Advice for Baby-boomers leading Gen-Y folks?
For my blog (on leadership, strategy and performance) I'd like to write a list of keys for baby boomers (I'm one) who are managing Gen Y 20-somethings. If you are 20-something, what would you advise a 50-something manager about how to help you engage in the organization, flourish and contribute?
Clarification added March 30, 2008:
I meant my question to be about Millennials (20-somethings). Guess I haven't figured out the names for all the generations. Thanks.
Good Answers (8)
David H
Engineer, Leader, Creative Problem Solver
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Ok, so Im technically a Gen X at 36, but I thought Id add some notes on what I've seen work well.
Actually Lead, dont "manage" (that is for projects) and definately dont "micro manage" (that says I'm neither trusted nor necessary). And by lead I mean:
Trust your people.
Give and recieve criticism honestly and openly. Indeed, invite criticism and act on it.
Coach and support your team without being a "parent" or a "police officer".
Communicate efficiently, clearly, and accurately. And fast; blogs, sms, email, twitter...
Practice EXACTLY what you preach, no double standards allowed. If anything, be harder on yourself than on those you lead.
Make decisions quickly and avoid procrastination. You have only 3 choices: "Yes" , "No for this very specific reason" or "We will review at this specific time and give answer one or two".
Never be arbitrary, things are only ever done for a clearly identified and consistent reason. That reason should have been known beforehand (or you missed the communication point).
No secrets, no closed doors, no hidden agendas. This is speaking individually; the TEAM may choose to have all three, but they have a say and they get to know the details.
The latter actually requires the leader to hire wisely; if you arent willing to trust them, why did you hire them?
Have I mentioned trust?
(On trust, use the open practices to actually reduce risk of fraud; chart and monitor. If you suspect someone of inpropriety, directly question them without accusation; resolve the issue immediately; but I digress)
Measure ONLY results. It doesnt matter how many hours I spend on facebook or what time I start or leave if I overachieve every target set, get along with the team and my customers praise the service they are given, does it?
Clearly communicate strategic goals that are issue driven and achievable (no vague statements of warmth and happiness; be clear, concice and rational). Let people know exactly why they are here (this then becomes the basis of yes and no decisions above).
Know the difference between shareholders and customers; don't tell me I am working to create value for the shareholders, I know that we need to deliver value to our customers first and if we do this well; then the shareholders will get wealthy regardless.
Delegate the authority and responsibilty to act up front; clearly define the boundaries; dont make me guess. When you say "yes", you have implicitly authorised someone to proceed to completion (or the next stage gate) without further need to seek approval.
The summary is to respect and trust your people, communicate clearly and openly, be decisive and fair and provide them freedom to achieve what is asked of them without interference.
Finally, when you have done all the above, reward them for achieving those results. Reward them well.
Never forget that the only thing they owe you is a full days work, no more, no less. Indeed, they have probably given you that full days work in good faith, allowing you to pay later.
I will leave if another opportunity is superior to this one and that is not my fault; your opportunity should have been superior.
Being a leader should be the hardest job in the building, because you have to ensure you attract the best possible team and are worthy of them.
As a leader, if your organisation wont allow you to do the above; leave and find somewhere that will!
In closing, my grandfather, a tradesman who built and ran a successful company gave me some advice as a young man which I would like to share, in part to show that none of the above is really "new" thinking.
"A good leader is scared of not being good enough, a bad leader doesnt care. In the end, only a leader can fail and only a team can succeed".
Cheers,
D.
KellyAnn B
Arts for Social Change Director at Infinite Spectrum Productions Inc
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I've been writing a series on this topic in my blog. While its directed to Millennials I think it also has application to the older gen Y
www.blogger.com/kbonnell
Clarification added March 30, 2008:
Correction:
http://kbonnell.blogspot.com/
Fazia R
Writer and Anthropologist, Online Culture and Communities
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I don't have any specific advise myself, but I can recommend a few sources that might help you come up with that list:
Generations At Work: "Managing Millennials"
http://www.generationsatwork.com/articles/millenials.htm
The Millennial Generation (link to a PDF on Managing and Motivating Generations)
http://www.uwsp.edu/Education/facets/links_resources/index.html
For those who are Generation-X (like myself) and managing Millenials, this one is for you: Generation X and The Millennials: What You Need to Know About Mentoring the New Generations
http://www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt08044.html
I work in higher education, so I've read "Millennials Go To College" by William Strauss and Neil Howe. I would recommend it even if you're not in higher education, and especially if you are a Baby Boomer who will be working with Millennials, since I think it comes more from that perspective.
Clarification added March 30, 2008:
One more, from Fortune Online, which might have some management advise: Attracting the twentysomething worker
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/05/28/100033934/
Marc A. P
Senior Editor, FundraisingCoach.com and author of "Ask Without Fear!"
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I guess I'll continue the line of "I'm not a 20-something" answers!
As a 36 year-old, and firmly planted in Gen X, I'm intrigued by the difficulty many Boomers have with managing Gen Y. For me, it's a "reaping and sowing" thing. Cheering at EVERYTHING, just showing up for a soccer game never mind winning, has conditioned an entire North American generation to be cheered.
