Originally published June 2013.

It’s time for the June Management Journey Carnival. The articles for this month’s Carnival cover social media (etiquette), Millennials in the workplace, performance feedback, leadership transparency, career management (for introverts), innovation, communication, and other topics. Let’s get started with a look at the people side of social media — online etiquette or good manners (as my Grandmother used to say).

Social Media (Some Practical Wisdom for this Shiny New Tool!)

Image courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net

Social media is changing the way we live and work. The lack of face-to-face contact and the growth of anonymous user profiles cause some to forget some of our accepted standards of good social behavior. On her website, Ann Tran cleverly uses a cocktail party analogy to explain How To Be The Life Of The Social Media Party. — Social Media/Communication

Millennials in the Workplace (They’re Here! And They Are the Future!)

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There’s no need in any of us pretending that we do not see what is happening! As Millennials take their rightful place in the workplace, everything is not working out smoothly with older workers. These generations continue to clash in the workplace.

To get beyond these conflicts in your own workplace, you’ll have to explore the different perspectives of the various generations— not delay handling them. I have two articles this month to help you with this exploration:

All it takes to ease Millennials into the workplace is a tried-and-true mentoring program! Right? As Marina Khidekel of Bloomberg Businessweek explains in her article, The Misery of Mentoring Millennials, established methods for mentoring employees have their limitations with this new generation. To the Millennial worker, the traditional mentor relationship may seem awkward and forced. (Be sure to read the comments on this article. There are some interesting conflicting opinions on mentoring Millennials.) — 4 Generations/Mentoring

 Featured Video (Don’t Be So Agreeable All the Time!)

One of the insider secrets to being an innovative leader is to keep some of your rebellious childlike nature — be a non-conformist. You know that little kid who is always asking why! Challenging given norms is also critical for any leader who wants to gain a competitive advantage. In this Harvard Business Review video interview with Dr. Freek Vermeulen, you can Gain Competitive Advantage—by Questioning Old Habits. — Innovation/Competitive Advantage

A Pot of Business Gold (Now Here’s Some Real Wealth Building Strategies!)

For this month’s pot of gold, I’ve selected  some articles that provide insights on performance feedback, the introverted behavioral style, and leadership transparency. I enjoyed all of them.  I am sure you will too. (OK, back to your reading! )

 As an introvert, you know that you are the person that shies away from self promotion. Further, while you do well with your social group, you are the first to admit that you are NOT the life of the party! In a world where those extroverted styles can walk away with all of the goodies before you get your share, I’m sending you to Nancy Ancowitz of Psychology Today so your career can thrive. She’s got some excellent information for you in her article, Diversity, Inclusion, and Introverts: 3 Tips for Thriving. — Career Management/Introverted Behavioral Style

What does the lack of encouragement of a gifted child who went on to become a knighted, Oscar winning actor teach us about performance feedback and motivation? Actually, a great deal! Douglas Eby of Psych Central provides a powerful lesson on why everyone needs effective performance feedback, motivation, and positive reinforcement in his article, Ben Kingsley and Our Need for Appreciation. — Performance Feedback/Positive Reinforcement/Leadership

From Management is a Journey (Sit Right Down & Learn Leadership From This TV Show!)

Years ago, I heard a management peer complain that a recent seminar he attended had a section on listening and observation in it. From his perspective, it was a total of waste of time! Having worked on several company-wide initiatives with him, I (and many others) knew he needed the training. If this happened today, I’d tell him to sit right down and learn the Secrets to Effective Communication from Undercover Boss. — Communication

This concludes the June 2013 Management Journey Blog Carnival.

Robert