Coaching is often incorrectly viewed by corporate leaders as a subjective or amorphous process. But the science of professional coaching is just that - a science. It is standards and outcomes-based, and it is delivered by a practitioner with professional credentials.

Successful coaching and mentoring programs are also critical for multi-generational management: developing strong multi-gen teams, tapping and harnessing talent and innovation in multiple-generations and raising new leaders from the younger generations fueling the future of your organization.

A successful coaching relationship will include:

• A qualified coach: Since there is no centralized accrediting organization for coaching, it falls on the buyer to set his or her own standards for qualifications and experience. Standards may include years of experience in a similar business or industry, references, educational background (e.g. MBA, PhD in industrial psychology, etc.) and specialized experience within a corporate structure (e.g. having held a c-level position or a board of directors seat).
• A defined process: A large organization might have several coaches, each with his or her own process and tools. Coordination of delivery and consistent measures of success are key to affecting measurable organizational improvement through coaching.
• Links to the organization’s strategic plan: What do you hope to achieve through coaching (e.g. a more robust talent pipeline) and how will you assess the success of the coaching program as it relates to these strategic goals?
• Quality assurance:
  How are the coaches and coachees matched, and how are your coaches trained and qualified?
• Measurement of impact and results: A successful coaching relationship is based on benchmarks set by the coachee and his or her managers, colleagues and direct reports. Identify individual and organizational expectations and how you will measure them.

As a manager, you need to understand this if you’re going to motivate people effectively. No one tactic is going to forge the bonds of loyalty, of course, but there are lots of small things you can (and should) do to build stronger and more productive relationships with your employees.

1. Frequently take the pulse of your team.
2. Create great jobs.
3. Create great careers.
4. Rebalance the blame culture.
5. Make meetings optional.
6. Acknowledge individuals.
7. Put employees into the bigger picture.

I wanted to point this article out for two reasons. One, these are just great tips, given the current economy and the new business models that are emerging from it. To survive, companies - especially small businesses - need to attract, cultivate and maximize creativity and ingenuity. Making employees part of the bigger picture by getting them excited about the company’s goals is key. Rewarding them individually and giving them the flexibility to work in the way that best supports their productivity - such as by offering telecommuting and making meetings optional - can go a long way in making employees feel valued and more devoted to the success of the company.

Secondly, these are also great tips for emerging managers of multi-generational teams. It is critical for today’s leaders to be able to effectively motivate, communicate with and gain the respect of multiple generations. Here are some additional factors for multi-gen leaders to consider:

• Boomers want to collaborate with like generations
• Y’s want to create social networking teams, which are defined differently than any traditional means – they will work on teams to solve problems together as a way of worklife
• Our research shows the different generations prefer to communicate with different channels. Boomers by phone and face-to-face and X’s and Y’s through internet and email – all modes of communication critical to success for the team
• Trust is a biggy to participate and openly contribute. Y’s may be more skeptical of the company’s motives so the team leader needs to figure out ways to build trust across the generations.

Take China as an example. On the surface, one wouldn’t really consider China to be a good candidate for discussing generational work issues given the government’s habits of stifling creativity and free speech (e.g. Google). However, more than half of China’s working population now is Gen Y (a crazy thing to consider when you think about the generational makeup of the U.S. Workforce) and multi-national companies are starting to turn their focus to managing Gen Y in China.

A recent Business Week article entitled “Working with China’s Generation Y”, authors Nandani Lynton and Kirsten Høgh Thøgersen argue that “Although local and foreign organizations in China must learn to manage Gen Ys effectively to remain successful, they are struggling,” and that “urban Chinese Gen Y members are smart and well-educated. While they hold on to many traditional values, they are beginning to challenge the preeminence of hierarchy.”

In urban China, Gen Y is a group of exceptionally talented people. No other generation in Chinese history has received such high-quality education for so many people. Chinese Gen Ys are single children born under China’s one-child policy. According to studies such as those by Posten and Falbo of the Guttmacher Institute, China’s solo children perform significantly better academically than peers with siblings. These single children have grown up in traditional extended families (including four grandparents and two parents), under pressure since kindergarten to pass entrance exams. This means that the child’s educational performance has been a top priority for six adults.

