CAREER COACH
GO TO GREG
How do I get my son to take career advice from me? I had a very successful career prior to my retirement, but he says I have old-fashioned views of the workplace. I say that I have had 40 years of success and he is struggling — I can help him get his act together.
Hey, Dad, I think every parent has a similar struggle. When the kids hit a certain age, everything that comes out of our mouths is stupid and embarrassing. Fortunately, usually the older and more experienced they get, the smarter we get. Putting those dynamics aside, I’ve seen many well-intentioned parents dispensing advice that isn’t received well because, well, it isn’t good advice. Early in a career, things can be very stressful and confusing, and many are still trying to find themselves. Parents inadvertently create conflict and add to the stress by trying to steer in one direction or another that may not be aligned with what is right. They may give direction and be judgemental about choices that don’t seem practical, instead of listening and understanding. Try sending your son some career resources by whoever they would find credible. Help him network for advice. And, um, well, there’s also this guy who writes a popular career advice column to which he can write.
I’ve been hearing a lot about the new term “quiet quitting” where employees just coast, doing the bare minimum to get by. I feel that my team performs that way. Is this the new work norm with this generation, and should I just accept it? Or can I require these employees to put in more effort?
If you just accept employees doing the bare minimum to get by, then you’re “quiet quitting” your job as a manager. Bottom line: You can’t force anyone to do anything. Employees who coast are usually disengaged from their work, so figuring out how to get them motivated is the only way to get them to naturally sustain higher engagement. If you can’t, or they won’t, then you can set expectations for performance and outcomes. And if they don’t meet those expectations, you can quietly fire the quitters.
Gregory Giangrande has over 25 years of experience as a chief human resources executive. Hear Greg Weds. at 9:35 a.m. on iHeartRadio 710 WOR with Len Berman and Michael Riedel. E-mail: GoToGreg@NYPost.com. Follow: GoToGreg.com and on Twitter: @GregGiangrande