Archive for the 'Aleah R.' category

Post-#MCON2012 reflections on development and authenticity

Jul 20 2012 Published by under Aleah R.

After yesterday’s 5:00 AM wakeup call for #MCON, a random act of incredible kindness from @BTalisman, presentations by a slew of passionate, knowledgeable speakers and anywhere from 5 to 10 tabs open on my internet browser at once, my head was spinning from all that I learned, all that was confirmed, and all that I learned I needed to learn more about. To be honest, my head is still spinning. But I’m ok with that. I know that the conversation isn’t over and look forward to continuing to reflect, share and act on all that needs to be reflected, shared and acted upon.

I’ll share some of my key learnings (3 Do’s and 1 Don’t) from one of the breakout sessions that was particularly meaningful to me presented by Maya Enista-Smith, CEO of mobilize.org. In Millennials Creating Change in the Workplace, Maya suggests a number non-traditional practices that work and some that might not work. The following are included in that list:

Do Support Career Advancement
The statistic that, as millennials, we will change jobs 17 times in our lifetime seemed to surprise people. That fact seems to contradict our desire for career advancement, but thats just it: if we are in a workplace where we feel like there is room – and support – for us to grow, we’ll stay. If not, we’ll leave – and as reinforced so passionately by Scott Gerber, that’s on employers. We want to clearly hear what the opportunities are to grow and how to get there. Support our transitions, celebrate them with us and we’ll be completely invested in the success of our team and the organization.

Do Create Leadership Development Opportunities
We want to advance in our careers and we want support doing it. We’re willing to roll up our sleeves and take on new challenges. We also want to know how decisions are being made and we want to be part of the process. We want a seat at the table and to be able to execute on decisions that we are a part of. That point above, about us sticking with a particular company, that’s part of this too. We, and not just millennials, are much more likely to take ownership of something that we were part of deciding.

Do Participate Authentically in Intergenerational Mentorship
We know that leadership development means we need to learn. We value those with knowledge, expertise and a willingness to have a two-way mentoring relationship. We will lean on our mentors when we need to, and we’ll be able to reciprocate the gesture. Authenticity means a lot to us, so when we can connect to our mentors on some kind of a deeper personal level including values, dreams and passions, we’ll know that the relationship is meaningful and allows for powerful learning to happen.

Don’t call us future, next or emerging
I was struck that this was included in Maya’s list because this is something that I feel strongly about, too. That is, when do we stop being future leaders, next leaders or emerging leaders? How much time to we have to put in, experience do we have to have and dues do we have to pay? As exemplified many times over during MCON2012, we are doing incredible things already. Recognize us for the leaders we are today, and help us to become better leaders tomorrow. Leaders are learners, so we’ll continue to build our capacities to lead while we’re out there changing the world.

-Aleah

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Millennials Want Leadership Roles

Jun 21 2012 Published by under Aleah R.

If you’ve ever been called an “emerging leader,” you may wonder the same thing as I have – when will I stop being “emerging” and be looked at as a leader? We have knowledge, background and passion for the work that we do and causes we support. What’s more, we probably even have experience volunteering in the front lines for organizations. Yet the leadership opportunities for millennials are sparse. According to the recent Millennial Impact Report, 77 percent of millennials are interested in leadership positions, but only 20 percent currently sit on boards or committees. So where’s the disconnect? Millennials say the top two reasons for not taking a more active leadership role is not having enough time and never being asked.

What is your experience? Have you been asked to take on a leadership position? What are other barriers that you face when it comes to leadership?

 

 

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4 Tips to Make It More Than “Just” An Internship

Jun 07 2012 Published by under Aleah R.

It feels good to be back and continuing to make sure that millennial voices are being heard on issues that impact millennials! As I was thinking about this month’s theme of Summer Internships, I couldn’t help but think that, to me, being a good intern means being a good professional which also really means being a good, responsible person. As vague as that sounds, I think that in every situation I put myself in, I bring my whole self to ensure that I can be seen as someone who values and respects myself and others. When it comes to professional life, including internships and volunteer experiences, here are a few things to consider:

 

Get organized. This may be your first experience throwing professional responsibilities and relationships into your already busy life, and it can be difficult to juggle the changes. Don’t let new hours, new locations, new names or new responsibilities get in the way of your ability to do good work. Get yourself organized right away. Find a system that works for you and make it consistent – remember, it takes 21 days to create a new habit. One that I learned that made my life easier is to have both a To Do list and a Task list. Your To Do list contains all of the tasks that YOU need to execute and should be prioritized. Your Task list includes any items that you may have delegated to someone else or tasks that might be part of a project that you are a part of that you need to monitor. Remember to have names and due dates along with your Task and To Do lists, and any items that you are responsible for that might hold up the work of someone else should become priorities.

