Powills: Build the Team, Grow the Business, But Beware of Millennials

If you have read my previous columns, including the one about recruiting giants and baby giants, then you know that team building is a high priority for me right now.

The interesting thing about building a team is that the blueprints of yesterday have died. They are gone because they are structured for a different work environment. Today’s is fairly stable for the employee, meaning there is low supply and high demand. Is this leading to a shift in work ethics? Maybe. But I wouldn’t necessarily blame work ethic challenges on supply and demand – more so environment, experience and technology.

The last two years have been different. The number of people willing to respond “how high” when asked to jump is declining. Culture is the number one thing asked about in interviews. Shifts in careers used to be limited to money and leadership – now, life balance must be accompanied with each of those earlier mentioned categories.

Work and workers are going through a cosmic shift and it will be up to business leaders to figure out how their business puzzle piece fits in with this unknown blueprint.

Here are a few valuable pieces of content:

ESPN: Packers' Aaron Rodgers frustrated by young receivers' effort level

Aaron Rodgers is seeing the cosmic shift. Even when money is unlimited and prestige is incredible, the shift in work ethic is hitting the quarterback.

The article states:

His frustration stemmed from the fact that the young players – most likely the young receivers – didn't seem to be giving the drill the effort it deserved. The task is seemingly simple: read the card that shows the play the coaches want run in order to give the No. 1 defense the look it will see from the Titans.

"It was one of the worst cards sessions we've had," Rodgers said. "I don't know how you can make it any simpler. You literally have what the play would be in our terminology on the card, and the effort level was very low, especially with what I'm accustomed to. I've been running that period for a number of years. So it's not a good start for us on the card period for the young guys. I think [DeAngelo] Yancey has really progressed, G-Mo [Geronimo Allison]. Obviously, 16 [Jake Kumerow]. But everybody else was kind of piss poor."

A simple operations guide (a play card that says what to do), an ask to hustle, a commitment to core values and a positive attitude was expected. What Rodgers saw was the opposite.

The Green Bay Packers are arguably (I say arguably because I am a Bears fan) one of the best teams in the National Football League. To get there, they must have crazy good leadership and mentorship, because who would want to live in Green Bay (asks most)?

It’s not just traditional business that this shift is hitting; it’s sports.

CBS Sports: Larry Bowa: Players disrespected ex-Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg

Back in 2015, when then Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg quit, perhaps he saw the shift coming and decided he had worked too hard and earned enough respect (he is a Hall of Famer) to deal with the changes.

The article notes:

Those who got to know Sandberg during his time as Phillies skipper have privately theorized that there was more to his decision than he let on. In his autobiography, written more than 20 years ago, Sandberg talked about how he'd become fed up with the modern player. They lacked his work ethic, accepted losing too easily and had a general sense of entitlement that didn't sit well with the old-school, grind-it-out Hall of Fame second baseman.

Did Sandberg see this coming? Should Rodgers have called Sandberg in 2015? Players lacked work ethic, accepted losing and had a general sense of entitlement – and Sandberg said that years before.

The Art of Finding the Solution and the Most Important Video to Help You Get There

These are shifts, not the end. It’s up to businesses to understand how to navigate the changes and find new ways to motivate.

Here’s a video from Mr. Why, Simon Sinek, on the why behind this shift with the up and coming class of work force:

The next great team is within the walls of the new experience group. It’s not that there aren’t amazing people in this age class, it’s that when the supply is so low, they are swallowed up immediately, nurtured and given a pathway to excellence. When you find a super star, no matter what their age is, help them see the extremely green grass within your organization.