So how does a modern day professional cope with this generational diversity and play well together in the company sandbox? Here is a primer on the generations and their characteristics plus some practical advice for workplace harmony.

Millennials (or Generation Y) 
born since 1981 – is the most educated and culturally diverse generation in the workforce today. They tend to be zig zaggers, hopping from job to job and distrusting bureaucracy. Millennials crave work opportunities with meaning where they can feel part of the organizational mission and often value helping those in need more than a fat paycheck. They were educated with a focus on community and service learning and value that in their workplace.

Extremely tech savvy, the Millennials identify the concept of work/life balance as their top professional value. Research shows they will sacrifice pay for more vacation time or a flexible schedule and they crave recognition. In 2014 the Millennials will comprise 36% of the workforce and by 2020 they will represent nearly half of those working.

Millennial Advice for Workplace Détente

• Respect the older generations in your workplace and learn from them – their knowledge and experience is priceless. Be coachable, be gracious, and appreciative – excellent professional manners and emotional intelligence still matter and will take you far.
• Seek out mentors and sponsors to enhance your professional development.
• Know that discussing work/life balance during the job interview can send a red flag to the employer signaling that you might not have a strong work ethic. Pursue your due diligence and seek out company culture and best fit before you hit the interview.
• Offer yourself as a reverse mentor and share your technology savvy with others less technology-able in your workplace.
• Eye contact is essential for in-person communication and showcases self-confidence. Seek out in-person conversations with your colleagues, and know that the art of face-to-face communication is valued by seasoned professionals. This skill will always serve you well regardless of technology.
• The older generations in your workplace want you to succeed for you are the succession plan. But know that they also want you to earn your way to advancement and recognition so be ready to showcase your professional strengths and work hard.

Generation X 
born since 1965 – was the first to experience a large percentage of divorce amongst their parents and working moms during their formative years. This created a generation of individuals who own their independence, resilience, and adaptability. They feel strongly that they don’t need supervision or micro managing to get the job done.

The Generation Xers are multi culturally aware and comfortable in diverse work environments. They are practical and enjoy a work hard/play hard philosophy in their careers. Many of them faced first jobs in the 80’s during an economic downturn and they witnessed their parents getting laid off or struggling with job insecurity. They reinvented the definition of loyalty and remain committed to their work, but since organizations did not extend loyalty to them, they take employability very seriously and climb the career lattice moving laterally based on the opportunity. The traditional career ladder of upward mobility in one organization became unavailable to them so they created a workaround to be more fluid in their career trajectory.

Generation X Advice for Workplace Détente

• Utilize mentors and sponsors of all generations in your workplace (and beyond) to grow your career and get the solid feedback you crave.
• Although you dislike rigid work environments, know that the Baby Boomers before you are accustomed to this culture so be solution providers and creative innovators at work to showcase your value add.
• Manage Up consistently so your boss and his/her boss know what you are accomplishing on the job. Advancement isn’t automatic – you must earn it and sometimes even ask for it.
• Be ready to throw the ladder down to the up and coming as the Millennials are entering the workforce at a rapid pace and they will be your colleagues sooner than later. Serve as a mentor/sponsor and pay-it-forward to the next generation as you move into leadership roles.
• Even though you have been trained to work autonomously, know the importance of team building and collaboration. The current day work environment supports this model and you need to get onboard.
• Don’t let the Baby Boomers retire before you have learned everything you can from them. This generational wisdom is leaving the workforce in droves and their expertise should be cherished.
• The Baby Boomers also have golden rolodexes with valuable relationships so be sure to steward these networking opportunities before it’s too late.

Baby Boomers born since 1943 – are identified as the post World War II babies who are just now hitting retirement age. The first generation to be raised with television, they were considered technology advanced in their youth. Described as social and political rabble-rousers, the Boomers came of age during the civil rights movement, the anti war demonstration era of Vietnam and a sexual revolution that accompanied the popularity of Rock n’ Roll.

Boomers are not all retiring in their 60’s and many have experienced entrepreneurial success due to their connection and wealth. Boomer career success was demonstrated by trying new things and an ability to bob and weave during times of economic fluctuation.

