the generation gap

As a quarter-centuryer who is the boss of others, I try to be mindful of the generation gap.  I understand that I will always have employees anywhere from 10 years younger to 50 years older than me in my workplace, or reporting directly to me.  I’ve often wondered in the past, just how important is the generational issue?  In school in this country, we are generally taught to be aware of others, to be careful with their feelings, to “understand where they’re coming from.”  But we all come from different backgrounds and have lived through different experiences.  Are those differences caused by age really that important?

The research would say they are.  For instance, having 9/11 as the focal experience of your youth leads to a very different life view than if you grew up during the Depression.  Or with the Vietnam War.  Ongoing events in the world around us are pivotal in forming our outlook on the world, and that outlook shapes our personalities.  As does the overall atmosphere of a generation – just look at the 60s reacting to the 40s/50s, and what a different group of individuals it turned out.

Even the day-to-day experiences of different generations can have a big impact.  If you started trying to learn about computers at age 60, you’ll probably never be as proficient as someone who got online at age 6.  You can work at it, sure, but you may not even think it’s important to work at it.  In an increasingly online world, and ever more technology-powered work environments, this can be the difference between just doing, or excelling at, your job.  Or in some cases, even the difference between having a job or not.

And looking at technology and its effects on Generations X & Y, typically studies on the generation gap are most geared towards “young” bosses of “old” workers.  But what about the reverse?  Youth may be on the rise in the workforce, but the status quo continues to be that career folks are managing college graduates, in both blue and white collar business.  Can someone who doesn’t like computers understand an employee who spends their break intervals on Facebook or [insert-newest-online-community-that-replaces-facebook/myspace/friendster]?  Or someone who grew up with segregation embrace a focus on diversity in the workplace?  

In many ways it seems as though the young manager of older workers would have an easier time of it.  It’s been proven that in general, it’s easier to learn new skills when you’re young.  A boss approaching retirement, faced with managing the newest generation of incoming employees, is going to be hard put to succeed.  I know the older boss I work for has a hard time getting it.  More to the point, he doesn’t think trying to understand the differences is important.  I can’t help but think that any company whose upper management takes that attitude isn’t long for this world.

Looking back is difficult, for all of us.  How did you feel about yourself when you were a freshman in highschool?  Probably thought you were a pretty okay kinda guy/gal, right?  Fast forward 4 years.  What did you think of the freshmen class when you were a senior?  ”Scum of the earth” too strong a phrase?  (And I bet you capitalized “Senior,” didn’t you?)  It’s important not only to remember our own prior experiences, but to learn about the experiences others are currently having.  The life of a quarter-century individual in 2025 may be drastically different than ours.  What if college tuition costs continue to rise?  Maybe college won’t be viewed as important any longer, and I’ll have to change my outlook on hiring “college grads.”  Who knows?  

I hope that as I move past the quarter-century stage I can keep up (at least to some extent) with the ages below me.  That’s part of what this blog is about for me…chronicling, looking back, and learning.  Please comment.