Category: millennial

Why You Shouldn’t Follow Your Dreams

Scott Asai3 Comments

dream-killer

Before you label me a dream killer, hear me out…

It’s inspiring to pursue your passions, but it’s not practical. I’m not trying to sound like your parent(s), but a voice of reason.

The more important question you should be asking yourself is: “How can I monetize my dream?”

Shark Tank, Pitch Fests and Startups have us obsessed with chasing what we love, yet the problem is the pot of the gold at the end of the rainbow is usually empty.

I’m as guilty of this as you. I think of a great idea, my mind (and heart) starts racing. I think of all the possibilities, but rarely about the obstacles. I chase the future, but am not always rooted in the present.

Only in the past 10 years have most professionals started saying: I want to do something I love.  That’s awesome, but not realistic.  If I can teach you anything, it’s to study how to make money from your idea from the beginning. There’s enough information on: TV shows, You Tube Videos & social media to get you started (no, you don’t need to go to school for a degree…experience beats education every day).

You learn by doing. Make mistakes. Ask experts. It’s smarter to launch your idea as a side project initially and if it takes off, make it your main thing. If not, lesson learned and at least you’re not depressed and unemployed. I’ve seen too many people chase potential only to be living at their parents house into their 30’s waiting for lightning to strike.

If I could go back to college, I’d give myself the following pieces of advice:

– Intern to learn a sales model then try to better it.

– Sell something, a product or service because it doesn’t matter how great your idea is until someone else sees the value in it and buys it

– Network like your life depends on it. The world is about who you know, not what you know. Remember that.

So my message to you for 2016 isn’t to settle for a corporate gig, it’s to find work that can support the lifestyle you desire. Success is defined by you and you only. Chase your dreams, but work relentlessly at the process.

Why Goals Are Overrated

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goals-are-overrated

Coaching is much more like personal training than therapy, yet goals shouldn’t be the focus.

Let’s take your next career move as an example. If you’re looking for a new job, you’re normal. But the question is once you achieve that goal, will you be happy?

Research says short-term yes, but long-term no. The average tenure in a position is under 2 years for Millennials and rapidly shrinking. It has a bit to do with short-attention span, but mostly because of lack of purpose and challenge.

A job can fulfill that, but ultimately a combination of lifestyle and utilizing strengths is what matters. Let me explain.

People don’t work just to make money anymore. They want a job to provide their desired lifestyle. I’ve worked with plenty of clients who hate their job, but won’t leave because it supports the lifestyle they want to live. There’s also many people who stay at a low paying job because it allows them to pursue their passions on the side or make an impact at work.

Now moving on to strengths. If passion + strengths + experience = purpose, then strengths is the most important aspect. Passion and experience combined is the American Idol candidate who can’t sing. You have God-given talent, but it’s others who validate your strengths. The prime example are professional athletes. Paid extremely well to do one thing.

You might be saying, “But what if I’m not a professional athlete?” Well neither am I and here’s my answer: You may not get paid to play sports, but there’s 1 – 2 things you do really well. Find those things and do them over and over.

According to Malcolm Gladwell, it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become successful at one thing (approximately 10 years if you’re wondering). That means there are no overnight success stories. Here’s my overall point:

Goals are like checking off a to-do list. Habits create the lifestyle you want. If you want to have a successful career you better figure out what tasks you should be doing on a daily basis, regardless of your job. I tell my clients after the initial session, finding your next career move will be easy…but understanding your strengths, knowing where you best “fit” and building confidence is what I really want to see flourish.

So stop worrying about setting and accomplishing goals. Instead identify the successful habits that will fulfill your desired lifestyle and do that, daily.

Why College Has Lost Its Mojo

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lost-mojo

Someone recently asked me, “If you could go back and give yourself advice what would it be?”

My response: drop out of college

With a perplexed reaction to my comment, I began to explain:

A college degree isn’t worth much anymore…just ask your next employer. Experience matters, where you got your degree from doesn’t. The sad reality is most college grads take a job outside of their major and spend the next 5 or so years working just to pay off student loans.

