But it was worth it. Higgins Hall was the perfect venue, elegant, full of natural light, beautifully-maintained and decorated – and dedicated entirely to the IBS event. The break-out rooms were exactly the right size and the catering was highly satisfactory. Every speaker offered truly exciting ideas, and the lunch and speed-networking brought many people together for new opportunities. The organization went flawlessly even though there were some late nights behind the scenes.

We enjoyed the participation of a number of international business students, who worked hard to help participants and exhibitors have a great day. Here are some of their comments.

“My experience as a volunteer at the International Business Summit can be described in one word: AMAZING. As a recent graduate in a tough economy and in a new city, I know very well how hard it is to start a career. Every book will tell you that “Networking” is the key tool for every job seeker, the International Business Summit not only helped me to increase my network in size but it helped to increase my network in quality. The professionals I met during this event were the most interesting, open-minded, nice and helpful people. I also learnt from the workshops I got to participate in and from my responsibilities as a volunteer. The cherry on top had to be the organizing team, they were nice, always smiling, organized, helpful and determined to make this event as much of an opportunity for the volunteers that it was for the attendees. Overall the International Business Summit has been
the best event I have been to (as an attendee or as a volunteer) for a very long time. I could not thank enough all the persons who gave me the opportunity to participate, who trusted me and who made of this event a great success.”  Sarah M, Graduate 2008 from UNF, Jacksonville, FL.

“When I first signed up to volunteer at the IBS 2009 I expected it to be just another networking opportunity. By the end of the day, I was entirely wrong and greatly surprised. From the moment I arrived I was put to good use and I felt welcome by all the members. We were faces from across the globe united by a common interest in international business. Regardless of our cultural differences, the environment was so collaborative that the long hours of work went by quickly. Yes, my priority was working and making sure I supported the event as much as possible. At some moments, it actually felt like I had let networking fall into a second plan.  But at the end of the day, instead of networked, I had “team-worked”.  I closely interacted with every person involved in the event; I got to meet them in a much deeper and broader sense than I could have done had I just networked.  I left the IBS happy and with a much more valuable experience:  I left knowing more persons and not merely having more contacts.” Bruna Zanolini, International Studies, Business, USF, Tampa FL

IBS team, I would like to thank you for the wonderful opportunity of volunteering at the IBS.  I must say I was completely taken aback by the level of success of the event, it was very impressive to see how well run and well prepared everything was. As a volunteer it definitely gave me the opportunity to see first hand what it takes to make an event run as smoothly when it comes to game time. As an international business student I couldn’t help but to be drawn to a few of the workshops and I discovered that they were each led by professionals with great knowledge and a wonderful disposition to share it. As a future international business woman I found the opportunity to meet with so many prominent and well established business people absolutely fascinating and extremely beneficial. Meeting so many different people from different backgrounds was wonderful. Volunteering during the IBS, meeting the people that I met and learning everything I did, was a fantastic experience that I would repeat without any hesitation. Congratulations team IBS you truly pulled off a superb event, I can’t wait for the next International Business Summit! Julie Molina, USF, International Studies

CPS now has permission to publish a highly entertaining MiIllennial’s perspective. Paul exemplifies many of the characteristics of the 21st century GenY knowledge worker: massive technical knowledge, a graduate education, and a history of entrepreneurship. Born in Tampa, he is an experienced, multi-lingual global traveler and married to a physics PhD student.  Enjoy!

Then go on www.glassdoor.com (or something similar) and see whether your organization also needs to think seriously about collaborative management, collaborative thinking, and the competitive and innovative edge your Millennials bring to the table..

————————————————————————————-

Almost all of the places I’ve worked (including some rather large companies) treat their programmers like highly trained plumbers they’ve hired to install a new toilet.. “I want all of your technical skills, and no independent thought. Just put it over there where we’ve drawn the circle on the ground.”

“Er, are you sure you want it there? I think that it would be better if-”

“No buts! See the circle? Toilet goes there. We did a user requirements study, paid the consultants (experts, all of them) tons of money for it, and this is where a toilet is optimally situated.”

