For generations, those in the work force have said that the younger generations are lazy. With each passing decade, a new generation of “lazy kids” assumes the mantle of authority and passes the same judgment on those who will succeed them. As time passes, each new group of leaders discovers that the next generation is not lazy; they simply have learned the value of “play.”
The newest generation to enter the work force, Generation Next, has learned the value of “play” in the digital age. Generation Next is the first truly digital generation; people raised and educated using digital media and the internet as an integral part of their basic thinking. Because of their “digital play”, Generation Next has learned to use simulated environments, virtual spaces, teleconferences, text messaging and a myriad of other technologies individually and in combination. Members of Generation Next have mastered the ability to multitask in ways that prior generations have never imagined. Their upbringing in the digital age provides them with the ability to handle up to 70 simultaneous incoming streams of information in a typical online video game.
Recent research has suggested that those who multitask are in fact less efficient than their single tasking counterparts. The problem with such research is that it uses single tasking benchmarks to evaluate multitasking. Generation Next does not measure success by the same benchmarks as their single tasking predecessors. Success in the next phase of the digital age will require that business adopt the same benchmarks as the multitasking digital natives who will dominate that new frontier. Knowing these benchmarks, and how to achieve them, are three of the business skills Generation Next can teach business today.
Social Networking – Seeing is Believing
One of the major differences between Generation Next and their predecessors is that the relationships adeptly built in the virtual space transfer seamlessly into the physical and business worlds. Such online social network relationships are not developed through long online encounters, but rather through the regular and attentive communications in short bursts. Generation Next uses text messaging, email and online social networking sites to stay in constant contact with their online friends. These communiqués are brief and often deal with seemingly unimportant information such as “what’s for lunch” and “out walking the dog” yet it is this level of personal revelation that promote the friendships that later become referrals and other types of business.
Lesson 1: It’s All About Relationships
Generation Next is all about the relationship. Given the choice between a product or service provider that is better and one that is more personable, Generation Next will choose the more personable every time. Experts from Zig Zigler to Jim Cathcart to myself have stressed the importance of relationships in the workplace and with customers, clients and potential clients. Generation Next has simply made this process more efficient and more powerful with technology.
The best online social networkers have discovered that effective online social networking requires between seven and ten hours per week. Single-taskers have traditionally dedicated 2 hours per business day to social networking. Generation Next multitaskers have found short networking periods to be far more personal and thus far more efficient.
Tactic 1: Network Ten Hours Each Week
- Keep an email window open and respond quickly to networking opportunities.
- Keep these contacts short and invite them to a more in depth conversation later.
- Take fifteen to thirty minutes each day to look for new network contacts through online interest groups,
Lesson 2: Keep Your Network “In the Loop”
People are naturally social creatures and they are insatiably interested in what others are doing. Generation Next has taken this social interest to the level of art form utilizing every technology to share the moment-to-moment “updates” of their lives. Social websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Plaxo provide the opportunity to share these “updates” directly with contacts and network members. The newest versions of these sites allow all three sites to receive “updates” from a single dispatch through the Twitter.com website. Other social websites such as LinkedIn have taken note of this important trend and have added the ability to incorporate such microblogs.
Tactic 2: Be Interesting to Your Network
- Keep your social network profiles interesting with regular updates on projects, opportunities, triumphs and even challenges.
- Make your “Updates” valuable to your network.
- Share lessons learned and problems to avoid through your “Updates.”
Lesson 3: Be a Real Person by Expressing Yourself
Beyond the voyeuristic curiosity that makes profile “updates” Twitter so popular, there is a need to gain insight and understanding of those with whom we associate ourselves. Self-expression sites such as YouTube, Flickr and SlideShare provide the personal and professional insights that members of Generation Next require to make personal connections. More than just a networking opportunity or multitasking project, these expression sites allow for the not only the exhibit projects and proposals, but to showcase talents and triumphs. The major social websites have recognized the importance of self-expression sites to the digital generation. The best part is that in most cases, it takes only minutes to share a project completed for a wholly different purpose. Generation Next knows that the best multitasking is actually retasking.