Work centric, the Boomers are extremely hard working and motivated by rank, wealth, and prestige. They invented keeping up with the Jones’s and defined their generation by professional accomplishments and long work hours. Commitment and loyalty to their company was demonstrated even if that required obligatory face time.

Goal oriented and competitive, Boomers are confident and ready to challenge well- established practices to make a better mousetrap. Since their companies did extend loyalty to employees they believe in the hierarchical ladder and earning opportunities for advancement within a single organization. The concept of job flexibility and working from home is foreign to them since they were raised to believe that work should be done at the workplace.

Baby Boomer Advice for Workplace Détente

• While the whippersnapper Millennials may seem too green to be worth your time, they are ripe with opportunities for reverse mentorship. Not only are they part of the workplace succession plan, they can set up your new smart phone in minutes so you don’t need to watch the online tutorial.
• You are a generation of consummate communicators and relationship builders. This technique does not have to die with the use of technology. Share your network cultivation and stewardship expertise with Gen X and Y and feel comforted that your cherished relationships can live on if you train others in this important skill.
• Since you need open lines of communication, ask for it beyond the calendared performance reviews. Even if you are in a leadership role, managing up is a technique you should utilize.
• Lack of employee engagement is the number one reason for dissatisfied workers today. Recognize that the younger generations thrive on feedback and create a culture where achievement is rewarded and recognized. Set clear expectations and accountability measures and consider mentor programs to pair younger employees with more seasoned pros to mold and guide the next generation to succeed.
• Even Boomers need to focus on continuing professional development so consider workshops, training, and individual coaching to keep you sharp, relevant, and able to do your best work.
• Recognize that the tech savvy generation grew up with the Internet and many have never seen a typewriter. Capitalize on their proficiency and encourage them to create systems and innovation for efficiency and productivity. Inspiring them with a challenge can lead to great things.

Generation Z represents the next frontier born from the early 2000s onwards. Their work styles have yet to be defined but here are some things to keep in mind if you have kids born into this generation:

• Gen Z will experience “Velcro Parenting” where the amount of time they spend with their kids will reach new heights.
• Gen Z will experience more significant parental unemployment.
• Gen Z kids will spend less time playing outside and more time indoors with structured activities.
• Gen Z will live by their iTunes apps and games.
• Gen Z won’t have to argue with their parents to get a cell phone. All kids under twelve are predicted to have cell phones so they can communicate with family anywhere.

At the end of the day, we all have to co-exist in the organizational culture so understanding what drives each generation is the first step towards professional peace and productivity. It should not be an “us against them” generational mindset since we are all in this together. It is important to define expectations and hold all generations accountable. Clarity of mission is essential for building and retaining great talent. Take some time to consider how you can learn from each other and play well in the multi-generational sandbox.

If you are in need of daily career inspiration or action steps to reinvigorate your current role or job search – Career Coach Caroline’s Career Tips App for smart phone (iPhones and Android) is now live. Check it out for daily wisdom and practical advice.

Coming soon to iTunes you can download this App immediately via http://carolinedowdhiggins.com/daily-career-tips-app/. Simply enter m.carolinedowdhiggins.com into your mobile phone browser or scan the QR code in the link.

We all need a little nudge to move forward with our goals so count me in as a member of your resource team with this daily motivation. Please share with your friends and thanks for your continued support and enthusiasm. The App will feature video and MP3 content soon so stay tuned for updates. Happy App-ing!

I know I’m not alone in this email overload reality so how do you stay efficient, weed out the email spam, and correspond in a timely manner to your constituents without becoming completely stressed out?

Christine Stoddard is a writer and television producer in Washington, DC and she shared some incredible tips in Little Pink Book about how to manage an inundated inbox with some measure of sanity:

Learn your email system inside and out. Whether you’re using Gmail, Outlook or First Class, tutor yourself on the shortcuts.

Create and save automated messages. Different clients may regularly submit similar queries. If you find your email redundant, create a standard reply and save it. The next time a client asks you a question you’ve answered before, send a prewritten response.

