The importance of this conversation became clear to me while I was attending a large international conference for trainers a few weeks ago. While I gained a great deal of insight about what's happening in the world employee development and training, I was struck by what I thought was missing - a more pronounced outlet for developing socially conscious professionals and leaders. I'd say 90% of the exhibitors were focused on how to get the most of our your employees, how to create better leaders, and how to engage your employees more effectively. In other words, a lot of buzzwords and a lot of the same ole same ole. It wasn't until I walked to the fringes of the expo floor that I found more of the vendors speaking to the values-driven conversation. I started hearing words that I was often use like Corporate Social Responsibility, non-profit, mission-driven, etc. However, these words were being spoken at say 5 of about 300 booths. When I looked at the entire program, I found 3 - 4 educational sessions of about 250 that spoke to these topics. For as much hype as we've heard about CSR, sustainability, cross-sector alliances, etc, I was at a loss as to why there were so few conversations happening among the people charged with educating our organizations.
At a certain point, I began to second guess my own convictions, have I missed something? Should I just let this values-driven/mission-driven, CSR, sustainability conversation go? Should I get with the program and morph back into a business as usual conversation where it's all about the business of business. As I thought about it, I realized, no. This is where we have an opportunity. When I would engage folks in a conversation about core values and making a difference, I would see eyes light up and folks start to get excited. The opportunity is to help folks reconnect with their values and find ways to express those values in their professional lives. The other reason that got me to think I might be onto something, i could see a lot of unhappiness in the rooms where I was attending educational sessions. Granted the economy has taken the wind out of a lot of folks, but I saw something deeper. There was something definitely missing. While I'm not quite certain of what that missing is, i know that it is the basis for an exploration. I'm going to use this blog as a chronicle of my own exploration that I hope will help others to begin to engage in figuring out how we can all have more meaning, happiness and purpose in our professional lives connected back to core values.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
What does it mean to be a Values-Driven Professional?
I've spent my entire professional life grappling with this concept. Through my own journey, being a values-driven professional has come to mean looking at my intrinsic needs. Really identifying, understanding and living out my core values. Realizing that my core values are not always in alignment with what I see in my world. Yet, realizing that when I move away from my core values, that I lose my soul and passion for what I'm doing.
In black and white terms, I'd say being a values-driven professional is the opposite of a profit-driven professional. In what I do and for most of my clients, the career has very little to do with money (beyond making a comfortable living, however that is defined), and more to do with making a difference in some way. Making a difference begins with figuring out the cause or mission that resonates. For some it's strengthening and supporting the environment, for others its helping the poor and those in need, you get the point. For me, the answer was never that clear cut, I never had a specific cause that spoke to me, but knew that there had to be some cause out there. In time, I found that my cause was educating others and looking at the ways we were developing our young people to be better citizens (not just corporate citizens). As I look at my cause now, it is still about educating others, but also helping those who are values-driven find their voice through service so that they can make the contribution that they want and feel they are supposed to make.
As I've thought about the words that I'd use to describe the clients that I work with and support, I've run the gamut. Many people who follow me on LinkedIn know this as I have changed my definition numerous times. It hasn't been easy finding the right way to connect the term with what will resonate for a group of folks who are like-minded. I've thought about words like mission-driven professional, but that assumes someone who has good intentions has the clarity of cause. I believe the term mission-driven comes in time, but not necessarily out of the gate. I used the term purpose-inspired, but since this can be a scary proposition to move in this direction in the first place, I thought it might be difficult for say the accountant or IT person from a traditional background who wants more meaning to begin to move in a different direction.
I've found this conversation to be one that I know speaks to a lot of people, but they must be able to embrace it on their terms and in there time. What I've come to realize is the term values-driven professional covers many folks and at the same time, it speaks to them where they are in their process regardless of their current level of clarity. It's a deeper-level conversation that speaks to their intrinsic needs to be able to make a contribution in some way, while providing them with greater professional purpose and meaning. It's also the road less traveled and can feel daunting at times, but important to know that real change in the world will come by them taking the steps to move in a different direction. I feel by helping others move in this direction as professionals, leaders and agents of change, then I'm fulfilling my own professional calling.
In black and white terms, I'd say being a values-driven professional is the opposite of a profit-driven professional. In what I do and for most of my clients, the career has very little to do with money (beyond making a comfortable living, however that is defined), and more to do with making a difference in some way. Making a difference begins with figuring out the cause or mission that resonates. For some it's strengthening and supporting the environment, for others its helping the poor and those in need, you get the point. For me, the answer was never that clear cut, I never had a specific cause that spoke to me, but knew that there had to be some cause out there. In time, I found that my cause was educating others and looking at the ways we were developing our young people to be better citizens (not just corporate citizens). As I look at my cause now, it is still about educating others, but also helping those who are values-driven find their voice through service so that they can make the contribution that they want and feel they are supposed to make.