“I think there might be some mistake, shouldn’t it go-”

“Damn programmers! You think you’re so smart! But you don’t know anything about BUSINESS™! I have an MBA! I’m smart! Smarter than you! I just choose not to bother with petty technical details. Now shut up and get to work!”

“Ok, you’re the boss..”

Two weeks later, when it’s done they say: “WTF, why did you put a toilet in the kitchen?”

“Well, you told me to shut up and put it where you drew the circle. You drew the circle in the kitchen, so that’s where I put the toilet.”

“AAAAH! This is horrible! Who puts a toilet in the kitchen! Programmer, this is your fault!”

“But I tried to tell you-”

“Fine, whatever, we don’t have time for this, it’s deliverable in a week! Take it out and move it to the bathroom!”

“You mean that cube over there on the side of the house with the wooden frame and no roof, electricity, or water access, because you forgot to put those things into the blueprints?”

“AAAAH! My 12 year old nephew is really good with plumbing. He changed a washer in my kitchen sink once when it was dripping AND he’s read at least 3 of those Time-Life home plumbing guides. He knows much more than you! And he’ll work for $10 an hour! Why am I paying you? You didn’t even get someone to install electrical wires a roof in the bathroom.”

“Er, I’m not a general contractor, I’m a plumber. Plumbers install pipes, not wires and roofs. And anyway, your architect drew the blueprints without those things, and you yelled at us when we pointed that out, so we all figured you just didn’t want them there for some reason.”

“OMGWTF! You’re lying!”

“No, I’m not, see, I have a copy of the e-mails right here where we discussed this…”

“*reads for a moment* Hm. ok, it’s true, you’re right. Architect! You’re fired! Plumber, you will now perform both plumbing and architectural duties (for the same pay, and with the same deadline as before.) And install some electrical wires, too.”

“But .. making blueprints takes weeks, and I’m not an electrician or an architect or a general contract-”

“Tut tut, you’re smart, I’m sure you’ll manage. Now I’m going to my club to get drunk before meeting my friends at a strip club later. Oh, and we need the house ready to go by tomorrow, the client just called
(actually 3 weeks ago, but I’m just telling you now) and the timetable has been sped up.”

“Er. I can’t just magic things up faster because the client decides to move numbers on a timetable.”

“They’re running out of money, so we have to get it done. Now get cracking, I’m off….”

—————————————————————————————

CPS thanks Paul for permission to use the above text on www.c-psolutions.com. Paul, you’re far from being the only person who has told us a story like this, but you have to be the funniest.

Paul also contributed: If Architects Had to Work Like Web Designers

Please design and build me a house. I am not quite sure of what I need, so you should use your discretion. My house should have somewhere between two and forty-five bedrooms. Just make sure the plans are such that the bedrooms can be easily added or deleted. When you bring the blueprints to me, I will make the final decision of what I want. Also, bring me the cost breakdown for each configuration so that I can arbitrarily pick one.

Keep in mind that the house I ultimately choose must cost less than the one I am currently living in. Make sure, however, that you correct all the deficiencies that exist in my current house (the floor of my kitchen vibrates when I walk across it, and the walls don’t have nearly enough insulation in them).

As you design, also keep in mind that I want to keep yearly maintenance costs as low as possible. This should mean the incorporation of extra-cost features like aluminum, vinyl, or composite siding. (If you choose not to specify aluminum, be prepared to explain your decision in detail.)

Please take care that modern design practices and the latest materials are used in construction of the house, as I want it to be a showplace for the most up-to-date ideas and methods. Be alerted, however, that kitchen should be designed to accommodate, among other things, my 1952 Gibson refrigerator.

To insure that you are building the correct house for our entire family, make certain that you contact each of our children, and also our in-laws. My mother-in-law will have very strong feelings about how the house should be designed, since she visits us at least once a year.

Make sure that you weigh all of these options carefully and come to the right decision. I, however, retain the right to overrule any choices that you make.

Please don’t bother me with small details right now. Your job is to develop the overall plans for the house: Get the big picture. At this time, for example, it is not appropriate to be choosing the color of the carpet. However, keep in mind that my wife likes blue.