Set up an account with automated responses. When saving canned responses and sending them off one-by-one isn’t enough, it may be more time-efficient and cost-effective to set up another email account, info@yourcompany.com for example, which only sends out automatic responses.

Direct and organize emails from different recipients. Want emails from a specific vendor all in one folder? Many mail systems allow you to direct and store your emails as they hit your inbox.

Update your address book. Add loyal clients, long-time vendors and other important contacts to your email address book. Doing so means their messages are less likely to end up in your spam folder, which also means less sifting on your end.

Schedule two times of the day to answer email. If you feel like Pavlov’s dog when the ringer on your computer announces a new email, shut off the audio and get on with your work day. Organizational experts recommend scheduling 2 times a day to deal with email so you have this uninterrupted time to efficiently get through your messages. Resist the temptation to respond whenever a new message comes in unless you are on-call for an urgent reason.

Teach people how to treat you. It all boils down to teaching people how to treat you. If you answer an email on your smart phone at 3:00 am – the person who sent you the message will assume you are available and open for business. Set your boundaries and know that responding in a 24 hour period is perfectly acceptable.

Bottom line, email can take over your life if you let it. Set your boundaries, put efficiency models in place and schedule time each day to tackle email so it doesn’t get the better of you!

My IYF morning started with a powerful keynote by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman who co-wrote: Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing. This dynamic duo discussed competition and how women calculate their odds of success before trying something new.  This of course limits what most women pursue in life.

Think about that! When was the last time you really upped your game and took a risk at something new without the comfort of knowing if the odds were in your favor that it would work out? Bronson and Merryman urged us to be more competitive in such a way that we are seen and heard in our work environments and to let go of the fear that we may lose.

They urged women to play like men and instead of constantly coalition building, consider what is possible – even if it seems like a long shot. This visionary mindset really got me excited since I have several things in the works that are not guaranteed to be successful. I’m now better equipped to take those risks and enjoy the process instead of only focusing on the end result.

We also got permission from those two celebrated authors to stop raising our hands. They encouraged us (women) to dive into the conversation and not wait our turn since often that turn is never granted in a professional setting. Men approach their careers like sport – sometimes they win and sometimes they lose – but they always play hard. “Women tend to be careful to a fault…” quipped Merryman and she is right. We need to give ourselves permission to go for success on and off the proverbial career field. What are we waiting for? I can tell you with confidence that waiting around to be recognized is a frustrating process. So get engaged, take a risk and up your competitive juices to seek out what you want. You have nothing to lose and can always fail forward and try again.

The luncheon keynote was given by Chip Conley, founder and former CEO of Joie de Vivre and author of Emotional Equations: Simple Truths for Creating Happiness + Success. Chip blew us away and reinforced the Thoreau concept of how the cost of something measured is how much life you give to it.

Chip experienced some very difficult and life-changing experiences over the last few years including multiple flat lines when he was pronounced dead and came back to life more than one time. He asked how we would create meaning in our lives and made us really explore the concept of having what you want and wanting what you have.

While these ideas were not new to me, Chip unpacked the art of gratitude in such a way that it really empowered me to understand the control I have in any situation. He revealed simple equations for pursuing happiness as well as deciphering suffering, despair, and how it impacts our lives.

Deeply entrenched in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Chip helped us consider the joy of growing older and how curiosity and awe increases with age. He shared a study that indicated how people 46 years and older begin to really tap their curiosity, wonder, and awe. Growing older should be a joyful opportunity, unlike the pervasive cultural messages that tout the opposite.

My presentation sessions were packed and standing room only. While I was humbled and honored with the enthusiastic response to my message, it also left me with a truer understanding of how many women are unhappy in their jobs since I spoke about career reinvention or reigniting an existing passion in a current role.

The goal of my sessions was to give these women tools and action steps to move forward so they could pursue their dreams. What are you waiting for? There is no perfect time. But if you take control of your own career and life destinies and get in the game, flex your competitive muscles, be seen and heard, and stop asking for permission – you may just get what you want. Or you may realize that you’ve had it all along.

You deserve to be reignited professionally whether you love your current role or aspire to a new career. Take advantage of what you can do now and don’t wait until tomorrow.  Channel your energy and Invent Your Future!

