Greetings from an over-entitled, conceited, Generation Y know-it-all! Nice to meet you , I’m the twenty-four year old guy on your team that Bossman just brought on board and you’re not quite sure how to work with¦

I get it , I understand that Generation Y gets a bad rep. We’re not willing to settle , we are habitual askers of “why” and we always want our work to have meaning , and yes, sometimes we think we’re smarter than you and don’t give you enough credit where credit is due. But hey, maybe we deserve a little respect as well.

Inter-office politics are never fun , I’ve seen my fair share of drama and gossip in the workplace, even in my short term in the “career world”. It can get ugly, even uglier when you don’t take time to understand what your team wants and needs, and how to best get everyone working on the same bandwagon together.

For what it’s worth , I’m here to help , I’m here to tell you that all youngin’s like me aren’t that bad , that we can bring a lot to the table , but we want you to bring just as much. Here are three MAJOR points to focus on when working with the Generation Y community.

Stop stifling our creativity

Four words: Micromanagement sucks, encourage innovation. People my age want meaningful work , we want something we can invest our all into. The minute you start breathing down our neck , the minute your stop trusting us to do good work , is the minute that trust is breached and the creative juices come to a screeching halt. This isn’t so much a Generation Y thing as it is an “everyone” thing. When you hire someone , you hire someone assuming you can trust them to do their job, right? So what’s the point in hand-holding and micromanaging every step of the way? Loosen the reigns a bit and, until you have to, give your team some freedom to think creatively, set goals, and meet them on their own.

We want to learn from you

We’re young, we’re brash, and we think we know everything. Well heads up , we don’t. Not at all. And to top it all off , we actually want to learn from you. Generation Y (speaking collectively here) is hungry for knowledge , we read , we blog , we network with others, and for what? To learn – challenging ourselves to try new things and think in new ways. So when you bring us on board, you’ve got to be willing to help us learn. Not only will it help someone like me mature and grow into the role , it will help you by developing your team , setting them up for long term success. Don’t shrug us off as know-it-alls, be open to helping your younger team members learn and grow.

We’re the same as you

Really , I get tired of hearing that Generation Y is so different , that we are the ones who want meaningful work, wanting to be trusted and craving freedom. Come on…that isn’t Generation Y, that’s everyone. This post isn’t even about Gen Y (are you starting to get it now?) , it’s about effectively running any business with any demographic. The number one way to build a successful business is to establish outstanding relationships , both internally and with your clients/customers. And every relationship starts with trust. You trust me , I trust you , and we all live happily ever after.

What thoughts do you have about Generation Y in the workplace? Do you have any examples from experience?

On December 29, 2009, Alexandra Levit posted a video on Brazen Careerist in which Jason Dorsey shares his thoughts on how managers can engage new Gen Y employees on their first day at work. Known as the “Gen Y Guy”, Jason is a frequent speaker and corporate consultant who helps organizations engage and retain members of the Millennial generation.

Usually, the featured posts get a number of comments. To date, this particular post received only one – mine – in which I wrote that I thought Jason’s three ideas were great and that I could make the case that these tips apply to any new employee regardless of the generation – they are simply good on-boarding practices.

I am interested in others’ reaction to this short clip. I particularly would like to know from members of Gen Y if Jason speaks for you – do these three things matter to you on your first day at work. And from those Gen X and Baby Boomer bosses to whom Jason seems to be speaking, I am eager to hear your reactions. So what are your comments?

Nevertheless, communities name buildings after people for some reason.  It usually has something to do with the legacy of the person so honored.  This tradition has been around a long time.

From time to time, I ask myself why “that person” has a building (or airport) named after them and actually resist calling that facility by the “famous” person’s name. (Washington, DC’s airport will always be “Washington National” to me.)

I’m interested in hearing from everyone – but particularly members of Gen X and Gen Y. What do you think will be reasons for decision-makers to name something after members of your generation? Or do you even think that this practice will continue or die?

I’ve blogged in the past about what I’ve learned from my father about working and playing well with others. I just wanted to share a key lesson from my mother that contributed greatly to my almost twenty year run as a freelance consultant/writer.
I was probably about eight years old.  It was summertime and I was playing Little league baseball. I guess I inherited my mother’s prowess with a bat because I was a pretty comfortable as a hitter right from the start.  And this particular evening I had four base hits and was touting my exploits to the neighbors. My mother overheard my bragging, dragged me into the house, and firmly explained that “tooting your own horn” was not only inappropriate, it could come back to embarrass you.  Her belief was that it is much better to let others talk about your accomplishments rather than doing it yourself.

