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Today, I really didn’t start out thinking that this was going to be my topic for the blog. However, as I was reading my newest copy of Business Week, which I look forward to every week, I read this article Youthquake and was generally happy with it. I’m glad to see people being passionate about things that are important and wanting to express themselves by getting involved. Then we hit this part in reference to Generation Y (a.k.a the Millennials) which I draw issue:

Growing up in the era of cater-to-kids politics, the V-Chip, and helicopter parenting, they were the most coddled generation ever, infused with their elders’ belief that they possessed unique abilities.

I have seen this reference several times in the past few months. Lucky for me, by Business Week’s definitions I am not a Millennial. phew.
Though in another atricle I read, apparently I am. Here is the article, Young IT workers disillusioned, hard to hold, survey says - Network World
Since this article is about me, I think I need to respond. First, to clear up a few things for those folks over at Network World, Generation X is defined as

For the purpose of this study, Generation X is defined as people aged 21 to 32, that is, respondents born during the years 1968-1979. US Census Bureau “Census 2000 Ethnographic Study” (June 17, 2003)

I have to say that I am disappointed by the wide generalities by these writers. NetworkWorld wrote this article based off 100 executives (awesome sampling size) polled in Massachusetts and 50% of respondents described those Gen-Yers as the hardest to manage. Well, if 50 executives in Massachusetts say it, then it must be true. Gen Xers came in second with 17% saying they were the hardest to manage. Wow, 17 executives.

On the article it quotes,

For instance, many younger workers expect to get an office immediately or be paid at a rate higher than entry level.

and

Millennials are coming in with high expectations and are disillusioned about the reality of a work place. They feel they should be rewarded and start at the top, when we all know you have to work your way up. They have been raised to be rewarded often and when you get into the workforce those rules change a bit.

As a Gen Xer or Yer, depending on which website you visit, I had no expectations of anything other than a paycheck when I started in IT. I was just happy for the opportunity and in fact, I am still grateful for the opportunity. Since I am in need of some self humiliation, I shall share something that I’m not sure I told anyone, and the only people who know are the ones who interviewed me. I still cringe when I remember my outfit I went to my interview in. No suite, just pants, shirt, and tie. And the power accessory to knock’em dead? –the baseball cap, to hide my long hair that I believe I hadn’t even combed for the interview. I’m glad someone saw something in me. I’m glad someone didn’t look at my baby face, and go, oh one of those entitled Gen Xers, I can’t manage those kids. By far I was the youngest, had lots to learn, and embraced anything anyone of any age was willing to show or explain. Eleven years later, I’m not the youngest anymore, but I am still that kid.

I think these wide stereotypes are biasing managers. I’m am quite certain that someone can find anyone in any generation that fits some of these expectations of entitlements. For example, there is an article In Defense of Gen Y Workers - CIO.com which I hope was tongue and cheek, if not, it may support many of the fears of the managers of Gen Xers and Yers. I know people need to have something to go on because we will never know everything about every person. So I understand that people use generalities and stereotypes, but everyone is different and you can miss so much if you just put everone in a catigorized bucket.  Utilimately, you have to take every person, one at a time.

So my final piece of GenX wisdom to those 50 whiny executives in Massachusetts — just stop your whining, because excellent leaders like yourselves can adapt and overcome to manage anyone.