Each generation has its unique strength and specific style at work. Your ability to understand and work well with older and younger colleagues will help you to flex your communication style for greater impact and influence. Baby Boomers, for example, will show superior interpersonal skills in the workplace. They know the value and the art of building and maintaining strong business relationships. Generation X’s strength, on the other hand, combines tech savvy and workplace experience. This group is in the best position to relate to its previous and subsequent generation – it is quite possibly the glue to the entire generational system. The Millennials, who are 30 and under, will be quick to embrace and leverage new technology. They can bring critically-needed fresh perspectives and new ideas to every team or task.

As I discuss in my book, “Taking the Leap: Managing your career in turbulent times and beyond,” communicating well always works, no matter the age of the person on the receiving end. If you are genuinely interested in understanding and working well with your colleagues and you communicate that, you are half way there.

Be sure to invest time in establishing commonality with the other generations.

The generation you were born into may always define you in some ways, but it never has to limit you; respecting that about yourself and others will brand you as “generation-proof.”

How to understand, relate to, and motivate across the generational differences.

Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), Generation Xers (born 1965-1980) and Millennials (born after 1980) come to the workplace with different experiences, skills, priorities, and expectations. Critically, that means often what motivates one generation couldn’t be more different than what motivates another.

Your success – whether as a leader, a team member or a consultant – is directly linked to your ability to motivate others. Although it’s impossible to draw neat boundaries along generational lines and unproductive to over generalize, we are each, in part, a product of our time. Use this generational knowledge, along with your instincts and your specific knowledge of those you work with, to better understand, relate to and motivate them.

Baby Boomers are often motivated by outward signs of success, such as titles, status within the organization and perks. For them, long hours and heavy travel schedules have always been accepted as part of the territory as long as they are helping them get up the next rung on the ladder. They are also motivated by a sense of purpose; and they are natural team players. For Baby Boomers, it’s about feeling appreciated and not feeling over the hill.

On the other hand, Generation Xers typically value work/life balance and freedom. Titles and perks mean little to them, unless they result in money in their pockets and lead to more flexibility. Create choices for Generation Xers, and give them immediate and meaningful rewards for their expertise and contributions.

And then there are the Millennials, who expect praise and promotions but are also looking for a lot of feedback, mentoring, training and a connection to a higher purpose through their work. Millenials enjoy and often prefer working in virtual teams rather than in person. They also don’t favor long hours, preferring to use technology to save time and finish their work in time for happy hour with their friends. Many would rather take advantage of E-learning opportunities than attend live seminars. Create an environment with structure, specific expecations and goals, along with a clear path to success for Millennials. Furthermore, they may respond well to your help to see the “higher good” in the work they do.

For all generations, smart leaders recognize the importance of a positive work environment which encourages fun. It helps every generation manage in good times and bad.

Like it or not, the golf outing is an important time to establish closer ties, strengthen rapport, and seal camaraderie and loyalty. Show respect for the game with these easy to follow basic rules:

Ensure your dress meets the code of the course you are playing. If you are unsure of the code, call the club you will be playing at. If you show up in unsuitable dress, you may be denied play.

If you are the host of your golfing group, you will want to arrive early to pay the bill at the Pro Shop before the game. It’s a good idea to arrange to meet at the putting green so early arrivals can practice putting. Let the pro know who is cart-partnering with whom, so that the carts can get prepared properly. Check the cart for towels, drinks, and extra score cards. Ensure your guests’ valuables are stored in lockers. And lastly, review the rules of the course with your guests. Your group is ready to get started!

As a guest, it’s important to be a good sport: don’t lie about your score. Don’t pretend to be a hot-shot golfer. Don’t practice your swing while someone is teeing off. Don’t comment on another player’s bad shot. Your cell phone should be turned off, unless you must receive an urgent call. If so, advise your golfing partners before you begin playing, and respond to your call discretely. Remember to play with courtesy and common sense so the game can be enjoyed by all.

At the end of the game, shake hands with your fellow players and thank them for their company. Thank your caddy and provide a tip, unless your host has taken care of this for the group. If so, thank your host for the courtesy. If you joined by invitation, follow up with a thank-you note to express your appreciation for your host’s time and generosity.

With that, I wish you a happy golfing season!

