Coaching Generation X
It has been said that Generation X is the most ignored,
misunderstood, and disheartened generation our country has seen
in a long time. No one can define who belongs to Generation X.
While most agree that there is a generation after the Boomers,
no one agrees on who it is. In a September 23, 1996, article in
USA Today, six experts defined Generation X, each with a
different answer. They ranged anywhere from those born between
1961 to 1981 (78 to 85 million) to those born between 1965 to
1976 (46 million). Although Generation X appears to be the
accepted term, other labels have been applied. William Strauss
and Neil Howe refer to them as the Thirteenth Generation (the
thirteenth generation since the founding of our country). Baby
Busters and Twenty-somethings have also been used.
One of the most fundamental requirements for effective coaching is the
ability to understand others' motives, values, and goals, not
enforcing one's own on others. A slight variation of the Golden
Rule-instead of "treating others as you want to be treated,"
coaches should "treat others as they want to be treated." This
means understanding, and accepting, that people are all
different. It also means that there is no "script" for
coaching-it is different for every person you coach.
The need to understand differences is especially apparent in the
ongoing conflict between Baby Boomers and Generation X. These
struggles are rooted in the desire (on both sides) to want
everyone to be alike. This would certainly make our lives and
relationships easier, but it is not based in reality. Of course,
clashes between generations are not new. Remember the generation
gap in the 1960s between the Boomers and the Silent Generation?
The fact remains that Generation X are the employees in the
workforce today; they are the future. They aren't going away,
nor are they likely to conform to the previous generation's
definition of work. Boomer managers cannot continue to ignore
Xers' differences and try to manage them according to their own
mindset. This does not mean agreement with an Xer's attitude
but, understanding them to make coaching easier. The
better you know them, the more likely you are to have insight to
their "hot buttons"-what motivates them. And, at the very best,
understanding them may begin to remove the conflict and
hostility that exists between the generations and will lead to
positive actions and results that are mutually beneficial to the
individual and the organization.
The problem with generalizations is that they only go so far and
stereotyping runs the risk of alienation. There are always
exceptions to the rule, those who will say "that's not me". I
can sometimes identify with Boomers and sometimes with Xers (you
guess my age!). It is impossible to suggest a prototype for how
to coach 46-85 million people. As a start, the generalizations
made here are based on a review of the relevant literature and
personal observations/discussion with coaches-all with the hope
of understanding this generation and offering suggestions on how
to effectively coach them. To successfully coach and help
Generation X, we must learn what they want, how they feel, and
how they view their world.
WHAT WON'T MOTIVATE?
Generation X won't do things because they have a deep sense of
mission, or loyalty to an organization. They have nothing but
disdain for corporate politics and bureaucracy and don't trust
any institution. They grew up watching their parents turn into
workaholics, only to be downsized and restructured out of their
chosen careers. They believe work is a thing you do to have a
life (work doesn't define their life).
During the practice situations in our coaching workshops, the
coach will often say-"Your behavior is affecting the company and
if you don't change, we won't be in business in the long term."
They raise the company flag and pull out the loyalty line. This
means nothing to Xers-it will not capture their interest, raise
their awareness, or stir them to new thoughts, feelings, and
actions.
Xers have no expectation of job security, so they tend to see
every job as temporary and every company as a stepping stone to
something better, or at least to something else. They have been
accused of not wanting to pay their dues. But, in today's
changing workplace, anyone who is thinking about doing a job
long enough to pay dues is out of touch!
Because they won't put in long hours at what they mostly term
"dead end" jobs (Douglas Coupland coined the term "Mcjobs,") and
they don't exhibit the same loyalty as Boomers do towards an
organization, they have been called slackers. However, Xers will
work very hard for a job that they believe in, for something
that challenges them. In a l995 survey, Babson College Professor
Paul Reynolds found that "10% of Americans between the ages of
25-34 are actively involved in creating a start-up company, a
rate about three times as high as any other age group...it
should help dispel once and for all the myth that today's youth
are motivationally challenged." (U.S. News and World Report,
September 23, 1996)
WHAT DOES MOTIVATE?
Value The Individual and Nurture Relationships
Although there doesn't seem to be one description of Generation
X, most will agree that a defining characteristic is that they
don't like to be characterized (as I'm doing in this article!).
They don't want to be treated as a single entity, but want to be
looked at as individuals. In addition, this is the first wave of
latchkey kids to hit the work force. They are homesick for the
home they never had (due to both parents working). Their focus
on relationships over achievement is what leads Boomers to
complain about their laziness. Isn't this strong sense of
community and personal relationships in the workplace just what
we need?
Challenging Work
This generation has sometimes been called the MTV Generation
because of their short attention span. Xers want new challenges
and the opportunity to build new skills. Training is one of the
best motivators. They have a tremendous capacity to process lots
of information and concentrate on multiple tasks.
They don't want to spend a lot of time talking about things or
having meetings. They want to get in, do the work, and move on
to the next thing. If you're looking for someone to deliver a
report every week, you don't want an Xer. I recently brought up
the subject of understanding twenty-somethings during a coaching workshop.
Immediately a manager complained, with a lot of emotion, that
kids today don't want to work and will only stay for a week or
so and then leave. Well, the job was very repetitive and offered
little challenge. No wonder!
Freedom to Manage Time and Work
Xers don't want over-your-shoulder, in-your-face managers who
constantly check what they're doing. Perhaps as a result of
their latchkey childhood, these young workers are not used to
being closely supervised and are remarkably good at working on
their own.
Feedback and Recognition
On the other hand, members of Generation X seem to crave time
with their bosses and can never get enough feedback on their
performance. They may be searching for what was missing when
they were growing up. Because of their short attention span,
recognition and rewards must arrive quickly. Employee of the
month doesn't do anything for them.
CONCLUSION
The characteristics for which Generation X has received such bad
press are the very qualities that make them valuable. We say we
want an empowered work force...give Xers the ball and they will
run with it...we want a self-directed work force...these workers
have been self directed from a very young age...we want computer
literacy...Generation X comes out on top...we want flexible,
adaptable workers-right on again.
Xers will respond to Boomer managers if they put meaning, into
the buzzwords they use so often-empowerment, teamwork,
communication. Create an environment where they are challenged
by and enjoy their work, where they're measured on performance
rather than on which clothes they wear, where they are informed,
included and recognized. Gee, maybe Xers aren't so different
from anyone else!