generational differences

Avoiding Generational Stereotypes

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Different_Generations

So much has been written about the different generations of people in the workforce, what they’re like, and how they can be managed effectively. We’re told that the people in these groups all behave in a certain way and share certain characteristics. A few common stereotypes are listed below:

  • Traditionalists – Behind the curve, unable to learn new forms of technology
  • Baby Boomers – Resistant to change, bureaucratic
  • Generation X – Grumpy, cynical
  • Millennials – Entitled, expect promotions without paying their dues

So are these stereotypes true? Research indicates that they’re not. Although people in different generations do share certain qualities and beliefs, for the most part, these stereotypes are false and misleading. People are unique and shaped by a variety of factors – not just the time period in which they grew up. So people of the same generation are often very different from one another, and people in different generations can have strong commonalities. For instance, surveys have indicated that people across all generational groups have similar interests in technology and feel comfortable communicating in variety of ways (face to face, emails, texts, etc.).

So why do these stereotypes exist? Because they make our lives easier! It takes time and effort to learn about a bunch of different people’s personalities, strengths, and interests. It’s much easier to separate those people into groups (based on their age) and draw general conclusions about them. But if you rely on stereotypes, you can miss out on amazing opportunities. You might overlook the 60-year-old employee who happens to be brilliant at programming. Or you might discount the 25-year-old employee who has leadership potential.

It’s best to avoid generational stereotypes and not make assumptions about people simply because they fall into a certain age bracket. Instead, try to evaluate people individually. Talk to them about their interests and preferences, and discover who they really are.

 

Cettina, T. (2015, April 9). Overcoming generational stereotypes in the workplace. Inc. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/bankofamerica/overcominggenerationalstereotypesintheworkplace.html

Kadakia, C. (2014, May 11). Blatantly incorrect generational stereotypes: Communication methods by generation. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-kadakia/blatantly-incorrect-gener_b_4935179.html

Kriegel, J. (2015, September 3). Millennial stereotyping is hurting corporate America. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/oracle/2015/09/03/millennial-stereotyping-is-hurting-corporate-america/#6ccf7bed4d97

 

Reflections of an Aging Admin

By in JHU, Learning, Navigating Change No Comments Tags: ,

OlderWorker

Last week, I shook hands with President Daniels to celebrate 25 years of service. I have spent the prime of my life administratively supporting hard-science research projects at JHU. I like working beside and with smart, ambitious people on prestigious projects, even if I am “only” an administrative member of the team.

You’ve heard of the “Old Boys’ Network?” I consider myself a part of the “Old Girls’ Network.” We are the generation of admins who say, “Sure, I can help with that and then stay late to finish the task.” We have our strengths, and our weaknesses, we Old Girls! Just the other day, I was commiserating with another lifetime admin about the stress of working for a younger supervisor. I too used to resent having to explain basic business procedures to someone 20 years my junior, whom I imagined was earning, at his/her hire date, more than I made after 20 years on the job! Now, ironically, I spend my days as a trainer, spoon-feeding and/or shoveling knowledge into these youthful bosses so that they can flourish at this institution and help continue the mission of discoveries for the world. Resentment has been replaced by mild anxiety about whether the next generation will be ready and able to step up as we Old Girls contemplate retirement. My bosses are still older than I am, just barely. But my co-workers are all younger, so I still have to refer to some of the tactics cited in the article by Susan Adams, “How to Deal With a Younger Boss.”

After my last class, I jokingly asked the students NOT to text me with questions because I wasn’t good with that medium. One of the young students made this very sweet and telling comment, “Wow! You know SO much about this software [that you are teaching us] and yet you have trouble texting?” And I had to admit that she was absolutely right! I should be texting more. I Need To Evolve. I have two thumbs and a slider phone. Over the past year, I have even learned to deal with punctuation problems and misspellings that used to cause me to recoil in grammatical horror. Now, if I could just not resent the texting during a face-to-face meeting…

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