Tactic 3: Project a Well-Crafted and Genuine Image
- Decorate your Social Networking Profiles as you would your home and office space, with favorite pictures and even music.
- Display images of diplomas, awards, certificates and even your children’s artwork, these say who you are and what you value.
- Promote your projects, programs and passions through video, slides and other multimedia tools.
Unfortunately, those of us not weaned on the internet and multiplayer simulation-based role-playing video games will never master the art of multitasking. However, by applying the lessons and tactics of Generation Next, we can master their market and succeed in their digital world.
Griffin Works offers Pawsitive Interactions with Service Dogs During Response Operations©, an audience-customized training that breaks down barriers by offering hands-on handling training and demonstrations with working service dogs for fire departments, EMS agencies, and public safety organizations.
Part of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium and home to the National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center, TEEX has been leading homeland security training since 1998. The major TEEX programs include fire and rescue, infrastructure and safety, law enforcement, economic and workforce development, and homeland security. As a member of The Texas A&M University System, TEEX is unique in its ability to access a broad range of emerging research and technical expertise. Beginning with course design and development all the way through hands-on instruction and national certification testing, TEEX delivers comprehensive training through both classroom and hands-on instruction and as online courses.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) was created by Congress in 2000 as part of the Children’s Health Act to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for children and families who experience or witness traumatic events. This unique network of child-serving professionals, caregivers and young adults, researchers, and national partners is committed to changing the course of children’s lives by improving their care and moving scientific gains quickly into practice across the U.S. The NCTSN is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and coordinated by the UCLA-Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS).
The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The EMI provides national leadership in developing and delivering training to ensure that individuals and groups having key emergency management responsibilities possess the requisite skills to effectively perform their jobs.
The High Alert Institute maintains a list of reviewed courses provided by governments, universities and professional organizations. This list is geared towards the non-emergency management person who participates in disaster planning, preparedness, response, recovery or mitigation as part of their job responsibilities.
The High Alert Institute has partnered with Shutterstock to distribute stock images from the nature images donated by our supporters. For eligible stock images, Shutterstock will donate a portion of the royalty to the High Alert Institute. There is no cost to charitable organizations or to Shutterstock customers.
For eligible purchases through AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the High Alert Institute. There is no cost to charitable organizations or to AmazonSmile customers. All you need to do is push the SMILE NOW button and select to support THE HIGH ALERT INSTITUTE on AmazonSmile.
Koi need forever homes, too! For pond enthusiasts, freshwater exotic and ornamental fish may not be available through pet stores or rescues in their area. The High Alert Institute Aquatic Pet Shelter Rehoming Program will be happy to assist you in stocking your new pond or adding a new finned friend to your school. Coming soon – when you adopt a Koi from the High Alert Institute Aquatic Pet Shelter Rehoming Program, we can arrange for delivery to your door anywhere in the continental United States.
Have you always wanted a Koi pond but don’t have the space one? Sponsor a Koi in our community shelter pond and we send you photos of your sponsored animal. Coming soon are live Koi Cameras above and below the water to enjoy your sponsored Koi anytime.
Dumping of freshwater non-native species and exotic aquatic pets into wild habitats is a man-made disaster that is truly preventable. The Institute’s Aquatic Pet Welfare Partnership works to raise awareness and reduce the impact on healthy ecosystems through education, as well as rescue and rehoming. Joined by champions of animal welfare and environmental stewardship, this association of aquatic pet rescue operations and aquatic pet shelters across the United States aims to save our finned friends and preserve our waterways together.
Want to share our cause with family, friends, and colleagues? Looking for a non-traditional way to celebrate a birthday or honor someone special? Support the Institute by starting your own Peer-to-Peer fundraising challenge! Let your contacts know why our mission is important to you and what they can do to support your cause. START YOUR OWN FUNDRAISER for the High Alert Institute.
