Millenials Part Three – Discovering Meaning in Life and Work

Junior Military Officers come to my firm, Cameron-Brooks, to seek help in finding their next careers after transitioning from active service. They often tell me their goal is to find meaningful and worthwhile work. This search criterion has increased with the coming of age of the Millennial Generation (born after 1980) in the workplace. The frequency of this request has caused me to explore the ideas around “meaningful work.”

In his book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts, Alex Pattakos writes about the application of Viktor Frankl’s principles for discovering meaning in our daily life and work.  The foreword is written by Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and one of the most frequently-read books on the Cameron-Brooks recommended reading list. Covey writes in the introduction about how deeply Frankl’s work and book, Man’s Search for Meaning impacted his life. Covey also writes about something that is a fundamental part of Frankl’s philosophy of finding meaning in our life and work. There is a moment in time that is uniquely human. It is that space that lies between stimulus and response. “In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness.”  Although I may have no control over the stimuli that enter my life (my recent canceled business flight for example),  I do have total control over my response and my attitude. Sometimes finding meaning in our work requires a shift in attitude. Like the young shepherd in Paul Coelho’s book, The Alchemist, sometimes we find the destination of our journey close to home – perhaps, even within ourselves. My challenge to you is to look at your current work and find the meaning in what you do. Remind those with whom you work of the meaning they bring to you, themselves and others.

When you look for a new career opportunity, place more emphasis on the intrinsic meaning of the work than extrinsic considerations like starting salary and location. Make a list of the factors that bring meaning to you and allow you to live your life within the values that define you. Use the list as a guide in the journey towards your new career, and your destination will be meaningful and worthwhile work.

Steve Sosland

Millennials – The Search for Worthwhile Work

One of my favorite Buddhist quotes is, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”  I have found that the more willing I am to be a student the more teachers I will find. I wrote an earlier blog titled, “The Alchemist and the JMO” where I told the story of traveling to Germany on a recruiting trip last December and having two Cameron-Brooks candidates (two of my “teachers”) recommend I read The Alchemist, by Paul Coelho. One also recommended I read, Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. These recommendations came from JMOs who are members of the Millennial Generation – born after 1980. During recent trips, when I interview junior military officers who are considering transitioning to corporate America through the Cameron-Brooks Development & Preparation Program©, I have heard an increasing desire to find worthwhile and meaningful work in their next career. Sometimes this desire leads JMOs to only consider other government service sector careers. Some assume that selfless service is common only to those who wear a uniform. Certainly we are indebted to all who serve the public in uniform. I believe selfless service and meaningful work is also found in hundreds of private companies in a wide variety of industries.

The issue is complex and requires research and a broad career search. I also think it requires self-insight. Meaningful work to some may focus on the quality of products or services a company provides. To others it may be working with people of their ilk. In his book, Good to Great, Jim Collins writes that one characteristic of great companies is the belief that getting the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus is more important than where the bus is going. The deeper question for an individual is, “How can I find meaning in my work?” Viktor Frankl developed his philosophy of logotherapy during his years as a prisoner in the Nazi concentration camps. He observed that a common characteristic of those who survived the camps was awareness that their life had meaning to someone else. In one case he gives the example of reminding a man contemplating suicide that he had a daughter waiting safely for him in another country who was counting on him to live. Having this meaning to his life allowed the man to dig deeper within himself and survive his suffering. We can all look within ourselves and our current work to find meaning in what we do. Who is counting on us? Who benefits from the product of our labor? One easy to read book on the subject is, Gung Ho, by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. The book tells the story of a manufacturing manager and former active duty U.S. Marine who instills the notion of worthwhile work in his team. The lesson is broadly applicable in many companies and gives those searching for worthwhile and meaningful work a way to evaluate possible career opportunities.