No need to shorten your summer holidays for an essential meeting at the office – just make it virtual! Even without your actual presence and involvement, you can still be your best PR person and be heard. Remember these basic common-sense rules for this great technology, to ensure your virtual presence is as impactful as can be:

- Vocal power wins: Project your voice to demonstrate authority, confidence and approachability.

- Always stand up when you speak. Your voice will be clearer and louder.

- Using hand gestures for voice projection and smiling for approachability will make your voice sound more welcoming.

- Have an agenda and ensure it includes opening “thank you” statements for the attending parties, and appreciation for those who helped setting up the meeting.

- Find the proper setting: a quiet room with no distractions is ideal. Video conferencing image quality has the same rules as television appearances: avoid patterns with plaids, large prints, herringbones and wide stripes.

Would you like to learn more? Click here to read more.

How skilled are you at the Art of Marketing Yourself? Can you define your brand? From there, would you know how to build that brand? These questions, and many more are answered in my exciting new audio series The Art of Self Marketing. The Art of Self Marketing covers all aspects of developing and maintaining your image. Do you know how others perceive you? You must make sure you “market” yourself with the proper public image. Some of the topics I cover are:

• Defining Your Brand
• Building a Virtual Brand
• How to Jump Start your Career
• Risk Taking
• Business Dining Etiquette

Don’t miss out on this lively and highly informative opportunity! It’s conveniently available in Audio CD and MP3 format. Click here for more information. And remember, it’s all about Promoting Your Unique Brand!

It’s wonderful to have casual get togethers at the cottage and summer home… as long as they follow some simple, common sense rules. After all, everybody wants to go home more relaxed than they were before they arrived… Here are some of the most important guidelines to follow:

You will be granted Gracious Host status if:

- you find out if your guests have food preferences, allergies, or restrictions.

- plan optional activities and leave lots of room for spontaneity, redirects, or guest input.

- focus on your guests, not your projects. You may think of your visitor as a much needed extra set of hands for work around the home, but they may not quite see it your way.

You may gain Marvelous Guest kudos if:

- you bring a small carefully chosen gift for the hosts

- offer a hand with the tasks

- get to know and go out of your way to respect the house rules and your hosts’ preferred routines

- take the time to follow up with a hand-written Thank You note

Enjoy your summer!

Remember when working life was simple? All you had to check was your incoming mail (as in post office) and maybe a handful of handwritten phone messages on little pink sheets – remember those? Now you’ve got to respond to your e-mail, your voice mail, your shared electronic schedule with integrated to-do list, and so on and so on.

Electronic communication isn’t always a nightmare, but is often frustrating. A few months ago, I wanted to get in touch with a colleague in another city. I tried calling several times, and got voice mail. His greeting never changed, and I thought maybe he was away on business or on vacation.

E-mails didn’t work either. Finally, I called one early morning and he picked up. “I’ve been trying to reach you for a couple of weeks,” I said, barely able to hide my frustration. “I know,” he said sheepishly, “and I apologize. I get about a hundred e-mail and voice mail messages every day, and I can’t get to them all. I wouldn’t have time to do anything else!”

Wow. What can you say to that? When it comes to communication, technology has given us a blessing and a curse. ‘Instant’ electronic communications can improve our productivity, but only to the point where we become swamped and unable to respond. That’s the communication gap – that widening period of time between the electronic message and our ability to respond.

This incident made me really think. Do we have to be frustrated with communicating these days, or could we do it better? And how do we manage our ‘personal brand’ in an age of electronic communications?

THE ANATOMY OF A COMMUNICATION

In the 1990s the service industry developed a quality theory known as ‘moments of truth’. It says that every contact with a customer, from the first telephone inquiry to an estimate to the service experience and even the invoice afterwards, was a ‘moment of truth’ that could be handled well, or handled poorly. The outcomes determined whether a company would ultimately keep or lose that customer.

This interesting concept can be extended to include colleagues as well as customers. You may not risk ‘losing’ a colleague or an associate as you could a customer, but you can certainly lose their attention and your credibility through careless communication. Are we communicating within our own comfort zone, without thinking about the preferences of the other person? Are we communicating in ways that damage our personal images and reputations?

Which brings me back to my experience with my colleague. What could I have done?

