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I’ve been blogging about generational differences for over a year now. But with all the back and forth, constant banter, and little resolution, it feels more like ten years.
It feels like everyone is saying the same stuff over and over. Boomers and X’ers complain about Generation Y, and then Generation Y complains about everybody else. But really, we should all just be complaining about ourselves together.
We all have a lot of similar traits that make the workplace really suck sometimes. But for some reason we’re so distracted by the minor differences between us that we forget how we’re all a pain in the ass sometimes.
Generations aside, here are three things that will always remain the same:
We all have unrealistic expectations of each other.
Does Generation Y have unrealistic expectations when it comes to our first jobs? Absolutely, but who can blame us?
When it comes to education, I can’t remember one professor who taught me the ins and outs of entry-level living. And parents, well, let’s face it. It was a much different world when then got out of school than it is today.
So while Gen Y needs to get a grip on what it means to be at the bottom of the food chain, managers need to re-evaluate what they expect their young workers to be in tune with. It seems pretty logical to me that we won’t know everything.
We’re all a little stubborn at first.
My first real project was facilitating groups of senior management on a new operating model being released to the company. Nobody wanted to change and there was a lot of resistance.
“Why do we need to change now?” they’d ask.
Everyone left grumbling about all the work they’d now have to do, explaining this system to their employees. I didn’t hear from any of them for weeks.
Then a couple weeks later people starting calling for materials to hand out to their employees. It started to make sense that no matter how much they fought, the company was still making a change.
I think the same is going to happen with the rift between Generation Y and the rest of the workforce. Only it will happen a lot slower. Change is a dirtier process when it occurs from the bottom up.
But just wait until you catch your boss texting and loving it. They’re already sending emails via Blackberry, which is really not that different.
We’re all whiners.
The older I get, the more I realize that we are all just a bunch of whiners. And by we I don’t mean Generation Y. I mean we as in everybody.
For over a year now I’ve listened to older generations hate on Generation Y, then Generation Y hate back. Even I threw my own two cents into the blogosphere, adding some fuel to the on-going fire of generational conflict.
The sooner we come to terms with the fact that we all have something worth complaining about, the sooner we can cooperate using the only method that’s ever kept the majority happy—give and take.
I’m hoping as more Gen Ys mature and become accustomed to the realities of the workplace, it’ll be easier for us all to grasp that we all have problems, regardless of our generation.
But even then, Gen Next will enter the working world, bringing more grief for the rest of us who are corporately over the hill. So let the cycle continue, I guess. Just don’t let me become the guy who calls all those young employees selfish and entitled. Let me be the cool boss, please.
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Comments
06.27.08
I agree Ryan. I've seen blame placed numerous times in various situations where it doesn't belong. Whether it's the workplace or in other venues, placing blame somewhere else is the easiest and many times the most natural thing to do. I'll refer to it as the "cycle of blame" or "the blame game" - it seems as though there's no end to it. Good post.
06.27.08
Great post Ryan - I too get tired of hearing about all of the generational finger-pointing when I think we all want respect from one another.
Jason Alba
CEO - JibberJobber.com
06.27.08
Love the pointer about the ever continuing cycle. It seems like we revisit the same status quos generation after generation. Jumping out is about not buying in. Get work done. Be yourself. Adapt. Your post makes that really clear.
06.27.08
Love the concise style of your post Ryan - so much said in so few words.
Entitlement is an ugly word that I hear being thrown around by my clients all the time to describe younger generations - but I'm with you, I think every generation acts entitled, hence all the whining you talked about.
In fact, I think talking about generational differences is getting old too - why can't we move on to more interesting, solution-oriented topics? Here's a neat white paper by Price Waterhouse Coopers that talks about what companies will look like by 2020. What color company would you work for???
http://www.pwc.com/extweb/pwcpublications.nsf/docid/3a8d7b25c99752a08525...
06.27.08
Ryan,
Can't agree with this sentiment enough.
It's interesting to see the different responses to this conversation from people in different generations. And I have to agree with JT - it's frustrating to keep saying and reading the same debates over and over... and wonder instead how all that energy could be used to change things instead.
For our part (Gen Y), I have to say I find it hilarious to read posts like the one you linked to, whining about Gen Y being whiners. Generational labels are, after all, merely labels, and it's unfortunate that (like most labels) they seem to be causing more division among groups than serving the purpose that this type of study was conjured up in the first place - to better understand each other and therefore work together! And that should come from all age brackets...
The truth is, there is no one way to do things, no right norm, companies are so diverse in terms of culture, norms, models, etc. - this is the reality of our world. And the tension over that seems to be from the older end of the spectrum, fear and difficulty buying into change, and from the younger end, unrealistic desires about how quickly that change can happen, and for what reasons.
I guess I'm saying, we (all age groups) need to stop focusing on ourselves and what we want and are comfortable with and start asking the uncomfortable questions... and then start doing.
06.27.08
Thanks for the comments everyone. It's nice to see that everyone agrees, so far.
Mark W: Do you think the "blame game" cycle will ever end? I don't think it will. I think part of it is that we're all too proud to admit when we're wrong, or we're flawed. But another part is all about perspective.
Jason: Thanks! I think you're right. It's all about respect. Young or old, we all want it.
Akshay: I hope that's me when/if I'm ever in a management role. I think there's a lot of pressure to be yourself when you're the boss.
JT: Thanks for the interesting link! I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
Tiffany: Do think it's possible to start doing without all the whining and bickering as a precursor?
I guess it's part of the process, but sometimes doesn't it get frustrating just waiting for everyone to get to that point where we're all ready to start doing?
06.27.08
Ryan,
I've wondered that myself sometimes - part of it may be the nature of the blogosphere. But I think part of it is that fundamentally, we all want to be right, and everyone's an expert in their own opinion, so rather than focusing on that, wouldn't it be better to focus on change - together?
What is hard is that I think everyone involved in the conversation wants to see change. It's just that we're not really speaking the same language to begin with. So it's difficult, and I think maybe that's where the bickering comes from... but ... is it necessary? Perhaps, but only if it helps create the change.
So the question is, does it? I don't think we know yet, but I know we can't afford to just wait around bickering to see.
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