How do I inspire a Movement without naming it?

Apr 22 2013 Published by under Topic Discussion

Have you ever thought about how tough it is to act kindly toward someone without having another say…

Well. There is your ‘good deed’ for the day

Or how about those who protested big business and banks back in 2011, do you think they would have been effective if the movement was not named

Occupy Wall Street?

So many in our generation are becoming socially aware throughout our entire day, not just after we punch the clock or on a Saturday morning.  Will there ever be a way to start a movement without it being given a name? Labels are inevitable, but what steps can we take to keep our movements and causes from being pigeonholed? Or is this even important?

Let’s chat about it!

Here is a list of questions that we will roll through tomorrow
starting at 1pm EST!

Q1: What are some example of movements and their names? Good or bad movements.. let’s just get some examples out there?

Q2: Do you think they would have been as effective if they weren’t named? How do you think labels affected those movements?

Q3: How can you display AND SPREAD your genuine passion for a subject without naming it and promoting it?

Q4: Why would a movement work more effectively when it isn’t publicly known?

Q5: Do you think it is even possible in this age of technology for a movement to go unnamed?

Q6: Some movements DO DESERVE praise. How can you thank or praise someone without pigeonholing their action?

Q7: This discussion screams ACTION>WORDS. Do you believe action with NO WORDS is effective?

Q8: How can you promote and display your action without throwing a label on it?

Hope to see you all tomorrow at 1pm EST!! Follow the #millennialchat hashtag. Can’t wait to see you there.

5 responses so far

DAY AFTER: Fixing Communication Across Generations

Apr 10 2013 Published by under Day After

Yesterday’s chat?  Oh you want to know about yesterday’s chat?

It was awesome!

The #millennialchat about communication and generational differences brought in a lot of OBJECTIVE responses.  It was fantastic.  Thank you to all who joined in and generated over 260 tweets with a reach of 45,738!

A complete Storify’d transcript is found below.  If you missed the chat, or missed a few tweets, then going back through will definitely help you understand both boomers’ and millennials’ perspective on how to better our communications in the office, out of the office, and elsewhere.

Congrats to our TOP 5 TWEETERS from yesterday!
1) @WriterChanelle
2) @ThinDifference
3) @KaitlinSolomon3
4) @DonCrow
5) @WriterRambling

 

3 responses so far

TOPIC POLL: What do you want to talk about next week?

Mar 29 2013 Published by under Day After

What would you like to chat about next Tuesday?  Give your input, and make sure to spread the word.

Click here to tweet this poll.

2 responses so far

#MCgivesback chat with @Mob_Org

Dec 07 2012 Published by under Day After

Yesterday’s chat was the first of 4 chats during the #MCgivesback month where we are focusing on giving back to the organizations that help millennials further pursue their dreams, ambitions, and ideas!  It was a great chat with Mobilize.org, and we learned a lot about their organization.

Yesterday’s chat generated 109 tweets, got 872,642 impressions, and reached an audience of 400,587 followers.

 

Thanks to all who joined.  If you couldn’t join, check out the transcript below.  If you did join, you may have missed something.  Check out the great insight in the transcript!

3 responses so far

3 Reasons All Millennials Should Vote

Nov 06 2012 Published by under Topic Discussion

Have you voted today or before today?

Vote

flickr photo by Alan Cleaver

If yes, thank you! If no, this is why you should:

1. The Future

Each election, more and more millennials have the ability to vote.  Each election, if more and more millennials decide to take action and vote, then we are one step closer to having everyone actively participate in our future.  It seems like the past few elections, I have heard friends say ,”I just voted for the first time!” Okay it might be a Facebook post where they say that, but our generation can start setting the precedent NOW for what we want our future America to look like.

2. The Past

You hear it all the time, and I just want to repeat it.  Many men and women fought – and some gave their lives – for our freedom to vote. I understand they also fought for our freedom to choose NOT to vote.  But a country ran by the people is much more free than a country ran by a single person or military.

3. Your Voice

A lot of people get caught up in the fact that it’s only one little vote. It is so much more.  After you vote, for the rest of that official’s term, you can call his office at any point in time for whatever reason and say “I am an active constituent who votes, and I feel like you need to change this policy.” And, that elected official will listen.  Hopefully because they simply want what’s best for their constituent’s, but it might be because they want your vote if they didn’t get it last election.  After you vote, your voice is SO MUCH STRONGER when it comes to advocating policy.

What are other reasons for why it is important for our entire generation to vote?
Why are you voting?

4 responses so far

Short Hiatus & Back in Action Tomorrow

Aug 08 2012 Published by under Topic Discussion

Wow! It has been a whirlwhind for me the past few weeks.  I have been transitioning to a new position here in Indianapolis.  I left a FANTASTIC organization – HealthNet, Inc. – to join the team at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc.  And, in the middle of that, I was able to take a family vacation.

So, that being said – I apologize for the lack of communication you may have had with Millennial Chat for the past 2 weeks.