Well, I could have done sooner what I ultimately did – pick a strategic time of day to call. Or I could have been very specific in my e-mail and voice mail messages, making a response more obvious and easy. I could have ‘zeroed out’ of voice mail and spoken with an administrative assistant to book a telephone appointment.

Now that I know his predicament, I could simply ask him, “What’s the best way to get hold of you? What do you like best?”

If I do any or all of these things, I gain two benefits. First, I get a faster response. Second, I make a favorable impression that will probably be reciprocated.

CREATE AND MAINTAIN A SIGNATURE LOOK

Clothing is the outward expression of the inner person. It’s important to dress in a way that sends the right message but also looks effortless and natural.

It’s better to be overdressed than under.

Don’t be a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. Plan and lay out what you’re going to wear several days before the interview, so you’ll have time to shop or get garments pressed and cleaned. The darker and more solid the color, the more elegant and authoritative. With the possible exception of creative fields like advertising or computer programming, it’s best to stick with navy, black or grey.

For women, you have a choice between a pantsuit or a skirted suit. Again, do your homework. For example, when Accenture recruits on college campuses, the firm recommends skirted suits for the first two rounds of interviews, with pantsuits acceptable for the third round. Take your cue from your research into the company and its culture. You might go wrong wearing a casual pantsuit, but it’s almost impossible to go wrong wearing a skirted suit. You can wear matching or coordinating top and bottom. Make sure your skirt length is not too short so as to be distracting to the interviewer. The cardinal rule is that it’s all about your fit with the company.

Accessorize with colorful scarves to add your unique signature. Carry a simple handbag, and keep it in the same color family as your shoes or complimentary to your clothing. Also, if you are carrying a briefcase, choose a smaller purse. Avoid noisy and oversized jewellery; opt for a more refined look and make sure your shoes are in perfect condition. No scraped heels or scuffed leather.

Men, coordinate your shoes and socks with your suit. Socks should match either the shoes or suit color, and be certain that your shoes are freshly shined. The belt and the shoes should be the same color, and the socks should be executive-length so you don’t expose hairy legs if you happen to like sitting with your legs crossed. You might want to check out to see that your soles of your shoes are in perfect condition if you intend to sit in this fashion. If you carry a briefcase, it should also be clean and well-kept. And please, no tie clips, pocket protectors, suspenders worn with a belt (!) or thick rubber soles with a power suit.

Wear your tie as your signature.

It should be silk, and elegantly knotted, like a full or half-Windsor or a four in hand. Choose the type of tie depending on your audience. Stripes and repetitive small patterns typically are appreciated by the more conservative interviewers. Wear bold abstract patterns when you are meeting with creative people and bring out the power tie (red or yellow with strong repetitive patterns) for negotiating your salary. The tie should not extend below your belt. And please, refrain from wearing short-sleeved t-shirts or singlets under your shirts if they are of a thin weave. You don’t want the interviewer to think, h-m-m-m-m, fearless executive by day, longshoreman by night.

The close you choose for that all important interview are critical in generating that positive first impression.

As my mother used to say, there are four main food groups: hair, teeth, hands and feet.

They are your biggest assets in making a professional impression, and the first things people notice.

Everyone should have a recent, stylish haircut, freshly brushed and dentally-cleaned teeth, well-groomed nails and polished shoes.

For Women:

Makeup enhances your visual presence; not to look like a runway model but to demonstrate that you take pride in your appearance. Eye contact is critical in a job interview so invest in subtle shades of color to showcase your eyes. Wear black mascara for definition and some blush with lipstick or lipgloss to accent your look. Nail polish completes the frame of this picture so choose a subtle color rather than black/purple selections. Ditch the long fake extensions and keep your nails at a conservative length.

For Men:

You will be judged by many things so don’t overlook the condition of your nails.

Dare I suggest a manicure? (without polish of course!)

For both Men and Women:

Invest in a tasteful pen. Ditch pens that advertise hotels or plumbing companies. A Mont Blanc is not necessary, but bring along a pen that shows you have good taste. If you are going to write notes, bring along a leather bound portfolio with a lined pad inside. Always give out your business card with your name facing the person. When you receive the interviewer’s card, look at it to determine their title and leave it on the table until you leave. If you forget their full name, you just have to glance down. If you are meeting with several recruiters, lay out the cards in the order that they are sitting to avoid mixing up their names.