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“I don’t understand you. You don’t understand me.  What else do we have in common?” Ashleigh Brilliant??

Recently I heard an interesting talk on Gen Y.  I really didn’t know much about how they tick, so what I heard was very enlightening.

Then I went to two weddings.  The speeches at the Gen X wedding were delivered by the ‘traditional’ roles – Father of the Bride, Father of the Groom, Best Man & Groom.

Gen Y was a totally different story – Mother & Father of the Bride, Father of the Groom, ALL 8 attendants delivered short, entertaining speeches and then the Bride & Groom spoke together.

It made me think about how things have changed and so I decided I’d read a book by Ivanka Trump.  Ivanka is a Gen Y – child, employee and employer. ??Putting aside the obvious benefits of her life, she has some very helpful comments and tips for Gen Y and other generations alike which I thought worth sharing.

On appropriate social life and work…??Know your limits.  Know your responsibilities.  And know that if you can’t count on yourself to make the correct choices when it comes to finding the right balance between work and play, your boss won’t be able to count on you, either.

On multi-tasking…??Multi-tasking is a drag on productivity.  We’re a little too quick to attribute these gaps to technology; in truth, they’re just a sign of our rampant inability to pay close and careful attention to any one thing for any extended period – or even for the briefest period, in some cases.??”I noticed our meetings were becoming less and less productive as more and more of the team were constantly tapping away on their handheld devices.  I collected everyone’s blackberrys as the meeting was getting under way, and we shot through our agenda a full half hour ahead of schedule.”

On email messages…??Rule of thumb: if you’re not comfortable saying something in a conference room, in front of your boss, or even in a roomful of strangers, don’t write it in an e-mail.  Even if you think the comment is fairly benign, you never know how it might appear out of context, and once you press ‘send’ you’re no longer in control of that context.  ??To communicate with friends use a personal e-mail account so nothing you send or receive can be misconstrued at work.

On social media…??By now most enterprising young people have learned that they need to filter the portraits they paint of themselves on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.  I always look people up online when I’m thinking about hiring them or working with them.

On wanting to be promoted….??Too often, I come across talented young people who seem a little too eager to make their marks.  If they feel overqualified for the job they’re in, they adopt a going-through-the-motions attitude.  Do your job and strive for more at the same time.

And finally on dressing for business…??If you are meeting with someone from an advertising agency, go ahead and dress creatively, but if you’re headed to a law firm, be sure to dress conservatively.??Always look polished and professional and appropriate.??There’s a level of respect and power associated with how we dress.  What’s okay in your firm might not be okay in another one.  If you’re looking for something from someone else – you’ll do well to dress to their standards, and since you can’t always know what those standards will be, it’s best to set your own bar high.

Some of this information may help you understand or manage the Gen Y’s in your life.   Although I think you’ll agree the majority of tips are appropriate to all generations and act as a reminder of acceptable business behaviour.??Anyone wanting to read more of The Trump Card Playing to Win in Work & Life click here