Steve Sosland

The Emerging Millennial Generation

Joel Junker has written about the generational shift as our country transitions from the leadership of the Baby Boomer generation to the next generation. His writing is well-researched and based on dozens of conversations he has had with leaders of Fortune 500 companies. Scott LePage and I are seeing a major shift of focus among junior military officers (JMOs) who come to Cameron-Brooks to interview for our Development & Preparation Program© as they prepare to transition from active duty service to careers in corporate America. There is an emerging focus common among JMOs who express to us their desire to find meaningful and worthwhile work. This is a welcome shift from the Gen-X focus on rapid promotions, high starting pay and restriction to starting in their first choice of location.

To explain this shift, it is important to first understand the factors that contribute to generational stereotypes. “Baby Boomers” is the term used to describe those born in the years 1946-1964, during the baby boom following WWII. “Generation X” is used for those born from 1965-1980. Those born after 1980 are part of the “Millennial Generation” (aka Baby Boomlets or Echo Boomers). Each generation develops characteristics from key events called generational markers. The generational markers for the Baby Boomers include the space race, the Vietnam War, Beatles and Rock & Roll, the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK, and the Cold War. We remember the asinine schoolhouse drill to duck under our desks or in the hall in case of a nuclear attack. We received our news from three networks that went off the air each night at midnight playing the Star Spangled Banner. Gen-Xers were the first generation to be termed “latch-key kids” because both parents typically worked, and kids came home to empty houses and grew up responsible for fixing their own meals and doing their homework alone. The emerging technology was typically used for toys and games where getting the next new version was important. This independence was coupled with a lack of trust of authority that came from generational markers like the Watergate break-in and subsequent resignation of President Nixon.

Their news came 24/7 with the emergence of CNN. So what are the generational markers of the Millennial Generation? Less has been written about them, but certainly recent history can allow us to assume they will include 9-11, the war on terrorism, environmental disasters, and the impact of green technology. They don’t wait to receive news. They make it by using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They have elected presidents and created social awareness. I remember where I was when President Kennedy was shot and when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the moon. Millennials know where they were on September 11, 2001.  They also remember that our country came together, albeit briefly for a common goal. The dream to come together to make a difference has been deeply implanted in them. The average age of JMOs who transition to corporate America through Cameron-Brooks is 28. That means there is an increasing number of officers from the Millennial Generation who have a different focus than officers we have seen in previous years. I often hear comments about frustration with senior officers who appear to care more about their own careers than taking care of their subordinates. The overwhelming desire among this group is to find worthwhile and meaningful work that will change the world. I, for one, believe they will.

In my next blog I will discuss the definition and source of meaningful work as well as several books on the subject that may allow all of us to find it. Until then, I recommend you review my earlier blog on this site titled, “The Alchemist and the JMO.” http://blog.cameron-brooks.com/2009/12/29/the-alchemist-and-the-jmo/.