Read the full article here and an article introducing the concept (”Reckoning with Chinese Gen Y”) here.

What is most interesting to consider is how different the priorities of Gen Ys in China are from the much hyped priorities of American Gen Ys. How much does culture influence work ethic, work style and communication? Is this a stronger influence than generation or birth?

For example, our recent research has shown that Gen Ys in many industries are motivated heavily by salary and bonuses, job promotion and additional vacation time. Conversely, Chinese Gen Ys are more motivated by responsibility for the extended family, adherence to the middle way or harmony, and care of relationships. As the article states, “Despite surface appearances, China’s Generation Y is not becoming Western.” (Read more about our recent generational motivation research results here). I will be watching this topic with interest and updating on developing trends from around the world!

Also, on the topic of generations but on a different note, check out this great article on Brazen Careerist (very insightful on Gen Y business communications): “The Only Thing That Matters Is Your Story“

Despite the quickness and the fun of using acronyms, emoticons and the like to get your point across, businesses still require a high level of professionalism in communications, especially with media, client or prospect relationships. BNET recently ran a story to remind Gen Y about the importance of strong grammar and communications skills to their career advancement:

Texting, tweeting and the like are transforming the way the youngest generation at the office writes, but while knowing what ‘brb’ and ‘LMAO’ mean is a necessary skill for communicating with your peers, business guru Tom Peters reminds us in this three-minute video that clear, confident and convincing formal writing is key to career advancement — particularly when communicating with your boss’s boss who’s in her forties or fifties (and, yes, even if it’s only a short email).

(Ok Gen Ys, just because he’s a Boomer, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen to him!) If you still don’t think this is important, here’s something else to grab your attention: good writing is one of the few recession proof skills! As more and more people let their communication styles and aptitude for compelling or intelligent writing suffer, good writers become more and more in demand (even in a down economy!). Take this example from a BNet author discussing the need for solid writing in the PR industry (supposedly known for its focus on writing):

“If there was one thing, one thing that I could change about the PR industry, it would be the poor writing skills that are rampant in PR. It must be something about the people who are attracted to PR as a profession, because nothing else explains it. For an industry in which good writing should be a core, deal-breaking skill, the mediocrity of PR writing skills is, frankly, baffling.

I’ll let you in on a semi-secret: one of the reasons I moved over from mainstream media to PR 15 years ago was that I knew that with my above-average writing skills, I would always be able to find work. I’m sorry to say that 15 years later, there’s still plenty of demand for my writing skills in the PR industry.

If this sounds like a harsh critique, you’re right — it is. Good writers aren’t born, they’re made. And they are made with tough, no-nonsense criticism of their writing.

As we head into a downturn, this may be a skill you’ll want to improve. It could be one of the wisest investments you make in your career.”

Since, according to a recent study, 85 percent of written correspondence among adults and business professionals contains grammatical errors, improving or polishing your communications skills may be something you want to look at sooner rather than later. In this economy, all professionals (regardless of generation) need to have as many competitive advantages as possible!

However, this generational shifting is impacting and will increasingly impact businesses in ways that may not be overtly obvious to all managers or executive teams. Take the article below as an example. The report mentioned in the article below states that US job satisfaction is at a twenty year low and that managers need to be wary of this, not only in terms of reduced productivity and efficiency in an already difficult economy, but also in terms of talent and knowledge loss as the economy rebounds.

Managers who are not taking into account the generational workplace preferences of its employees or who are not creating an environment that supports and cultivates multiple work-styles and approaches will find themselves rapidly losing what talent they have as the economy turns around and new opportunities arise in the market. Furthermore, managers who are not focused on long term knowledge transfer management, mentoring and talent development now will have a difficult time attracting top talent and maintaining uninterrupted operational coherency when the market turns around (not only will the Boomers be more comfortable with retiring, but younger talent will be looking for the best opportunities with the growing companies). As the article explains (read full article here):

“While one in 10 Americans is now unemployed, their working compatriots of all ages and incomes continue to grow increasingly unhappy,” says Lynn Franco, director of the Consumer Research Center of The Conference Board. “Through both economic boom and bust during the past two decades, our job satisfaction numbers have shown a consistent downward trend.”