But, now we are back.  One huge announcement -

OUR CHAT’S WILL NOW BE ON THURSDAYS. 3:30PM – 4:30PM.  Still follow the same hashtag.

This month’s theme is -

SCHOOL’S IN SESSION:
Making the most of your degree

 

Mark these chat dates down and don’t forget to include the topic -

August 9 – Put on the GOOD Freshman 15: Advice for the Young Millennials
August 16 – Managing Student Loan Debt: Should I just take out the MAX?
August 23 – Keeping in touch with Professors – What good could that possibly be?
August 30 – Leveraging your Alumni Base: Land that first gig SOON!

 

Got any ideas on what we should talk about?  Should we tweak a topic?
Would you like to write a blog about any of the above topics?
Let us know!! Comment or tweet us – @MillennialChat.

3 responses so far

#DAYAFTER: How can #millennials use social media to make good giving decisions?

Jul 25 2012 Published by under Day After

And #millennialchat plugs along.  Yesterday’s chat produced 135 tweets, generated 165,230 impressions, and reached an audience of 38,572 followers.
(stats from hashtracking.com)

 

Congrats to the top  tweeters from yesterday:

1) @JenniferLSpies
2) @BTalisman
3) @sarahkathleen
4) @HelpAttack
5) @2wheels2begreen

 

To read the entire chat (and get a few extras) check out our DAY AFTER transcript done on Storify!

 

Also, a quick announcement – MILLENNIAL CHAT will now be held on THURSDAYS!

Repeat: From now on, our chat will be held on Thursdays (starting August 9th).  Still held from 3:30pm – 4:30pm EST.

Be there, or be a square.

3 responses so far

Leadership and Opportunism in the Social Media Age

Jul 24 2012 Published by under Guest Post

What Would a Leader Do?

A word related to your business is trending on Twitter. You have two choices: employ a tactic you’ve already developed for cases such as this, or insert your business, opportunistically, into the Trending Topic. What would a leader do?

Your capability as a leader is a measure of your clout, your ability to influence others. If (big if, I know) your Klout score is a measure of your social influence, then a high score should reflect your capability. You have two choices: opportunistically game the system to achieve a high score or allow it to accurately reflect your engagement and influence. What would a leader do?

You’re a generational expert; you’re in Human Resources; you’re trying to get a job. A Twitter chat exists that is perfectly suited for your business or personal goals. You have two choices: spam the chat with your pitch or thoughtfully invest time into the chat by building relationships and adding value to the conversation over time. What would a leader do?

An article is written suggesting only one generation is qualified for a specific job. You have two choices: be part of the problem or be part of the solution. What would a leader do?

What Do Leaders Do?

Saying things such as, “That’s the way it’s always been done. I hope it changes. I doubt it will” is the equivalent of saying someone else needs to take the responsibility for creating the change I’d like to see. Does that sound asinine to you? Now, don’t run to the comments or stop reading here because you think I’ve called you asinine. I haven’t. That statement is asinine; and, we all say foolish things every once in a while, including me. What do leaders do?

Be a Leader

The best thing about leaders is that they’re not always looking for ways to embed themselves into conversations that propel their business or personal goals in obvious ways. Leaders see the benefits of long-term engagement.

For more than two years #GenYChat has been leading the discussion that seeks to solve the problem of the generation gap every Wednesday at 9pm ET. Do you care enough to be part of the solution even if you aren’t the guest host leading the conversation? Would you rather write a one-off post in response to one person; or, would you rather be part of shaping and adding value to the weekly discussions with many people that seek to better generational ties? It’s true that Millennials can tell when we’re being used to propel business goals. Guess who gave us this insight.

Be a leader.

A8: Leaders should realize that investing in #GenY and turning them into Leaders too will help orgs, people and the world#PoCchat
July 23, 2012 11:01 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite
@raehanbobby
Bobby Umar

Do you have questions or comments on leadership versus opportunism? You can answer in the comments below or start a conversation with me @WriterChanelle on Twitter.

Chanelle Schneider is the Founder and Moderator of the Twitter chat: #GenYChat, an intergenerational chat designed to dispel myths and improve the generational discussion.

Comments are off for this post

Developing Millennial Leadership for the Future, Today

Jul 20 2012 Published by under Guest Post

post written by Anna Mahalak.

By 2020, 46% of all U.S. workers will be millennials. By that time, we can also expect an exodus of the bubble of baby boomers from the workforce, rapidly leaving leadership gaps in organizations across a variety of sectors. The face, skills, and expectations of the average American worker will be dramatically different.

What does the next generation of leadership look like for organizations?

 

How can the leadership development pipeline begin to strengthen its paths today?

These were the questions asked by the “Creating Millennial Leadership Programs” presenters Zeke Spier (Executive Director, Social Justice Fund) and Kris Putman-Walkerly (Founder and President, Putnam Community Investment Consulting Inc.) at MCON2012.

