First off, do not make this a boy-girl thing. If you know me, that is definitely not my style…at all. I just chose names. Second this may still cause some “ruffling”. People may get mildly wigged out because this is about different ages in the work place. You know, generations. And we all love to make generalizations and put everyone in a specific box where we can define them completely. Not gonna happen. I bring it up for really no other reason than to explore awareness about how we may manage, OK? Disclaimer aside, let’s roll.
There are at least three generations in the workplace. In some very, very rare occasions…four. Start with the first. Depending on who you read, these are the “veterans”; born around 1920 to 1940. If they are involved, it is mostly a consultative role and not necessarily a sales floor interactive role. Second, a very big and powerful group, “baby boomers”. These are primarily at the owner level and possibly a senior level management. Now what makes them powerful is they are an incredibly huge segment of the workforce leaving employment due to retirement. So in many ways, they have an ancillary impact on wealth and its movement (sales op anyone?). They are leaving management roles, but still may have an impact on leadership. Then we have a third group, “generation x”. The oldest is in their early fifties and youngest is late thirties. They make up a large cross-section of entrepreneurs, owners, vice presidents and senior to middle management. They are very active in the workforce and make some pretty significant decisions about the business. The fourth is “generation y” (a.k.a. Millenials or Nexters; again depending on who you read). They make up the incoming workforce. And remember, their oldest has been active for a decade plus and their youngest is in middle school. Oh yeah, as for another group, the ones being born right now. Well, sociologists haven’t even decided on a name (Gen I or Gen Z). Work in progress.
Part two is about a gen x’er and a gen y’er…Todd and Chelsea (respectively).
Headline: Are you managing an age group or their behaviors?
Todd has been working since he was a teenager. He was told from an early age, “never be late, show respect to your boss and work hard and your result will follow.” His baby boomer parents both worked so he was a “latch key” kid (google it) making him very independent. He has had a couple of jobs. One job was as manager, but it resulted in a loss of employment due to company downsizing. While this sales job is not a new type of job, the industry is. He was ups and downs and can be distant at times.
Chelsea is working in her third job. The first two were food service and then a retail job. Both were convenient because of where she lived. She loves to have attention, especially feedback about how she is doing. She is very upbeat and very friendly with several of her friends coming in to visit or texting her. She doesn’t have a great sense of urgency and has to be reminded about several aspects of the job. This is not her career…you know it and she knows it.
Like part one, what do you coach exactly?
There is a great deal of research and literature about generations in the workplace. It shares insight into general characteristics of each of the generations with the intention to help managers better manage and lead. The info may provide that this group typically does this or acts this way. Some of the better information out there will give you more than just the common traits and dig deeper into the influences and stimuli for the decision making. This can be very cool insight because the diversity can be difficult to navigate.
I believe this is the key. It is far better to get to know the individual and their specific needs, rather than putting them in a generational bucket and working from a grocery list of actions that applies to everyone in it. I have better success in identifying the motivational triggers of the team member and then applying my coaching action to them and their relative reality…not the year they were born.
Todd. So he was born in 1975, OK. Do some of the things he experienced in his life factor? Yes and only as they manifest themselves in observable behavior. I cannot control that he may have been disenfranchised from his parents for whatever reason. I can only manage and lead the things he does on the sales floor. If his independence gets in the way of getting his job done, I can control that. And the fact I know he is independent now plays a part in how I challenge him and get him to embrace change. Also, he was a manager – great. I can use that as a coaching tactic for either correction or championing the team.
Chelsea. She doesn’t want this job forever…OK. Welcome to the reality of retail. What then would be wrong to give her as much growth and development right now while you have her? But what if she leaves? Dude, she is going to leave and I will give her all the skills she can handle and she can keep them with her when she walks out the door. She may have been raised with a lot of feedback and was given the goal she can do anything she puts her mind to. I will use that in how I coach her, even if that wasn’t the exact same way I was raised. That is what she needs. I may have keep her closer than others and remind her with the tone ‘I’ve got your back’. And then she works how exactly while I do have her?
I don’t like putting people in a bucket despite all the research that says “they” do this. I believe each and every generation has had exceptional, average and slacker. We don’t manage a year, we manage and lead behavior. We engage the person; the incredibly complex, unique and valuable individual. And sometimes we want to scream, but not because they were born in 1989.
Cheers