionally, the approach of new
generation of blue collar workers towards
negotiations is different from what it was
some years back – they are more fact based
and on ‘here and now’ as compared to what
it was some years back when it was driven
by relationships and long term view.
Another macro factor that is affecting blue
collar worker dynamics at the work place
is the gradual decline of the powerful trade
unions. This is contra-intuitive – trade
unions while they were blamed for lot of
ills in the IR scenario (this article will not
discuss this aspect) served an important
purpose as well – They helped align the
different viewpoints of individual workers
thus providing a collective bargaining
platform, thus, bringing in clarity on who
can take a decision on behalf of workers.
They also brought in some degree of
stickiness as far as workers were concerned
both to the union and firm, thus improving
predictability. The present workers also are
not driven by personality led union; the
support would be more based on issues
and their needs. The decline in trade unions
and absence of leadership meant that
negotiations needed to be done differently
in a context of ‘floating platforms’.
Industry specific factors: In brief, due to
the competitive scenario, especially the
China factor and enhanced ‘environment’
norms, there is intense pressure on the
manufacturing industry to be efficient. And
this has translated to pressure at the worker
level in terms of productivity norms and
work profile. Another manifestation of the
competitive scenario has been the increased
focus on short term results. At the firm
level, this has manifested in adoption
of practices like use of contract labour
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
119
(because of lower wages), pruning of other
than minimum benefits and patterns of
loading among others. Managing such a
scenario of balancing short term and long
term requires HR capabilities different
from what it was.
Orientation of HR professionals: There
was a time when HR meant IR and
managing trade unions was absolute for
organization success. This resulted in HR
leaders emerging who knew, understood
and managed IR – the business partner
in HR meant managing IR. Every young
professional wanting to get into HR
profession needed to have a stint in IR,
thus giving them experience and exposure
to the same. With economic liberalization,
emergence of services sector and decline
in power of trade unions, the importance
accorded to IR diminished and the focus
of HR shifted. The business partner in HR
meant proactively influencing business
strategy and aligning it with organization
and people. And it is to the credit of HR
managers that they made the transition
very well. But owing to business pressures
and demands on HR both strategically
and operationally, a generation of HR
managers did not have the necessary
exposure to industrial relations and
experience dealing with workers or trade
unions. Further, since the focus has shifted
and popular discourse is not about IR, it
does not have the necessary ‘pull’ factor
resulting in poor interest amongst HR
professionals and HR students. As a result,
many of HR managers do not possess the
ability to connect with the workers and
manage the blue collar employees. So,
while HR should and continue to play
the role of business partner influencing
strategy, aligning it with organization
and people aspirations, the aspect of IR
management was neglected in a generation
of HR professionals.
Therefore, while there is a need to
have strong IR capability to manage
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the workforce, there is deficit in terms
of capability both because the earlier
generation of IR professionals operated in a
different context and the new generation of
HR professionals do not have the necessary
exposure. Given this scenario, firms have
resorted to a ‘legal’ way of managing IR,
further creating challenges for them, thus
creating a vicious cycle.
Way forward:
Please find below some suggestions on
ways to improve IR capability in
organizations to manage the new
generation workforce.
• Improving skill of HR practitioners:
HR
courses: In each of HR course
being offered at various levels,
introduce
compulsory
and
sufficient coverage of IR. Since
the existing cases are outdated,
industry and institute should come
together to expose students to
contemporary IR – through case
studies, visiting faculty, field visit
among others.
Introduce
certificate course of
IR Management for existing HR
practitioners: Institutes and HR
network forums can introduce
a certificate course for working
professionals.
Compulsory
stint in IR for junior
and middle level HR executives: as
part of career development plan, IR
exposure should be given to all HR
executives.
HR
groups,
networks
and
associations should have seminars,
conferences focused on IR – this
will help in sharing best practices,
enlarge perspective and also
encourage young professionals
towards the function.
Orientation
to non HR managers
Supervisor
/ Junior Manager Skill
building: the first line manager or
supervisor needs to be given basic
IR skills; often this is the first contact
with work force and improving
capability here is critical.
Senior
Management orientation:
Senior team can be given orientation
to IR so that the implications of
decisions can be clearly understood.
• Worker empowerment and engagement:
Some initiatives are proposed with
the aim of improving understanding
on part of HR of the new generation
workers and creating an atmosphere
for the workers of ‘belonging’ to the
organization which will in turn facilitate
better IR environment.
Union Development: There is a need
to bring up the next level of union
leadership for which organizations
and institutions can take a lead by
providing appropriate training
inputs and give suitable exposure.
Job
rotation of identified blue
collar worker to HR: To enhance
understanding
of
the
new
workforce, an initiative would be to
allocate new generation work force
in HR department. This will help
understanding, thus improving
capability.
Work
force
ownership,
development and engagement:
Organizations should focus on
empowering work force – the new
gen workforce aspires for getting
the voice heard and organizations
can
prepare
them
through
development and engagement. This
will improve overall organizational
ability to manage situations. A lot
of initiatives being undertaken for
enhancing ‘fun at work’ for white
collar employees can be cascaded
to blue collar workers as well.
Conclusion:
The above paper has focused on the
manufacturing industry. It will be useful to
mention that there exists possibility of trade
unionism in form of collective platforms
emerging in IT/ITES, financial services
sectors among others. As a result of global
competitive forces, wage inflation in India
and rise of other markets, many of these
sectors may lose their cost competitiveness
resulting in increased focus on one of their
biggest cost heads – the employee cost,
thereby creating employee dissonance.
Hence the overall context driven by macro,
firm level and operational factors requires
that we need to enhance the IR capabilities
in organizations. HR professionals need
to build up IR management skills and
possess the willingness to connect to the
new generation of workers, for which all
the stakeholders – government bodies,
Industry /HR bodies (like CII, Assocham,
NHRD), organizations and HR educational
institutions – need to come together and
play an active role.