However, if the concept of networking sends you into an emotional frenzy and paralyzes you from moving forward, there is hope. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Organizational Psychologist and coach and I recently came across a great piece she wrote about the 70-20-10 Networking Rule that may help you move forward.

Here’s how:

• The First 70%. For this initial segment, choose potential contacts that work within your direct core area or have a similar role. To keep things interesting, choose a few contacts within organizations that are slightly different than yours in terms of customers, size or possibly geographical location. Ask about their work – better yet – inquire about the challenges they are currently facing. You’ll undoubtedly gain a new perspective.
• The Related 20%. These individuals are working in areas related or “adjacent” to your core area. Look for those individuals who would support roles similar to yours, or those that might hold roles with whom you would interface regularly.
• The Outrageous Outliers (The final 10%). Go a little crazy here. Reach out to those engaged in work that simply interests you. Don’t be concerned with their core area as compared to yours – just possess a passion to learn about their area of expertise. Convey your interest early on – ask about articles, posts and books that could help you “cross -pollinate” and apply their knowledge set to your work life.

Some things to remember:

• Start slowly, within your own organization or industry. Ask for connection recommendations – and begin branching out from there.
• At conferences ask for introductions to those who work in your target areas.
• Utilize the social media channels where you feel most comfortable (and where you seem to have the most success). Be sure to explain the motivation behind your request to connect.
• Remember, that not everyone will respond. You’ll never know why – but don’t assume the reason is you.
• If you connect, plan a 15 minute chat. Explore mutual territory or potential areas of collaboration, and see if you “gel”.

Great wisdom, Dr. Gottschalk and this networking approach seems more feasible and palatable for the networking fearful. Now go forth and meet people!

Assemble Your Personal Board of Directors

I am a firm believer in the power of a personal Board of Directors  The it takes a village philosophy is alive and well but you need to mobilize your people so they know how they can help you. It’s important to seek out their collective wisdom effectively.

When seeking your Board of Directors look for a variety of people including an Accountability Master to hold your feet to the fire on goals you aspire to achieve. A Motivator is essential to keep you focused and enthusiastic about your career game plan and a Connector will help you enhance and develop your network. Your Strategist is a visionary that can help you map out the big picture while a Specialist might include anyone from your accountant or lawyer to your personal trainer or physician. You should assemble a myriad of supportive people to help you navigate different segments of your career journey.

Manage Up

Many larger companies are bringing in consulting firms to assess staff efficiency and fiscal responsibility. If your boss doesn’t know what you do well, chances are, he or she won’t be able to tell someone else why you shouldn’t be let go or be promoted.  You must tell your superiors what you are accomplishing on a regular basis. Consider sending a monthly email with your achievements, goals met, or solutions provided. Good news is rarely shared so take advantage of this opportunity to showcase your worth. Anonymity is dangerous – be seen, heard, and speak up so others know what you are accomplishing.

You should also observe your boss’s behavioral and communication style. Is she fast-paced and quick to make decisions? Is she slow to think about things and want time to process? The more you can match your style to your boss’s style when communicating, the more she will really hear what you’re saying.

Find out your boss’s preferred method — email, in person drop-ins, or lengthy memos — and be sure to pass along information to her regularly. Most bosses don’t like to be caught unaware. Even if your boss doesn’t ask it of you, tell her what’s going on — keep her updated. Managing Up should be a regular part of your career management strategy.

Take a Seat at the Table

The table is wherever you are in your career. You need not be at the executive level to be seen and heard so be sure to tap into your professional power and make yourself known.

• Show Up – be present and position yourself wisely.
• Speak Up – communicate concisely, clearly, and confidently. State – don’t ask, and stop apologizing!
• Stand Out – showcase your emotional intelligence; increase your visibility by seeking out opportunities to impact change. Have a point of view.

Become your own best self-advocate and chart your career destiny by becoming pro-actively involved in your career management. I hope you can join us at the Invent Your Future conference on April 24^th in Silicon Valley.

Mentors help to improve upon your strengths and lead you along your path to success with inspiration and resources that come from experience. A mentor can also help you set and accomplish your goals. Mentors will guide you and offer practical ideas about how you might do things differently. We all need at least one mentor that can speak candidly and offer constructive criticism, even when we don’t want to hear it.