Also, do not worry at this time about acquiring the resources to build the house itself. Your first priority is to develop detailed plans and specifications. Once I approve these plans, however, I would expect the house to be under roof within 48 hours.

While you are designing this house specifically for me, keep in mind that sooner or later I will have to sell it to someone else. It therefore should have appeal to a wide variety of potential buyers.

Please make sure before you finalize the plans that there is a consensus of the population in my area that they like the features this house has. I advise you to run up and look at my neighbor’s house that he constructed last year. We like it a great deal. It has many features that we would also like in our new home, particularly the 75-foot swimming pool. With careful engineering, I believe that you can design this into our new house without impacting the final cost.

Please prepare a complete set of blueprints. It is not necessary at this time to do the real design, since they will be used only for construction bids. Be advised, however, that you will be held accountable for any increase of construction costs as a result of later design changes.

You must be thrilled to be working on as an interesting project as this! To be able to use the latest techniques and materials and to be given such freedom in your designs is something that can’t happen very often.

Contact me as soon as possible with your complete ideas and plans.

PS: My wife has just told me that she disagrees with many of the instructions I’ve given you in this letter. As architect, it is your responsibility to resolve these differences. I have tried in the past and have been unable to accomplish this. If you can’t handle this responsibility, I will have to find another architect.

PPS: Perhaps what I need is not a house at all, but a travel trailer. Please advise me as soon as possible if this is the case.

CPS finds that a lot of companies don’t have comprehensive strategies to manage this generation in their business world. They are paying heavily with low productivity, high turnover, weaker business relationships and brand problems. They are also failing to make good use of the many innovative and entrepreneurial opportunities the Millennials offer.

Some managers want a more strategic approach to this challenge, whereas others simply want the hands-on skills for dealing with Ryan, Ashley, Jessica and Daniel now.

CPS therefore offers Managing the Millennials workshops that have a more strategic management approach, or an operational management orientation. One major favorite is a 1 – 2 hour jigsaw workshop (our largest being with 150 Tech Data managers).

We offer half day or full day programs too. Each has videos, and all the hands-on tools, and competencies required. We offer competency-based coaching workbooks as requested for training Millennials too (e.g. Business Etiquette for Millennials). For more details please see the voice-over presentation at Services. http://c-psolutions.com/category/services/

But your Millennials are finding out a great truth about business – that risk takers and innovators are a good thing in theory, but in practice they usually receive a very cool reception.

”You should not wonder why innovation doesn’t happen in most organizations. For much of the journey, innovation is hard work rewarded by bad headlines” says Rick Porras et al in “Success Built to Last” (2006, Wharton School Publishing), which explores the work of successful people who have achieved extraordinary results for at least 20 years.

Porras et al define the best strategy for innovators as “tolerate the risks, feel the fear, take the brickbats, learn from failure and do what matters to you anyway”. Oh yes? GenYs may be more likely to blog bitterly about how their ideas are being ignored, and then look for another employer, or get some start-up capital and become entrepreneurs.

What your managers need to know:

Managing the Millennials is not simply an intuitive process which can be done without specific thought about the challenges which this demographic group presents.

Embedding this principle in the organization’s knowledge:

Organizations themselves can learn to become progressively more agile in response to differentness. Generational differentness is merely one part of the spectrum of human diversity.

You don’t help your organization learn to cope with heterogeneity because it is a compliance issue. You do this because it creates competence and confidence in the organization’s ability to respond easily and fluently to cultural, lifestyle and generational differences. And the result is trust, communication, agility, innovation and good business – on the bottom line. This is the kind of competitive advantage which companies like Genentech have been leveraging for years!

Great read: Dov Seidman’s How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything…in Business (and in Life). Probably more for the serious reader of business and management books, but a great explanation of the need for reputation and trust in a transparent business world (which tech-savvy GenYs live in).

You can safely dismiss Publishers Weekly’s comment that Seidman does not explain exactly how this can be done. I wondered whether those guys live under a rock if they haven’t seen any of the last 15 years of literature and research on exactly how these strategies can be implemented!

But maybe Boomers should worry less about GenY (described by Marcus Buckingham as the generation who got prizes for coming 8th in a race). Some Boomers still need to learn that you can’t win against GenX if you use the old-fashioned methods of business power broking.

