On Friday we had a discussion about generations at work. I think this is a crucial discussion to have, as there are great differences between the life experiences that have shaped different groups of people. For example, the "veteran" generation is strongly influenced by World War II, and we Xers are influenced by the roaring 80s and the rapid development of technology. OK, great. This stuff is good to know. But we were then presented with a list of how each generation likes to be treated. This is where I started to lose my cool. How can anyone make such gross generalizations about how individuals prefer to be treated? Gen Xers apparently love status symbols like first-class upgrades and going on fancy retreats. Really? And apparently, veterans don't like public recognition. So thanking them in public isn't appreciated? Aren't these rather broad categories? How on earth can they be lumping 20 years worth of births into one group with exactly the same preferences for rewards and motivations?
As the discussion concluded, I made my point that I didn't want to be typecast into any of these roles. There was actually appplause from the rest of the room (public validation! I like that! But wait, Gen Y needs public validation, not X! We just need fancy travel mugs!). But if much of the room felt the same way, how do we teach this sticky subject? I talked to the instructor after the discussion, and he said that they had tried four or five different ways of addressing this issue, none of which did they feel accurately depicts the problems. Of course, since I complained about it, he then asked for my advice. After doing a little research on the web... I've got nothing. Apparently this is the accepted way to teach generational differences. Ugh.
So I ask the readers of this forum, who I know from personal experience can also pass for a few years younger than they are- have you had issues with this sort of type-casting in the past? Any thoughts on how to better address this in the workplace? I'd love to have some suggestions to make this a better discussion in future classes. I don't want to be that guy who complains about everything and has no solutions. But all I can fall back on is, don't look at my baby-face, listen to what I say. Not much of a discussion. Man, trying to improve things is hard work.
2 comments:
Yeah...sounds like they may have lumped us in with those damn "millenials" again. Or "Gen Y" or "hoodlum punk kids," as I like to call them.
You DO realize you're exhibiting some classic Gen X attributes: being bitter and snarky? My personal favorites, of course.
Better than being a self-entitled "millenial" any day of the week, hahaha
Honestly, I think the best way to teach generational differences is to teach the environments that the different generations grew up exposed to. Everyone responds to those environments in their own way, which is why we can't be pigeonholed, but almost everyone in a given generation is responding at least in part to certain generational circumstances - the rise of the internet, social revolutions and the Vietnam war, ubiquitous advertising and manufactured trends, the great depression, etc.
The important part is to give other generations the context to understand our reactions, not to give them a hard and fast rule that lets them _predict_ our reactions. We're no more predictable than any other generation has ever been.
Post a Comment