As I've thought about the words that I'd use to describe the clients that I work with and support, I've run the gamut. Many people who follow me on LinkedIn know this as I have changed my definition numerous times. It hasn't been easy finding the right way to connect the term with what will resonate for a group of folks who are like-minded. I've thought about words like mission-driven professional, but that assumes someone who has good intentions has the clarity of cause. I believe the term mission-driven comes in time, but not necessarily out of the gate. I used the term purpose-inspired, but since this can be a scary proposition to move in this direction in the first place, I thought it might be difficult for say the accountant or IT person from a traditional background who wants more meaning to begin to move in a different direction.
I've found this conversation to be one that I know speaks to a lot of people, but they must be able to embrace it on their terms and in there time. What I've come to realize is the term values-driven professional covers many folks and at the same time, it speaks to them where they are in their process regardless of their current level of clarity. It's a deeper-level conversation that speaks to their intrinsic needs to be able to make a contribution in some way, while providing them with greater professional purpose and meaning. It's also the road less traveled and can feel daunting at times, but important to know that real change in the world will come by them taking the steps to move in a different direction. I feel by helping others move in this direction as professionals, leaders and agents of change, then I'm fulfilling my own professional calling.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Rethinking Gen Y Motivation for Social Impact
In a recent study in the Journal of Management, researchers have some interesting findings on the motivations of Generation Y.
Some of the conventional wisdom about Gen Y, such as their supposed preference for socially responsible careers that really make a difference, wasn’t supported by the numbers.
Press accounts often mention that Gen Y wants to help others and have a positive impact on society, but the study found no differences in preferences for jobs that helped others or were worthwhile to society – Gen X’ers and Boomers embraced such values just as much when they were young.
What was important to Gen Y? The youngest generation in the workforce said they want both work-life balance and high status and salary, a result that prompted the researchers to conclude they “want their cake and to eat it to:”
Striking differences emerged for valuing leisure. Gen Y was much more likely than previous generations to say they wanted a job with an easy pace and lots of vacation time, and less likely to want to work overtime. They also saw work as less central to their lives and were more likely to agree that “work is just making a living.” At the same time, they placed more importance on salary and status. In other words, the younger generation wants to have their cake (big salaries) and eat it too (work-life balance).
In my career coaching work with Gen Y clients, I have found these findings have some relevance. I am not surprised by the findings, nor am I frustrated by them. I believe many theorists have wanted to believe the next generation had an altruistic side second to none. Yet in much of my work, I've observed conflicting messages around service, where the espoused values do not make the enacted values. However, rather than being discouraged by the results, it suggests to me that we have more opportunities to create learning experiences that illustrate the intended and unintended consequences of our actions on all stakeholders.
Given our societal challenges, the idea that creating change takes effort, patience and diligence is ever more relevant to the discussion. I believe those of us in the development space have an opportunity to create new conversations that convey the amount of effort that is required. I believe this study just demonstrates a generation that reflects the larger societal attitude of getting more for less effort. The value proposition for taking the road less traveled needs to be articulated in a new way.
Some of the conventional wisdom about Gen Y, such as their supposed preference for socially responsible careers that really make a difference, wasn’t supported by the numbers.
Press accounts often mention that Gen Y wants to help others and have a positive impact on society, but the study found no differences in preferences for jobs that helped others or were worthwhile to society – Gen X’ers and Boomers embraced such values just as much when they were young.
What was important to Gen Y? The youngest generation in the workforce said they want both work-life balance and high status and salary, a result that prompted the researchers to conclude they “want their cake and to eat it to:”
Striking differences emerged for valuing leisure. Gen Y was much more likely than previous generations to say they wanted a job with an easy pace and lots of vacation time, and less likely to want to work overtime. They also saw work as less central to their lives and were more likely to agree that “work is just making a living.” At the same time, they placed more importance on salary and status. In other words, the younger generation wants to have their cake (big salaries) and eat it too (work-life balance).
In my career coaching work with Gen Y clients, I have found these findings have some relevance. I am not surprised by the findings, nor am I frustrated by them. I believe many theorists have wanted to believe the next generation had an altruistic side second to none. Yet in much of my work, I've observed conflicting messages around service, where the espoused values do not make the enacted values. However, rather than being discouraged by the results, it suggests to me that we have more opportunities to create learning experiences that illustrate the intended and unintended consequences of our actions on all stakeholders.
Given our societal challenges, the idea that creating change takes effort, patience and diligence is ever more relevant to the discussion. I believe those of us in the development space have an opportunity to create new conversations that convey the amount of effort that is required. I believe this study just demonstrates a generation that reflects the larger societal attitude of getting more for less effort. The value proposition for taking the road less traveled needs to be articulated in a new way.
Social Impact = Cross-Sector Convergence
Creating social impact is not dedicated to one sector, but rather a combination of all three. In today's current environment, the social challenges are continuing to evolve and grow. At the same time, for-profit organizations are making their social consciousness more pronounced while non-profits are operating more like corporations.
Professionals are shifting their views around careers where many in the non-profit world feel that the sector needs to become more accountable and embrace certain business practices. While many disenfranchised employees and managers in the corporate seek work that is more meaningful and mission focused.
In my practice, I spend about 75% of my time talking to clients about making cross-sector career transitions. The lines between the sectors are becoming blurred and the needs are becoming greater. It's my personal belief that no one sector can create the amount of social change that is required. However an alliance between sectors is an absolute must.