 Steve Sosland

Winners and Losers

I was a teenager in 1973, when a friend gave me a copy of a recently published book, Winners and Losers. Over the years the book has served as mentor and friend during times when I needed to apply a lesson learned from the author, Sydney Harris. Sometimes, reading a book allows the reader to avoid having to “touch the stove” to learn a lesson. Several years ago I purchased two used copies of Harris’ book (it has long been out of print) on amazon.com. I gave one to each of my daughters with a note telling them I hoped the book would be as valuable to them as it is to me. Over the years, each of them has mentioned a particular page that helped them through an issue. Last week, my oldest daughter handed me her book loaded with notes attached to the pages telling me specific lessons she has learned.
As a recruiter for Cameron-Brooks, I am often asked by junior military officers (JMOs) what they can do to be well prepared to make a successful transition from active military service to corporate America. One of the most beneficial tools I mention is to establish a professional reading program. Our team reads hundreds of business books and often discusses professional reading with business leaders. As a result of these discussions and our experience, we developed a professional reading list that is part of our Development & Preparation Program©. Many of the books in our reading program have been written by leading authors. Few people have heard of Sydney Harris, and his book may never make our list, but it has a value for those like me who pick up the book and find one page that speaks about a timely issue that will help approve the ability to lead more effectively. Here are a few excerpts:
1. A winner makes commitments; a loser makes promises. Roger Cameron says, “Leaders get promoted based on their big accomplishments and build reputations based on the little things” – making commitments and keeping them – phone calls, appointments, returning e-mails, etc.
2. A winner listens; a loser just waits until it is his turn to talk.  In describing how they lead a team, JMOs often tell me they talk to their team. It is rare to hear someone tell me they listen. I recommend, reading  The Lost Art of Listening, by Michael Nichols.
3.  A winner says, “There ought to be a better way to do it”; a loser says, “That’s the way it’s always been done here.” Companies hire leaders to make improvements. What got us where we are today will not get us where we want to be tomorrow.
4.  A winner respects those who are superior to him, and tries to learn something from them; a loser resents those who are superior to him and tries to find chinks in their armor. Occasionally, I interview someone who wants to leave the military because they don’t respect their senior leadership. The military doesn’t have a lock on bad bosses. We have our fair share in business. It takes effort and skill to learn that everyone has strengths to admire and emulate; and weaknesses to avoid and take lessons from.
5.  A winner has a healthy appreciation for his abilities, and a keen awareness of his limitations; a loser is oblivious both of his true abilities and his true limitations.  We encourage our Cameron-Brooks candidates to develop answers to commonly asked interview questions. “Tell me about a weakness” is a common question. Include what you are doing to improve or mitigate the limitation.
6.  A loser is envious of winners and contemptuous of other losers; a winner judges others only by how well they live up to their own capacities, not by some external scale of worldly success, and can have more respect for a capable shoeshine boy than for a crass opportunist. I keep an article on my desk that I read in USA Today several years ago about Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson who wrote a booklet titled, “Swanson’s Unwritten Rules of Management.” He says, “Watch out for people who have a situational value system; who can turn the charm on or off depending on the status of the person they are interacting with.” Steve Odland, CEO of Office Depot said, “People with situational values have situational ethics, and those are people to be avoided.”

Lessons come from many sources. Perhaps some of you will find and read your own copy of Winners and Losers, learn a lesson, and like me avoid touching the stove quite so often.

Steve Sosland

The Alchemist and the JMO

Several weeks ago I was on a recruiting trip in Germany to interview potential junior military officers (JMOs) for acceptance into the Cameron-Brooks Development & Preparation Program©.  During one of my conversations with a Navy officer stationed in Stuttgart, we discussed some of the books listed on the Cameron-Brooks reading list.  This candidate, Travis had read several of the books prior to our discussion and we talked about the value of applying lessons learned from the books to his military job in Stuttgart.  I asked about other books he has recently read and he mentioned, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho.  He told me it is one his favorite books.  While I have heard of this modern classic, I made a mental note to research the book for our Development & Preparation Program©.  A few days later, in the middle of a discussion with an Army officer who has been in our program for nearly a year, the subject of reading reemerged.  This particular candidate, Jay, told me one of his favorite recent books is, The Alchemist.  As a JMO recruiter or JMO headhunter for Cameron-Brooks for over twelve years I have come to believe that highly productive, top performers share many characteristics. Professional reading is one of them.  I also no longer believe in coincidence, so I bought and read the book.

The Guiding Principles of Cameron-Brooks state that we believe in the hopes, dreams and goals of all we serve.  Having finished reading The Alchemist this morning, I not only believe the book is closely linked to our Guiding Principles, but also see its value for all those who live their dreams by making major changes in their lives.

In his introduction to the book, the author states four obstacles that prevent many people from ever realizing their full potential and personal calling in life. The first is the discouragement felt by listening to the ‘naysayers’ who tell us that everything we want to do is impossible or too difficult.  As the years go by, dreams are covered up with layers of criticism, fear and guilt. Coelho states, “There comes a time when our personal calling is so deeply buried in our soul as to be invisible. But it’s still there.”

