Learning from Younger Generations (Well, Some of Them)

The Future of Work Blog pointed me to an article in the Wall Street Journal about how Baby Boomers can learn about succeeding in the workplace from Generation Y. I do like the notion that mentoring is a two-way street, and the points in the article are all good ones about communicating more, blogging to build your personal brand, and work-life balance.

But once again, Generation X has been left out of the picture. As if we weren’t bitter and cynical enough! Now when the Boomers are saying “Hey, maybe we have something to learn from these young people,” they are saying it about our kids! As the article states:

Judy Piercey, 54, director of development communications at the University of California-San Diego, says she changed the way she viewed her career after watching her daughter, now 25, job hunt after graduating from Vanderbilt University. "She made me realize you spend a lot of time at a job, and you had better like it. So I started to question my job and look at my own life," she says.

This pattern, according to my favorite generations authors Strauss and Howe, is a common one. The generation immediately younger than you ticks you off a bit, but the generation below that is strangely inspiring. I don’t know Judy Piercey, quoted above, but I could imagine her a few years ago complaining that her slightly younger colleagues weren’t willing to work late hours or on weekends—pointing to the poor work ethic of Generation X. But in fact, Generation X is known for pushing work-life balance. It just took another generation to make that idea palatable to Boomers.

Comments

[Dan Schawbel]

http://danschawbel.com/mentoring.htm

My new personal branding website explains how important mentoring is as well. There is a lot to be learned here.

[Maddie Grant]

I wonder if that's partly down to the fact that there aren't that many of us Gen-Xers compared to the next generation(s)...? Plus, biological traits are said to "skip a generation", so maybe there's a biological link between every other generation...

[Dave S.]

Interesting insight and some great articles. I don't have anything really to add other than a few Jung quotes that I think speak to this issue quite well.

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves." and "If one does not understand a person, one tends to regard him as a fool."

I think we really can learn from just about everyone we interact with from the person on the street that you see only once to the person in your office that annoys you. The secret is thinking of them as a teacher and trying to figure out what lesson is being taught. You need to constantly be asking yourself: what is this person or situation trying to teach me, why am I feeling the way I do, what can I learn from it. I know that it keeps my life much more interesting and fulfilling.

[CindyAE]

Very interesting post. From a Boomer perspective I've been really fascinated with Gen Y too (versus X). Likely because it's the generation of my kids. Boomers often talk about social responsibility - but some of those Y kids became vegetarians when they were five and gave up birthday presents for contributions to the homeless at ten (by choice, not following parental example). They might change the world, not just talk about it. And everything was so "closed" in earlier generations (on purpose) - while they just naturally share (and post) everything either because they don't believe there is privacy or don't see value in privacy. Where we once had locks and keys on diaries (and proprietary software), they have documented their entire childhoods themselves - complete digital histories - their thoughts, crushes, every moment of their lives for anyone to read. And so much more is different too. I believe the enormity of the contrast that Gen Y provides to Boomers is what makes us watch them more; and learn from them.

[Jamie Notter]

Wow, thanks for the comments everyone.

Maddie: yes, our low numbers are a part of it, but come on! We still number in the millions!

Dave: Amen, brother!

Cindy: I think the experience of Boomers who have Gen X kids is much different. Gen X kids didn't share the idealism you mention, and our differences weren't as endearing.

This is big issue, so I'll try to do a separate post on it. Thanks again for the comments.