You can gain a wealth of support and resources with a mentor and build the confidence you need to reach out to others that have valuable advice to share and add them to your resource team. Sometimes these relationships develop organically and sometimes you need to take the driver’s seat and ask others for help.  No matter which, mentors volunteer their time and experience so always show them your respect. Listen, don’t argue – and always follow-up with a personal thank you note or gesture of gratitude. The mentor relationship is powerful and valuable, so cultivate it wisely and be mindful of how you can help others and keep the circle of wisdom continuous by becoming a mentor yourself.

Mentor vs. Sponsor

These days, sponsorship is becoming more main stream and savvy women (and men) should be on the lookout for those who can assist them in moving upwards on their career journey. While a mentor can answer your questions and advise on how to navigate the organizational landscape, a sponsor will actually get you there.

A sponsor knows your accomplishments well and will sell you to others that do not know you in your organization and beyond. Your sponsor puts her/his reputation on the line for you and gives you a professional endorsement that gives you clout and credibility. You may actually spend more contact time with your mentor discussing your innermost doubts and issues but your sponsor is willing to put their name out there for you in order to help you advance.

It’s important to keep your sponsor well informed about your accomplishments so they can go to bat for you and recommend you for key projects that will help you distinguish yourself in the organization. It’s possible to have a mentor and a sponsor and you should look for both. While you are at it – assemble a full team of people to assist you on your professional journey.

I am a firm believer in the power of a personal Board of Directors. The it takes a village philosophy is alive and well but you need to mobilize your people so they know how they can help you. It’s important to seek out their collective wisdom effectively.

When seeking your Board of Directors look for a variety of people including an Accountability Master to hold your feet to the fire on goals you aspire to achieve. A Motivator is essential to keep you focused and enthusiastic about your career game plan and a Connector will help you enhance and develop your network. Your Strategist is a visionary that can help you map out the big picture while a Specialist might include anyone from your accountant or lawyer to your personal trainer or physician. You should assemble a myriad of supportive people to help you navigate different segments of your career journey.

How Do I Find a Sponsor?

Assembling a Board of Directors is relatively easy since you ask for advice on a particular topic on as as-needed basis. Finding a sponsor is a more delicate task. You should seek out someone in your organization that is well respected and influential. Once you identify a potential sponsor, introduce yourself, earn her trust and respect, and then begin to share your value-add with strategic information about your accomplishments and goals within the organization.

You must be courageous in developing new relationships while searching for a sponsor. This may not be someone who looks like you. Reach across generational, gender, and racial boundaries to develop new and meaningful professional relationships. Your sponsor will most likely be a stretch relationship while your mentor may be a personal confidant with whom you already share a lot in common.

Securing a sponsor also focuses on the need to develop professional relationships internally and externally in your career field. You should be innovative in managing up and getting to know people beyond your rank and pay grade in your organization as this is the most likely talent pool for a sponsor. Someone who is a lateral counterpart will not have the clout you need to help you move upwards and serve as a sponsor.

Another strategy is to become more visible by volunteering to work on key projects that prospective sponsors will also be involved in. Distinguish yourself, be a consummate professional, and make your potential sponsor also look good, and you will earn the opportunity to ask a sponsor to consider you as a protégé.

Remember, sponsorship must be earned so it’s imperative to build a relationship with respect so you can demonstrate your worth and value to the organization. A sponsor won’t put their reputation on the line by endorsing you unless they are confident in your abilities to go above and beyond.

You have the power to mobilize your professional team. Seek out multiple mentors, assemble your Board of Directors, and earn the opportunity to gain a sponsor. These individuals are all instrumental in helping you move forward with your career goals because it really does take a village. In the spirit of paying-it-forward, give some thought about who you can advise as a mentor, Board member, or sponsor as well.

Some organizations provide coaching in-house, especially in the upper ranks of the organizational chart. But for those of you who don’t have this as part of your workplace benefits package, seeking out career coaching on your own is a worthwhile investment to consider.