If we have courage to pursue our dream despite the naysayers, we face a second obstacle: Love. “We know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in order to pursue our dream.” We ignore the fact that those who truly care about us not only want us to reach our goals, but stand ready to accompany us on the journey.

The third obstacle is the fear of the unknown obstacles we will meet along that journey.  “We who fight for our dream suffer far more when it doesn’t work out, [than those who don’t have the courage to pursue their dream] because we cannot fall back on the old excuse: “Oh well, I didn’t really want it anyway.”  We do want it and know that we have staked everything on it and that the path of the personal calling is no easier than any other path, except our whole heart is in this journey.”  We will face obstacles and defeats along the path to our dream.  The key to success, as Coelho points out, is to fall seven times and get up eight times.  The fact that we work through the difficult challenges and fight the good fight makes achieving our dreams a richer experience.

The fourth obstacle to achieving our hopes, dreams and goals is the fear we face just as we are near the end.  “The mere possibility of getting what we want fills the soul of the ordinary person with guilt.  We look around at all those who have failed to get what they want and feel we do not deserve to get what we want either.”

Those who press on and fight through the obstacles will reach a euphoria that few people experience in a lifetime.  This message is not unique to The Alchemist.  Similar stories appear throughout fiction and non-fiction.  The quest that is told in this story is inspirational to all who face major changes to fulfill their dreams.

Steve Sosland

Begin Reading Early in Your Career as a JMO

One of the most frequent questions I am asked by Junior Military Officers who are early in their careers is, “What can I do now to keep my doors open?”  What they are telling me is they don’t know whether they will stay in the military for a 20-30 year career or separate and apply their leadership in another career.  They want to learn about business, but not at the risk of the important military duties in front of them.  I love the proactive nature of the question.  These are exactly the type of officers we love to bring into the Cameron-Brooks Development & Preparation Program©. Our program is specifucally designed to teach principles and practices that are effective in both business and military organizations. 

I want to share an example with you from a Cameron-Brooks candidate currently serving as an Army Infantry Company Commander in Iraq. Matt Burch is an Army captain  and has been a very active reader even while deployed.  He has been reading with a mission of finding key points to make his unit more effective and efficient. The following comments are based on lessons he learned from reading books like Good to Great, by Jim Collins; The Goal, by Eliyahu Goldratt; and Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni.  I think it is important to note that Matt is a liberal arts major who will likely beat out candidates with more relevant business degrees because he is working very hard to build his knowledge of current business principles and then applying them to improve his unit. Here is what he wrote to Alysha Metzger one of our Recruting Team Leaders:

“Interestingly enough, since I have been deep into the C-B reading list and was taking copious notes I have incorporated much of what I have learned into being a company commander. The initial counseling sessions for my platoon leaders and first sergeant went very well. It was like I put common sense into words and onto paper for them to understand. I have been in command for not even a full month yet and we have stopped calling this “My” company, or “My” platoon, but “Our” company and “Our” unit. We have our own separate Core values. We have established our Goal. We have identified what we can be the best at and set ourselves in that direction. In that small amount of time I have already had numerous people come up to me and tell me how much better the company looks. Alysha, we are truly going from good, to great! It’s so much fun. Thank you for letting me in on these little secrets. By the way, the lieutenants have a required reading list, a lot of the C-B books are on the top of the list!” (Printed with Matt Burch’s permission).

 For additional reading suggestions, I encourage you to read Joel Junker’s blog post from March 12, 2009:

http://blog.cameron-brooks.com/2009/03/12/suggested-reading-for-military-to-corporate-transition../

Steve Sosland

ssosland@cameron-brooks.com

Why are you Leaving the Military?