Also college doesn’t teach “real world” skills. I spoke to USC freshmen and sophomores in a career workshop before and said the 3 most important skills to learn in college are: networking, gaining experience (usually through an internship) and learning how to sell (product, services and yourself). Ironically, those tasks aren’t taught in college unless you take advantage of resources as a student.

Lastly, flexibility is the new definition of success. Money isn’t as valuable as controlling your time. Millennials are the most entrepreneurial generation because they want to make an impact and be happy doing it. Steve Jobs, Richard Branson and Kevin Rose prove college isn’t for everyone.

Trade schools and incubators are on the rise because if you have an idea that can potentially make a lot of money, why put it towards an education that doesn’t translate to much? As a Bachelor’s & Master’s degree holder, I may sound like a hypocrite, but if I could do it all over again I’d pass college and jump directly into entrepreneurship.

What An Employee Wants, What An Employee Needs…

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christina-aguilera-

Enter Christina Aguilera…just kidding.

There’s two ways to look at this scenario: through the eyes of an employee or the mind of an employer. The good news is the answer is the same.

Treat employees like entrepreneurs.

Employees want to feel valued. Give them objectives, but let them choose how to accomplish them. Coach them through the process, but ultimately give them freedom how to complete their assigned tasks.

Employers tend to micromanage. It’s more generational than anything else. It’s how they were taught, so they do the same. The reason flex time is valued by workers is because life outside of work is more important. That doesn’t mean you have to offer work remotely, it just means treat employees like people first, not workers.

Millennials are the most entrepreneurial generation in history. All aspire to be entrepreneurs, even if they never make the jump. As an employer, your best retention tool is to treat them like intrapreneurs. You want workers to take ownership and responsibility, so give it to them. Have consequences if they don’t finish the job, but it’s better to give trust initially then respond accordingly to the results.

Entrepreneurship should be available to all. What do you think? 

Social Media: All About Generational Preference

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science-and-social-media-platforms

Today technology represents communication. Simply put, social media platforms come down to style and preference. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but to quote George Clooney in the movie Up In The Air, for brevity purposes we’ll stereotype here, it’s faster.

Facebook: All (news source), Baby Boomers are fastest growing population

Pinterest: Moms (who are into fashion/crafts)

LinkedIn/Twitter/YouTube/Yelp: Millennials/Gen X

Instagram/Snapchat/Periscope/Vine: Millennials/Gen Z (all about selfies)

Google+/Tumblr: N/A

For marketing purposes, it doesn’t matter which platform you like best, it’s choosing the one(s) your customers use most frequently.

For example, I use Twitter the most because it’s “real time” breaking news. As a die-hard Lakers fan, I communicate with my peers daily on rumors, discussions and recent stories. I use it as a conversational piece and it’s done well to spread my sports blog posts to a larger audience of people I would have never of met otherwise. On the other hand, I enjoy looking at Instagram, Snapchat and Periscope because they are visual and engaging. I don’t post as much as the people I follow, but it keeps me up to date on what’s current. Professionally LinkedIn is my favorite. It’s one of the most focused social networks where there’s a reason to connect with people while acting as a “live resume” especially to recruiters.

What’s cool and popular isn’t as important as which one(s) you need to spend time on. I’ve cut down my Facebook visits because I found myself wasting a lot of time on there looking at useless updates. So even though Facebook continues to dominate the social media space, I’ve decreased my participation based on needs. Most of my customers find me on LinkedIn and Yelp, so I make sure to stay active on those. And since I engage with Millennials more than any other generation Instagram, Snapchat and Periscope reveal what’s trendy.

The best advice I’ve heard is stop trying to be active on all platforms. There’s no crime having an account on each stage, but focus on one at a time and learn how to master it. Social media is about communicating. The question is: who are you talking to and why?  