A Lesson from Athletes

For decades, professional athletes have utilized coaches to help them change behaviors, stretch their physical limits, and achieve performance goals.  Career coaches utilize a developmental approach to help an individual reach their objective just as a major league baseball coach leads individual players to work as part of a team and win games.

But the professional sports teams take it a step farther and employ specialized coaches to tap into specific skill sets from the physical trainer and the sports psychologist to the pitching coach on a baseball team, each of whom serve a niche function. In the work world, coaches can help you develop new skills, communicate more effectively, and bring individuals on teams together to achieve greater performance potential, for example. Find a coach that specializes in exactly what you need since one size does not fit all.

Another added benefit is the opportunity to have someone provide regular feedback and champion your personal cause to optimize your success. But you must choose your coach wisely since this personal relationship is built on trust and will only work with open lines of communication. Check references, ask for referrals, and always test drive since a reputable coach should offer a complimentary consultation.

Personal Guru

While having a personal career guru may not seem financially feasible for those at beginning or mid level careers, consider utilizing a coach only for very specific workplace challenges. To avoid Laurence J. Peter’s famed principle that in a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his or her level of incompetence, you might seek out a coach if you find yourself in a new leadership role without the skills or experience to effectively lead your team.

Instead of floundering as a new leader with added responsibilities and no clue how to manage and inspire your flock, seek out a leadership coach who can show you how.  Even a seasoned leader can seek the help of a coach to get her team unstuck with behaviors or mind sets that are holding them back and preventing maximum results and performance.

Coaches can also help prepare you for a new job opportunity, polishing your professional toolkit from resume and cover letters to your interview skills. While coaches can be very useful in the preparation and execution of a job search plan, most are not recruiters who will help you find actual job opportunities so be clear about what you need and want before entering into this professional relationship.

Your Coach is Not Your Shrink

A coach should be an effective sounding board for your issues at work and often plays the role of the cheerleader to motivate you to implement your newly honed skills. But, a coach is not a dumping ground for your emotional baggage and should be viewed as a professional resource that can provide an objective perspective about complicated work issues as well as solutions. Although not a substitute for therapy, working with a coach can give you clarity to work through difficult scenarios on the job that may give you peace of mind.

Also called executive coaches, these professionals can help you put your goals into practice and effect change that has a powerful impact on your organization and your career. But don’t fret if a coach seems out of your financial grasp since there are many ways to seek out free counsel from experienced professionals in the form of mentorship.

Mentors as Coaches

Everyone should develop a personal board of directors they can look to for professional advice. The best case scenario is to include professionals from outside of your current organization so they can provide objective wisdom and suggestions. Or, consider going outside of your immediate department at work to utilize the in-house expertise and institutional history within your workplace.

Whether you are a rookie employee, a mid level professional, or a seasoned executive, consider how you can pay-it-forward to others who need coaching in your network and serve as a mentor. If you have the wherewithal to hire an executive or career coach to help you achieve your maximum potential you are investing in your future success. Coaching in the workplace is here to stay so take advantage of this any way you can get it!

Finding your sweet spot in the career world can be daunting but the responsibility lies with you alone to play to your strengths and honor your passions in the job you are in, or the job you may be seeking.

Identifying what makes you unique requires self-reflection and focus – so get quiet with yourself. Turn off the monkey chatter in your brain and slow down so you will be able to identify what makes you sparkle. Protect your sparkle fiercely in your professional life. This is what makes you unique, what energizes you, and what gives the countless waking hours you spend at work meaning and a sense of purpose.

Know Your Distinguishing Factors – What sets you apart from the pack? Truly consider your strengths and the energizing skills that you enjoy performing. It’s not enough to be good at something – you must really relish doing it consistently. This is when time flies because you lose yourself in these wonderful tasks. When you can become the go-to person in your organization because of what you do uniquely well then you can distinguish yourself and become indispensable.

Learn to Bob & Weave – if you are not a boxing fan you may not know the origin of this term but the concept is universal. You must be quick on your feet, flexible, and ready to innovate in changing situations.  In other words – roll with the punches. The new normal has taught us that resilience matters and showcasing your sparkle factor may provide growth, and leadership opportunities if you distinguish yourself as the professional who is at-the-ready to do what it takes to accomplish organizational goals.

