Say What? Dealing with a blunt and expressive Y’er.

As a Y’er, I can tell you that I have found myself letting slip a few comments during business meetings that turned the mood from cordial to ever-so-awkward. Experts of childhood development tell us that since Nintendo and other forms of instant entertainment were developed, they steal a child away from using imagination. This drop in imaginative play, games like Simon Says and Mother May I, will cause a developmental lapse in a child’s executive control functions.

"As a result," Professor Deborah Leong says, "kids aren't developing the self-regulation skills that they used to."

To a Y’er self expression is favored over self control. Making a point is most important.

In a time where advanced technology turns a 14 year old girl’s personal diary into a website with animated graphics and fans from Japan, we lost that sense of poise and mystery.

Y’ers grew up in a society where mo-hawks, piercings, and freedom of speech became a common place reality. Mothers started to look like Desperate Housewives with their Coach purses, Gucci shoes, and designer colognes. Fewer are those June Cleavers of the world vacuuming an already spotless living room carpet.

The Desperate Housewives and their male counterparts raised their children to have a voice and an opinion; pandering to self-esteem.

So how does a business professional or a trainer deal with the bluntly expressive nature of a Y’er? First, determine if the behavior is out of bounds.

At the 2007 ASTD International Conference and Expo, I was in a session where Generation Y was the topic. One Gen Y’er took the floor during the Q&A session and stated that she hated when “older professors come in and don’t believe I am a professor just because I don’t have wrinkles.” The statement set off a groan from the older generations (boomers, x’ers, second wavers) in the crowd. She had simultaneously insulted all of the older professionals in the room and complimented herself; age can be a touchy subject for those with more of it.

While this comment wasn’t well received, it warranted no corrective action. If the comments become inappropriate or intolerable, try using the following model to rein in your Y’er.

Just add S.A.L.T.

State the comment or behavior that was inappropriate.

This will align your conversation so that both parties understand what is being discussed.

Allow the Y’er a chance to respond.

The interaction will give you a chance to see what the Y’er is going through or thinking. This will also help to clear up any misconceptions about the comment or behavior.

Lead the Y’er to understand the impact.

Explain what caused the social or emotional tension and the impact of the behavior on the team.

Tell the Y’er your expectation for the future.

Give clear expectations to the Y’er so he or she will know how to improve. “Just fix it” won’t be good enough for Generation Y. It is apparent in the name or our generation. WHY? Give the why along with the expectation and you will see a vast improvement.

After all, no one likes to be punished and a hostile or heavy-handed approach will seem like punishment.