Scott Asai is a speaker/coach that has been developing leaders for 20+ years – athletes, companies and individuals. His focus is helping people develop leadership skills to advance in their careers. Scott tends to attract a large audience of Millennials and Introverts to his programs/events. His professional background consists of: B.A. in Psychology, M.A. in Organizational Leadership, Certified Professional Coach and Certified Strengths Coach.

How The NBA Free Agency Mirrors Corporate America

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nba_teamlogos

Professional athletes are in the prime of their career in their 20’s, but as they reach their 30’s priorities change. It’s no different with Millennials in the workplace except their best career years may be ahead of them.

During the NBA free agency period players without contracts have the opportunity to strike it rich with their current or new team through signing a multi-year deal. Most NBA players want 3 things:

1) To win now

2) Be the “man”

3) Max money

Assuming an athlete has been in the league for a couple of years and excelled, the bidding wars begin. As a fan I found myself making parallels towards Corporate America this summer. Take the 3 wishes of basketball players and they can be translated to young professionals:

1) To make a difference/impact (winning)

2) Be valued as an important contributor (the “man/woman”)

3) Make as much money as possible

What’s interesting is the shift in values over generations.

Millennials care more about lifestyle than paycheck.

Purpose in work is greater than titles.

Promotions only feel “real” when accompanied by personal growth.

This NBA free agency period marked the first time top players chose small markets (San Antonio & Milwaukee) over large ones (Los Angeles & New York). The playing field has been leveled and location no longer is an important criteria. It is if you care about nightlife, housing costs and distance from family, but otherwise it’s an afterthought. It’s a reason why growing startups can steal top talent from established corporations.

I’ve always believed that Millennials are Millennials no matter what they are doing. “Perks” are popular because they show employers care about their wants. Sometimes perks are used as a recruiting and retaining factor. Understanding what Millennials want in their career reveals how they can “fit” in your organization. My point is people are people no matter what they are doing. Generations share certain core values that resonate amongst them. Tap into those values and their pulse reveals what matters. Cater to the heart.

Scott Asai is a speaker/coach that has been developing leaders for 20+ years – athletes, companies and individuals. His focus is helping people develop leadership skills to advance in their careers. Scott tends to attract a large audience of Millennials and Introverts to his programs/events. His professional background consists of: B.A. in Psychology, M.A. in Organizational Leadership, Certified Professional Coach and Certified Strengths Coach.

The Secret To Unleashing Your Productivity

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Distractions

There are plenty of myths surrounding productivity, but most of them are false because they’re centered on being more focused or giving perks. Managers would love to find the magical whip they can use to micromanage workers, but that stuff doesn’t work in the post-industrial days. Productivity is getting in a “flow” similar to when an athlete gets in the “zone.” It’s not as simple as snapping your fingers and you’re there. Instead it’s about controlling your surroundings and tuning out the noise that distracts us in a technologically driven world.

Rationally thinking becoming hyper-focused is the key, but it’s not. It’s like when you’re having a hard time falling asleep, the more you try the worse it gets. Actually when you “turn off your brain” is when you naturally dose off. I found as working as a Millennial Coach, the key lies with removing distractions. This can be as simple as venting to someone else. Imagine entering a room frustrated, then leaving refreshed. Work isn’t even discussed, but you feel ready to conquer the world walking out. Companies such as Zappos and Google are forward-thinking enough to provide the optimal environments to enhance productivity. Back to the analogy of the micromanaging boss, in order to unleash your optimal performance trust must be given freely. It is not without consequences, but a person should be innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. Leaders empower productivity, they don’t control it.

The next time you’re watching a sporting event, watch how athletes prepare before the game. Most have headphones on and are listening to their favorite music. Why? Besides possibly being sponsored to wear a certain brand, it’s a pre-ritual to help calm their mind and body. The term corporate wellness gets thrown around a lot these days, but essentially its function is to counter the daily stress with an outlet of release or relaxation. Most people wake up, grab coffee and stumble into work wondering why they’re not in the mood to produce at a high level. You may not be able to listen to music by yourself during work, but you can go for a morning workout, eat a healthy breakfast or listen to music that calms or motivates you in the car during your commute.