Why are you leaving the military? This single question is typically the most frequently asked question of all junior military officers who choose to leave active duty and pursue a business career. Many JMOs will answer this question dozens of times prior to ever sitting in front of his or her first corporate recruiter in an interview. The question will come from a wide variety of sources: commanders, enlisted members, peers and family. Often, JMOs develop different answers to this question based on different emotions that may include guilt or regret. To a highly-respected senior commander who already faced this point and decided to stay in for 30 years, a JMO develops one answer. There may be a slightly different response to a soldier who reenlisted largely due to the influence of the officer. To a parent who questions why get out in this economy, or a spouse who is concerned about “stability,” there are other responses. All of these answers may be delivered numerous times before the occasion of the first corporate interview when a recruiter asks, “Why are you leaving the military?”

As a JMO recruiter (aka JMO headhunter) for Cameron-Brooks, I have heard hundreds of answers that include frustration with multiple deployments, time away from home, and lack of pay and promotion based on performance. I understand these frustrations, but are they really reason to leave the military? I am sure JMOs recognize these will be part of their military career before they come on active duty. These same frustrations were true when I was an Infantry officer many years ago, and will be true for many years to come. To a JMO reading this I ask, did you leave college because you were tired of pulling all-nighters to get papers turned in on time, and challenging professors who gave exams unrelated to their lectures? Or, was it simply because you graduated and ended that phase of your life?
I encourage candidates applying for leadership positions in Corporate America to take time to consider the underlying question-behind-the-question: “Given your obvious success in the military, why have you decided to apply your leadership in Corporate America?” I doubt it will ever be phrased this way, though I expect this is what the recruiter really wants to know. While there is no “right way” or “approved solution” to answering this question, I do want to offer an approach.

“I have set many goals in my life. I wanted to graduate from high school with a strong enough track record to get into the college of my choice. After graduating college I wanted to serve my country on active duty in the military.  It was an important phase in my life. Now that I have completed my service, I want to find a career where I can use as many of the skills I have developed as possible. I have set my goal to come to Corporate America after weighing different career choices. I want a career in business because…”

An answer using this approach is focused on the future versus the past. It is filled with hopes and goals and dreams; not regrets and guilt. Before interviewing with a company recruiter, develop a well thought out answer to why you are leaving the military that is true to you and reflects your goals for the future. As Roger Cameron says in his guide book to JMOs, PCS to Corporate America, “Use my thoughts not my words” in finding your own unique answer.

Steve Sosland

Preparation is key regardless of whether you use a JMO recruiter

Many junior military officers transitioning out of the military are attracted to Cameron-Brooks because of our world-class preparation program. Because we accept less than 15%, many officers will not qualify for our Development & Preparation Program ©. This should not be used as an excuse to not be prepared.

I have interviewed thousands of JMOs considering a transition from military to business in the last 12 years, and I am always attracted to those officers who have already established their own self-development program. I know other companies will be impressed as well. You can start your preparation on your own with a reading program. Go to one of our early blog posts at https://cameronbrooks.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/suggested-reading-for-military-to-corporate-transition/ . Ensure that you read Roger Cameron’s book PCS to Corporate America, 3rd Edition. It is full of advice as well as exercises to prepare you for an interview.

Finally, we will be adding a career transition resource center to our web site in the near future. This will be open to all JMOs regardless of whether or not they are accepted into our program.  You can also e-mail me at ssosland@cameron-brooks.com or post your questions here, and I would be happy to provide you with guidance. Most officers prepared for four years before assuming their first leadership position in the military. If you come to corporate America you will be expected to multi-task and continue your self-development to get promoted. Why wait until you are three months from your separation date to begin? I encourage you to start now.

