Insanity is a dish best served microwaved

I that Corporate America is at a crossroads.  My generation (Y–just barely) is starting to move into the middle level of our careers.  In our movement up we are ruffling the feathers of the older generations with our style of work.  There has been much documentation about how different our generation is and how to respond to it in the workplace.  I ran into my first real taste of it this week.

Without really going into too much details, I learned a valuable lesson about the company I partner.  There is a chain of command and that’s the only way to get done.  Sadly, I don’t roll that way.  Since I started my career I have been known as Hurricane Halford.  This is a blessing and a curse.  The blessing of course is that I can create change and energize the people around me that what I’m trying to do is going to improve our lives.  The downside is that I will take out everything and anything in my way trying to achieve my goal.  When I’m done, trees are knocked down and houses are rearranged.  But just as soon as I roll in, I’m gone and on to the next project.  I have learned to embrace me this about myself and I try to reign it in as much as possible.  Still, I have been very successful in my short career by being able to move obstacles in my way so I’m not going to abandon my work style to appease the uppers.  What we need is a happy medium.

For me, I need to know that if I am relying on someone higher up to get something done that is important to me, it’s going to get done… quickly.  I am not going to hang out for two weeks to wait to hear about it as people pass it on higher up and higher up.  Nay.  It’s more efficient to just let go to the person that can create the change and allow me to pitch my case directly.  I can take the heat and criticism.    I’ve also heard this word “No” from many people but I still haven’t figured out what it means yet.

For my company, the need to realize that this is no longer 1960.  The corporate structure of yesteryear doesn’t work anymore.  We are not in a hierarchy anymore.  People are working in collaboration in order to achieve goals.  My generation isn’t interested in advancing on the backs of others.  When we are done with a job, you can either give us another one within the company or we’ll find a new one on our own.  The days are gone where people are going to stay with the same company for 40 years.  Of course there are people that will–but those will be typically unskilled workers with little area for advancement.  Most are going to continue to look for jobs that fit their lifestyle.  My job does not define me; my life defines me.  My job just allows me the chance to use my talents and get paid for it.  My world doesn’t revolve around my job.  However, it still is very important to me to let me do what I want  to accomplish in this world.

Gone are the days of the three martini lunches.  Although, if you want to bring them back, I’d be more than happy to assist.  Corporate America has to realize that they aren’t the revolutionaries anymore.  Especially Baby Boomers that have drifted through their life mostly with a sense of entitlement.  This isn’t your game anymore–it’s not quite mine yet either.  But it’s going to be soon and if you think it’s going to be the same, you’re sadly mistaken.  You’re going to find a corporate structure more open, more collaborative which will lead to happier, more productive employees.  The president of the company isn’t going to be behind locked doors and someone you only hear from once a year or with a fake signature on a birthday card.  Leaders of American companies in the future will be more innovated, sincere, and available to their companies.  Their families are important to them, so don’t expect them to be working nights and weekends for you.

So it’s time to past the torch, but leave the martini… we’ll take care of that for you.