Transcript Phil Lambert Second Session

Succession to the Middle:
Identifying and Nurturing
Young Talent
(Is there an App for that?)
Dr Phil Lambert
 What
are the issues?
 World
impacts on the
perspectives of Gen Ys
 Characteristics
of Gen Ys
teachers
 The
Interactive Bit
 Implications
for Leaders and
Mentors of Gen Ys in the
Workforce
What are the issues?
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Demographic Double-Whammy – baby
boomer principals and middle executives
retiring at the same time
“5 Career Changes” – well... guess what?
Baby Boomer Schooling “systems” < >
Gen Ys
Experience Gap < > Ambition
Career Planning; Research: Succession
Planning and Schools
Caveat: Generalising about Generations
World Impacts on the
Perspectives of Gen Ys
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Technologies - such as the internet;
email; SMS; DVD; PlayStation; Xbox
World events - such as the Thredbo
Disaster; the Columbine Shootings; the
New Millennium; September 11; the
Bali Bombing; and the Invasion of Iraq
Fashions - neon colours; grunge wear;
sports clothing; body piercing
Health - such as HIV and DNA profiling
Characteristics of
Gen Y Teachers
Values
Gen Ys tend to value:
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fun and enjoyment
diversity
social awareness
friendship
Characteristics of
Gen Y Teachers
Attitudes
Gen Ys tend to exhibit the following attitudes:
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outcomes not processes
enjoy the now
organise work around life (not life around
work)
respect is earned not given
why wait for career advancement – no need
to work my way up
Characteristics of
Gen Y Teachers
Personality traits
Gen Ys tend to be:
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confident
cynical
assertive
sociable
demanding
optimistic
values driven
Characteristics of
Gen Y Teachers
Lifestyle Choices
Gen Ys tend to favour:
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short term pleasures over long term
outcomes
enjoyment before commitment
living in the parental home longer than
previous generations have
social life
friends
Here’s the Interactive Bit…
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What current structures in your organisation (at
either the local or systemic level) are likely to
frustrate Gen Ys and limit their capacity to
contribute or willingness to stay?
What new messages might be needed to draw
Gen Ys to your workplace and keep them long
enough for mutual benefit?
Which characteristics of Gen Ys are likely to be in
conflict with some entrenched practices and
behaviours of the profession?
Which characteristics of Gen Ys present the
basis for re-invigorating the organisation?
What the Literature Says…
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They see themselves as leaders, even in the early
stages of their careers. They told us that when
they become disheartened other professional
roles – lawyers, journalists, artists, activists –
whisper in their ears (Coggins et al, 2010)
Many people assume that teachers enter the
profession primarily driven by a love for children
or for their subject matter… (the Gen Ys)
identified a commitment to social justice as their
primary impetus to teach (Coggins et al, 2010)
The goal need not be to create a lifetime teacher
– that doesn’t fit this generation – but rather to
make a promising 2 year teacher into a 5 or 10
year one (Coggins et al, 2010)
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The decision to teach often stems from the desire
to use their knowledge and experience, at least
for a portion of their diverse careers, to improve
the world around them (Behrstock-Sherratt and
Coggshall, 2010)
This is the “Baby on Board” generation who wore
helmets and knee and arm pads, (and who have)
been given awards and recognition just for
participating (Walker, 2009)
This generation wants personal contact with and
support from the principal…They want
administrators to visit them in the classroom…
they like to go into the administrator’s office,
chat, and have personal connection with them
(Walker, 2009)
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They also want to know all about you and don’t
mind revealing information about themselves
(Coley, 2009)
School leaders must work differently than they
have in the past to harness this potential, using
what they know about Gen Y teacher
characteristics to recruit and retain the highest
performing among their ranks (Behrstock and
Clifford, 2009)
A school’s attempts to accommodate Gen Ys
may bother some veterans of the profession.
Veteran teachers often do not understand Gen
Ys’ need for constant feedback; they may view
Gen Ys’ self confidence and motivation as
arrogance (Behrstock-Sherratt & Coggshall,
2010)
Implications for Leaders and
Mentors of Gen Ys in the
Workforce
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Motivators
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Leadership qualities
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Leadership actions/strategies
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Organisational attributes
Motivators
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Sheahan (2005) identifes motivators for Gen Y
employees as:
- culture
- team
- management style
- flexibility
- conditions
- salary
McCrindle (2006) found that Gen Ys:
- don’t seek a job as much as an opportunity
- seek a workplace culture with variety, flexibility,
fun, training and a preferred management style
- don’t worry about the size of the organisation
- don’t value salary alone as a drawcard
- want a clear reason to join the organisation
Leadership Qualities
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Behrstock and Clifford (2009) found the following
leadership qualities association with retaining
Gen Ys:
- leaders who back up teachers when faced with
student behaviour issues or parent complaints
- leaders who demonstrate competence,
trustworthiness and fairness and who
genuinely respect teachers
- leaders who are communicative and more
democratic than authoritarian in style
- leaders who distribute leadership and reach
collective goals by empowering teachers
based on their areas of expertise
Leadership Actions/Strategies
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In developing Gen Ys for leadership roles leaders
need to support them by:
- providing feedback on individual performance
- providing information about future
opportunities in the school
- being a resource or source of ideas for
development options
- supporting individuals who are examining
career goals
- acting as a sounding board
- setting realistic expectations
Leadership Actions/Strategies
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Strategies for shared leadership succession by
Gen Ys (Albion and Gutke, 2010:
General:
- Empower all for leadership
- Provide opportunities for collaboration
- Support career development and planning
Specific
- Allow flexible work options
- Celebrate achievements and value individuals
Organisational Attributes
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The organisations that are likely to attract and retain Gen
Ys for leadership positions will have the following
attributes (Terjesen et al 2007):
- invest heavily in training and development
- variety in daily work is a feature
- have a friendly, informal culture
- merit determines career advancement
- do not consume all hours of your day/night/weekend
- enable you to use the skills you have
- care about their employees as individuals
- have clear options for long-term career progression
- there is scope for creativity in your work
- include an internationally diverse mix of colleagues
- there is some freedom to work on your own initiatives
- are dynamic and forward thinking
Organisational Attributes
American Institutes
for Research, 2011
Frequent
Feedback on
Effectiveness
Collaboration
and Shared
Practice
High Quality
Evaluation
Gen Y
Support
Practices
Differentiated
Support
Effective
Instructional
Technology
Enough