Toxic People Can Steal Your Power – positivity is infectious but so is negativity. Minimize the toxic associations in your life and give yourself permission to play to your strengths and focus on what you do well. Power is not given, it’s taken so never let the toxic people steal your thunder or undermine your value. Be assertive, self-confident and fiercely protective of your sparkle factor. Establish a work culture of having a good day or a great day – both are very strong options and will diminish negative attitudes.

Ask for What You Need – the most successful people have a team helping them achieve their goals. Assemble your Personal Board of Directors and don’t be timid about asking for help. Can you do it all? Yes, but not alone, and not at the same time. Tap your tribe and pay-it-forward by having the back of someone else. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a wise distribution of what you do really well. Delegation can provide someone else with an opportunity and it empowers you to do what nobody else can.

Command Respect – there will always be people who are fearful and manipulative who may try and squelch your sparkle. Strive to earn their respect since it’s more important than being liked by them in the workplace. You need not win the office popularity contest but it would be ideal if you earned your colleagues’ respect. People accept what you project so it’s your responsibility to teach them how to treat you. Consider what professional persona you want to put out into the world. How do you want to be recognized? Send that message out loud and clearly to those around you.

Bring it On – showcasing your sparkle is energizing for you and contagious for your colleagues. Consider how you dig deep and deliver. Discuss what motivates you and your colleagues. If you are in a leadership role be sure to ask your staff what makes them sparkle so you can recognize and validate them for a job well done. Employee engagement or lack there of is a top factor in retaining or losing great talent.

Love What You Do – it all boils down to honoring your values and playing to your passions on a regular basis. If you are in a role where you cannot showcase your sparkle it may be time to consider your career future.

You alone have the power to embrace your strengths, own your self-confidence, and engage your sparkle factor. Spend some time reflecting on what makes you tick. You deserve to sparkle so once you find it – protect it for the precious commodity that it is. 

I read a great piece by Jenna Goudreau and want to share her wise tips about how to engage millennial workers. They are the most educated and culturally diverse generation but also tend to be zig zaggers, hopping from job to job and distrusting bureaucracy, according to Goudreau.

So many non-millennial professionals are baffled about how to co-exist and get the most out of this rookie generation in the workforce. Here are a few of Goudreau’s tips about motivating the under-35 crowd.

Be Clear About The Company Vision – explain the big picture and how it provides meaning for the individual worker. Millennials want to know how their work plays a part in the company at large and gives purpose to the mission.

Prioritize Community Service – studies show that millennials value helping those in need more than a fat paycheck. Encourage them to get out into the community and serve while being ambassadors for the company.  A few hours a month of on-the-clock time for these service projects will help them feel validated while doing something important. That’s a win-win for the company and the employee.

Give Encouragement and Regular Feedback – the millennials want to be noticed and crave feedback as well as constructive criticism.  Since praise doesn’t cost anything but not praising does, validating millennials with authentic feedback is a wise investment that can motivate the troops. The praise must be well deserved so set up a culture of rewarding those with praise who earned it.

Be Flexible – even though Marissa Mayer nixed working from home at Yahoo, not every organization is ready to give up flexibility, nor should they. The millennials are extremely tech savvy and the concept of work/life balance is their top professional value. Research shows they will sacrifice pay for more vacation time or a flexible schedule so tap into this with options, provided that performance doesn’t slack off with flexibility.

Offer Professional Development – many millennials want to advance and grow their careers so professional development and continuing education opportunities are extremely important.  In addition to stretch projects and opportunities for development internally with mentors and sponsors, add leadership training and external conferences to the menu and consider this a wise investment in this generation of employees.

Develop In-Between Steps and Titles – since moving from job to job is becoming the norm for millennials, they don’t want to wait around for advancement and promotions. Consider alternative titles that show incremental growth and smaller advancement opportunities until they are ready for a bigger promotion. This just might keep them in place longer and will meet their desire for career progression.

At the end of the day, we all have to play well in the company sandbox and understanding what drives each generation is the first step towards professional détente.