 
Be accountable. In my work with kids, teaching young people to be accountable for their actions is a daily occurrence. It should be for adults as well. Self-accountability takes discipline and the ability to not only hold the mirror up to yourself, but to face it head on; to not look the other way. In doing so, you are empowering yourself by demonstrating to others that you aren’t afraid to admit faults, are committed to a continuous cycle of improvement and, perhaps most powerful, you are allowing others to do the same. While your time during your summer internship may be short, the impact you have on those you work with can have a lasting impression that may also give yourself a great resource of champions, references and mentors in future endeavors.

 
Know when to step up and when to step back. As the new, not to mention short-term, person on the team, it is a bit of a dance to learn the culture of the organization and customs of the team you work with. You must know when to step up and make yourself heard when it comes to a new idea, offering to take on a project outside of your original job description or during staff meetings. You must also know when it is best to step back and learn from those around you. Don’t think that to be seen, you always have to be heard. You have great ideas and a fresh perspective, but you must also learn what the team can and can’t do due to organizational structure, capacity and any time constraints.

 
Stop calling it “just” an internship. You’ll only get out of it what you put in, right? So stop minimizing the commitment that YOU agreed to and do good work. If you treat your position with respect and accountability, others will too. Take advantage of the experience you are getting and the people around you who may be a resource now and in the future. Be on time, ask questions, hold yourself accountable and make the experience worthwhile, because it’s much more than “just” an internship.

 

-Aleah R.

 

Photo by: Gusbodr

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Discovering Your Passion to Create Your Own Dream Job

May 02 2012 Published by under Aleah R.

This year, I completed my tax return as a 1099er for the first time. Aside from the literal crash course experience of organizing receipts, tracking expenses and shifty software, it made me think long and hard about what it means to be self-employed, what it takes to get there, and how I can help shape the definition of entrepreneurship as a millennial.

Admittedly, I’m still not completely certain that I did not fall into being self-employed by total accident, nor could I say that I carefully planned every intentional step that got me here. Yet, what I do know is this – I’m passionate. I’m passionate about ensuring social justice and providing equitable opportunities for people to be their own advocate, voice and human. So, for my first blog post on Millennial Chat and in the spirit of this month’s theme of entrepreneurship, I’ll share with you what I’ve learned about creating my own dream job to do just that.

To see your future, look at your past. Discover your story to help define what it is that you are passionate about.  What experiences from your past drive you now? I can remember a moment when I was about 11 and I questioned my dad for always pushing me to be the leader in everything I did, from the director of a class play in 2nd grade to the yearbook editor in junior high. Feeling the pressure of responsibility for my team of fellow 7th graders, I asked, “Why do I always have to be the leader?” I realize now that it’s because I’m good at it. Along with my own experiences, I also know that I’m standing on the shoulders of family members and ancestors who have always been, whether they see themselves as that or not, fearless advocates for social justice. By exploring my past and memorable experiences, I’ve been able to clearly define what drives my “do.”

Let the journey happen. It’s important to define big goals for your future, but you aren’t going to be able to plan every step of the way.  Millennial entrepreneurs are innovators, creators, and shake up the status-quo – not for self-benefit, but for the true societal impact that it can have on our world. When you are doing big things, you will fail. Hard. That’s what happens when you are working to enact change. But you will also see great success. Working to reinvent how we educate kids reminds me that I must question everything, collaborate and always see failures as opportunities.

You can’t turn it off. That is, I’m never a “part time” leader, innovator, creator – I’m always bringing the full “me” to everything I do. By now we have all tried to figure out how to find work/life balance. I don’t think there’s such a thing. I believe in work/life harmony. Yes, there will be times when work is my blood, sweat and tears for days, weeks, even months. But I’ve learned that there are people in my life that help drive my passions. They, too, can be my blood, sweat and tears at times. I make it a priority that they are.

Hustle. Do the hard work to get to the results you want. In today’s world of “democratized” everything (fashion, education, funding), there’s no excuse not to know. Knowledge is there and it’s available. Read, watch, talk, chat, hangout, click or whatever you need to do to bring yourself to the table as someone who can contribute something meaningful and insightful. Millennial are burdened with not having the years of “experience,” but you better believe I know how to get in the know.

 

Above all, find what drives your innermost core – that guttural feeling you get for something you are so deeply passionate about. And make sure you find that every day.

 

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