The Stewardship of Young Talent

With all the changes businesses will experience in this digital age, the stewardship of young talent is a vital responsibility of today's leader.    Young people entering the workforce today will work in jobs not yet invented.  They are a generation accustomed to a fast pace, immediate availability of information and constant change.  These factors, combined with a whole new suite of skills and knowledge position young talent to be a catalyst of growth innovation in your organization.

Like seasoned talent, young talent must be stewarded and nurtured to truly leverage all of this ability available to you.  Without a focus on their unique interests and contributions and a clear development path, you could be at risk to lose them quickly to another organization or even a competitor.  This group of talent is looking for opportunities to add value and contribute immediately.  If they cannot see the way forward in the early days of a new role, they will quickly be searching for a new one -- inside or outside of your organization.

Here are some key ideas to stewarding young talent:

1.  Give young talent real responsibility early and often.  This group expects to be trusted in their job early.  They may not necessarily yet trust you, but they will trust you more as you invest in them.  As soon as you identify that a team member has a strength that can contribute, put it to work.  The old adage, "use or lose it can apply her."  They really want to contribute to some meaningful as soon as possible in the role.

2.  Ask young talent their opinion.  This group loves to give input.  You will get it whether you ask or not, but they feel more respected when you ask.  Additionally, they have good ideas and bring fresh and new perspectives to any project.

3.  Create a clear development path.  You may or may not be able to map out a clear career path, which they also crave, but at least be able to help them craft a development plan that will  position them well for future opportunity.  Include involvement on cross-functional project teams, opportunities to interact with leaders and attend internal and external events that will stimulate their thinking.  Clearly articulate to them the possibilities you see for their participation in the business.

4.  Advocate for young talent.  These new workforce entrants are looking for champions and sponsors.  When they step out to act on their ideas, pick the best ones and publicly support them.  They are from the "everyone gets a trophy" generation. They want and need recognition to motivate them and encourage them in their next assignment.  And for goodness sakes, don't take credit for their work!  Nothing is more demotivating to spend hours, days, weeks or months on something only for boss to come along and put her name on it.  As a leader, hopefully, you already have what you want.  Help others get what they want by giving them credit for the work.

5.  Allow young talent to fail without it being fatal.  People learn by making mistakes.  They shut down, underperform and disengage in the face of fear of failure.  This generation wants the opportunity to take small steps toward a solution, employ trial and error and have the opportunity to produce a winning idea.  As a leader, one of your critical responsibilities is to teach others how to be successful in their work.  Since success is a lousy teacher, you have to let people make mistakes, learn and recover.  

As a leader, I tell my team that it is ok to make mistakes.  Our goal is not to make the same one twice.  Most all people want to do really good work.  If we encourage them, advocate for them, propose a path, clear obstacles and barriers and allow them to learn by making mistakes, we gain their loyalty for a long season.

Macy was a fairly new and young employee.  She was making her first presentation in front of a large group of senior and seasoned leaders.  She was well prepared, but no doubt, had been anxiously anticipating the day for weeks.  After an amazing presentation that clearly demonstrated her knowledge and expertise, the group began to ask her questions, quite pointedly.  Two senior leaders asked her questions to which she, at the moment, did not know the answer.  Caught off guard, Macy was visibly nervous and struggling.  Gently, her boss interjected and deflected the attention off Macy.  This leader was advocating for his young talent just by helping her navigate an uncomfortable situation.

As I watched the situation unfold, I was not sure what Macy was thinking, but I was watching the leader and thinking that I might would have walked across hot coals for him in the future.  I took careful note of the technique, determined that I would certainly want to advocate and assist my own staff if the opportunity every presented itself.

Young talent is a goldmine for an organization, but the investment requirement from leaders  is significant.  Empower them, guide them and teach them and then watch what they can do for you.

"You Gotta' Serve Somebody"

One of the things that I love about working for my organization is the commitment to service.  Sure, we have a commitment to serve our guests, but we also serve one another.

One time,  I spent a week with leaders in another organization.  These were truly some outstanding people for whom I have deep love and respect, but during the course of the week, while I was under their leadership, I noticed a certain anxiety building in me.  By the end of the week, I identified the anxiety.  It was the absence of being in the presence of servant leadership.  During this time with these leaders, they practiced privilege rather than service. When there was a line, they were at the front.  When we ate, they were served first.  At events, they had premium seating.  When others needed help, they allowed someone else to do it.

The absence of servant leadership that I experienced helped me to value what I may have taken for granted in my organization.  Leadership is a tremendous responsibility to not only lead, but also to serve those we lead.  In my organization, it is imbedded into our culture that leaders are the first to arrive and the last to leave.  Leaders ensure that everyone is served before serving themselves.  They give deference to others and do not expect, nor accept privilege.

For a number of years, I had the privilege of reporting to a leader that both modeled and taught servant leadership.  This particular executive  began working as a teenager in a restaurant for a leader that provided a servant leadership model for him to follow.  Thirty-five years later, this executive  has personally modeled the same servant leadership that he learned from his boss when he was a teenager.  The impact of one person on one teenage team employee, later turned executive has helped shape the behaviors of an entire organization.  Thousands of employees have been tremendously influenced to put service above privilege and millions of customers have received remarkable service experiences.

What are a few key behaviors of servant leadership?

1.  Don't expect others to do what you are unwilling to do.  One of the things that I learned from my leader was working side by side with my staff is very important.  When they are in the trenches, I need to be in the trenches with them.  When there is a challenging opportunity, we need to be right beside helping to solve the problem.  He is a leader that won't be found in the box seats at the game, but instead, working alongside employees that are serving the fans in the stands.

