Generation X, Y and MySpace? An Introduction to How to Manage Different Generations

Generation X is the generation that followed the Baby Boomers. The Xers

were born between 1965 and 1976, or so, depending on whose research you

follow. They have been defined by the media as a group vastly different from the

intense, hardworking Boomers. Rightly or wrongly, the Xers have acquired the

labels of slackers, more interested in having personal time than in going the extra

mile to win a promotion. They value independence, technology, informality. They

were the original latchkey kids and the first group to experience MTV.

Any generation is more than a demographic chart, and the Xers are no

exception. They are the most diverse generation in history. According to the U.S.

Census, about a third of them are nonwhite or Hispanic. Most of them grew up

after the Civil Rights movement and are tolerant of all kinds of differences among

people.

The generation that is following the Xers is young, brash, and just hitting the

work force. You can catch them wearing flip flops to work. Anyone born in 1977

or after is considered part of the Y Generation, but some demographers consider

the back end to be 1989 while others say it’s as late as 2002.

Following closely on the heels of the Y Generation is the cohort recently

dubbed by Newsweek as the “MySpace” generation–based on the popular online

social networking site. Like their older Generation Y and X siblings, they are great

multitaskers–adept at moving from phone to video to computer games to instant

messaging, sometimes all at once. These generational groups are also willing and

wanting to question the status quo. They push back against parents, and they do the

same with employers. They’ve grown up with constant consultations about what

they think and feel, in the classroom and at home. Employers, who don’t readily

embrace that practice, find themselves on the receiving end of blank stares at best,

and at worst, outright or passive/aggressive rebellion.

How should you deal with these iPod-toting technical wizards (especially

when you want to strangle them with their headphone cords)? Communication is

key–but recognize that generations communicate differently. As a colleague or

manager, you need to understand and work within that framework if you want

results.

Experts report that there is more information in the daily New York Times

than someone born in the 1700s knew in an entire lifetime. Instead of pouring

through library stacks, students can Google what they need in an instant. They

may have access to more information than ever before but, they often don’t have

the time or the wisdom to make sense of the data deluge.

Also, consider the kind of information that the younger generation uses for

references. The Beloit College Mindset List, released by humanities professor

Tom McBride and public-affairs director Ron Nief, is an annual catalog of 75

cultural landmarks that give us some perspective on how the 2006 freshman class

views the world. Check out these examples from the list:

ï‚·

“They have known only two presidents.”

ï‚·

”The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the

student union.”

ï‚·

“Carbon copies are oddities found in their grandparents’ attics.”

ï‚·

“Reality shows have always been on television.

ï‚·

“Madden has always been a game, not a Super Bowl winning coach.”

And of course, they’re the instant and text messaging champs. The key

question among responsible colleagues is when not to use these methods of

communication. Ask people from different generations and you’re likely to get

different answers.

The recent crop of college grads, those born in the early 1980s, have brought

with them a set of technological tools that make fax machines, voice mail and

spreadsheet software look positively quaint. They’ve grown up with scanning, text

messaging and Googling, and they’re not about to stop once they’ve hit the

working world.

Nor should they. Those skills are big assets when it comes to multi-tasking

and productivity. But they’re also a nightmare for many of their over age 35

bosses, who understand that while technology is a useful tool, it doesn’t replace inperson

interaction as a primary means of doing business. Today’s bosses, can’t

understand why their young employees, for all their brains and technical acumen,

hardly ever walk in the door, sit down and actually talk to them. The Generation Y

employees often use test messages, rather than walk over and talk to someone —

frequently sending them messages without thinking. What some Gen Y’ers don’t

see is that the meaning and value of gestures and other nonverbal skills don’t come

through in a text.

Many organizations are finding that they need to emphasize face-to-face and

telephone skills, which they see as lacking in IM-happy college grads. The good

news is that most new hires are smart, talented and open to learning. Where they

differ from their predecessors, is in their requests for more hands-on, interactive

training. However, you may find that some do not have the patience to sit through

and eight-hour class. You have to talk fast to keep their attention.

Is it possible that it’s the older workers who will ultimately have to adjust,

forced to do away with the personal touch in favor of pure speed and efficiency?

After all, the young tech-savvy employees of today are tomorrow’s company

bosses. The answer is yes–and no. While increasingly faster communications are

here to stay, face-to-face skills have been a staple for getting business done for too

long to think they will ever go out of style altogether. There will likely be a happy

medium, if you can’t build relationships with people, you can’t do business.

With all these differences, is it any wonder that the generations can piss each

other off?

What is the solution? Ideally, the generations would try to learn from each

other. Try to pair young with older workers. The young may be able to help the

older with technology: the older with social and business etiquette skills. One of

my clients, a pharmaceutical company did just that. Getting ready for a merger,

they found the younger research and development scientists in a tizzy because they

had never worked for anything other than a start-up organization. They were being

acquired by large pharmaceutical giant. The solution: pair them with old hands

who had been through more mergers and spin offs than could be counted. The

surprising perk was that the older workers became more technologically savvy and

learned some new research techniques-- not to mention picking up some tips on

downloading oldies to their iPods!

Copyright © 2009. No part of this material may be reproduced without written permission from Lynne Eisaguirre,

Workplaces That Work, 303-216-1020, Lynne@Workplacesthatwork.com,

www.workplacesthatwork.com