Move in the Opposite Direction: 96/4 Rule

By Bruce Lund, NEXTPERT
Topic: Career Development, Marketing, Networking, Personal Branding, Success Strategies, Reputation Management, Social Media, Entrepreneur, Gen Y, Millennial, Job Searching

www.nextpert.net

People spend more time planning their vacations, weddings, or fantasy football teams than they do their own lives.

Job opportunities are easier than ever to track down in the technological advantages we live with today, but those advantages also create competition. I use the term “competition” lightly because I don’t feel threatened by many Millennials out there today. I’ve seen the competition firsthand both in and out of the classrooms.

The 96/4 Rule

The 96/4 Rule found at www.karlbryan.com has really created a paradigm shift for me. The rule is simiple: take 100 of the richest people on the planet, take 100 of the best golfers, pick any small town, any sales group, or for our sake 100 of the best Millennials and you will discover the following:

• 4% are standouts
• 15% are very good, and
• 81% are losers and clueless in a sense (a little harsh but effective nonetheless).

Bryan goes on to illustrate “it’s not that 4% is so impressive or talented. It’s more so because the 79% CHOOSE to be so unimpressive”.

Despite the confident characteristics many exude as a Millennial, it seems this is a false sense of reality that an opportunity will eventually come; even though they don’t do a single activity during the day to sharpen their skills when that opportunity presents itself. You’re not ready until you’re ready. In the next 3-5 years the 80+ million Millennials will be battling for jobs and will be the majority in the workplace.

Entry level positions will be more difficult than ever to get into because of the Recession we find ourselves in.

Even if you are years away from graduation I ask that instead of spending the day recovering on the couch after another long weekend (this one so happens to be Labor Day, ironically) doing whatever it was you were doing that you spend it being proactive about your future.

Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses and get real intentional about your weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, 3-year, and 5-year plans.

Tomorrow I will discuss Quantity vs. Quality as it relates to our Generation. Where do you think you stack up?

Bruce Lund is the Founder & CEO of NEXTPERT, a training and consulting firm offering insight and strategies to help recruit, train, and retain the BEST of the NEXT Generation leaders. Bruce is a Next Generation Expert completing his Ph.D. on the leadership of this unique group. Bruce has worked in and through many top organizations and teaches the whole self (Mind, Body, Heart, Spirit) approach in leading. He is seeking to become THE Leadership Expert Generation Y can count on for guidance to take them from where they are right now and teach them the distinctive habits of successful people to live an extraordinary life.