I decided to stop in Victoria Street Richmond, just around the corner from home at my favourite Vietnamese place, which has recently moved a few doors up the road and changed it's name to I Love Pho! Its now so popular its difficult to get a table. As I am inbetween lunch and dinner there are plenty of tables, which is just as well because I'm starving. I order special beef pho, small size. It is delivered in a few minutes and as usual is delicous!
The reason I'm having such late lunch is this morning I was invited to be interviewed and videod for a short 'Executive Diary' - HR Thought Leadership series with a boutique recruitment agency who will share the videos will their key client base across both Melbourne and Sydney. Its a really innovative initiative and helps me to further build my brand and profile. The topic was the Millennial Generation and the future workplace of 2020.
I have not considered myself as much of an influencer in particular of the HR function and industry outside of my life and job at HP. Mostly as my job really consumed all my time and energy and I really didn't prioritise connecting, networking and speaking externally as an important activity to persue. I spent all my time influencing within my organisation.
It has now become more of a priority to network, connect and speak to build my personal 'brand' but also to influence others with my thought leadership on topics that I am interested and passionate about. Something that I will be doing much more of going forward.
It was great to be asked to give my perspectives on the topic of millennials or Gen Y and their impact on the workplace now and into the future. It is an area that I have been doing personal research on in the past 4-5 months, and was introduced to me by my friend Rick a few years ago. It is certainly a very relevant and interesting topic to the HR function.
As a mother of a millennial child (Hi Aaron), I also have some personal experience watching Aaron enter the workforce and hear his expectations and values of his organisation.
The term millennials appears to be quite new to many in Australia. When I spoke of my research to a few of the search firms, they have been keen to hear more especially when they realise that by 2020 more than 50% of the workforce will be made up of the millennial generation. In some organisations there will be up to five generations working side by side. So extreme age diversity is an issue that business and HR leaders need to be preparing for.
Speaking of influencers. This image on the web from a young graphic designer in Hong Kong says it all about how much of an influencer Steve Jobs was.
Are you an influencer or thought leader? What do you think makes someone an influencer or thought leader?
Narelle
Written by Narelle Beurle. To read more - go to: http://firstpour.blogspot.com/
