Boomers Millennials: Are we really that different?

George Haines, PWLF

Adjunct Instructor, Norwich University, MPA Program Member, Small Cities/Rural Communities Committee

“Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we’ve ever known.” – Ronald Reagan

I’ll start off with my disclaimer. I am a Baby Boomer, so I write this from the perspective of a Boomer, but also from someone who is raising three Millennial children. Generational issues have been front and center in the workplace ever since Millennials started entering the workforce. It was then we realized that we had four distinct generations working together for the first time in history. Here’s a brief refresher:

• Traditionalists, born 1925-1945, are only 5% of the workforce; they are still the wealthiest group and still have influence.

• Baby Boomers, born 1946-1964, are 45% of today’s workforce and remain the largest generational group ever born in the U.S.

• Generation X, born 1965-1984, is 40% of the workforce but is the smallest of the four generations.

• Millennials, born 1985-2005, are only 10% of the workforce, but this is growing every day. In addition, they are almost as large as the Baby Boomers in total numbers.

Not to slight the Traditionalists and Gen X’ers, but a lot is being written and studied today about the relationship between Baby Boomers and Millennials and there is strength in numbers. The Millennial generation, 76 million strong, is also known as Generation Y, Generation whY?, Generation We, Generation Sell, Generation Next, the Net Generation, the Boomerang Generation, the Peter Pan Generation and the Echo Boomers. With so many names and identities, no wonder why we sometimes have a hard time figuring them out. I actually like the term Echo Boomers as it means they are a reflection of their parents, the Baby Boomers, still the largest group at 80 million strong.

Based on my years of observation, I have developed a non-scientific list of seven things that highlight Millennials and Boomers, what we have in common, and what we still have to work on to ensure the next generation of leaders is ready to grab the torch and run.

I Have Something to Say:

Millennials have had a say in things since they were young kids. In the workplace, they aren’t afraid to offer their ideas and opinions and expect you to listen. As a Boomer, I think that is good, but the difference is that when I entered the workforce, I held my ideas and opinions until I was asked. The term “pay your dues” meant that until you have some experience under your belt, you are not in a position to offer anything that is credible. Why do we have this gap? I believe it has to do with how we learned to access information. Millennials are the first generation that can access information without having to go to a higher authority first. As a Boomer, I got information from my parents, my teachers, from the library, and then from a peer or a boss in the workplace. Millennials have always had the Internet and, on their own, they can access information anytime, anywhere, with no filter. In “the old days,” information was power. The supervisor could exercise control by holding onto information. While there is still some of that going on, Millennials are resourceful and can learn things in new ways. The solution for Boomers is simple—open your ears and listen. We might just learn something.

Lead Me: In a 2008 Price Waterhouse Coopers survey, as their most important employee benefit, 33% of recent college grads chose training and development over salary and 98% felt that working with strong mentors is also important. Millennials are like heat-seeking missiles for knowledge and, for some reason, they connect on a professional level well with Boomers. Maybe it is the parental link, but they aren’t looking for parental advice. They want to learn from people with expertise and if you want them to learn from you, be receptive and treat them with mutual respect. Hans Finzel states that “Mentoring is a non-negotiable function of successful leadership.” If they don’t learn from you, they will seek out someone else and it may be

COMMUNITIES

someone you don’t want them to learn from!

Go, Team, Go! Millennials like working in teams; in fact they prefer it. There is some safety in a team setting, but remember this is a generation that is connected, appreciates diversity, and are skilled multi-taskers. My work life began in the hierarchy of the military structure. Someone was always in charge and accountable and the lone ranger approach to getting things done was the norm. I still remember taking a graduate course where the instructor had us do a final project and broke us into teams of three. My initial thought was I can get this done a lot faster by myself. The Millennials in the class were thinking we can get this done faster and better working as a team. Stephen Covey calls it “Synergy.” As a Boomer, look at your staff and play to their strengths. Consider how you are organized to accomplish tasks. Take advantage of Millennials’ comfort level with teams and you will reap the dividends.

I Want it All and I Want it Now!

The one word that is often associated with Millennials is “entitled.” I mentioned earlier that paying your dues is not in their thought process. They want to be the boss and tomorrow isn’t too soon. As a Boomer, I was taught that if I worked hard and put in the time, my reward would come someday. The confidence of Millennials is admirable. What feeds this is the culture of instant gratification. Want a new song you just heard, go to iTunes and download it. Instant gratification is not healthy in many cases, but it does tell you the only limitation to success is your own initiative. When I see the desire in Millennials today, I see myself 30+ years ago when I didn’t know any better and nothing was impossible. Some things just took a little longer. Make a Difference: You have heard the expression, “Boomers live to work and Millennials work to live.” I remember interviewing for a job and I told the interviewer that making a difference is important for my satisfaction at work. In fact, my big three are meaningful work, being able to make a difference, and being recognized for a job well done. That is about all I need to be a happy camper. Millennials see work as a means to do other things that provide meaning to them. If you can combine work, opportunities to give back, and participation in a cause, you will make a work-life connection with your Millennials. As an example, at Congress, APWA has participated in Habitat for Humanity projects. When I was in the Navy Seabees, we would do projects in the communities we lived in or were deployed to. Taking time to refurbish a playground or building a ball field makes your work more than just a job. You are giving back and making a difference.

Feedback…Tell Me More: This is one of the bigger gaps between our generations. When you take time to lead, mentor, and coach your Millennials, remember along with that comes the need for constant feedback. They want to know how they are doing, all the time! For Boomers, our philosophy of job feedback is, “no news is good news.” For Millennials, a once-a-year job evaluation doesn’t cut it. What you have to be careful about with Millennials is that they are only used to getting praise. When you grow up with no winners and losers and everyone gets a trophy, criticism can be fatal. Boomer parents have sheltered and protected our kids to the point of not preparing them for real-world success and failure. Millennials should understand that giving constant feedback can be difficult for Boomers. Since we haven’t gotten much feedback ourselves, giving feedback is going to be a learning process for us.

My iPhone and I are One: For me, the most important difference between Millennials and Boomers is technology. Tim Elmore writes that for Millennials, “Technology is an appendage of their bodies.” Here’s an example: I gave a talk on Millennials to an APWA group and someone brought up the subject of people texting during meetings. What we are taught about Millennials is that they are multi-taskers, so they really are paying attention, or so they say. But Baby Boomers aren’t convinced. The feedback I received from a group of Boomers and Gen X’ers was that many believe the fixation with texting is rude at best and disrespectful at worst. I still see that technology remains an unresolved sticking point between Boomers and Millennials. The irony of all this is that Millennials are the most connected generation but in many ways are isolated by technology. They text, post to Facebook, and tweet, but rarely meet face-to-face. My solution to this dilemma is to try and keep up with technology so I can be prepared to use the technological talents of Millennials to the advantage of the organization. Eventually, suspicion over texting and other things that are perceived to affect productivity at work will get sorted out.

Did I answer the question in the article title? Recognizing our differences helps me realize that we have a lot in common as well. When we can latch onto the things that drive both of our generations and learn to deal with the things that separate us, I am confident that as Boomers retire, we will leave the future of public works in good hands with a new generation of leaders who are passionate about public service.

George Haines can be reached at ghaines@bresnan.net.