Seniors: Play Nice with Juniors
Reading WSJ's article "Baby Boomers: Play Nice With Gen Y" I thought about all the new FT entering the workforce...
What should babyboomers in the office learn from fresh analysts/young associates? What should the newcomers learn from experienced coworkers?
"Both groups, it seems, would benefit from a little mutual respect. Here, according to Engelmeier, are four advantages that millennials bring to the workplace:Gen Y is superior at technology. Millennials grew up with technology, so they’re more comfortable using it. Some tech and media companies are pairing managers with younger employees in a practice known as reverse mentoring. Engelmeier, who is 59 years old, says she recently learned how to use Twitter with the help of a younger staffer.
Gen Y isn’t loyal to one company. Blame it on the entitlement, but they’re more likely to hop from job to job. Compared to older generations, Gen Y has no problem leaving a job in search of a more fulfilling gig. That could explain why workers in that age group seem far more likely to launch companies and fearlessly switch careers.
More racially diverse than generations that preceded it, Gen Y is comfortable with ethnic diversity. That generation’s daily use of email, texting and social networks has also made it an interconnected social group, which can translate into more and better workplace collaboration.
Gen Y is impatient with the status quo. Sometimes dubbed “Generation Why,” it has learned to question almost everything, making it less than accepting of business as usual. Incidentally, this impatience is perhaps one reason why Facebook’s Zuckerberg succeeded in building a multi-billion-dollar company in under a decade, Engelmeier notes. “His impatience is what got him to where he is,” she says.Gen Y, too, can stand to learn a few things from their Boomer forebears – like how to sell clients on a concept, earn their trust and close a deal, Engelmeier says. There’s also basic business protocol, such as what not to say or wear in a particular situation."
Nothing personal, but the older generation has caused me much suffering in personal and business affairs. I don't value or respect my elders beyond what's useful to me, and a base line of decency that I extend to everyone. I don't just give respect to people, and that includes 'elders', simply because I believe it has to be earned...in my eyes, the generation that should be mentors is working out of a credibility deficit. It's sad, because this respect SHOULD be built into the system, but just take a look at the debt they're dumping on our generation and it's clear who they value. Push comes to shove, keep in mind that they are on the cusp of getting old and feeble...and we'll pull the plug if parity doesn't seem like it will be obtained through legitimate means.
Hate to say it bro, we've been in a war since before you were born. Pick a side and hope it doesn't come to blows.
one of the more badass posts in wso history
On one level, I agree with UFO. But then I think of all my peers who think they god's gift to humanity when they do not know shit.
I don't blame them. Our generation has been taught to think that we are "special", and that formal educaction is important. Therefore, it seems reasonable for a recent grad to think themselves competent. After investing so much in school, we almost have to think we are hot shit. The idea of spending 200k on a signalling tool is offensive.
Gen Y hates grunt work more than previous generations. We have grown up in an age of automation. The idea of manually combing 10k's for information seems archaic to us. This is likely compounded by shortened attenion spans. But it has to be done by somebody.
I would also say we are worse writers. Not that prior generations were that great...but years of communicating via text/chat has really hurt composition skills.
I will say this about the boomers: their face-to-face people skills blow ours away. We might have better networks, but they are far better at actually establishing relationships. There are exceptions, but we generally suck at real time communication. I know I instinctively text when a call would be more appropriate.
Of course, as UFO addressed, all of this pales in comparison to the intergenerational transfer of wealth we are engaged in. So, for the boomers, shut up about our sense of entitlement when we will be paying for your entitlements the rest of our lives.
So true! I do the same and then realize a call would have been more effective than back and forth email/text.
A close relative runs a good business just by making calls, no email (at least not sent by him, that's the job of gen Y assistant). I sometimes wonder how much better he could do if he was into internet, but never thought about how good he is talking with clients on the phone and face-to-face, which is a big plus to win a client, rather than sending nice crafted emails.
Is this a Jerry Sandusky reference?
I could not agree with UFOinsider more, I'll literally sleep better knowing I'm am not the only one who can look through the older generations bullshit. People love to pick and choose when to be real, I'm glad you put it like it is.
Wtf is "Gen Y"
I find it hilarious that Gen Y is being chastised for its "feeling of entitlement," when the majority of our federal expenditures and a large reason for our debt problem is because of expensive entitlement programs only available to those 65 and over.
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