Today people often ask me if I am an expert in whatever. Having had my mother’s good counsel, I will respond by saying something like, “Well, I do work in that area, however, it is really not for me to say if I’m an expert; that’s for others to say.”

As I look at some blogs, resumes, Facebook pages, and other venues, I wonder how my mother would react today to some of the claims people are making and what they are saying about themselves.

I’m interested in hearing from everyone – particularly Millennials and Gen X readers – regarding the relevance of my mother’s advice in this new age of social media marketing. Thanks!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

One of the people that I have had the privilege of meeting in the Twitterverse is a 24 year old named Matt Cheuvront (Twitter name @mattChevy).  As I have written in other posts, I see great hope in the Millennial or Gen Y generation and want to do what I can to help them make a difference. One of the questions that I often ask  is what will the leaders who emerge from this generation look like. I don’t know what Matt will be doing twenty years from now. However, he has already given us some clues about what leadership might mean to his generation.

Here is a brief autobiography taken from his blog Life Without Pants:

Twenty-three years old [he just turned 24 on 10/31/09], newly engaged, and in my new home of Chicago, Illinois.  I’m passionate about relationship marketing and social entrepreneurship, forging connections and encouraging interactivity amongst people in every way possible. Striving for the added bottom line of giving back to others. We’re put on this earth to ask questions, to challenge one another, to inspire one other to be great. That’s where I come in. I’m an agent who inspires greatness – living life by the moments, without really knowing what tomorrow may bring.

In my work with successful leaders from all walks of life and generations, one of the key characteristics seems be that they have a sense of their personal power that comes not from the position that they hold, but instead from their credibility, competence, likeability, and networks.

Let’s look at these sources of personal power in reverse order. Not only does @mattChevy have a huge online network, he nurtures it, invests in it, and values it. Whenever someone comments on his blog, he acknowledges it. ( I don’t think this guy ever sleeps! Come to think of it, neither did I at 24!) Likeability is present when we find ourselves saying, “I really would like to work with this person”. I get the impression that there are many who would rate Matt high on likeability. When it comes to social media marketing and how to enage others in the public discourse about important issues, he knows his stuff.  What enhances his competence though, is that he is always asking others for their insights and continues to learn. Finally, credibility is about doing-what-you-say-you-will-do.  In his bio, Matt writes:

I’m passionate about relationship marketing and social entrepreneurship, forging connections and encouraging interactivity amongst people in every way possible. Striving for the added bottom line of giving back to others. We’re put on this earth to ask questions, to challenge one another, to inspire one other to be great.

If you spend some time reading his blog and following his tweets, @mattChevy does exactly what he says he will do.  As an example, yesterday he posted an article on his blog titled Why I Won’t be Moving to Maine Anytime Soon. This post is his personal reflection about Maine voting down a same sex marriage law.  What is noteworthy about this example is that he speaks from the heart with great courage and encourages a dialogue by specifically wanting to hear alternative points of view. At the time of this writing he has received 92 comments – and counting. If you take time to read the thread you will see an amazing sense of community and commentary.

In the spirit of full disclosure, @mattChevy did not ask me to write this, and in fact, may be surprised to see it. I hope it is OK with him.  I wrote it for two reasons.  First, I think Matt is a real mensch – a great Yiddish word meaning someone to admire and emulate. Second, in too many contexts, the conversations about members of Gen Y is – well – not very flattering.  In every generation, there are people that we need to forget and those that we need to recognize and appreciate. My intent is to bring to light other emerging Gen Y leaders in this blog.  Matt Cheuvront is just the first.

Michelle, who is an e-Marketing Specialist for Career Edge Organization, describes the study this way:

…Career Edge Organization commissioned a survey with Angus-Reid Strategies. From September 2 to September 10, 2009 they surveyed 1000 Canadians who are Angus Reid Forum panelists, ages 18 to 29, online. The sample was designed to ensure an over-sample of visible minority groups within the Canadian population (made up of approximately 54% of all respondents), as well as Canadians with at least some experience with post-secondary education (made up of approximately 95% of all respondents).

The objectives were to better understand the aspirations and expectations of Gen Y, and to better understand what Gen Y can offer in the workplace.

Pinchev cites three major findings of the study:

1. Gen Y values merit over tenure.
2. Gen Y employees are loyal rather than job-hoppers.
3. Work-Life Balance is the top long-term Gen Y goal.

Let’s look at this study and the key findings in more detail.

First, the study used a sample of 1000 Canadian Gen Y employees. I have worked extensively with both Canadian and US business organizations in my career. While there are similarities between organizational environments in each country, there are also differences. For example, there are differences in employment law as well as health care systems in each country. Therefore, generalizing the findings of this study needs to be done with great care.

