Talking about Generations

As children, we learn that fear is a perfectly acceptable and normal emotion. As we watch young kids, it’s rather funny that they sometimes fear the most harmless things. As adults, we are able to ease their fears, and calm them down.

But what about when we grow up? Who helps us overcome our adult fears?

Last Thursday, I was a guest on a TV show called “Sem Censura” (Uncensored), with Leda Nagle. The show featured a round table on the topic of “fear.”

The show featured five guests. Claudia Naylor, the director of the National Cancer Institute, known as INCA, spoke about the fear of death. Cecilia Bellina talked about the fear of driving. Captain Luiz Bassani, focused on the fear of flying a plane. The criminologist Jorge Lordello, talked about the fear of violence. I spoke about the fear of layoffs.

Leda did a great job leading a stimulating discussion. She aided us in clarifying our points of view, and brought questions from various audience members. This encouraged us to use examples and dig deep into the topic of fear.

I discussed an article, which reveals that painkillers are the number 1 selling medication in Brazil, followed by anti-anxiety medication. We are all stressed, insecure, anxious, growing more and more fearful of everything each day.

I tried to explain how we should deal with the fear of layoffs. Of course, considering all the fears discussed, mine was probably the one, which causes the least fear. Yet, it is real, and it’s part of many people’s day-to-day life, especially during an economic crisis.

What I tried to express, is that almost everybody feels this fear. Everybody is in the same situation. However, people deal with the same pressure in different ways. I also talked about how many businesses are forced to cutback on their workforce, so that they can manage to stay afloat. This makes it hard to maintain a healthy work environment.

HR departments and HR managers need to try and keep the workplace from turning into a cutthroat atmosphere, where it’s “every man for himself.”

There’s a relevant joke about two friends who went hunting together. One saw a tiger, which looked like it might attack them. Quickly, he started putting on his sneakers. The other friend told him:

“- You won’t be able to run faster than the tiger.”

To this he replied,

“- I don’t need to run faster than the tiger, I just need to run faster than you!”

This is exactly what happens when the crisis hits. Core values fly out the window. There’s no internal communication explaining the motives for the cutbacks. There’s no effort to show employees that if the company doesn’t cutback, it will probably shut down entirely.

People say that during these moments, HR’s role is crucial. HR becomes the “thermometer” for the business, as it measures what “medication” should be “taken.”

HR is expected to keep a professional stance during team evaluations, and deal with those who are to be laid off, by explaining that the company does in fact care about its employees and will do everything it can to help them.

Regarding an employee’s desire to avoid the fear of getting laid off, and the layoff itself, I believe that he or she must show the business how indispensable they are as an individual.

Everyone is overworked. Everyone is stressed especially as work teams start to shrink before our eyes. It’s more important than ever to maintain high performance levels, so that we can overcome these moments of crisis. It’s important not to get discouraged or to start feeling unmotivated. Business teams must also stay motivated, since a positive attitude is essential to confronting difficult situations.

I believe that during these times, it’s essential to ask for feedback.

I only give feedback to those who ask for it. I feel that if an employee doesn’t ask for it, then he or she, may not react well to hearing about “areas for improvement.”

During this economic crisis, I recommend that everyone ask bosses, coworkers, and subordinates for honest feedback. It’s fundamental to hear the feedback. It’s important to open up and listen. It’s not easy. Once we start hearing negative feedback, our immediate reaction is usually to reply, “No but I…”

But we shouldn’t justify ourselves. Rather we should listen and digest these comments. It’s important to reflect on the feedback we receive. Although it’s not easy, there’s always something to learn from it.

On that note, I start thinking about how difficult it is for Generation Y to hear negative feedback. They’ve been hearing positive feedback their whole lives. That’s what they were raised on.

When I was young, and I got a 9/10 at school, my parents asked why I didn’t get a perfect score. These days, if our kids obtain a passing grade, we already feel satisfied.

This new generation doesn’t hear a lot of criticism in general. They’ve been sheltered and overprotected. They’ve been showered with positive feedback and compliments, by their parents, who were sick of their own rigid education.

We’ve all heard psychology theories, which link positive child development to high self-esteem, stimulating creativity, and focusing on the child’s strengths. If we consider this, it’s no wonder that this generation has trouble hearing criticism.

It’s up to each individual to reflect on his or her openness to receiving feedback. Those who know how to listen to constructive criticism, and adapt their behavior accordingly, will have a much greater chance of surviving within businesses. Of course, there’s never a guarantee that this will keep you safe from layoffs. In other words, the capacity to adapt according to criticism isn’t enough per se, to hold on to your job.

However, I do believe that this behavior is fundamental. I also think that Generation Y may have trouble dealing with this.

Anyways, having the opportunity to be on the show “Sem Censura” is always rewarding. It’ s a pleasure to be able to speak with such intelligent people, and it’s always a great learning experience. This was my third time on the show, and yet each time, I feel that it’s an enriching and pleasurable experience.

Tags: Baby Boomers, fear, Generation Y, human resource, Job, TV, Youtube