GET THE BEST FROM YOUR 'BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS'

IT ENTREPRENEUR, acclaimed author and Queensland Credit Union deputy chairman Dr Harry Zaphir will bring his unique management seminar to Brisbane in an Australian Institute of Management (AIM) event this month.

Following a successful corporate management career Zaphir (pictured) released his first book The Boss' Guide to Bright Young Things in 2008 and now travels Australia educating business people on young employee management techniques.

“At many conferences, the first question I ask is ‘how many of you have children aged in their early 20’s?’ And most people’s hands go into the air,” explains Zaphir.

“I then ask ‘how many of you consider your children completely grown up, fully functional human beings?’ And most hands go back down.

“My next question is ‘if that’s the way you feel about your own children, why then, do you employee someone from the same vintage and expect them to be completely mature employees?’ And then its’ as if light bulbs are turning on.”

A large part of Zaphir’s workshops focus on the management style needed to utilise young employees to their full potential.

Zaphir says social networking and technology has developed a generation of workers who can ‘truly multi-task’.

“Back when we started (in IT) we had a taste of what the future was going to be like,” he says.

“I try to get managers and supervisors to understand the differences between the generations of workers, and they are real brain differences.

“Recruiting ‘bright young things’ is easy, but managing and retaining these employees is not.”

Zaphir also presents workshops designed to help young employees communicate and relate to older generations of employers. His next book The Bright Young Things' Guide to Time Management is due to be released in early March.

Zaphir’s Bright Young Things workshop takes place at Brisbane’s AIM venue on February 17. More info at: www.aimevents.com.au