Gen X will be the next generation to do 'war' with Gen Y.
So predicts my brilliant co-author Julie Coates, the leading expert on generational learning styles. Gen X apparently does not like Gen Y, and Gen Y is well aware of that.
So just when Boomers retire, Gen Xers take over, and Gen Y moves more into the workplace, there's going to be (or is already) another generational conflict. What do you think? Know any Gen X managers who like Gen Y? I need to find one to help resolve this.
I am a Gen Xer and half of my staff is Gen Y and the other is BB. I find myself depending on Gen Y staff more than the BBers. Each have their skill set depending on the situation.
Posted by: gina | April 25, 2013 at 05:17 PM
Okay, I'm a Gen Xer with a staff comprised mostly of "Y"'s (6 out of 8 to be precise). We get along fine, they are great staff members, and we are a highly functioning team.
What you describe is like many of your posts, just silly pop-psychology. As a long-time LERN Fan (I received my CPP over 10 years ago and started to attend LERN conferences in 1999)I just have to say - enough of this crap! You can do better.
Posted by: Jim | April 23, 2013 at 02:55 PM
I would say I'm a Gen Xer who likes Gen Y. I work well with Gen Ys. I'm friends with Gen Ys. My husband (also a Gen Xer) has a whole posse of Gen Ys that beg him to hang out with them every weekend. I'd also say most of my Gen X peers have a similar experience.
When it comes to work, however, Gen Xers are focused on the work at hand and not whether your self esteem is high. I think that as each generation comes into the workforce, they have their own issues from childhood to overcome. For Gen Y, that's the everyone gets a trophy mentality. Boomers had their issues. Xers had their issues. Gen Y has its issues.
It's easy to see how Gen Y may take some time getting used to Xers just flipping a project back to them to fix without telling them "good effort, but ... "
According to one blogger, it's actually going to be tougher for Gen Y to deal with Gen Z than with Gen X.
http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2012/12/21/why-the-next-generation-will-hate-gen-y/
Should be interesting to watch that one unfold.
Posted by: Suzanne | April 18, 2013 at 12:36 PM