Fewer Americans are satisfied with all aspects of their employment, and no age or income group is immune. In fact, the youngest cohort of employees (those currently under age 25) expresses the highest level of dissatisfaction ever recorded by the survey for that age group.

“The downward trend in job satisfaction could spell trouble for the overall engagement of U.S. employees and ultimately employee productivity,” adds Franco.

“These numbers do not bode well given the multi-generational dynamics of the labor force,” says Linda Barrington, managing director, Human Capital, The Conference Board. “The newest federal statistics show that baby boomers will compose a quarter of the U.S. workforce in eight years, and since 1987 we’ve watched them increasingly losing faith in the workplace.” Twenty years ago, some 60 percent of that generation was satisfied with their jobs. Today, that figure is roughly 46 percent. Barrington adds: “The growing dissatisfaction across and between generations is important to address because it can directly impact the quality of multi-generational knowledge transfer–which is increasingly critical to effective workplace functioning.”

If you aren’t considering the effects of the generational shift on your organization, now is the time! Don’t be caught in a situation in which knowledge is lost, talent is not developed, and employee satisfaction and productivity are low! Businesses, now more than ever need to be focused on the generational issues at play in the economy and in their organization, and plan for the future by investing in talent development and knowledge transfer management. Although, as the first story indicates, businesses are increasingly cutting consulting budgets to save costs, this will not be a solid strategy for many organizations in the long term.

The interesting challenge of the shifting multi-generational workforce is this: the Baby Boomers are by far the largest of the current generations. As they begin their mass exodus from the workforce, they take with them years and years of knowledge and experience. Many companies will be sorely hit by this loss as the Boomers were more likely to stay with a certain companies for many years (sometimes for the majority of their careers). Companies that have not invested in mentoring or knowledge transfer programs will be facing quite a challenge as this knowledge exits their company, creating a knowledge gap. This knowledge gap not only includes internal strategies and operational knowledge, but in many cases also includes long-term client relationships, sales strategies and knowledge the directly impacts the bottom line.

As companies begin to replace the Boomers with the younger Gen Ys and Gen Xers, they will need to address these issues. Those with the capital to invest should keep long term employees on hand for talent development and mentoring, either in consultancy or part time roles. But for those who still have not recovered from the economic downturn enough to invest capital into this kind of training, the solution is not that simple. The economic slump has recently added another interesting piece to this puzzle, in that many who were approaching retirement were no longer able to afford retirement (via lost stocks, retirement funds, increased cost of living, etc) which has delayed the entry of many younger workers into the workforce and by extension delayed knowledge transfer and training. Recent articles from US News and World Report and TrueSlant.com describe this situation:

There’s been a lot of attention in this recession paid to seniors who are delaying retirement, and for good reason. Reporter Emily Brandon, writing in U.S. News & World Report in September, said the impact of keeping older adults in the workforce is that younger ones are kept out. Her story was based on research done by the Pew Research Center, which released a survey this past fall that showed most adults between the ages of 50 and 61 were considering working during the traditional retirement years. At the same time, more than four in 10 non-workers between the ages of 16-24 told Pew they had tried without success to find a job. Brandon wrote that for older workers, the decision to stay on the job isn’t always economic, although seventeen percent said they need the paycheck and another 27 percent said they were motivated to continue working by a mix of desire and need. That’s 44 percent working because of (or at least partly because of) financial reasons; 87 percent of employers said employees are working longer in order to rebuild their retirement nest eggs. When the economy begins to recover and the recession fades, will those seniors start retiring in droves?

Corporate America appears concerned that’s how things will shake out. According to MetLife’s Emerging Retirement Model Study, released Tuesday, employers today are deeply anxious and concerned about the impact of the knowledge drain on their organizations. When asked which of two retirement-related issues – delayed retirement or the knowledge drain – are of greatest concern today, 74 percent said it was the knowledge drain, as older workers retire. In fact 70 percent of employers surveyed anticipate that will be their biggest concern in the next 3-5 years. MetLife commissioned the survey of 240 employers to examine their attitudes and behaviors towards the aging workforce in the midst of a deep economic crisis.