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LEADERSHIP – GEN Y
YOGI SRIRAM
About the Author
Yogi Sriram is Senior Vice President – Corporate Human
Resources, Larsen & Toubro Limited. With an experience of
37 years in the Human Resources Development function, Sriram
is the first HR professional in India as Fellow of the All India
Management Association. Not only is he the President of the
Bombay Management Association (BMA) but also the President
of the Mumbai Chapter of National HRD Network (NHRDN). He
serves on a HR committee to advise the board of NMIMS.
O
ne morning this February, I had the
honour of being invited as the Chief
Guest by an engineering institute situated
in the industrial Campus of a Mumbai
suburb, offering diploma programmes to
young students. The institute organized
this event to give an opportunity to young
teams to showcase projects involving
technology, science and engineering.
Several bright eyed and eager students
from the institute participated in this
mega event.
I was walking around to visit the projects,
when I came across a very smart young
lady. She was extremely articulate in
explaining how the device, that her
team had created, worked. I was deeply
impressed, and asked her a question that
is usually on the minds of most HR folks
like me – whether she would want to work
in India or go abroad for higher studies
and further career. She just smiled. Then,
I asked her whether she would like to join
the company I work with on completion of
the diploma programme. She paused for
a while and said, “I would like to live for
the moment”. I was amazed by the quality
of her answer which demonstrated high
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EQ, presence of mind, focus and absolute
honesty.
The answer the young lady gave in
this brief episode is illustrative of the
leadership traits amongst the Gen Y today.
I occasionally hear people of my generation
complaining that the Gen Y lacks loyalty,
and is mercenary in the way they view
their relationship with an organization.
I tend to disagree. A dichotomy does exist,
because labour markets are simply not
what they used to be – while employees
do not offer to work with companies till
retirement, companies have ceased to offer
lifetime employment as well!
I have deep respect for Gen Y today,
because I think they are responsible,
focused and definite about what they
want to do. Their focus on their career
and knowing about what they want are
similarities that they share with the baby
boomers. Hence, being a boomer, I seem
to relate with them. The dissimilarity
between Gen Y and baby boomers is
perhaps in the attitude. My generation
grew up reading Ayn Rand’s non fictional
work ‘The virtue of selfishness’. The spirit
of those times was “You do your thing
and I will do mine”. The leadership in
today’s Gen Y is demonstrated by more
collaborative behaviour. I do not have
any scientific explanation for this, but
I see that the maturity and responsibility in
handling relationships is better in the Gen
Y of today than what I saw in the young
professionals with whom I grew up.
We are a blessed country to have a very
responsible Gen Y who are budding
leaders and are eager to participate in the
business of tomorrow’s corporate India.
Just think of what China is going through
with the Little Emperor syndrome! Only
a small percent of today’s Chinese youth
are fortunate to be educated in higher
education institutions. They are typically
supported by 6 to 8 adults, with four
grandparents, two parents and may be
some aunts, often being a product of the
single child policy that China practiced
in the past, for close to 2 decades. Many
of the current youth in China are seen as
being protected and pampered. On the
other hand, we are a fortunate country,
since we have a large population of
responsible Gen Y. Statements such
as – ‘the potential that we have will be
squandered unless they (the Gen Y) are
provided with employment and unless we
create opportunities for them…… or else
they will go astray’ – are unconvincing to
me. Our Gen Y is fully capable of creating
employment opportunities and has the
ability to be entrepreneurs or successful
self-driven leaders in the industry. As
someone once said (and this message is
important for Gen X and the Boomers),
“Leadership is about pointing people in
the right direction and then getting out of
the way”. In my view, this is the strategy
that should be followed by the Boomers in
Gen X while dealing with Gen Y.
We have a programme in our organization
that systematically measures the
competencies of leaders in varying
bands of experience. Young emerging
leaders are also keen to participate in
these Development Centres. One of
the competencies in these centres that
is difficult to measure and develop is
‘Entrepreneurship’. Many development
programmes create good managers, but
not entrepreneurs. Boomers grew up
witnessing a Hindu rate of less than 3 %
GDP growth, and consequently are timid
in their risk taking ability. The young
Gen Y of today have grown up in a very
different economic environment in India
with far better levels of GDP growth, and
their self-confidence and consequent ability
to take risks makes it important for us to
invest in programmes that build these
competencies amongst them.
Finally, Gen Y has the leadership
potential of using data & resources like
no other generation has done before.
Social networking, data analytics, big
data, Boolean modifiers – all these enable
young Gen Y leaders to use information for
power. You may recollect ‘Informational
power’ being identified as an important
base of power (French and Raven, 1959)
and I have no doubt that this type of power
will be available to Gen Y to strengthen
their place in becoming the leaders of
tomorrow.
(The views in this article are purely
personal of the author and do not in any
way reflect his employers views)
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HBR CASE STUDY AND COMMENTARY
GEN Y IN THE WORKFORCE
TAMARA J ERICKSON
“RU BRD?” 1
T
he text message from Ashok stood
out in bold block letters on the small
screen of Josh Lewis’s iPhone. Am I ever,
Josh thought, stuffing the device back into
his pocket and emphatically rolling his
chair away from his PC and the backlit
spreadsheets and formulas that had made
his eyes bloodshot and his mood sour. He
stood up, stretched, and took a minute to
consider his plight: For the past three days,
he’d been crunching U.S. and international
film sales, attendance, and merchandising
figures nonstop for his boss, Sarah Bennett,
the marketing chief of the movie division
of Rising Entertainment. Bennett and her
team were in the midst of prepping the
promotions, advertising, and branding
plan for the next Fire Force Five film; her
presentation to the company’s CEO, its
head of distribution, and other unit leaders
was planned for Friday.
Two more days—many more hours, many
more stats to go over before I sleep, the
23-yearold marketing associate estimated.
He plunked himself back down in his chair.
