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.

It's My Generation

Y’ers - Generation Why - Millennials - Newbies

Many names are used to identify this new age of working professionals. Y’ers are a phenomenon that has spawned countless books, articles, essays, blogs, and podcasts regarding the best way to understand the new kids on the block. Generation Y seems to be a complex and undefeatable beast; warring with the corporate world.

*fanfare*

Well, worry no longer my friends. I come bearing gifts and words of wisdom.

As a member of Generation Y, I offer the following tidbits to describe who and why we are. I offer advice from the front lines and not prose concocted by consultants hoping to jump on the next bandwagon of money-making ventures *cough*six sigma*cough*.

Gen Y’ers are characterized with the following stereotype: Narcissistic young men and women who are needy, lazy, and selfish while demanding constant feedback, a relaxed dress code, and an entire corporate restructuring for their convenience.

My, we are a handful.

Generation Y, as we all have heard, is defined as those born after 1980 (or 1981, or 1977, or 1978 depending on the author). As heirs to a world most recently run by Traditionalists and Baby Boomers, Y’ers have shaken up the land of Business!

Born into an age of technology and fast answers, Y’ers are graduating from college at a higher percentage than their predecessors and entering a workforce that is comfortable with a mentality of “because I told you so” and not the Millennial thought process of “Why should I care?”

There are many theories on why Y’ers are the way we are. Specialists, PhDs, Gurus, and others have written countless books and thesis papers that determine we are an overly protected generation that relies heavily on our tools. Those in-depth studies don’t help the front line manager or trainer however.

Over the next few weeks I will submit blog posts that will explain the Millennial’s point of view and help you understand what best approach you might take to improve your interaction with that Y’er in your ranks.

Please feel free to comment, email me, or submit post ideas. I am really rather interactive; being a Generation Y’er and all.