Lastly, I can’t emphasize how crucial to your success coping is. That means being able to deal with curveballs thrown at you frequently. You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond to it. Re-framing situations from negative to positive is merely turning that frown upside down. Your mind has the ability to pause in situations that don’t feel right and choose to focus on something else. For example, if you’re given a new assignment that has a hard deadline soon instead of complaining about it, stop, re-prioritize and drop what you’re currently doing to work on what’s more urgent. A split second is all it takes to catch yourself from going down a hole of despair to re-framing to what’s more positive.

So the next time you’re having a problem getting focused, think about your environment. Experiment with what’s conducive to your optimal performance and tinker with it constantly like a game. There are some factors, like meetings or an annoying co-worker, that you can’t control, but you’d be surprised to know a lot of your performance has to do with what you decide to tune out.

Scott Asai is a speaker/coach that has been developing leaders for 20+ years – athletes, companies and individuals. His focus is helping people develop leadership skills to advance in their careers. Scott tends to attract a large audience of Millennials and Introverts to his programs/events. His professional background consists of: B.A. in Psychology, M.A. in Organizational Leadership, Certified Professional Coach and Certified Strengths Coach.

Millennial Makeover: 3 Steps for Success

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millennial_infographic

Millennials are now the largest generation in the U.S. Labor Force and that number will just keep growing. The stereotypes of being narcissists, fickle and poor communicators are mostly true, but there’s too much emphasis on the problem and not enough focus on solutions.

I’ve worked with Millennials both as a volunteer and paid basis for the past 20 years and here is what works:

1) Teach/Model Communication Skills: As technology increases, communication skills decrease. With texting, social media and various apps, verbal communication isn’t practiced much. Young professionals can multitask quickly, but are slow to respond to emails, lack professionalism and avoid conflict. In order to turn the tides give them opportunities to speak in public, network at events and define professionalism. Rarely is a new hire ready to do their job independently. That doesn’t mean they’re not capable, it means you need to teach them what they lack. The only way to improve skills is to practice. Stop complaining about their faults and show them how to do it.

2) Give Frequent Feedback: Millennials crave coaching. Since we’re stereotyping here for brevity purposes, Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers aren’t the greatest managers. Most supervisors move up in rank because of seniority, but the technical skills mastered are far from leadership skills that are needed to develop emerging candidates. Frequent means daily or at least weekly feedback. Yes, Millennials tend to dislike criticism, but that doesn’t mean you stop giving it. No, I’m not an advocate for micromanaging, but if someone isn’t performing to standards, they must be informed. This goes both ways too. Leaders should be secure enough to ask how they can serve their workers better. Praise is welcome, but make sure it’s specific, not general like “good job.” If you’re going to be generic in your feedback, do everyone a favor and don’t bother opening your mouth. Start at the end. Performance evaluations shouldn’t be a surprise to any worker if feedback is being given constantly.

3) Reward Intraprenuership: Millennials are the most innovative generation in history. If they don’t see the market fulfilling a need, they create it themselves. Corporate culture should welcome mistakes. We all learn best through trial and error and the most successful people in the world deal with failure better, not success. New projects are a great way for Millennials to take initiative, collaborate and test market products/services. If you ask most young professionals what matters to them most at work, you’ll usually get the response: make an impact in the world or opportunities for growth. Rewarding intrapreneurship satisfies both desires if planned well. Responsibility happens when ownership is taken. The quickest way to teach that is by delegating tasks, trusting people to get it done and holding them accountable for the results. Don’t worry about retention as much, instead foster an entrepreneurial culture and it becomes your most effective recruiting tool.

Generational differences cause a lot of problems at work, but if you choose to focus on the strengths of Millennials instead of their weaknesses, you’ll see positive results in your ROI much sooner than later.