A recent graduate of the University of
Southern California, Josh had had visions
of making films that offered strong
social commentary— like Al Gore’s An
Inconvenient Truth or Morgan Spurlock’s
Super Size Me—and distributing them on
open platforms so that his message could
reach the greatest number of people. With
some championing from his uncle—a
well-regarded TV producer who knew
people who knew people—Josh joined
Rising Entertainment, one of the top three
multimedia production and distribution
houses in the world. The company boasted
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large film, television, home video, music,
and licensed merchandise units, with a
catalog of thousands of properties. Josh
expected that the studio, with its location in
the heart of Los Angeles and satellite offices
in six countries, would offer plenty of
excitement and opportunity—ever-present
TV and film shoots on the lots, hobnobbing
with industry power brokers, the inevitable
offers from competing studios, and, of
course, the terrific LA nightlife. But now,
with 10 months on the job, and most of
that time relegated to mundane, ancillary
projects that informed the bigger initiatives
his boss was spearheading, Josh was
feeling numb. Who would have thought
that life in a big movie studio could be so
routine? he thought to himself.
Suddenly there was that familiar vibration
from his iPhone and another text message
from Ashok: “WRUD? TAB?”2 A break
sounded great. He replied immediately—
“BRT”3 — and set off for their favorite
meeting spot. As he was heading out, it
occurred to Josh that he should let Sarah
know where he was. He fired off another
quick text message.
Sounding Bored
By the time Josh got to the high-backed
purple booth in the corner of the
commissary, Ashok and Jessica were
already there. Ashok Devi worked in
Rising Entertainment’s TV division as a
promotions associate. Jessica Sadler had
started out in the film division but, for now
at least, was working as an assistant in the
company’s legal group—ostensibly to help
out a team in transition but really to figure
out if law school was in her future. The
three had been at USC together, studying
a broad mix of business, communications,
and film, but they had become particularly
good friends since joining the company
around the same time, braving orientation
together and now commiserating with one
another about the flaws in their respective
work groups—in which each was among
the youngest on staff.
Sarah had immediately balked, noting
the creaky Rising Entertainment website,
which boasted very little traffic and even
less functionality. A “successful” online
campaign for the third Triple-F movie in
2005 had nearly taken down the studio’s
entire network—including critical sales
force connections.
“Aw, what’s wrong, Josh?” Jessica said,
noticing Josh’s serious expression as he
shuffled over to the table. “Did your mom
call HR again?” Ashok, who was sitting
next to Jessica, just grinned and shook
his head.
“So how about striking deals with, like,
Hulu or There or Gaia? They’re well suited
to handle the traffic—much better than we
are,” Josh replied. These days it was just so
much easier to download music, movies,
and TV shows how and when you wanted
them. To have, as Jessica joked, old 90210
and new 90210 existing peacefully on your
laptop. “We’d be leveraging one of Rising
Entertainment’s biggest strengths, its
library, in a way that gets the company out
in front of the movement to free content.”
Josh shot them both a look. “Whatever.
I’ve been buried all week with ridiculous
busywork. Sarah’s all amped about this
distribution and marketing plan for the
Triple-F series. But I’m just not feeling
it,” he vented.
“Have you tried explaining that to Sarah?”
Jessica asked.
Josh had. A few weeks earlier, during
a small team meeting in which Sarah
was outlining her marketing premise for
Fire Force Five: Reignition— the details
of which centered primarily on TV ads
and an aggressive print campaign— Josh
had casually joked about how 1990s the
whole plan was. It was as though DVRs,
filmrelated websites and blogs, virtual
worlds, and YouTube didn’t exist, he
thought. As though the question of how
to capitalize on the freecontent movement
was still something plaguing the guys in
the record business and not anyone else.
No one watches network TV anymore—or
network TV ads, Josh had pointed out
during the meeting. Instead of relying
chiefly on traditional marketing channels,
he said, why not try new media? Make the
movie theme song available for download
for Guitar Hero. Or, even better, make
one or more of the Fire Force Five movies
available online and embed teasers for the
latest sequel within them.
“All great points,” Sarah had responded.
“But our budget is soft right now—
everything is soft right now. I’m not sure
we have the time and resources to throw
at these channels.” Josh opened his mouth
to respond, but the marketing chief cut off
the discussion there and went on to her
other notes.
That was the end of that, Josh explained
to his friends. “I guess I just expected that
I would get to act on more of my ideas,”
he complained, as they finished crunching
through a large order of lime-cilantro chips
and salsa. “And that the higher-ups here
would have figured out by now that the
model’s changing.” By the time Ashok,
Jessica, and Josh had gotten down to salty
crumbs, the three were in firm agreement:
Sarah just didn’t get it.
The View from Above
Should all the bullet points be flame balls?
Sarah Bennett wondered, only half joking
with herself. She was in the midst of
building her PowerPoint slides for Friday’s
meeting with CEO Sam Smithstone and,
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
125
as always, fighting the urge to add crazy
animation and special effects to her
presentation. After 10 years at Rising
Entertainment, the 37-year-old marketing
chief still saw herself as a budding creative
rather than an established suit. But she
understood her role in the hierarchy:
manage the people and the details.
Still, it was a far cry from where she started.
A native of Long Island, Sarah had gotten
her MBA from New York University’s
Stern School of Business and held an
undergraduate degree in film studies
from NYU’s prestigious Tisch School.
She moved to Los Angeles and worked
her way up in Rising Entertainment, from
an entry-level copywriter, to marketing
associate, to head of the 22-person filmmarketing unit. Sarah had a lot riding
on the latest Fire Force Five release. A
big opening weekend would go a long
way toward helping her lobby for one
of the positions she was really interested
in: EVP in either international business
development or family films.
The Fire Force Five series was one of the
company’s strongest and best-known
properties: The three Triple-F movies
released over the past 10 years had
generated more than $2.4 billion in
box-office receipts and almost as much
in merchandise sales. The buzz was
building for the upcoming fourth release.
Already, Sarah had leveraged the decadelong relationships she’d cultivated with
reporters at Entertainment Weekly, Variety,
and other magazines to place behind-thescenes and making-of feature articles—
each of which stoked the chatter and
anticipation among Triple-F fans. She’d
overseen the production of a highimpact
trailer that would be reviewed in Friday’s
meeting, and she’d also been coordinating
with Rising Entertainment’s publicity
department to get most of the Fire Force
quintet booked on the usual morning and
late-night talk shows.
