Mentoring Needs and Expectations of Mentoring Needs and Expectations of

Generation Y: Generation Y: Charting New Career Development Charting New Career Development Pathways for the Next GenerationPathways for the Next Generation

Presented at CANNEXUS 12Presented at CANNEXUS 12

January 23, 2012January 23, 2012

Dr. Carolin Rekar Munro, CHRP, CTDPDr. Carolin Rekar Munro, CHRP, CTDP

Associate Professor, Leadership & HRAssociate Professor, Leadership & HR

Royal Roads University, Victoria, B.C.Royal Roads University, Victoria, B.C.

Our AgendaOur Agenda

1.1. Examine Generation Y profile.Examine Generation Y profile.

2.2. Explore research on mentoring needs and Explore research on mentoring needs and expectations of Generation Y’s.expectations of Generation Y’s.

3.3. Explore how we, in our professional Explore how we, in our professional capacity, can support and foster career capacity, can support and foster career development for the next generation.development for the next generation.

4.4. Create space to discuss application of Create space to discuss application of learning to our own practice.learning to our own practice.

Generational IdentitiesGenerational Identities

TraditionalistsTraditionalists(1922 – 1945)(1922 – 1945)

Baby BoomersBaby Boomers(1946 – 1964)(1946 – 1964)

Generation XGeneration X(1965 – 1980)(1965 – 1980)

Generation Y Generation Y

(1981 –2000)(1981 –2000)

Generation YGeneration Y

“Get out of my way!”

Goal: Create a Life that has

Meaning

Value diversity, civic duty, environmental accountability, collective action, experimentation

confident and optimistic

Techno-savvy

ambitious ambitious

Respect for authority? Why?

innovative innovative

Are we having FUN!

Wish list: challenging work, mentoring,feedback,respect, promotions

NOW!

Small Group Discussions …Small Group Discussions …

Briefly introduce yourselves.Briefly introduce yourselves.

Discuss the challenges and opportunities Discuss the challenges and opportunities you perceive as Generation Y enters the you perceive as Generation Y enters the workforce.workforce.

Be prepared to report back 1 key point from Be prepared to report back 1 key point from your group discussion.your group discussion.

Rekar Munro, C. (2010). Charting Workplace Rekar Munro, C. (2010). Charting Workplace Transitioning Pathways of Generation Y. Transitioning Pathways of Generation Y. Canadian Journal of Career DevelopmentCanadian Journal of Career Development

Purpose:Purpose:

To gain insight into the mentoring needs To gain insight into the mentoring needs and expectations of Generation - Y as they and expectations of Generation - Y as they enter the workplace and to propose enter the workplace and to propose recommendations to support their personal recommendations to support their personal and professional development.and professional development.

Research RoadmapResearch Roadmap

452 participants in the formative years of 452 participants in the formative years of their careers.their careers.

On-line surveys, focus groups, and one-on-On-line surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviewsone interviews

Employed quantitative and qualitative Employed quantitative and qualitative methods.methods.

Range of industries in unionized and non-Range of industries in unionized and non-unionized sectors.unionized sectors.

Emergent Themes from Analysis: Emergent Themes from Analysis: Words of Wisdom from Gen YWords of Wisdom from Gen Y

OrganizationalSupport

Proteges’Contributionsto Mentoring

Preferred Approachesto Learning and

Development

Goals to be Achievedthrough Mentoring

CompetencyToolkit of

Effective Mentors

DemographicProfile of

Effective Mentors

Mentor-ProtégéWorking

Relationships

Results

Small Group DiscussionsSmall Group Discussions

What research results are of interest to you What research results are of interest to you and your organization?and your organization?

How might these research results be useful How might these research results be useful in your own organizations?in your own organizations?

So…So…

What Now?What Now?

Developing & Sustaining a Culture of Developing & Sustaining a Culture of Social Responsibility for MentoringSocial Responsibility for Mentoring

What internal changes What internal changes should be made to should be made to accommodate accommodate mentoring?mentoring?

Are we prepared to Are we prepared to expend the resources?expend the resources?

Preparing our MentorsPreparing our Mentors

Blueprint for Training: Adult Learning Principles Progress Consultation Proactive Problem Solving Co-creating our Work Goal setting Learning How to Learn Networking Support Dev. Interdependence

Mentoring in ACTIONMentoring in ACTION

Mentorship Mapping

Experimentation: The Exploratory Lab

(Test-Reflect)

Personal Mission Statement (Goals & Action Strategies)

Guidelines for Enhancing Guidelines for Enhancing CommunicationCommunication

Contextualize learning: “the Big Picture” Contextualize learning: “the Big Picture” Provide realistic expectations of how they can add Provide realistic expectations of how they can add

value in the work worldvalue in the work world Explain WHY! What’s in it for them?Explain WHY! What’s in it for them? Engage in frequent and informal conversationsEngage in frequent and informal conversations Ask for their suggestions, insights, opinionsAsk for their suggestions, insights, opinions Involve them in new initiativesInvolve them in new initiatives Provide frequent and direct feedbackProvide frequent and direct feedback

CheckCheck

AssumptionsAssumptions

What language are we speaking???

Hone in on specific, concrete behaviours

(What does it look like?)

Support Support

New New Pathways for Pathways for

Effective Effective CommunicatCommunicat

ionion

Create space for Create space for intergenerational collaborationsintergenerational collaborations

Encourage collaborative decision Encourage collaborative decision makingmaking

Invite divergent views to the table Invite divergent views to the table and LISTENand LISTEN

Be courageous enough to step Be courageous enough to step into “tough” conversationsinto “tough” conversations

Ury: “Yes, No, Yes”Ury: “Yes, No, Yes”

Support Career Support Career Development Development that brings the that brings the

Generations Generations togethertogether

Create a learning Create a learning environmentenvironment

Invest in training differentlyInvest in training differently Include learning & Include learning &

development in role development in role requirementrequirement

Establish accountabilityEstablish accountability ““Walk the talk”Walk the talk”

Our Final Small Group Discussions

What resonates with you from our What resonates with you from our discussion this afternoon?discussion this afternoon?

How might you apply these insights to How might you apply these insights to your own practice?your own practice?

What questions and concerns are What questions and concerns are emerging for youemerging for you?

Be willing to leave the shore and…

Suspend judgment Think outside the box Shift perception Look for the second right

answer Challenge assumptions Be illogical Look foolish Make a mistake and… Keep looking through the

lens of our GenY colleagues

Sometimes we have to jump off the cliff…

and

Build our wings – on the way down.