Gen Y – older dogs can learn new tricks too
When I said to a younger colleague of mine last week that I had been doing some thinking on Gen Y and I wanted to share those thoughts in our blog, her immediate response was “You’re not going to say nasty things about us, are you?”
“No,” I said, “quite the opposite.” Due to some recent experiences, I had been doing some thinking and had changed my views – firstly on why Gen Y behave the way they do, but also why people older than them seem to feel that these bright young things want to run before they can walk.
What I have suddenly realised is that people who worked hard to build the confidence of this generational group have encouraged them to believe they can do anything. Gen Yers have been taught to believe that they can be whatever they want when they grow up and they need to show confidence, initiative and ability. But now that they have grown up and are setting about fulfilling their destiny we feel they are being too confident, and, dare I say it, cocky.
Our paradigm is that you look, listen. learn and earn your dues before speaking up. It is often reported that this younger group of people’s sense of entitlement is only matched by a lack of respect for experience and wisdom. But in reality the former does not mean the latter. Except to us ‘pre-Gen Y’, who were brought up that way.
My own “epiphany” came following a chat with a male Gen Y-er at a recent conference. I have known him for a number of years and I was telling him that his new boss was loving working with him and congratulated him on his career overall. However, I somewhat rained on his parade by adding that earlier in his career he had perhaps appeared just a little arrogant. He was a little taken aback, but did admit that he had changed in recent years.
But you see (and here is the nub of my learning), it was in fact me who was being arrogant, not him. And his manner in the past was nothing more than him trying to do a great job and going about it in a way that some may have felt was too confident.
To put these comments in context it might be useful to know that I am only just scraping into the Baby Boomer generation being a very young 42-year-old whose first profession was that of a dietitian, working in hospitals run under the old hospital board system. At Wellington Hospital, where I trained, the smoking area of the cafeteria was still known as the old doctor’s dining room.
So to all of you Gen Y-ers who have been unfairly judged, please accept my truly humble apologies. No matter what the differences may be between two groups of people, some mutual respect and understanding can go a long way to playing to each person’s strengths.
For the older generation – showing respect and acceptance of this more outgoing attitude might lead to them making an otherwise lost contribution. To the Gen Y-er, remember that people who are only slightly older than you could have slightly different viewpoints, experiences and expectations. Showing that you really are trying to learn to walk not run, and having some idea of what you don’t know could help achieve the same outcome. Times are always changing and it seems to me that we all have a lot to learn from each other.
Tags: Baby Boomer, Gen Y
September 10th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
I agree, Jane, with a lot of your points, but (as I’ve said before) I do feel that there is a faction of Gen Y who have taken the attitude to the extreme.
There does appear to be a distinct lack of respect in certain quarters and an arrogance that is complemented only by the level of ignorance and disregard for differing opinion.
Being born in 1978, I apparently scrape through as a Gen Y-er. I was encouraged by my family to do well, have ambition and take advantage of the opportunities I had. However, I consider that I was brought up well enough (by parents who are now in their 60’s) to understand and respect the wisdom and experience of other generations. This may have contributed to me being a little too submissive in certain circumstances, but common courtesy, manners and politeness can go a long way.
Those I consider to be the ‘jumped-up’ Gen Y-ers definately fall in the younger section of the group – possibly even on the cusp of the next generation. There is a level of expectation and a ‘what I want I can have’ attitude that is not matched by any sense that effort needs to be put in to achieve goals. Partner this with a lack of loyalty and a blinkered ‘I’m right, you’re wrong’ sentiment and you begin to build a picture of the more ruthless, unpleasant Gen Y-er that I’m certain exists.
In contrast to this, I choose to spend time with and have grown up with some great Gen Y-ers who have a lot to offer but, although ambitious and confident, recognise the need to listen to and learn from others and have gained success through doing exactly that.
Close friends, both here and in the UK, have (for the most part) been brought up with strong family support and values, and an understanding of what is socially, morally and ethically right and wrong, which is what I think some of the ‘Jumped-up Gen Y-ers’ have possibly been lacking.
September 11th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Surely much of the Gen-xyz stuff revolves around the development of language? Hasn’t it always been the case that the next generation will develop language and behaviour shortcuts to keep information from those that don’t fit into their peer group (principally parents)?
While the ’separation anxiety’ that ensues is the stuff of plays, books, movies, songs, and more lately, tagging-as-art, all is eventually put right when each group faces a common problem and each draws on what skills they have to solve it. ie Experience + energy + fresh thinking (if we are going to go all Network on it)
It is an oversimplification to say that “Young people see possibilities and no problems – until it all goes wrong, at which time they see no solutions.” I draw this point from some very sombre reading about youth suicide.
What we say to each other really does matter. The ‘how’ – is always going to be negotiated from one generation to the next.
September 11th, 2008 at 10:17 am
PS – Katherine – are you really 30? Good on you!
September 11th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
What a bravely honest comment, Jane. I think you are right -maybe us 40 pluses are the arrogant ones. Definite food for thought.
Cheers