Ironically, despite all their fears, 97 percent of companies surveyed have done little, if anything, to figure out how to transfer knowledge from older workers to younger workers, including calculating the cost. Last August The Conference Board in New York released a report, “Bridging the Gaps: How to Transfer Knowledge in Today’s Multigenerational Workplace”—that showed most companies had no plan to manage and transfer knowledge held by senior people. The result, concluded the report, “can be a significant drain of business wisdom that decreases innovation, lowers growth capacity, and reduces efficiency in the organization.” About 75 million boomers are poised to retire and as the economic recovery takes shape, those who delayed will likely begin moving on.

The article goes on to point out that many companies have not begun to address this issue because they are uncertain about cost or about where to start. However, companies that delay this process will fall behind companies who have integrated this process into their core operations, especially as the economy begins to rebound. We will be continuing to comment on this subject as the economy changes and media coverage increases.

Ruby DeMesme, a former Air Force assistant secretary for manpower, reserve affairs, installation and environment who is now a senior adviser at the consultancy Deloitte, recently addressed these issues as they specifically face government organizations in an interview with GovInfoSecurity.com:

One of the critical challenges facing the government is how best to integrate work across multiple disciplines while maintaining a secure computing environment.

Ruby DeMesme, a former Air Force assistant secretary for manpower, reserve affairs, installation and environment, sees information technology as shaping the way government workers perform their jobs. No longer are jobs aligned with a predefined assignment, but are dynamic, requiring critical thinking and the ability to navigate technology to determine how best to perform a variety of tasks.

“We have a multi-sector workforce and we have a multi-generational workforce and we have the ability to deliver information instantaneously around the world,” Ruby DeMesme, now a senior adviser at the consultancy Deloitte, said in an interview with GovInfoSecurity.com (transcript below). “But, when all of these confluences or ideas and factors and events come together, it means that the person in the workforce must be very comfortable with their knowledge or know where to get information on a split second notice; it is not even minute by minute today, it is second by second.”

Read the full article here.

DeMesme also recently published a paper on the subject (”Equipping the Federal Workforce in the Cyber Age“) in which she states that “Building a cyber-savvy workforce will require a paradigm culture shift.”

“This is the first time in American history that we have had four different generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Remember, if you are old enough, when older workers were the bosses and younger workers did what was asked of them, no questions asked. There were definite rules as to how the boss was treated and how younger workers treated older workers. No longer: Roles today are all over the place and the rules are being rewritten daily.

“At work, generational differences can affect everything, including recruiting, building teams, dealing with change, motivating, managing, and maintaining and increasing productivity. Think of how generational differences, relative to how people communicate, might affect misunderstandings, high employee turnover, difficulty in attracting employees and gaining employee commitment.

“Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons.

“Research indicates that people communicate based on their generational backgrounds. Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons. Learning how to communicate with the different generations can eliminate many major confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplace and the world of business.”

For more information, access the full survey: “International Survey Reveals How Globalization Is Defining Workplace Skills.”

This article discusses  numerous challenges today’s business are facing, caused by both the economic downturn and the generational shift:

• The current economy is forcing companies to “run lean” and only maintain the staff they need to maintain quality and core operations while not forsaking new business development initiatives.
• The rapidly approaching Baby Boomer retirement wave has been halted, as many do not have the financial stability or retirement funding they anticipated.
• As companies fear the knowledge gap that will ensure with these experienced workers retire, they are working to keep them around until capital can be devoted to hiring new talent and facilitating mentorship from the exiting generations.
• On the other hand, the costs of maintaining these veteran employees is putting a strain on already tight finances.

As the article puts it:

“In the talent wars, be careful what you wish for. Until very recently many of our client organizations were looking for ways to forestall the expected wave of baby boomer retirements and hold on to their experienced talent a bit longer. Now, with many employees’ retirement savings and home values decimated by the market meltdown and continuing uncertainty about full economic recovery, companies are wondering when—or if—their boomer workforces will sail off into the sunset.”

This is an incredibly relevant discussion for us as we examine generational workforce behaviors and preferences. While the job market is slim, furthermore, younger generations are branching out on their own, finding that entrepreneurial opportunities abound for workers who can provide intelligent support to certain industries. How will this change the face of the multi-gen workforce in 2010?