Second, the major findings actually confirm the aspirations and expectations of Gen Y rather than provide either new or definitive insights for this group.

In valuing merit over tenure, the respondents are simply confirming that just “paying one’s dues” for a period of time is not acceptable. That Gen Y wants to be rewarded for performance rather than the amount of time they have been in a position is not new information and yet it remains one of the major deterrents to retaining this group of employees in organizations that fail to grasp this concept.

The finding that Gen Y rates work-life balance as a top goal also confirms the prevailing view of this generation. The value-added insight would be what work-life balance looks like to Gen Y as opposed to the Baby Boomers who still set most of the policies at major companies. For example, I remember when “business casual” became the prevailing dress code in US corporations.  One senior executive interpreted it to mean that he could now wear a bow-tie to work with his three piece suit while many others viewed it differently.

Finally, Pinchev claims that the finding that Gen Y is more loyal to employers is new data. If you read her explanation, it is really not. She states, “When treated loyally, Gen Y reciprocates”.  That’s the caveat that cannot be underestimated. When Gen Y employees are not valued, not rewarded, and do not have a chance to learn and grow, they will leave. A number have reported to me that they would rather leave and live with their parents rather than work for a bad employer. And there are many employers and bosses who fail to understand this dynamic.

All in all, I think this study adds value in confirming what is already known about Gen Y. Given that Gen Y is the pipeline for new leaders in organization, getting an understanding of how this generation views leadership and the how they will play that role in the future is an important next question.

DrJohnDrozdal

So here is my question for those Gen Y folks out there – actually two questions: What makes you laugh? What does a fun work environment  look like for you? I would love to hear your comments.  Thanks in advance

In the village where I grew up in NJ, I participated in a lot of activities that kept that public side in view including baseball, theater, music, public speaking, and elected office in school. So people knew who I was even though I did not know them. In my current life, I have been working with one client for pretty much my entire freelancing career.  During that time I have met well over a thousand people in just this one company. A very common occurrence is that someone will say, “Oh, I saw you at the grocery store or in the hall or at such and such a play last week.” When I hear comments like that it makes me realize two things: Others are observing me without my seeing them; and I better pay attention to my behavior because others are!

Last week I was in the left-hand turn lane waiting for the oncoming traffic to pass so I could enter the parking lot of my favorite coffee shop for a caffeine fix before my next meeting. There was a driver behind me honking to seemingly get me to turn into the traffic.  I am wondering “who is this person?” as I looked in my rear view mirror.  Fortunately, I remained calm. I turned into the parking lot, and noticed the other vehicle following me. We both parked and out pops a client with who I am currently working, who was just excited to see we went to the same coffee shop and was only trying to greet me! Had my behavior been different, I could have really blown it.

The point of this blog entry is this.  I have learned a lot of lessons in my life. Some of the learning has even been painful; fortunately, most has not.  I wanted to share this lesson especially with Millennials.  More and more people – particularly Gen Y – have a more public persona online than ever before .  Between blogs, Twitter, FaceBook, and LinkedIn  we are all more “public” than we know.  And I am stunned by how much some people reveal about themselves.  As an example, one of my favorite blogs, http://www.askamanager.com had a post about a resume that listed that person’s personal blog on a behavior best left to the privacy of ones own home. Now most of you who know me well recall that I make it a point to be as nonjudgmental as possible in all of my interactions with others. So what people choose to reveal about themselves – particularly online – is up to them.  I would just encourage everyone to think about the future consequences of revealing that personal tidbit.  People – some of whom you will never know – will notice.

Quite frankly, I was a bit disappointed. While the overall quality was generally good, with over 800 submissions, I expected more.

There were, however, a couple of blog-worthy entries: “Bicycle Dreams” which I will discuss on Working With Others; and “Our Time” which I’ll address here.

Directed by Matt Heineman and Matt Wiggins, Our Time originally premiered as The Young Americans Project. Here is the official synopsis:

What’s up with kids these days? After graduating from college, four friends load up an RV and embark on a journey across America to find out what their generation is really about. The group travels to all 48 continental states asking their peers the same questions they had been asking themselves. They explore issues such as race, the Internet, political awareness, the environment and pop culture. Along the road the foursome meets a cross section of American society, ranging from a farmer in Kansas to a drug dealer in New Mexico, from a cancer researcher in Boston to the founder of Facebook in Silicon Valley. ‘The Young Americans Project’ is a passionate portrayal of a generation, a meditation on coming of age in 21st Century America, and a rallying cry against apathy.

