Por Eline Kullock

I ask myself if what the virtual world calls “communities” are in fact communities. