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How to get older and younger people to work better together
Face it: The generation gap these days is more like a canyon. People
under 30 and people over 40 do not see eye to eye! The over-40 crowd
wonders why the 25-year-old wants to be promoted to manager during his
first week of employment (and leave at 4:55 p.m. daily). Meanwhile, the
under-30 group believes a more seasoned coworker’s computer crashed
simply because he is old.
What happened to make these generations so misunderstood? We know
historically that each generation is at odds with the next, but the
situation described above is an extreme version of that concept. Terms
here like “millennials” (which sounds like 1,000-year-old infants) or
Generations X and Y (seemingly indicating that algebra was somehow
involved) or “baby boomers” (being the group that bombs babies?) are
silly names. These labels encompass ages whose limits are tough to
define. For instance, if you’re 47, despite being considered a baby
boomer by many, you still belong to Generation X by some
interpretations. At what point did we decide that a baby is not
qualified to be part of a boom?
Research shows the real issues exist between the over-40 and under-30
groups, with the people in the middle having combined issues, traits,
and opinions. It seems that each camp makes some very strong points if
we listen objectively; it’s just very difficult to be objective when
you are confused about the other camp.
Let’s take a look at what we know and can do something about; and let’s
get honest about what we don’t know, what we did, and what we can’t
change.
What makes people under 30 the way they are?
The elementary school system changed how teachers taught and rewarded
for accomplishment. Teachers praised students along the way to the
goal, not just when a task was completed. They stopped to celebrate
along the way to success, creating motivation through little rewards
rather than a big reward at the end. The teachers also promoted
self-esteem by making sure every child knew he or she was cared for
regardless of accomplishments. The recurring message delivered through
this approach goes like this: “We love you; we know you can do it; and
here is a little prize at the halfway mark to prove that to you.” More
than just the educational process shapes this under-30 group; they also
grew up in the most affluent society the world has ever known. We gave
them a lot and told them they could have anything they wanted in life.
Now, the under-30s are here to collect! The bottom line: We did it!
So what’s the good news about the under-30 set?
The majority of workers in this group are very capable and committed to
each other. No generation has ever had the loyalty to each other that
this group possesses. They work well in teams and achieve remarkable
results in record time if managed effectively. It’s true that they want
to do this wearing flip-flops, but the results we have seen from the
well-managed are impressive.
Each generation, it seems, is uniquely suited for the evolving world it
will inherit. If you watch the news these days, you hear the latest
reports on celebrity rehab alumni as the words scrolling across the
bottom of the screen give you the death toll in Iraq. Who can make the
most of a world like that? They can! The under-30s have no problem with
it; over informed and underdressed, they will navigate the busy future
with ease...
continue...
More about Garrison Wynn
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