Granted, I have a skewed view. Gen X tends to get blames, not cheered. (And according to Howe and Strauss, we'll get blamed all our lives.) Doesn't really bother me.
So I'd recommend giving Gen Y lots of freedom but lots of mentoring too. Sort of like they've been raised.
I wrote about this in the context of foundation staff members but it is applicable to other fields as well. The article can be found at
http://www.newvoicesofphilanthropy.org/2007/05/advice-to-those-working-with-new_31.html
http://www.newvoicesofphilanthropy.org/2007/05/advice-to-those-working-with-new.html
Kent,
I'm right on the line of a Gen X / Gen Y, so I will do my best to give you some insight.
First, it is good to recognize that there are definite differences between the babyboomer generation and gen Y'ers. The differences don't really mean that one is better than the other, or one is harder working than the other. They are differences due to the environment that they grew up in. We could get on the topic of the differences and what they mean, but I will try to stick to the task of a few suggestions for you:
1) Gen Y'ers have grown up in an age of computers/cell phones/technology, where "multi-tasking" has been stressed to them. In fact, I would say that many Gen Y'ers are "extreme multitaskers"! I'm not condoning this as being good or bad, it's just a fact. Therefore, a lot of people in this generation will be good at multi-tasking and will seek to be a part of multiple projects.
2) Gen Y'ers have grown up in an age of "instant gratification." They have video games, internet, all this stuff that seems to give them immediate feedback and immediate satisfaction. Therefore, a lot of people in this generation are looking for instant success and instant gratification. This does NOT mean that they won't work hard for that success, it just means that they will need to be recognized more often, and a lot of times in a more public kind of way than the generations before them. I know that this seems petty to a lot of other generational folks, but it's one of the facts, so it does need to be addressed!
3) Gen Y'ers need to feel something for the work they do. This one may be hard to articulate, but they need to have a connection / a feeling of importance to be able to really take ownership of a project. They need to see where their work fits into the overall equation. Where they, themselves, fit into the overall organization. Therefore, you will need to explicitly explain to them these facts, and make sure to motivate them by reiterating their value to the company or project.
Conclusion: It's great that you have recognized that there is a difference between generations, because there truly is. Again, what's not important is arguing why each generation is better, or harder working, or more selfish than the others. What IS important is that we recognize the diferrences, and then motivate and adapt to those differences.
Great question Kent!! I hope my answer can be of value.
Links:
Cristine C
Instructor Distance Learning at NC School Science and Mathematics
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From the UNC TLT conference earlier this month. Presentation by Michael Wilson, Leslie "Bud" Gerber
there are “seven core traits” of Strauss and Howe’s now rather well-known arguments about the Millennial Generation (those college students born between 1982 and 1991 or so): special, sheltered, confident, team-oriented, conventional, pressured, and achieving.
Whit T
Combining infrastructure, business, and organizational experience to find the right strategic approach
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Hi Kent,
I'm right on the border of Generation X and Generation Y. All throughout growing up I was told I was Generation X. It's only been recently that I've come to know that some studies draw the line differently and I could be Generation Y. Anyway, I was born in 1980 and for the study that I am helping lead and take a part in, that is Generation Y.
The study that I'm helping lead is a study on what Generation Y values in regards to the following themes: information transfer and communications, teamwork, technology, formation of nurturing relationships, policy and structure, learning methods, leadership characteristics, and total rewards (comp and benefits). I'll talk a bit about each one and some of the current summarizing statements from the study and some of my personal experience as it seems relevant. The study is pulling from students and employees across the country and going to get around 150 in-depth interviews from Generation Y individuals.
-Information Transfer and Communications
Digital communication, particularly email, is what comes up when people discuss this. Email is widely appreciated for quick messages while face to face or phone calls are sought after for any complex discussions (brainstorming, performance reviews, discussions and more). Gen Y individuals are used to having access to many different kinds of information sharing like text messaging, instant messaging, and email. Email is good while the other forms of electronic communication can be helpful, but would generally be used cautiously as they may lead to unproductive time uses. Any kind of relationship building interactions are best done in person.
-Teamwork
Hard work and effort put into any team effort is appreciated. Building an environment of trust, open sharing, and building upon each other’s strengths through diversity are key traits sought after in a team environment. Everyone has high expectations of themselves and others while in a team environment.
-Use of Technology
Technology is very appreciated and familiar to Gen Y individuals. One interviewee stated that he had read that Generation Y individuals, above all other areas, are the most confident in their abilities to work with technology. Gen Y individuals also have a higher general apttitude towards working with technology than any other generation. What’s the take away from this excerpt? Be more inclined to allow Gen Y individuals explore possible technology solution because they are well suited toward those kinds of improvements. In general, technological innovations, uses, and methods are favored by Gen Y.
-Formation and Nurturing Relationships
Finding people who are very knowledgeable, open/approachable, challenges thoughts/ideas in Gen Y individuals, and enthusiastic are great to have relationships with for Gen Yers. Gen Yers like to have real world applications to what they learn and prefer a hands-on kind of approach to learning.