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Now, Sarah was staring anxiously at the
envelope icon in the bottom-right corner
of her screen: Where were the numbers
she’d asked Josh to generate? Sarah just
couldn’t afford to stay at the office tonight;
every minute she was late to pick up
four-month-old Rosie from day care was
costing her (financially and psychically),
and she had already logged plenty of
overtime this week. Sarah was ready to
alert her husband that he’d have to handle
the pickup, when the Outlook message
popped up: “You have new unopened
items.” It was close to 5:30 PM when Josh’s
report arrived, and the last couple of case
studies looked pretty sketchy, as if he’d
thrown them together quickly. But there
wasn’t enough time to send them back
for revision, Sarah decided. She’d work
on them further in the morning.
Sarah quickly dropped the numbers
into her slide deck and was about to log
off when she spotted the bright pink
“coaching” sticky note slapped on the
side of her monitor. A few months ago
she and the other frontline managers at
Rising Entertainment had gone through
a special HR-facilitated training session
about integrating the newer, younger hires
into the company. “Invest the time,” the
managers were told. But what many of
them heard was “Sugarcoat.”
Sarah quickly dashed off an e-mail to Josh.
“Great job! You’re the best.” Who was she
kidding? He’d done a half-assed job, and
he knew it. Like so many of the young
people hired by the studio recently, Sarah
thought, Josh was far more concerned
with getting praise than with earning
praise. How else to explain that “look
at me” move in the team meeting a few
weeks back? Not that Josh’s ideas were
bad, Sarah recalled. They just weren’t
very well informed; he hadn’t bothered
to think about things like, well, money
and infrastructure and talent. If I had
tried something like that when I was
an associate, I would have been back at
square one in a heartbeat, she thought.
No one had even bothered to show her
the ropes until she’d been on board
awhile, Sarah recalled. But, following HR’s
directives, she promised herself she’d take
time to explain to Josh exactly how his
analysis had been received, how it fit into
the overall presentation, and how she’d
structured the pitch—after the meeting.
The clock was ticking.
Bypassing the Boss
Sam Smithstone was already late for a
dinner meeting with a couple of potential
clients at the Ivy. The freeway would be
murder. So he didn’t take too kindly to Josh
Lewis’s overly solicitous greeting in the
hallway late on Thursday and his attempts
to conduct a drive-by pitch. “Stop by my
office at 8:15 AM tomorrow,” he told the
marketing associate. “Or walk with me, if
you want. But keep up.”
The break-time discussion with his friends
the day before had emboldened Josh. As
soon as he’d returned to his cubicle, he
sent Jessica and Ashok an urgent e-mail:
“Who would know details of our current
distribution and intellectual property
agreements for the Triple-F films?” Jessica
shared the name of a veteran IP lawyer in
her department. Ashok had no contacts
to share but responded nonetheless
with a morale-boosting “XLNT!”4 Rather
than devote even more time to Sarah’s
assignment, Josh opted to turn in a “good
enough” version near day’s end. Then
he had raced off to legal to find Jessica’s
colleague. He’d spent most of Thursday
morning and afternoon fleshing out his
plan.
Now, walking alongside the studio head,
Josh took a moment to establish his
pedigree, telling the executive where he
went to school and why he chose Rising
Entertainment. As Josh chatted up the CEO
with ease, Sam was instantly reminded
of his daughter—who was around the
same age, now living back at home, and
would similarly corral him to talk gadgets,
politics, and pop culture.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it here—so what
did you want to run by me?” Sam said,
trying to get Josh to cut to the chase before
they reached the lobby.
Josh carefully but quickly laid out his ideas
for putting the Triple-F series online as a
marketing ploy for the new installment and
employing nontraditional distribution and
promotion channels. Even before Josh was
done, Sam stopped and smiled. “That’s
some fresh thinking— I like it,” he said.
“Can you talk through these ideas during
tomorrow’s meeting? Maybe provide
some P&L projections or a point-by-point
comparison of your plan against the plans
we’ve used to market and distribute
Triple-F in the past?”
“I can,” Josh replied, neglecting to tell the
senior leader that he hadn’t actually been
invited to the meeting and wasn’t even sure
where it was being held. “I will. Thanks,
Mr. Smithstone.” Sam was only seconds
out the door when Josh grabbed for his
phone and typed an urgent message to
Ashok and Jessica: “AYT?5 SOS!”
•••
“Oops!” Sarah literally bumped into her
boss as they were both getting coffee in the
commissary early on Friday morning. She
had been so fixated on the slight stain on
her blouse—spit-up? orange juice?—that
she hadn’t even seen Sam Smithstone
approaching, Styrofoam cup in hand. Good
thing there’s a cover on that, Sarah thought.
“Great work cultivating the new guys,
Sarah. I’m looking forward to hearing more
from Josh,” the CEO said in passing. “I love
his approach, and even better, I love the
wiki he sent around last night explaining
his idea. See you in a bit.”
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
127
Sarah stared after Sam. What? Wikis? She
was amazed on every level, starting with
the fact that the CEO even knew who Josh
was. I wasn’t even sure he knew who I
was, she thought. Her astonishment slowly
abated—replaced with a burning desire to
talk things over with her young marketing
colleague, particularly before the Triple-F
meeting in a few hours.
Sarah pulled out her BlackBerry and
punched out a message: “Josh, in my office,
please, in 10.”
How can Sarah and Josh work together
more effectively?
• Three commentators offer expert
advice.
CASE COMMENTARY
BY RON ALSOP
How can Sarah and Josh work together
more effectively?
This is a classic case of impatient Generation
Y meets “pay your dues” Generation X.
Similar scenarios are being played out
in many workplaces as Gen Yers, with
their great and sometimes unrealistic
expectations, clash with older workers.