Steve Sosland

Corporate Applications – Be Thorough and Accurate

Prior to interviewing junior military officers wanting to transition to corporate America, I review their application to partner with my firm, Cameron-Brooks, for their potential transtion. I review the entire application, including background information (military, education and personal) and goals. I study the application and use 100% of the information to develop the best advice in forming my strategy to help the ex-military officer reach long-range career goals. Approximately 10-15% of the time, I can accept the officer into our Development and Preparation Program©. I accept them when I know their goals are aligned with our companies and they have the proven track record of success our companies desire. The bar is very high. I am excited when I see a thorough application and disappointed when I see an incomplete or inaccurate application. Here are some tips on filling out an application.

1. Put forth the effort. I strongly encourage a JMO filling out any application to remember the effort placed in applying to their college or service academy where they were accepted. This was a four-year goal. Place as much effort into corporate applications. Your application is a reflection of your attitude and you as a person.

2. Put yourself into the role. When filling out an application, you are connecting your background with the company or position for which you are applying. You need to imagine yourself in the role when answering the questions. For example, the Cameron-Brooks application asks for hobbies. When filling out this portion, you would be wise to put those hobbies first that connect best to being a future business leader. Hobbies that I have seen recently that connect are reading, repairing cars (hands on and mechanical aptitude), investing, running marathons (competitive nature), volunteer leader for United Way Big Brothers (leadership and well-rounded). I think it’s good to list all of your hobbies, but list the most relevant first.

3. Provide as much information as possible – fill out the spaces in full. Every question on an application has a purpose even if you do not understand the reason for the question. Therefore, answer the question and fill out as much as possible. For example, our application asks for high school and college activities, and we provide a large block for that answer. Quite frequently, I see just a few activities listed. Yet, when I ask the person if that’s all they did during that time, they then provide me with more information. The JMO candidate didn’t fill it out all the way because they didn’t think I would have use for it. In reality, Cameron-Brooks client companies use the “whole person” concept to evaluate their future leaders so these answers are very valuable to us and our clients.

4. Ensure the application is accurate and complete – no misleading or false information. Inaccurate and incomplete applications will prevent you from reaching your desired goals. Yesterday, I ruled out a potentially high caliber applicant for an inaccurate application. How can I be confident this person will not deliver an inaccurate report to a company? We need leaders of the highest integrity in business. At Cameron-Brooks, we are doing our part to fix the issues that have caused many of the problems we are facing. Treat your application to a recruiter or headhunter with the same degree of seriousness as any report in the military. It will help you reach your goals.

5. Proofread the application. I often see applications with misspelled and missing words. This indicates one of two things, neither of which you want to indicate on an application. One is lack of detail orientation. This goes back to the previous point. The second is lack of intellect. You don’t want to in any way communicate this. Companies want leaders who are smart.

Remember, applications are your critical first impression. Put forth the effort, put yourself in the role, provide as much information as possible, ensure the application is accurate and complete and proofread the application. To learn more, refer to chapter two “The Crucial First Impression” of PCS to Corporate America, 3rd Edition.

Steve Sosland

Spouses – Partners not Dependents at Cameron-Brooks

As I travel to military bases around the world recruiting for Cameron-Brooks, I am constantly impressed with the strength of the military spouses I meet.  They are the bedrock of our military families and given the current operations tempo and deployment cycles, take the responsibility for creating a stable family life. In many cases, the spouses have put career and education goals on hold. We all owe them our gratitude.  Several years ago, Ben Stein wrote a tribute to a military spouse that was published in The Wall Street Journal. Here are a few things I like about “Strength at Home:”

1. It reminds me that freedom is not free.  We owe all our freedoms in America to the brave men and women who volunteer to protect us and to their spouses who keep the home fires burning for them.
2. It reminds me that I have the responsibility while helping military officers transition from active duty to corporate America through Cameron-Brooks, to find solutions for their families by helping them conduct broad searches to find good career opportunities for spouses and good schools for kids.
3. As Ben Stein states, military spouses “are the glue that holds the nation together, stronger than politicians, stronger than talking heads, stronger than al Qaeda.”

You can read Ben Stein’s article at: http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005508

 

Steve Sosland