Cynthia D'Amour
Helps You
Develop Leaders and Facilitate Growth
3 Things You MUST Know to Get Generation X More Involved
By Cynthia D'Amour
Gen
Xers…
-
They're lazy.
-
They're selfish.
- They don't want to get involved.
It's
what many believe. After all, over 80+% of PR has been negative about
Gen Xers. However, the media's branding does NOT have to determine your
association's experience.
It's time to rise above headlines that sell and talk about what's really going on... the real reasons Gen Xers may not be getting involved in your association.
Here
are three important things to know about getting Gen Xers involved.
1.
Gen Xers need personally relevant value.
There are three key reasons why Gen Xers will get involved in your association.
They want:
-
Personal/professional development.
-
To contribute to a greater good.
- To be part of your community.
When younger members ask, "What's in it for me to be involved?" they aren't trying to be selfish. They need your help justifying why involvement in your association is more important than all of the other options facing them — including friends and family.
The
more you match your responses to their personal hot button, the more they
will get involved.
Once you get the dues checks, you need to continue to help Gen Xers find value in involvement in your association.
As long as Gen Xers find value, they will be loyal.
2.
Gen Xers are professional problem solvers.
A significant difference between younger members when compared to Boomers and older members is how they were taught in school.
The
goal of public schools is and has always been to prepare students to be
productive members of society.
In
earlier years, the military style of management at work was the norm.
Workers were expected to do as they were told and "yes men"
got promoted. The schools worked hard to create workers for that system.
Boomers
and older members were taught to memorize information and regurgitate
it on tests. To get an "A" in a class, you memorized whatever
the teacher said — even if they were incorrect. Questioning was not
encouraged.
When
Gen Xers started school, companies began complaining loudly about workers
who could not think for themselves.
The
schools responded by teaching students how to think critically. Learning
became interactive. Students were trained to question everything and to
be confident in justifying their point of view.
When
Gen Xers join your association, they will question why you do things the
way you do — not out of disrespect, but because that's what they
are trained to do.
To
keep Gen Xers involved, they need opportunities for meaningful impact
where they can use their problem solving skills — and be applauded
for their creativity.
3.
Gen Xers value fun.
Fun
is a core value, not an option for Gen Xers — especially when it
comes to being involved.
When
Gen Xers come to your meetings, they don't want to be bored by talking
heads. They want to be part of the learning experience. Younger members
want to interact as they learn.
An easy way to add more fun to your association meetings is to get some Gen Xers involved in the planning.
Don't
try to be psychic about what Gen Xers will consider fun — let them
show you. As an added bonus, this type of involvement also appeals to
Gen Xers' need for meaningful involvement.
Getting
Gen Xers involved is much easier to do when you understand them. To succeed,
you may need to work through some stereotypes and there will be learning
on all sides. The healthy association you create in the end will be worth
the effort it takes.
Cynthia
D'Amour helps develop leaders and faciliate growth. She works
with associations that want to get more members involved in their association.
www.peoplepowerunlimited.com
©2004 Cynthia D'Amour
©1999-2006
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