From the staffing pool to the shelter ponds, from the boardroom to the classroom, and from reading the science to writing the analyses, High Alert Institute programs and services benefit from the experience, expertise, and generosity of our volunteers. Put your talents to use for good and to good use – VOLUNTEER TODAY.
Make your donation twice as nice by rehoming aquatic pets and providing a rehabilitation companion pet to a deserving person, family, or facility. Sponsor part or all of a Joy of Koi Program pond installation – complete with rehomed koi – and give the gifts of love and recovery.
Professional photographers, amateurs, and legal copywrite holders are all welcome to participate in the High Alert Institute Nature Photo Donation Program. Sales of the images benefit the Institute and donors are eligible for tax deductions equivalent to the fair market value of their photos. Landscapes, seascapes, animals, flowers – all may be accepted – whether new or vintage images. People may be included in the photo but only if unidentifiable (i.e., blurred figures at a distance).
Did you know that unused patents and copyrights can be donated to charity? Intellectual Property (IP) just sitting on a shelf will lose value as it becomes obsolete. The High Alert Institute IP Donation Program seeks to rescue stranded, technology-related IP with the potential for development into marketable products. Once accepted by the program, the owner/inventor is eligible for a tax deduction equivalent to the fair market value of the IP. The Institute receives the patent licensing fees or revenue from the sale of the IP to businesses, helping us to fund our mission. In turn, businesses are able to advance their markets and create jobs for less money than starting a project from scratch.
Disasters are defined as situations in which needs exceed or overwhelm available resources. Some disasters affect an entire community, while other disasters impact individuals and families. Crises of physical or psychological health can be very personal disasters.
The therapeutic value of pets during illness, trauma, and recovery is well established. And Koi fish may be well suited for people who are not able to provide verbal pet commands or physically care for pets like dogs and cats. Koi ponds are also a source of beauty and peace, providing an ideal setting for quiet reflection or meditation.
We are working to partner with pond installers and aquatic pet rescues/shelters to offer free or reduced-cost ponds with rehomed Koi fish to people seeking this type of pet therapy.
Disasters disrupt life and impact our sense of personal, family, and community safety. Survivors and responders alike often are not aware of the emotional, psychological or spiritual challenges that they may face from disaster onset through recovery. With two decades of experience training responders and communities to prepare for the behavioral health aspects of disasters, we will continue to provide education and a curated list of resources to groups or individuals.
Non-medical factors that impact overall health are termed Social Determinants of Health or SDoH. Noise pollution, poor air quality, and poor water quality are three environmental factors known to have a strong link to overall health. And the same environmental factors that impact humans impact their pets and other animals in their care. We continue to assist in advocacy, education, and technology development to mitigate the impact of SDoH on humans and animals alike.
Our efforts in shelter and rescue are the main focus of our environmental stewardship, reducing the environmental impact of non-native aquatic animals being dumped into public waterways. The High Alert Institute also assists innovators with the design, development, and evaluation of green and renewable energy technologies. Reducing the carbon footprint associated with disaster preparedness, response, and recovery furthers our continued mission to mitigate risk and improve resilience.
We partner with public and private organizations, sharing resources and fostering partnerships to improve disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, and mitigation.
The High Alert Institute team has over a century of combined research experience in medical, nursing, behavioral health, and disaster sciences. Our team provides support to researchers and technology developers through comprehensive literature searches and reviews, as well as failure mode database searches and adjudicated reviews.
When disaster strikes, most aquatic pet owners have limited options to secure the safety of their pets. Sheltering in place may not be possible if there is no power to provide aeration and “pet-friendly” shelters do not include ponds or aquariums. Our goal is to provide an option for aquatic pet owners in need of rescue and shelter for their finned friends.
Our goal is to share our two decades of disaster readiness experience with animal welfare organizations, shelters, caretakers, and pet owners, as they implement contingency plans for natural and manmade disasters.