2.  Acknowledge that every member of the team is important.  In traveling to some of our business outlets with my leader, I watched as the very first thing he did was to introduce himself to every member of the team, learning names and asking questions to know them better.  He rarely forgets a face or a name and people often feel valued that he takes the time to know them personally.  Like his his boss did for him when he was a teenager, he remembers to thank everyone for their service.


3.   If there is a line, be the last one in it.  Recently, I attended a company-wide event and we provided bus transportation for all of our employees to the event.  As 1200 people took turns boarding the buses, this same executive was the very last one on the last bus.  All the while, he was talking and visiting with employees using the time to catch up both personally and professionally with people from all areas of the company.   Putting others above yourself is the hallmark of a servant leader.

4.  Share opportunities and privileges with those who might otherwise never have the opportunity.  Not long after I joined my company,  I was flying on a charter flight with my husband to our annual company meeting.  I was an entry level employee and just grateful to be invited to the meeting.  When we boarded the plane, we found our seats in first class.  I  watched as company executives passed through the first class section to the take their seats in the economy cabin.

5.  Be inclusive.  Another leader in my company, who calls himself the 'curator of the culture,' learned from his father, the founder,  and knows that inclusivity is important to creating and growing a compelling culture.  He seeks opinions and spends time with employees in all areas of the business and particularly enjoys connecting with leaders and employees in our business outlets.

At our corporate office, there are no reserved parking spots for executives or private executive dining rooms.  The 350 plus capacity childcare center is available on a a first come, first served basis available to all full-time employees.  The fitness center and the free group training and exercise classes operate on  the same basis.  Award winning leaders in the business units often have special celebrations to share their honors with their employees who have helped them achieve high goals.   This type of inclusivity strengthens the culture at all levels of the organization.  Individuals truly feel a part of the mission of the organization and feel treated with honor, dignity and respect.

Simon Sinek wrote in his book, Leaders Eat Last, “the true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own. Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest.”

You want to be a leader?  Find somebody to serve.

Just Say "No!"

"It is kindness to refuse immediately what you eventually intend to deny," was a favorite quote of my mentor, Jimmy Collins.  He used it as a teaching lesson about making people decisions.  It was important to him, and to me, that we not drag people through a long selection process and delay, what sometimes, we know to be true -- that it's not going to work out.  However, it is a principle that works for every part of our lives.

When I was a teenager, my Dad promised to buy me a car for my 16th birthday.  It was a very special type of car that I really wanted.  I know now that I had no business driving a car like that at 16 (or many other ages, too), but because my Dad had promised, my hopes were set on that car.  My brother received a new car when he was 16, and I looked forward to my 16th birthday with great anticipation.  

On the morning of my 16th birthday, I woke up early with anticipation of receiving my gift.  My Mom gave me a box with a toy model of a red Corvette and the spare key to her "land yacht" sedan.  There would be no sports car for my 16th birthday, and, in fact, no car at all.  My hopes were dashed.  I had already, for months, imagined myself driving into my assigned parking space at the high school in my new car.  I saw myself being accepted in groups where I was previously not welcome because, now, I had a cool car.  This car was going to be a life-changing event for me!  I did receive a mode of transportation -- a slalom water ski.  I am pretty sure I kept the ski longer than I would have kept the car.

With certainty, I know that would have been a very bad decision to give me that car for all kinds of reasons.  In fact, I am so sure of it, that none of my sons received a car for their 16th birthdays.  They were given use of a family car with limitations on the use of the car.  The big difference was, from the time they were quite young, my husband and I told them they would not receive a car at 16.  They had no expectations.  I think they may have still had a glimmer of hope as their friends received nice cars, but we had been clear so that they would not be disappointed on their big day.  

Telling people "no" is often a very difficult thing to do.  Even more difficult, however, and what we often cannot see, is the disappointment that comes when expectations have been raised and then unmet.  If we know that we cannot provide our time, attention, resources or an affirmative answer, we just need to say so.  It is the kinder thing to do.  This principle is true whether responding to our family members, business associates, clients or friends.  

Have you ever been stood up for a date or waited for a friend to go somewhere with you only to have them not show up?  In trying to be nice and say "yes," we sometimes fail to be kind by saying, "no."  When I try to be nice, I care what you think about me.  When I am kind, I care about you and your feelings.  If the date or the friend just says "no" to begin with, you can make other plans.  However, when left to wait, the disappointment is two-fold.  You missed the outing and also missed the opportunity to choose to do something else.   

Integrity suffers and relationships are diminished when we don't do what we say we will do.  To reduce disappointment and heartache in the long run, say "no" before expectations are created.  The longer a situation continues, the more expectations continue to rise and it becomes much harder to say and hear "no."  

Few days go by in my business life that I do not have the opportunity to make a decision based on the principle from Jimmy's quote.  My role at work requires me to tell people they will not be hired, or a receive a promotion or that they might receive a smaller raise than expected.  Sometimes, I have to share with people that the project they proposed will not be funded or the new assignment they wanted will be filled by someone else.  The saying that "bad news does not get better with age" is very true.  It's never enjoyable, but it goes much better when I provide prompt, truthful answers.  Often I am thanked for being clear and quick.  It allows the person to understand, move on and decide what to do next.

Refusing immediately what you eventually intend to deny will ensure your credibility and integrity remain in tact.  People will not always like your answer, but they will respect you for treating them kindly.