As I talk to clients who are seeking more professional values alignment, we discuss a host of career options, including: transitioning into nonprofits, foundations/philanthropic organizations, government agencies, corporate social responsibility departments, sustainability arenas, social entrepreneurship ventures, micro-finance, and general independent consulting engagements to name a few.
As the lines continue to blur, I anticipate that we'll see easier points of entry across sectors. Currently, given the economic realities, job seekers may feel that the points of entry are still too elusive. However, as more individuals make cross-sector career shifts, it is inevitable that we'll see the barriers to entry dissipate.
Professionals are shifting their views around careers where many in the non-profit world feel that the sector needs to become more accountable and embrace certain business practices. While many disenfranchised employees and managers in the corporate seek work that is more meaningful and mission focused.
In my practice, I spend about 75% of my time talking to clients about making cross-sector career transitions. The lines between the sectors are becoming blurred and the needs are becoming greater. It's my personal belief that no one sector can create the amount of social change that is required. However an alliance between sectors is an absolute must.
As I talk to clients who are seeking more professional values alignment, we discuss a host of career options, including: transitioning into nonprofits, foundations/philanthropic organizations, government agencies, corporate social responsibility departments, sustainability arenas, social entrepreneurship ventures, micro-finance, and general independent consulting engagements to name a few.
As the lines continue to blur, I anticipate that we'll see easier points of entry across sectors. Currently, given the economic realities, job seekers may feel that the points of entry are still too elusive. However, as more individuals make cross-sector career shifts, it is inevitable that we'll see the barriers to entry dissipate.
About Sean Harvey
I have been in the human capital/change management/career development arena for the last 14 years or so. However, my professional journey started when I was 15 years old when I started a nonprofit youth support group for the city of Dayton, Ohio. The organization exists to this day serving youth ages 14 - 21 across southwest Ohio.
So began my professional journey where I tried numerous careers and positions that just never seemed to be the right fit. I struggled to find meaning in my work where I knew that I was making a contribution for the greater good. At the same time, I had many misconceptions about the ways that I could have a career doing good while making a viable living. Over the years, I would seek out positions for what I thought was financial security, yet I kept losing interest in the roles after about six months.
With each job/career transition, I would get one step closer to my life's work. However it wasn't until 20 years later that I realized that I had to integrate the world's of service and my professional life. However, during those years, I was making decisions that kept me moving in the right direction. Over 20 years, I completed a graduate certificate in Public Service Administration along with Masters degrees in Organization Development and Counseling. Most of my professional career, I worked with consulting firms in the change management and human capital consulting space. Fortunately, many of my clients were in the non-profit and government sector, yet I was still afraid to take the plunge and commit myself fully to a service career.
Within the last year, I really took stock of the coaching clients and consulting projects where I was the most engaged and found that I kept coming back to the mission-driven professionals and organizations. So I finally realized that I couldn't escape my internal drive. The time had come for me to make a commitment. It was also important for me to commit, because I often felt pulled in too many directions otherwise, and not able to make the type of impact that I wanted. The reality, I was trying to be all things to all people and often I wasn't able to operate from a place of authenticity because the profit driver didn't resonate for me, but social impact hit home.
So here we are. I bring 20 years of experience working through the internal struggle and with that I bring a number of insights to those who are looking to make a social impact in the world. It's a conversation that I know well and that speaks to my heart every day. Now I hope to engage in a dialogue with others who are either looking at their own careers, taking on leadership roles, or trying to engage others around a social mission.
So began my professional journey where I tried numerous careers and positions that just never seemed to be the right fit. I struggled to find meaning in my work where I knew that I was making a contribution for the greater good. At the same time, I had many misconceptions about the ways that I could have a career doing good while making a viable living. Over the years, I would seek out positions for what I thought was financial security, yet I kept losing interest in the roles after about six months.
With each job/career transition, I would get one step closer to my life's work. However it wasn't until 20 years later that I realized that I had to integrate the world's of service and my professional life. However, during those years, I was making decisions that kept me moving in the right direction. Over 20 years, I completed a graduate certificate in Public Service Administration along with Masters degrees in Organization Development and Counseling. Most of my professional career, I worked with consulting firms in the change management and human capital consulting space. Fortunately, many of my clients were in the non-profit and government sector, yet I was still afraid to take the plunge and commit myself fully to a service career.
Within the last year, I really took stock of the coaching clients and consulting projects where I was the most engaged and found that I kept coming back to the mission-driven professionals and organizations. So I finally realized that I couldn't escape my internal drive. The time had come for me to make a commitment. It was also important for me to commit, because I often felt pulled in too many directions otherwise, and not able to make the type of impact that I wanted. The reality, I was trying to be all things to all people and often I wasn't able to operate from a place of authenticity because the profit driver didn't resonate for me, but social impact hit home.
So here we are. I bring 20 years of experience working through the internal struggle and with that I bring a number of insights to those who are looking to make a social impact in the world. It's a conversation that I know well and that speaks to my heart every day. Now I hope to engage in a dialogue with others who are either looking at their own careers, taking on leadership roles, or trying to engage others around a social mission.
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