Josh Lewis is in a hurry to see his ideas
implemented and get into a more senior
position at Rising Entertainment, while
Sarah Bennett believes in putting in your
time before expecting recognition and
promotions. It’s telling that she wasn’t even
sure CEO Sam Smithstone knew who she
was, despite her role as marketing chief
for the movie division.
Such generational conflicts are inevitable
but certainly manageable when members of
the various generations are willing to listen
to one another and make accommodations.
How to heal the relationship between
1. Are you bored?
2. What are you doing? Take a break?
3. Be right there
4. Excellent!
5. Are you there?
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
Josh and Sarah? For starters, Sarah must
reprimand Josh for blindsiding her by
going over her head and presenting his
marketing tactics directly to Sam. Like
many Gen Yers, Josh doesn’t respect the
corporate pecking order. His generation
has little tolerance for lines of authority
and proper protocol. Some corporate
managers even call college-age job
applicants “student stalkers” because they
fire off e-mails to everyone from the CEO
on down to try to get the inside track to
a job. But such brash behavior won’t fly
at most companies. Josh needs to respect
Sarah’s authority and try to work with her,
not bypass her.
Sarah should firmly tell Josh to air his
future grievances with her rather than
go directly to her boss, but she also must
take steps to deal with the frustrations that
motivated him to be so headstrong. Like
many Gen Yers, he wants to know that his
work is meaningful and have input into
big decisions. He also needs constructive
feedback about his suggestions. Too often,
it seems, Sarah has dismissed his ideas
as impractical and considered him too
inexperienced to participate in important
strategic meetings. She has failed to
appreciate his valuable knowledge about
new media and social networking and his
creativity in dreaming up fresh marketing
ploys that will appeal to his generation, the
prime movie-going audience.
Today’s bosses may sometimes feel like
babysitters, but they’ll have to get used
to spending more time with their young
workers. The investment should pay off in
improved morale, productivity, teamwork,
and innovation. Clearly, Sarah has been
struggling to balance her time at the office
with her family responsibilities. But that
doesn’t excuse her failure to encourage
more communication with Josh. She needs
to find opportunities to explain how his
contributions matter and affect the success
of the company’s marketing programs.
Josh and Sarah should plan regular
sessions to hash out their differences.
While Josh might prefer text messaging
and e-mail, it is critical that he and Sarah
meet face-to-face for more substantive
conversations about workplace attitudes
and expectations.
Managers like Sarah also are finding that
they need to show respect for Gen Yers and
encourage them even if they can’t give Gen
Yers what they want as fast as they want
it. “It doesn’t mean we can be as indulgent
as managers as we are as parents; we have
to slap them back a little,” a managing
director at Merrill Lynch once told me.
“But as parents of young people just like
them, we can treat them with respect.
Maybe they can’t sit in and listen to the
presentation they helped put together for
senior management. But we can tell them,
‘If not this time, maybe next time.’”
Ron Alsop
([email protected]) is a freelance
writer, editor, and consultant, and a
former reporter and editor for the Wall
Street Journal. He is the author of The
Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial
Generation Is Shaking Up the Workplace
(Jossey-Bass, 2008).
CASE COMMENTARY
BY PAMELA NICHOLSON
How can Sarah and Josh work together
more effectively?
Sarah doesn’t have time to get angry. She
needs to familiarize herself with Josh’s
idea and make sure all the supporting data
are there. Given the CEO’s enthusiasm
for Josh’s marketing proposal, I think
Sarah should actually commend, rather
than criticize, her young report for
taking initiative. She should invite Josh
to accompany her to the meeting. But
she should remind him that he needs to
keep her informed so she can manage the
details of the project and the expectations
of the CEO.
The generational differences between
Sarah and Josh contribute to the
miscommunication they’re experiencing.
Both of them have failed to clearly convey
what they expect from one another, and
Sarah hasn’t given Josh the feedback that
he, like many Generation Y employees,
needs to stay engaged and perform
effectively. The two also have different
approaches to balancing work and life.
Sarah keeps them more separate than Josh,
who seems comfortable using technology
to work from anywhere. As a large
employer of college graduates, Enterprise
has taken steps to address these kinds of
issues, in two important ways:
Training. One of our regional operations
in central Pennsylvania has even set up a
coaching regimen for entry-level workers
deliberately based on the Gen Y mantra
of “I want it all, and I want it now.”
Senior managers there asked employees
what was important to them and how
the company could help them achieve
their personal and professional goals.
The employees requested coaching in
four areas of their lives: financial stability
and success, relationships, health and
fitness, and career. The senior team at this
operation addresses each of these topics
in a management training program it
calls “The Juggling Act.” The idea is that
“having it all” requires having a plan and
executing it with equal discipline at home
and at work. Employees receive coaching
in practical skills, such as scheduling time
for friends and family; planning healthful
brown-bag meals rather than being a slave
to fast-food options; preparing a personal
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
129
budget and bill-payment strategy; and
using their benefits package for retirement
planning and other services.
Feedback. At another Enterprise site,
which has a high percentage of Gen Y
employees, one of the managers developed
a feedback system that holds each
employee accountable for the branch’s
service quality. Once a week, coworkers
publicly rank their teammates in the
office from top to bottom, based on their
customer service efforts during the week.
Employees are asked to explain why they
voted for the top person and to suggest
how others could improve. The resulting
increase in servicequality scores has
been so significant that the program has
been adopted by Enterprise operations
throughout the company.
Last, even though our management
trainees value autonomy, they still seek
affirmation of their decisions. They get it
by working alongside their supervisors in
rental offices and in weekly meetings to
review performance goals.
If Rising Entertainment employed some
of those techniques, Sarah and Josh might
be able to create a productive relationship
based on mutual understanding. It’s clear
they have a common objective—the success
of the next Fire Force Five film. As much as
anything, each needs to respect the other’s
ideas for achieving that objective.
Pamela Nicholson is the president and
COO of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, based in
St. Louis.
CASE COMMENTARY
BY JIM MILLER
How can Sarah and Josh work together
more effectively?