I’ve had some first hand experience with documentary films and film makers. What you learn very early on is that you may start out wanting to make a film about “A” and you end up with something about “B”. And the best documentary films have a “cinema verite” quality about them where the film makers let the story come to them as it unfolds rather than trying to influence or shape it in a certain way. Eudora Welty’s approach of “listening for a story” works well here.

In the narration at the beginning of the film, you hear these words:

“Much of what is said about Generation Y comes from people who are not part of it… This generation is too big and too diverse to fit under one label”.

What strikes me about this documentary is that Heineman and Wiggins stuck to the premise that this generation is “too big and diverse” and they let the film show that. However, when I watched this film – and I hope everyone who has the opportunity will also see it – I found myself asking at least two questions.  First, what do each of the people featured really have in common with one another? For example, what does Facebook founder Mark Zuckerman have in common with Xavier Jirron from New Mexico?  And second, what are the similarities and differences between the coming of age of my Boomer Generation and that of Gen Y?

In considering the first question, what jumps out at me is the entrepreneurial aspect of the members of this generation.  In just about each of the examples you have people engaging life the best that they know how, meeting it on its own terms, and trying to make a difference by not plugging into a big corporation but by creating opportunity by seeing a need and addressing it. What you also see is a generation that is essentially asking the same existential questions about what is next – some more deeply than others.

In some ways answering the second question is actually easier.  When I was in college, my parents’ generation had about as many complimentary things to say about us as the older generations did about Gen Y in this film.  As we paraded around in our blue work shirts and red arm bands (OK-I was one of those people!) we were as much a puzzlement as the twenty-somethings are with their flip-flops, tattoos and cell-phones. And we both had an undercurrent of discontent about the establishment. Ours was about the Vietnam War and the military industrial complex. I see Gen Y as having more of a steady push for change or at least questioning just about every institution.  And I think that examination is not only a good thing, it is a necessary thing.

What I really appreciated about Our Time was that it was a film about Gen Y by Gen Y.  As someone who primary focus is helping members of each generation work and play well together, I am constantly in learning mode.  It was just nice to have a data point about the Millennials that was not another survey or book.  Hearing the voices of this generation has, if nothing else, increased my interest in not only wanting to understand them, but also wanting them to succeed.

If others have seen Our Time I’d love to hear your comments. Its next screening is during the ACEFEST on July 11, 2009 at 4:30PM at the Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick Street, NY, NY.

I’d like to offer a few comments about each one.

First, in “Generation Y is Annoying to Manage…”, Ryan Healy’s main point is that Gen Y direct reports “are basically begging and pleading to be managed closely” and are seeking   managers who wants to manage.  The reality is that for many organizations,  managers learned how to manage by emulating previous managers they’ve had in their career. If they had a great manager, then they learned good management practices. If they had a bad manager… well, you know the story. And  managers tend to manage the way they want to be managed and use that approach as their primary style. Since your typical Boomer or Gen X employee didn’t want to be micro-managed, they are not likely to be comfortable with that style – and that is what they believe Gen Y seems to want. Let’s look at this situation a little more deeply.

All direct reports – regardless of generation or organizational level – want to know four things:

1.    What’s expected of me? (Goals, Behaviors)
2.    How am I doing? (Feedback)
3.    How are you going to provide me with work direction, in other words manage me?
4.    How will you help me develop?

Many managers will assume  the answer to those four questions for their employees is the same one as they would give.  The biggest challenge for these managers is to actually talk to their direct reports to find out what matters to them and that is the job of a manager – to get work done through others. So attention all managers; Ryan is giving you good data here.  However, let’s not assume that all Millennials would answer these four questions the same way.

And that brings me to the second post of note: “Why Generational  Stereotypes are Important”. In this post, author Desiree Kane offers a response to the comments from her previous post, Managing Generations Past. In that post she shares her insights as a Millennial manager of members of the Boomer and Gen X generations.  As the comments show, that post pushed a lot of hot buttons as did the follow-up one.

Students of generational differences come to appreciate that the major events and societal trends that occur during the formative years of members of a generation can  influence the central worldview of that generation quite deeply. For example, the invention of TV, the emergence of suburban living, and the Vietnam War are examples that impacted the lives of Boomers.  However, I think there is a difference between generalizations about members of a generation and its tendencies.  When we make generalizations about a generation we are painting that entire generation with a broad brush and assuming that every member of that generation acts a certain way.  When we speak in terms of tendencies it leaves open the possibility that not every member of that generation is exactly alike.  So I would rephrase the title of the second post to “Understanding Differences and Similarities Among Generations is Important.”

I also encourage everyone to check out Brazen Careerist.  To post on this blog, authors must be between the ages of 18-35.  So if you want to get first hand insights into the thoughts of that age group, check it out.