Two summers ago I decided that it was time for my oldest son to get a job. He was 17 years old at the time, and I felt it was time for him to begin learning what it feels like to actually earn his own money. Plus, I was having no parts of him sitting around the house all summer playing video games or asking me and his mom for money to go hang out with his friends. I myself had been working since age 15 and remembered how much I had looked forward to the day that I could get a job, so this should be a piece of cake. However, my son and I are different, and I (like most parents I know) had done a pretty good job of helping him develop a sense of entitlement that it was time to retire. Therefore, I knew that this was not going to be an easy conversation, but I was not backing down for a second.
As I made my announcement to my son, I got the usual slumped shoulders and deep sighs of disappointment, but I had learned to easily deflect them with a pretty stern look. Then, he hit me with this: “it will be impossible to find a job because my friends told me that businesses around here are not hiring high school kids”. I deflected again. I then told him to get dressed. We were going out to the mall and he was going to go to every store, ask for the Manager or person otherwise in charge, introduce himself and ask if they were currently hiring new talent. If the answer was yes, he was to politely ask for an application for employment that he would complete on the spot. If the answer was no, he was to keep it moving. He was going to follow the same time-honored process I had used successfully without fail over two decades ago. I knew better than to drop him off alone, so I waited for him to finish the deed and report how many applications he had completed. After four attempts, I found a pattern that I wasn’t prepared for and had not considered. Every one of the stores told him that they did not have printed applications, and if he were interested, he needed to apply online. This went on for three or four more stores. I then ended his misery and we left.
That got me to thinking about how the game has changed, and the impact that new technology, cultures and techniques have on the things that we have been doing forever. For my son, if successful finding a job, the new and the old would have to collide in some way. He would find and apply for the job electronically, but he would have to get the job offer the old fashion way….by interviewing in person with someone. I’m pretty tech-savvy (I can text, friend and tweet with the best of them), but as far as I know, there is no technological substitute for eye contact, a firm handshake and a friendly smile (emoticons don’t count). But, I’m also thinking that that’s a very small part of what the future will soon look like. The way we work is changing every day, and although there are some traditional tools and techniques that still hold success, we probably need to view many of them as perishable.
This entire experience also got me to thinking about the cultural diversity associated with the multiple generations in the workplace and how organizations need to really be sensitive about how different generations have to adapt differently. Most of the information about generation diversity that I have seen and read is about it being four generations in the workplace: The Traditionals (born 1930-1945), The Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), Generation X (born 1965-1977) and Generation Y or Millennials (born 1978 – 1990). However, if “Traditionals” are indeed still in the workplace, and some are, then there is fifth generation that is emerging. That generation is comprised of people born after 1990. Since the legal working age in most states is 16 years old, then anyone born from 1990 – 1994 would now comprise this new workforce generation. There have been some attempts to name this generation, such as Generation 2020 and Generation 9/11, but I don’t think an official moniker has been decided. With that being said, what “old tricks” do we need to help preserve for the generations in the workplace that will be dominant for the foreseeable future, or is everything up for renewal?
While to good old “9-5” schedule is quickly becoming a thing of the past as is working for the same company for over five years, there are some things that I think transcend time and generations:
1. Quality – Quality must remain personal. Every person from every generation must maintain a passion for creating quality work, providing quality service, developing quality processes and expecting quality results. Quality defines your brand, whether it be personal or professional.
2. The Entrepreneurial Spirit – Trust me, it takes a lot of guts to start and successfully run a business. However, it also takes a strong commitment to resilience, creativity and tenacity. These are the qualities of successful people everywhere and I don't expect them to change.
3. Ambition – Ambition is under-rated. Traditionals, Baby Boomers and some Gen X people will tell you that ambition is all about getting the big title and corner office by any means necessary. But ambition is really about wanting something more and never settling for what you have when something greater can be achieved.
4. Change – Everything changes all of the time. In fact, I just found out that there is a company that is even experimenting with doing away with the cardboard tube found in the middle of the toilet paper roll! Those that are resistant to change perish, those that accept change survive and those that CAUSE change flourish.
So, to the question “should we teach new dogs old tricks?” my answer is yes, but they only need to be taught the ones that were built to last. And if you are the one teaching... be prepared to become the student at some point as well.
As always, I look forward to your comments and reactions. Tune in tomorrow for another Daily Diversity Download.
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