I’m afraid Josh isn’t doing much here
to disprove the theories that some
people have about Generation Y: a life
experienced through machines, no respect
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April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
for what’s gone before, and a constant
need for praise, entertainment, and instant
gratification. Josh is intelligent and techsavvy, sure, but he won’t get very far by
trying to make a name for himself on the
backs of his boss and the members of his
work group.
Like many other companies, General
Tool & Supply is struggling to hire and
retain more Gen Y workers. We’re a large
distributor for about 1,000 manufacturers
of tools, adhesives, lifting devices, and so
on. Our problem is that Gen Y workers
seem to have outsized expectations about
what we’re going to do for them. At six
months, some Y hires have wondered
why they weren’t getting pay raises and
promotions. To my mind, most in this
generational cohort seem loath to commit
to one organization — they appear to
be looking for a paycheck more than a
career. And once I hear and see that in an
interview, I’m done.
Josh’s behavior is wrong on so many
levels. He’s been hired to do a job, not this
other thing that he’d like to do. He has no
respect for his boss; that’s apparent in his
actions. But he is also putting his team’s
work in jeopardy by not completing, to
the very best of his ability, the tasks he
was assigned. That’s unacceptable. Our
organization, which is made up of a bunch
of self-directed work teams, is very flat, so
we rely heavily on collaboration. Each of
our 60 sales associates has to contribute if
we’re to meet our goals. Instead of pulling
his weight, Josh decided to push his own
agenda—during a deadline crunch, no
less. Most important, Josh didn’t recognize
that it was critical for him to do fabulous
work—even when assigned the most
mundane of tasks—that would represent
who he is.
For her part, Sarah could have done a
much better job of validating Josh’s idea;
it was a compelling one, even if it wasn’t
completely thought out. She could have
admitted to not knowing a lot about new
media or suggested they talk off-line
later—or maybe asked Josh to spearhead
some web experiments for the marketing
group. Sarah also should have taken back
control of the Triple-F pitch meeting by
telling the CEO at their morning run-in that
Josh’s idea was still in development, not
something that was ready for discussion
but something the team might add in once
research on costs and other figures had
been completed. Because she didn’t do
that, the boss is now expecting something
Sarah is not sure she can deliver.
needs to be fully researched) and the
level of communication required (formal
presentations rather than hallway chats).
For his part, Josh needs to figure out how
to pitch his good ideas through established
channels, within the established team
framework. If he really needs to be a
maverick, he can go off and start his own
company, where he can follow his own
business rules. Or, he can go to a different
firm that has a maverick culture.
To work better together, Sarah and Josh
both need to recalibrate their expectations.
Sarah needs to take extra time to validate
Josh’s ideas and help him understand
what it means to be a team player. For
so many Yers entering the workforce, the
attitude is “I’ll be a full-time freelancer, and
work will be fun, fun, fun.” Sarah needs
to counteract that by being completely
transparent with Josh about the level
of performance required (a new idea
Reprint R0902B
Jim Miller ([email protected]) is
the executive vice president of sales and
marketing at General Tool & Supply, a
distributor based in Portland, Oregon.
Case only R0902X
Commentary only R0902Z
To order, call 800-988-0886 or 617-783-7500
or go to www.hbr.org
This document is authorized for use only
in NHRDN Journal April 2014 by HRDN
from April 2014 to April 2014.
April | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
131
BOOK REVIEWS
Overview
A
recent study reported in the Science magazine concluded that reading literary authors
such as Chekhov or Dickens teaches us more about understanding others and reading
real-life situations. Commenting on this, Nicholas Humphrey, an evolutionary psychologist and
an emeritus professor at Cambridge University’s Darwin College, said that he would have
expected that reading would make people more empathetic and understanding.
Organizations operate in complex business environments today, and require managers who
can not only operate with multi-disciplinary skills and expertise, but also know how to navigate
change, uncertainty and inter-personal realities. Moreover, today’s Generation Y is eager to
prove its mettle and achieve early success. They are keen to follow their dreams and work in
a non-hierarchical setting. We are at a Cambrian moment, where rapidly changing technologies
are creating new opportunities within large businesses, or forming the substrate on which many
new ideas are mushrooming.
Success in this scenario lies in not just knowing the principles of business management, but
in implicitly knowing ourselves and those around us. Understanding who we are, what we
stand for, how we impact and interact with those around us, determines how effectively we
can shape our path and our lives, whether in an organization or in our own venture. Based
on conversations from business school deans and recruiters around the world, Srikant Datar,
professor at Harvard Business School found that young managers today need to ‘develop soft
skills, such as self-awareness, introspection and empathy’.
Reading provides that bridge between functional knowledge and self-awareness. Successful
leaders bring together both depth and breadth. This classic T-shaped personality does not
develop by following the prescriptive path of narrow education that focuses on building functional
skills such as engineering, finance or accounting. It comes from multi-disciplinary learning.
Those with leadership capability are influenced by a wide spectrum of ideas, from business and
technology to history and the arts, from cognitive psychology to evolutionary biology. Serious
non-fiction provides synthesised information on a variety of topics. Popular fiction has a plot
driven narrative, which can combine information and imagination. In contrast, literary fiction
requires the reader to assess charged realities, delve into multiple perspectives and debate
the actions of imperfect protagonists.
There are a wide variety of books that every aspiring Gen Y leader must read. Youngsters
should find the time to read from both the classics and contemporary literature, as well as
non-fiction books in areas beyond management to expand their minds, inspire their creativity
and enhance their knowledge. Many organizations are trying to foster this culture through
creating internal book clubs, hosting book or screenplay writing workshops, or getting their
young employees to interact with authors and thinkers.
The selection below lists a few books that specifically deal with that elusive thing that we all
dream about and aspire for- finding ourselves and finding success.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This lucidly written book is a modern day fable about following your dreams, of following the
hints that life throws our way, of taking the risk of breaking away from the safe horizon and
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January | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
finding unique treasures. With over 30 million copies sold, it is a must-read for every young
person.