Millennials: Why Potential is Overrated

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potential

Dear Managers,

Before you hire your next college graduate based on potential, stop. The equalizer for a young worker is experience, which tends to be lacking, but ultimately what employers care about for long-term tenure. After completing a four-year program, you need someone to give you a chance because you need experience right? Well, only part of that is true. If you’re a smart worker, you would have been interning, volunteering and/or working a part-time job. Experience, not a diploma, is a far superior measurement for success on the job.

This isn’t saying natural talent doesn’t matter, but far too many times “potential” makes us blind to current deficiencies. Take for instance athletes. Young talent is referred to as “raw,” but since sports is something you take seriously since childhood if you want to go pro, your body of work as an amateur precedes you getting to the next level. If a pro basketball prospect is known for his scoring ability, but struggles on defense that’s a red flag. As a natural scorer, that’s probably where he’ll thrive in yet even with teaching, he’ll be a mediocre defender at best. People can be taught skills, but we can’t can’t escape our strengths and weaknesses. Most superstars are elite at every level of competition. Play to your strengths and be aware of your shortcomings. Each person has a ceiling whether we want to believe it or not.

That’s why good interviews consist of past behavior questions. Employers want to know what you’ve done so they can predict how you’ll do. If you’re hiring for sales job, don’t look for charismatic individuals, look at sales experience. Want to hire the best engineer? See how much your candidate toyed with computers and video games as a kid. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell referred to the 10,000 hours rule where it takes that much practice to master a skill. Sounds crazy, but that’s equivalent to about 10 years of work. Someone straight out of college will probably not have that much experience in the industry, but some experience is much better than no experience.

It goes back to how we view our college experience. Did you wait for counselors and advisors to tell you what to do or did you take initiative to learn things on your own? High school is the last time education will tell you what’s next. In college, you choose your own destination. Potential is overrated because is says “I’m confident I can do this, I’m just waiting for my opportunity.” Experience says, “I can give you a specific example of why I’m a great fit for your company, when do I start?” Hire the experienced over the potential candidate. You’ll be glad you did.

Follow Up Like A Boss

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Follow-Up

A friend of mine owns a very successful business called Westside Rentals. He built it from the ground up over 10 years ago and now it’s a multi-million dollar company. Mark is a very generous and friendly guy and being an extrovert he gets asked to speak frequently and accepts more times than not. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with him on occasion and hear him present. No matter where he speaks, he always concludes with the following:

Here’s my email address (usually it flashes on the screen), feel free to contact me, I’d love to hear from you.

But here’s where it gets interesting. The more successful you are, the less available time you have. So the caveat is Mark check’s his email several time daily, but one tactic he uses is if he responds to you, he’ll ask that you send him an email 2 weeks later to follow up. 90% don’t. For the 10% who do follow up, he’ll usually stay in contact with you.

This story is unique, but the principle is not. I can’t stress enough as a coach how much people today don’t follow up. We live in a world where distractions are plentiful and focus is becoming a lost art. For example if you send an email to someone you’re trying to contact, the rule of thumb is try 3 times. That means if you don’t get a response within a week, try again. If you don’t hear back after that, try once more reminding the person you understand they are busy, but you’d love to hear back from them. Be specific. Be brief. Be courteous.

Since only 10% of people actually do follow-up, those are the ones who usually reach their goals. Not because they are pushy. Not because they are arrogant. But because they are persistent. Most people give up after contacting someone once because they take it personal. Someone not responding to you isn’t rejection, it’s usually them being too busy or intending to respond, but forgetting to.

Following up is similar to sales. Rarely do you get the sale the first time around, but if you keep at it (albeit you’re not sleazy or annoying) you usually get better results than not. When you follow up, you stay on that person’s radar. Just because they don’t respond initially doesn’t mean they’re not receiving your message. That’s why the “3 times” rule comes in handy. If after 3 tries you still don’t get a response, it probably means you’ll never hear back from them. Go back to what I said earlier: the more successful a person is, the less available time they have. So don’t take it personal, rather take it as a challenge.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, you have to do what everyone else isn’t doing. Follow up like a boss and be a part of the 10% that makes it happen.