There are still a lot of Boomer and Traditional managers who have days of thinking “I’ll do it my way, now I am the boss”, forgetting that the rules of the business game have changed … forever.

Deep in the cubicles of the corporate jungles there is an army, trained to deal with their parents’ generation. One result is that the Boomer who thinks in terms of “my way or the highway” soon finds out that this only works if the person who is going to hit the highway is the Boomer him/herself.

Imagine you’re a Boomer and you don’t have your head in the game. You were born 1946-1964 (or perhaps you are a Traditionalist and born before ’46.)

Let’s assume you’re an innocent. You go to work to..um..work. You go home to socialize. You think you’re technologically sophisticated (yeah right!). You grew up in a world where you waited your turn for authority. You “paid your dues” by shutting-up-and-putting-up with stuff, until you got into a position of responsibility. Now it’s your turn and perhaps (like Frank Sinatra, whom you still remember) you think you’re going to do it your way.

There are the Xers, and (even more frightening) GenY. They’re probably better educated than you are, and they can show you the *real* meaning of “technologically savvy” (they can fix an IPod). They think that they can do your job now. They need your salary to pay for their college debt, or their techno-gadgets, or just a bit of gas for their hybrids at $4 a gallon, so they have little interest in doing schlep jobs. They have the skills, energy, technological currency and innovative ability to do “the interesting stuff” now.

The Xers probably have the concentration to do some schlep jobs. The Millennials can’t focus that long, unless you praise them every ten minutes.

“Oh nooooooo” you say. “A promotion Ms. X? No I need you there … with your techie skills. You are so not going anywhere. I’m the boss, and I pay the piper and I call the tune. A promotion? Get real, kid. It took me 20 years to get to this position.

That evening, over a glass of fine wine, you describe the unimpressed look on the Gen-Xer’s face to your significant other. But you’re in charge now, and your personal White House feels pretty darned good.

Perhaps you forgot how the GenX and Y terrorists socialize in their work-life continuum? (They will even move jobs to be with their friends.) They have networks of GenX/Y friends throughout the company. They don’t live in silos, like you do, and they bang out vast numbers of emails and texts to their whole network, hourly, while also keeping constant contact through their blurred work-social boundaries.

Hmmm… and perhaps you should have taken into consideration that the whole freaking IT department is Gen-X too, before you annoyed one of them.

GenXers use software to keep their to-do lists. [Did you know that GenYs sometimes use the company software and back it up on the flashdrives they wear on their keyrings or in their necklaces well some of them.]

Now your GenX has a number of tasks on his/her list. Your request has been done last. Why? you ask. There is a perfectly logical reason for tasks being done first, or last… sequencing. Your job just happens to be last today. Watch the GenXer’s “What is WRONG with you?” face as s/he shoves a handheld Blackberry-like device s under your nose, to show you the list.

Isn’t it strange how you are last on every list? In so many unconnected departments? Yesterday and tomorrow too? (Yup – you’re the last silo generations.)

Please don’t request anything verbally once you have annoyed a GenXer, as anything you ask for will be forgotten by all GenXers. When you ask again, the GenXer is puzzled: Did you ask Natasha or perhaps Darren? Please print the email and the GenXer will find the culprit and bring him/her to justice immediately! No email? NO EMAIL? *Gasp.* You must have asked Kimberli or Shawn, but no, it clearly wasn’t me.

If you ask for something by email, the GenXer will of course (eventually) give you what you asked for. Exactly what you asked for. And s/he will have filed the email which documented what you asked for. And the reply, and the confirmation that the reply was received, and opened. People on a GenXer’s good side get what they want, but you will get what you asked for, and exactly, and only that.

Yes… the power rules have changed, and the old system will never work again. The people who changed the rules are not going away – or if they do go away, you will be spending a lot of time and money begging them please, please to come back.

The training camps are not only in Afghanistan or Pakistan. They’ve been downtown for a long time.

We gave birth to the new terrorists. They work for us, we work for them: they are our employees, potential employees, customers and suppliers.

Some days, I rather enjoy them.