It is the story of a young boy from the Spanish region on Andalusia, who had trained to be
a priest but really wanted to travel the world. He becomes a shepherd, tending to his flock
in the dry, rugged hills of the region. Filled with dreams of travelling the world in search for
a treasure, he journeys to the exotic markets of Northern Africa and into the Egyptian desert,
where a fateful meeting with the alchemist changes his life.
Underneath the magically simple story of seeking and finding lies the powerful concept of
discovering one’s destiny. Speaking on the philosophy behind the story, Paulo Coelho says
that people face four key deterrents in their path to their unique success. Firstly, we are
conditioned from childhood to do certain things and be a certain person. It takes courage to
recognize what we really want to do. Secondly, even when we recognize that, we may not
choose to tread that path because we are scared that it may upset the people we love, our
friends and family. Thirdly, once we find the courage to do what we must, we are scared of
failure. Except that failure is indeed the stepping stone to success, and in every endeavour
multiple trials lead to eventual success. Fourthly, even when success seems near, we fear to
take it with both hands because we feel we don’t deserve it or feel guilty to see others who are
struggling. Only when we can overcome these obstacles can we realize how beautiful our life
can be.
The book carries latent but powerful lessons for every Gen Y person who wants to find out
what truly motivates him or her. It is a reflection on life and dreams, and finding the courage
to make choices that may seem different and unsafe.
Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
What had started as the core belief for Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos, was translated
into this book and has evolved into a movement- of building businesses that bring together
the usually considered disparate goals of purpose, passion and profits. This is the new age
mantra for founding and running businesses, which is finding fillip with Gen Y workers around
the world.
In an age when business ethics are in the limelight around the world, this new idea of placing
importance on the happiness of employees, and building customer service into the role of
every employee is a unique way of operating. That it has helped Tony Hsieh in his journey
as a serial entrepreneur, from starting a worm farm to founding and selling LinkExchange to
Microsoft to creating Zappos, an online selling platform valued at $1.2 Billion, makes for a
compelling argument. Tony argues that happy workers who spread happiness to consumers
creates brand engagement inside and outside and will lead to profits, in the end. The book
provides a ten step process for defining the core values of a company, starting with the
elements of passion, harmony, inspiration, humility, and gratitude. The book exhorts each and
every person to become a change agent in the world - to transform not just their own lives
and affect their own happiness, but to impact the lives of others and the world at large.
This globally bestselling book offers stories and lessons from Tony Hsieh’s personal journeythings that he did well and things where he failed at first, and suggests an inspired, joyous,
connected and purposeful path for leading life and business, whether inside a large organization
or in a start up.
January | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
133
Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life by Paul Hammerness and Margaret Moore
The gap between intent and execution sometimes lies in our ability to be organized. Combining
the latest in neuro-scientific research and insights gained from coaching hundreds of corporate
leaders, the authors bring together a series of principles that can enable people to use
the innate organizational power of the brain to reduce frenzy and make your journey more
productive and rewarding.
Hammerness, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, argues for the concept of ‘serial unitasking’ and learning how to fluidly shift from one task to another. Our brains do not function
well when distracted by multiple tasks at the same time. He defines six “Rules of Order,” for
changing our mindsets—how we think and feel. The book provides tips for controlling the
frenzy of the mind and sustaining attention through tasks. It lays out ideas for synthesizing
information so that it can be taken across tasks and connected together to create to breakthrough
innovative ideas.
Given the rise in complexity at work, people need to balance multiple things, which often
leads to stress, lack of organization and frustration. This book provides an effective way for
managing complexity and multiple tasks, while maintaining clarity of thought and organizing
ourselves better.
Rules of the Game by Sumit Chowdhury
Success begins with self-awareness, and this book begins at that juncture, identifying a set
of tenets that young workers must learn to reflect upon in light of their personal strengths,
weaknesses and passions, to create their own rules for success.
What holds people back, despite formal education and acquired knowledge, is not being able
to apply this knowledge in their careers in an aware, timely and proactive manner. There are
no universal truths. No prescriptive mantras that guarantee success. Rather, success lies in
being able to implement on what has been learned. Micro-learning from every experience and
situation and by being conscious of their actions, reactions and thoughts, young people can
actively shape their personality. Likening career to a game, Sumit Chowdhury draws on his
own experiences and offers a framework that can help young workers crystallise their own
awareness, develop personal leadership, sharpen their impact, and acquire winning attitudes
that can take them towards success.
Peppered with deep insights from business leaders from Indian industry spanning multiple
sectors, such as Naina Lal Kidwai, Rupa Kudva, Prasoon Joshi, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Nitin
Paranjpe, Sanjay Behl, Vinita Bali, Subroto Bagchi, Chandra Sripada and many more, and
combining the bittersweet reflections of senior professionals of what they wish they knew in
their 20s, this book challenges every Gen Y person to unlearn what they must, absorb the
wisdom of others and create their unique, personalized path towards success.
Speaking of the book, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Honourable Minister of State for Human Resource
Development, says, ‘Chowdhury urges his readers to have an entrepreneurial understanding
of themselves, and gives them a valuable toolkit for achieving success in their careers.’
Reviewed by:
Amrita Chowdhury
Country Head & Publishing Director, Harlequin India
134
January | 2014 NHRD Network Journal
ABOUT THE JOURNAL
NHRD Network Journal
he National HRD Network publishes a semi-academic quarterly journal where in each issue is
dedicated to a theme.
T
Leadership: Gen Y
Volume 7
Issue 2
April 2014
The journal publishes primarily three categories of articles :
NHRD Network Board Members
•
Conceptual and research based
National President:
Mr Rajeev Dubey, President (Group HR & After-Market) & Member of
the Group Executive Board, Mahindra & Mahindra
•
Contributions from thought leaders including a limited number of reprints with due permission
Past National President :
Dr. T V Rao, Chairman - T V Rao Learning Systems
•
Organizational experiences in HR interventions/mechanisms.
Dr Santrupt Misra, CEO, Carbon Black Business & Director, Group H.R.
- Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt Ltd
Dwarakanath P, Advisor-Group Human Capital - Max India
Aquil Busrai, Chief Executive Officer - Aquil Busrai Consulting
NS Rajan, Group Chief Human Resources Officer and Member of the
Group Executive Council, TATA Sons Ltd
S Y Siddiqui, Chief Operating Officer - Administration (HR, Finance,
IT & COSL), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd
About this issue :
Gen Y (those born from 1980 to 2000) are taking over the workplace. What is the best way to
lead and manage this global, hyper connected ‘youth bulge’? How should young Gen Y leaders
lead multigenerational work places? This journal brings together research, case studies, book
reviews and a spectrum of views on these leadership questions, including for the first time, voices
of Gen Y. Business leaders, HR practitioners and Gen Y members will all find nuggets of wisdom
that they can apply.
Regional Presidents:
East:
Nihar Ranjan Ghosh, Executive Director (HR) - Retail Sector,
Spencer’s Retail Ltd
South:
L Prabhakar, Vice President (HR) Agri-Business Division, ITC Ltd
West:
Ms Anjali Raina, Executive Director, Harvard Business School
North:
Ms Veena Swarup, Director (HR), Engineers India Ltd
National Secretary:
S V Nathan, Director Talent (US-India), DELOITTE
National Treasurer:
Ms Shelly Singh, Co-Founder & EVP, People Strong HR Services
Director General:
Kamal Singh
Editorial Team
Ms. Anjali Raina,
Executive Director, Harvard Business School India Research Center
(Guest Editor for this issue)
Dr. PVR Murthy, Managing Editor,
CEO, Exclusive Search Recruitment Consultants,
[email protected]
Dr. Pallab Bandyopadhyay,
[email protected]
Dr. Arvind N Agrawal, President - Corporate Development &
Group HR, RPG Group
Publisher, Printer, Owner
and Place of Publication
Printed at
Kamal Singh, Director General, NHRDN
on behalf of National HRD Network,
National HRD Network Secretariat, C 81 C, DLF Super Mart, DLF City,
Phase IV, Gurgaon122 002. Tel +91 124 404 1560
e-mail: [email protected]
Nagaraj & Co. Pvt. Ltd., 156, Developed Plots Industrial Estate,
Perungudi, Chennai 600 096. Tel : 044 - 66149291
The views expressed by the authors are of their Copyright of the NHRD Journal, all rights reserved.
own and not necessarily of the editors nor of the Contents may not be copied, emailed or reproduced
without copyright holders’ express permission in writing.
publisher nor of authors’ organizations
Editorial Board Members :
Dr. P.V.R. Murthy, Managing Editor is a product of I.I.T., Kharagpur and IIM, Calcutta with close
to thirty years experience in H.R. field. He founded and runs an executive search firm Exclusive
Search Recruitment Consultants. He is associated with a number of academic institutions. He is
trained in TQM in Japan and in human processes from ISABS and NTL, U.S.A. He is the Past
National Secretary of National HRD Network.
Dr. Pallab Bandyopadhyay, A doctoral fellow from XLRI and AHRD, he is trained in OD and
Human Processes from NTL, USA and he believes in applying HR concepts to practice to make
it more meaningful and effective. He is a mentor and coach to many young HR professionals.
Dr. Arvind N Agrawal - Dr. Arvind N. Agrawal, Ph.D. serves as the President and Chief Executive
of Corporate Development & Human Resources and Member of Management Board of RPG
Enterprises. Dr. Agrawal has worked at RPG Enterprises since 1999 and his current responsibilities
in RPG comprise of HR and TQM. Agrawal held senior positions in Escorts and Modi Xerox. He
was the past National President of the National HRD Network. Dr. Agrawal is an IIM Ahmedabad
alumnus and also an IIT Kharagpur alumini, and also holds a PhD from IIT Mumbai.
NHRD firmly believes in and respects IPR and we appeal to the
contributors and readers to strictly honour the same.
For any further clarifications, please contact :
The Managing Editor
Dr. P V R Murthy, CEO, Exclusive Search Recruitment Consultants,
#8, Janaki Avenue, Off 4th Street, Abhiramapuram, Chennai 600 018.
[email protected]
NHRD Network Journal
ISSN - 0974 - 1739
NHRD Network Journal
April 2014
Volume 7
National HRD Network
The underlying philosophy of the NHRDN is that
every human being has the potential for remarkable
achievement. HRD is a process by which employees in
organizations are enabled to:
•
acquire capabilities to perform various tasks
associated with their present and future roles;
•
develop their inner potential for self and
organizational growth;
•
develop an organizational culture where networking
relationships, teamwork and collaboration
among different units is strong, contributing to
organizational growth and individual well-being.
Leadership : Gen Y
The National HRD Network, established in 1985, is an
association of professionals committed to promoting
the HRD movement in India and enhancing the
capability of human resource professionals, enabling
them to make an impactful contribution in enhancing
competitiveness and creating value for society. Towards
this end, the National HRD Network is committed to the
development of human resources through education,
training, research and experience sharing. The network
is managed by HR professionals in an honorary capacity,
stemming from their interest in contributing to the HR
profession.
Leadership:
Gen Y
April 2014
www.nationalhrd.org
Issue 2
Tamara J. Erickson
Rama Bijapurkar
Priyanka Bhotiya and
Dr. Arvind Agrawal
Lalima Chhabra
Aditi Tandon
Russell Mason
Shama Dalal
Saloni Chaturvedi
Disha Mehra
Priyanca Vaishnav
Gaargi Ramakrishnan
Siddharth Kanoria &
Shagun Seth
Shaheen Mistri
Sonali Roy Chowdhury
Kurt Piemonte
Mini Menon
Prince Augustin,
Namrata Gill,
Raghav Pareek, and
Neha Londhe
Mona Cheriyan
Amuleek Singh Bijral
Ashish Dhawan
Uma Ganesh
Dr. D. Prasanth Nair
Yogi Sriram
Amrita Chowdhury
A Quarterly Publication by The National HRD Network
www.nationalhrd.org