Our Latest EQ Tip

On a flight the other day, somebody asked me how many children I have. I told them seven. They gulped. Then I assured him that it just felt like seven. In fact, my wife and I have just (just?) three lovely little people in our lives.

As I was on that flight writing the white paper, The Big Disconnect, which is about managing younger generations in workplaces today, it occurred to me that we (you and I) are the ones who have created (or are creating) this mess between the generations. Read more below.

The long span of the bridge of your life is supported by countless cables called habits, attitudes, and desires. What you do in life depends upon what you are and what you want. What you get from life depends upon how much you want it – how much you are willing to work and plan and co-operate and use your resources. The long span of the bridge of your life is supported by countless cables that you are spinning now, and that is why today is such an important day. Make the cables strong! Read more below.

"Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means” Albert Einstein

Think about it, I am practically at my children’s beck and call. For instance, at breakfast, I basically take orders from each of our kids. Oh, you don’t want oatmeal today; how about eggs? Not eggs; how about fruit and yogurt? Not fruit and yogurt; hmm, how about toast? Not toast; maybe whole wheat cereal? Not that either? All right, all right, Fruit Loops it is!

Of course, I am only somewhat kidding - my kids eat Lucky Charms not Fruit Loops. But the point is we have to be careful about how we are treating this new generation because there are consequences. If they never lose at anything (on my eleven-year old’s team everyone gets a medal at the basketball tournament), how will they ever learn to deal with setbacks? If we protect them at all times in school and sports, how will they do when we are not around? Leaders of organizations we work with have actually gotten complaint calls from parents after junior received a performance review that wasn’t top notch. Unbelievable! So we need to be careful. Kids need to fail and they need to learn to take care of themselves (I must remember to buy more Lucky Charms on my way home tonight) or else they will not grow the skills that will help them later in life.

In The Big Disconnect, I confront the bad science being promulgated by ‘experts’ who are warning us that the sky is falling because of a values clash between the generations. There is no values clash between the generations, the research is clear on this. Even two of the pioneers of the early academic generational research, now admit: "Triumphant in popular culture, the cohort generation has been confined by experts to the shadow world of unproven hypothesis." There is, however, a problem. It is just a different problem. Read our white paper and see how you are doing - as a leader and an organization - in managing this problem. With the sheer number of people leaving the workforce in the next 5-15 years, this problem could become the single biggest differentiator of winning organizations in the years to come. Or am I just sounding like Chicken Little?

In this newsletter you will also learn how you can receive a Playing Big e-Learning program for free. This is a limited time offer don’t wait a minute longer or you might be disappointed. All you need to do is complete a 15-20 minute survey that is part of a current IHHP study. Interested?.

We at IHHP hope you are having a great month!

Bridging the Generations

In my last article, I wrote about a coaching and connecting concept we call the “bridges.” In this issue, I am going to look at how this concept can be applied to managing different generations.

For a summary of the bridges concept, please read my last article at: http://ihhp.com/newsletter/aug2007/#bills_side

The whole idea of the bridges, and of becoming a leader who inspires great performance, is to be able to “let go” of what is on our “side of the bridge” – our view of a situation or person, our judgments, our need to be right, etc. – and think about what might be happening for another person. This is an especially important concept when two different generations, with different styles and motivations are working together.

The Gen-Y employee on the other hand, sees the Boomer as an old-timer who “doesn’t get it” and doesn’t appreciate the skills and talent they have to offer. From the Gen-Yer's point of view, this may be true. But again, if the Gen-Y employee interacts with the Boomer leader from this side of the bridge, guess how well that will work out?

Do you see a recipe for frustrated leaders and disaffected employees? Oh, and by the way – that lazy, disrespectful Gen-Y employee is supposed to be the next generation of leader when the boomers retire.

The amazing thing is that it’s happening at a rapid pace. Almost every client I talk to expresses some degree of concern about the disconnect between the different generations of people on their teams.

The good news is that this is not a difficult problem to solve because it is not really a difference in values; it’s a difference in styles (see IHHP’s latest white paper). Even better, it takes just a little learning in how to manage one’s own emotional reaction to a situation and person, and then one can learn to connect to the other person’s side of the bridge.

It’s as simple as this: the Boomer leader learns to “let go” of their judgment of the Gen-Y employee, and truly appreciate what they do bring to the table. Gen-Y folks are talented and very open to change. In fact, they will push management to do things better and differently. And while they work hard while at work, they value work/life balance, which is a good thing because we know that’s what drives sustained performance. The Gen-Y folks also want to be challenged – and isn’t that a great quality! As well, they want feedback on how they are doing since they grew up getting that kind of feedback from their parents

This doesn’t mean the Boomer leader has to “give in” and not expect hard work and respect; it just means they go about asking for it in a different way – in a way that is more likely to earn the engagement of the Gen-Y employee.

By the same token, the Gen-Y employee can learn to “let go” of seeing the Boomer as an out of touch old-timer, and appreciate where they’ve come from – how they were taught to work hard, and had to earn their way to where they are now, and that it’s sometimes hard for them to accept new ideas and change. This doesn’t mean they have to work 70 hours a week like the boomer leader did, but if the boomer leader is approached with the respect they have earned, the relationship is going to be much stronger.

The bottom line is that if Boomer leaders are going to develop a generation of engaged Gen-Y employees and leaders, the two sides are both going to have to learn to respect and honor the different styles inherent in each. Neither is right or wrong; they are just different. And isn’t that pretty much true in all our relationships! That’s what makes the bridges concept so powerful.