-Policy and Structure
Working >40 hours a week is almost to be expected from Gen Y individual’s perspective. Having flexibility, like flex time, is nice but not necessary. Some Gen Yers will make a sacrifice in order to have more flexibility. For instance, an individual mentioned taking a 10k pay cut in order to work at a place that offered more flexibility. Working at home and/or working in the office have mixed results where some find one area a preference and others are indifferent or would like a mixture.
-Learning Methods
The more hands-on learning can be done the better. Seeing the theory of an idea is good, but getting into it and applying it in a real-life situation is what helps Gen Yers to learn the most. In a company hierarchy, having more empowerment and a more horizontal corporate structure helps to allow for Gen Yers to work to their utmost ability. Having a mentor/coach relationship would be helpful, but not necessary. Many Gen Yers appreciate and thrive when being constantly challenged in the workplace.
More Answers (4)
Here here, as a scourned Gen Xr I feel the kinship. I want to caveat this statement by saying I have a real issue with making such generalizations about entire groups of people based on the musings of morning talk show host and "book experts" who proclaim behavioral traits on masses because 150 people in one area made the same statements so therefore it must be true of all who fall in that category.
Saying that, in my experiences working with some Gen Yrs, I would be a bit harsher and say stop coddling them. Mentor them to understand that the over indulgent, "everyone gets a gold star" lifestyle stopped when they left their mothers nest. No one wants to deal with raising other peoples kids in the workplace.
They will also find their management careers in shambles as they move into the senior ranks and they have not learned the value of working hard, loosing from time to time and learning from mistakes. Truly their management world will be challenged by others and if they don't learn now how to deal what are they going to do when time comes for them to lead.
I do not think they need as much freedom as many "book experts" espouse. I see the Gen Yrs I work with needing much more guidence and direction. Yes, once they have a direction they flourish and do fantastic and creative things, but once that task is done many cannot go to the next step without being told what to do. Its almost like there is no ability to think conceptually or beyond that initial bubble. Its as if they are just not paying attention to what is going on around them if it doesn't directly impact them.
Again, this is a horrible generalization and I know just as many fantastic and awesome 20-somethings so. Take out of it what will help your blog.
Lisa S
Coach, Consultant, Speaker, Trainer
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Might I suggest that we start by focussing on the commonalities and not the differences? Personally, I get a little skeptical at all the generations studies - but I'm not going to get into that here.
There have been some recent demographic studies that are starting to suggest that actually Gen-Y and Boomers, for example, have more in common than they may realize. Starting from a common ground would lead to greater engagement than starting from a viewpoint of differences.
Jan S
Founder, Jan Simpson & Co,
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spank them and send them back to their parents - and give me a break you are asking 20 year olds to tell a a 50 year old how they can better manage them to help them grwo and prosper - listen it is called hard knocks - and lots of hard work - they aren't any smarter and they still have to earn their way in this world - it is about time they learn that - what type of question is this? are you kidding me with this?
Clarification added March 31, 2008:
Now that I have your attention - let's talk about what is actually going on the in world - we have as Americans outsourced most of our jobs - to overseas - yeah for them - Our economy sucks - will it get worse - absolutely - are more peeps in foreclosure and on food stamps - yes - food stamps peeps mainly get $100.00 per month - not a lot considering.
So - if things are looking bleak - and companies are going to scale back - they cannot afford to keep inexperienced peeps to run their companies, so the experienced ones will come back - at a lower salary and the younger ones will be pounding the pavement.
So, what are you going to tell a 50 year old manager how to manage 20 year old? Well - hopefully the 50 year old will have an opportunity to manage the 20 year olds - but the 20 year olds will be earning their rights to actually work in companies - there is no more free rides on the horizon.
This is not my humble opinion - this is the way it is and the American Sentiment is going to become very very insensitive and it will become that is survival - so have your 20 year olds understand that they will be working harder than they ever thought over the next 4-10 years.
Robert G
Owner, the Gold touch - Ontologist, Organization Reconstruction and Organizational Design
Best Answers in: Change Management (1)
I am 55 and I would like you to consider the frame or point of view which has you ask this question. My sons are 14 and 17. I have a hassle free relationship with both of them.
First of all I wish to acknowledge you for getting coaching, especially from young adults, who have lived in an environment which is vast in awareness and experience, well beyond our frame of reference for the years alive.
They are a wonderful gift, open to contributing and being contributed to. My recommendation is for you to create partnerships with young adults. They will ask for advice, unlike those of us who have lived in an earlier culture left with some strange notion that knowledge is power..
You don't need to force feed anyone, especially young adults. If you don't treat people with respect, when you deal with young adults you will have to deal with their honesty and their dissatisfation.
I invite you to acknowledge people for their accomplishments. Young adults will let you know if what you are doing doesn't work. Wouldn't it be great if everyone were so honest!
Let your employees learn from their mistakes. All they want to do is to contribute, regardless of their age. So, you are on the way to creating powerful relationships. By the way, power occurs in listening for a future where possibilities and opportunities are available.
