“Why Young Companies Worry About Old Boomers Retiring.”

When the biggest part of the population is age 57 there is some retirement. When the biggest part of the population is age 60, you get a lot more retirement and so on. Older people retire at a faster rate than younger people. Boomers have been retiring for years but it’s speeding up because they’re betting older and older. Boomers are turning 65 in 2011.

So how does this affect a young company with a bunch of young starry eyed, ambitious people running it? Eg., Software startups, or even young construction companies or trades. Well, here’s how it’s going to hurt all of us.
When Hydro retires 1000 boomers, it fills those slots with people that normally would have been intereste more. Now people are going to public sector, crown corps, and multinationals who will pay whatever they have to to attract them.

They project manager that you would have hired at $70k is now working for BC Hydro at $110k. The HVAC tech you want to hire at $65k is working for BC Housing at $90k. Same story all the way down the food chain. Software developer, HR manager, electrician, forklift driver, are all being seduced by the big players, (crown, public, and multinational), who will pay whatever they have to fill the vacancies left by their retiring boomers.

The CMA (Canadian Marketing Association) quotes a StatsCan report that suggests future economic growth may have to depend less on employme reased productivity, which makes a lot of sense. Private sector managers are not going to slow down, they will work around whatever barriers present themselves.

In January we’re doing our most powerful productivity module. "The Nine Big Management Ideas That Increase Productivity." It is the most important seminar any manager can participate in. It will change your people, their productivity, and give you back control over your own life as a manager.

See you breakfast,
Wolfgang

P.s. January 19th, Vancouver Museum, (big crab/ Planetarium), at Kit’s beach. Reserve now as we will be full. Subject: “The Nine Big Management Ideas that Change he same people produce 30% more, - what happened? A leadership platform to take your company into 2011.
p.s. If you spend a lot of time managing, - you're doing it wrong.
p.s. “Do, or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda

Do Twits Tweet?

It’s too cold. Period. Yesterday Antarctica was –36 degrees and Calgary ran a close second at –33 degrees. Which reminds me why I live in Vancouver.

I can’t help but again wonder how this social media thing keeps going. Never have so many people with so little to say, said so much to so few. What would compel you to tweet what you are doing right now? Worse yet, what would compel anyone to read what you are doing? Twitter allows you now to include your location. What an amazing upgrade! Not only can I tell you I’m having a latte, I can tell you where I’m having it! What a euphoric breakthrough for mankind.

What causes an otherwise fine mind to turn to Pablum when it comes to social media? I’d love to keep lampooning the subject but the shots are too easy.

Research says that 71% of a billion tweets get no reaction. The TV networks say social medial campaigns don’t impact a tv show’s viewing audience. Malcolm Gladwell has figured it out with an article in the New Yorker, “Why the revolution will not be tweeted.” I figured it out by asking my followers to send me 25 cents by paypal. Nobody sent anything. I’m assuming our friendship is pretty thin.

Active Facebook users are largely narcissists. We’ve add that question to our interview process to discover the immature candidate. Narcissists are a bitch to manage, they don’t pay attention and talk to the mirror, (they bring their own mirror).

The lesson for managers is idealism will backfire if you apply it to management. Deal with reality the way it’s given to you, not the way you’d like it to be. Pragmatism is essential. Your company’s customer advertising is emotional and compelling. It’s employee communication is factual, dry, and legalistic. See the problem?

Not dealing with reality is widespread and keeps the mental health, drug and liquor industry going. If you have trouble with reality, you might just be normal. As a manager take extra care to see what’s given to you, to look at things the way they are. Watch and listen to people, observe and keep a clear mind. People are not like you, not even close. If you don’t get that you might just be tweeting for yourself eventually.

Great managers deal with reality the way it is presented to them. See you in January for the most reality based management boot camp ever!

See you for breakfast,
Merry Christmas, (I checked, it's legal to use the word "Christmas.")
Wolfgang

p.s. Source: Sysomos social media tracking software company in Toronto.

p.s. A polarizing interview question. “Would you go to a John Tesh concert?”

p.s. If you’ve owned your company for 25 years or more, it’s time to think of act two. Call me, there are a hundred different ways to distance yourself from it, selling is only the last option.

p.s The whole social media thing is good and fine and I get it. What’s missing is the answer to the question, - to what end? Results? Efficacy is absent. Anecdotal impact is huge. Statistical impact, not discernable. Show me I’m wrong, I’ll withdraw my contempt in the next letter.

p.s. Personal branding is a way for people with no character to create an identity. Facebook allows me to present the life I think I should have had.