The largest generation of people in history - some 77.5 million people - are about to retire. Over the next 5 - 15 years, the workplace will shift to a new generation of leader. Organizations that can’t figure out how to keep and engage this new generation of leaders and employees will lose on two fronts. Don’t become one of them! Join us for our upcoming complimentary webinar on Wednesday March 26 at 1:00 PM EST. It will provide a framework to better understand The Big Disconnect that is at the heart of generational tension.

Our White Paper provides you with interesting data on a number of multi-generational workplace concerns and preps you for our Webinar, which takes you to the next step...illustrating how Emotional Intelligence tools are critical to successfully bridging this gap in your workplace. You will also receive a number of other key benefits and valuable takeaways as you witness the vital link that Emotional Intelligence has with progressive companies around the world.

My partner, Bill Benjamin, and I will be leading the webinar, so sign up below to guarantee yourself a seat. Feel free to invite people in your organization who you think can benefit from this event – and don’t be afraid to invite those who influence or make buying decisions for learning. After you register for the Webinar our White Paper will be forwarded to your inbox within a few business days.

Never attended a webinar before? It’s easy and very convenient, and of course, it’s totally free! Click here to register. See you on Wednesday March 26th at 1:00 P.M. - EST!

Download IHHP’s Newest White Paper
Managing Generations – The Big Disconnect

Many of you may only know IHHP as a company that assesses, trains and coaches individuals, or maybe you’ve heard me or Bill speak at your event. There is another very important part of our work that drives our programming: collecting and analyzing research on human behavior and leadership. Amazingly, we now have over 130,000 who have participated in our assessment center in one form or another. One of our 2008 commitments is to make more of this research available to you in the form of white papers.

We are just putting the finishing touches on our new white paper entitled: Managing Generations – The Big Disconnect. This paper looks at some of our data on what differentiates high performing leaders, as well as discusses the single greatest challenge facing most organizations. I won’t tell what it is; you will have to read it to find out! Click here to go to our free download page. Our newsletter will be forwarded to your inbox within a few business days.

Yes, the Olympics…they're just around the corner!

The most requested topic JP has been receiving lately is the Olympic Edge. In this Olympic year, challenge your team to get to the next level of performance by offering them a riveting and timely keynote.

Having coached athletes to Olympic glory he can offer something truly different – knowledge of the secret that allows some individuals to get to the next level of performance and the barriers that stop the rest!

Combine this Olympic experience with that garnered by teaching leadership to Fortune 500 executives at one of the highest ranked executive education facilities in the world (Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management) and you have a powerful combination that can help propel your organization to Gold Medal results!

Your participants will learn:

The timing couldn’t be more perfect. With the Olympics fast approaching don’t miss this opportunity to inspire your team to their best. Book this Key Note Address now.

Research shows that developing Emotional Intelligence competencies requires repetition and support. We’ve made this segment of study much easier and convenient through the advent of new interactive computer-based programs - all of which can be accessed right on your desktop! Keep this segment of training right at the forefront and ensure you and your employees receive the best possible opportunity to make real change in their personal and professional life. We call it Playing Big!

This program, which normally retails for $69, can be yours for free if you take 20 minutes to fill out our survey, below. This is a time limited offer.

Two reasons why you should take us up on our offer:

If you have 20 minutes right now, and you're ready to take the survey, please click on the link below:

Playing Big Research Survey

This offer will not last long. Hurry and tell your friends so they won’t be disappointed!

What Better Test than a Testimonial?
We thought you’d be interested in a few comments from some of our recent session participants…

"This workshop was very helpful in building awareness and sharing tools & techniques to manage emotional connections as an individual and as a leader. Everyone should participate and learn about their “amygdala” and the importance of self-awareness, emotional management and emotional connection. This workshop fits nicely with leadership, Challenge, Leader’s Voice and Leader as Coach." ~ New York Life

"A very inspiring presentation. I believe that by empowering ourselves we can improve rather than point fingers and blaming others for what goes wrong in our lives. We make our destiny. It doesn’t just happen. Too bad I don’t think like this more often." ~ Correctional Services Canada

"Emotional Intelligence is a very crucial aspect of making us effective in both growth and turbulent times, so keep going! Great class!" ~ BlueCross BlueShield Association

"This course has had more personal impact than all of the other courses I have taken, combined. These are life skills that you put to use immediately and don’t put on a shelf with course materials from other leadership programs. Playing Big is very empowering…at work and at home." ~ Aliant

Our long list of clients is noteworthy. Earning their trust comes from years of excellent support and committed assistance. We are excited (and humbled) to welcome a number of new corporations and industry segments to our clientele list. Here are some recent additions:

The above list of world-wide clientele signifies a growing global need for expertise in the Emotional Intelligence field. We regularly travel great distances when delivering our Key Notes, Programs and other extended Learning, Educational and Accreditation modules. And we’ll come right to your doorstep to deliver the goods! The list below illustrates where we’ve recently been and where we’re heading to in the near future.

Canada
Ottawa, Toronto, Whistler, St. John’s, Montreal, Halifax

United States
Houston, San Diego, Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Charleston, Orlando, Asheville

Switzerland
Geneva

Jamaica
Kingston

Venezuela
Caracas

Australia
Melbourne

Become involved! Get with the program! Consider this an invitation to participate in one of our upcoming public sessions:

TORONTO
4 Day Programs WITH Accreditation
June 17 - 20, 2008
Nov. 4 - 7, 2008

We’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to send us your feedback or just drop us a line to say hello. As mentioned in previous newsletters please tell us what you would like to see and we will do our best to serve you! You can e-mail us at inquiries@ihhp.com or our complete contact information is located at Contact Us.

We respect your privacy.
If you wish your email address to be removed, simply click here .