Telescope

flickr photo by Ryan Wick

Today, millennials are already providing an insight into their organizational and leadership values. These are: authentic relationships, inclusivity and diversity, and openness to change. Zeke Spier explored these values through his organization in their fundraising efforts. They found that developing leaders within peer groups and within volunteers multiplied the impact – those leaders welcomed the challenge and responsibility and that leadership pathway gave volunteers steps to follow that tied their personal development to organizational development.

The big lesson this strategy revealed was that young millennials have expendable income to give, they want to be asked and will giving meaningful contributions when asked in an authentic manner by a mission-driven organization. Social Justice Fund did not set a minimum contribution in their fundraising campaign, but instead they found that donors, especially millennials, gave more than they  would have expected if they had set a minimum contribution. By focusing on the values of authenticity, diversity, and openness to change, the organization tapped into the values of millennials.

Practically, where does the leadership pipeline begin for future millennial leaders outside of involvement in nonprofit campaigns?

Kris Putnam-Walkerly pointed to a variety of internship programs that are equipping millennials with the experiences and skills to thrive in the workforce. These internships and entry-level opportunities are especially apparent in the nonprofit sector, which contrary to the private sector, actually grew by 2% during the recession. Ultimately, millennials are prioritizing meaningful work over higher pay, and they are finding these opportunities to contribute and grow in their careers through the nonprofit sector.

Two great examples of internship opportunities in the nonprofit sector include opportunities coordinated by the Cleveland Foundation and the Exxon Mobil Community Summer Jobs Program.

What types of internship or volunteer opportunities contributed to your leadership growth as a millennial?
How is your school or community fostering opportunities for young people to develop their leadership skills in the workplace?
What do you envision a millennial-led workforce will look like in the future? What will they value?

3 responses so far

3 things I learned at #MCON2012

Jul 20 2012 Published by under Guest Post

post written by Jereme Bivins, a winner of a FREE REG to #MCON2012!

MCON, a conference dedicated to the impact of millennials in the social sector, rocked the digital space with an all-day livestream of expert speakers, virtual exhibition hall, and online networking events. Needless to say, this was a techie’s fantasy conference come true. Now after listening to the MCON session presenters, dutifully taking notes (read: Tweeting), and thinking about how each lesson might apply to me and my organization, I distilled three invaluable points from Jean Case that deserve deeper reflection:

1) Failure is flattering

Much of what we do and don’t do is governed by our fear — fear of rejection, fear of looking foolish, fear of hurting someone’s feelings, and most often, fear of failure. But failure’s not always a bad thing. Failure teaches us what doesn’t work, so that we can correct our mistakes and try something new. Now think of how we treat fear in our personal lives, that treatment is ten-fold for organizations. Before we launch any campaign, press release, direct mail, email, or even tweet, we have to be sure that everything is perfect. There’s no margin for error. Failure is not an option.

However what’s true about failure in our personal lives must be a celebrated part of our organizational culture. It’s alright to fail, provided that we learn from our mistakes. It’s how we grow, how things change, and how innovation happens. So maybe failure’s really not so bad.

Remember: Fail quickly, fail forward.

Serious Squirrel

flickr photo by Navicore

2) Slacktivism is a myth

The Millennial generation is notorious for slacktivism. Millennials claim to care about causes, say they want to be involved, but they don’t give money and they don’t give their time. Therefore, they are slacktivists. Wrong.

According to the Millennial Impact Report, 75% of millennials made a gift in 2011 (which is pretty good considering the high levels of unemployment among that group). Of that group interested in helping a cause, 16% said they’d give money again, 47% said they’d give time, and 37% said they’d give both. They don’t sound like slacktivists to me. It seems more likely that many organizations just haven’t found effective ways to reach them. As the most highly-connected (read: technology addicted) generation in history, has your organization instituted a mobile strategy? Do you use social media to cultivate and build relationships with younger constituents? Orgazniations like DoSomething.org have and with fantastic success. Millennials want to help, you just have to engage them where they are: mobile devices, social networks, and at offline events.

3) It’s a new day for philanthropy

Philanthropy means ‘the love of humanity’, yet often when we hear the word, visions of old men, or immensely endowed organizations cutting multi-million dollar checks are immediately conjured. While these people and institutions do exist, that’s not the entire foundation of philanthropy. The philanthropic sector is changing, adapting, and growing. There are new ways for all of us to contribute besides writing grandiose checks: micro and standard volunteer opportunities, pro-bono work, smaller monthly donations, converting our friends, serving on a nonprofit board, etc. However we feel we can make a difference, we should do so. Organizations that are nimble enough to cater to this new wave of donors and volunteers will reap the reward of their contributions, both in the short and long terms.

So one day later, I’m pledging to Be Fearless, find new ways to make a difference, and get other millennials involved in social good. Because real change only comes from fearlessly trying new things, and slacktivism is just an urban legend.

What did you learn from MCON this year?

17 responses so far

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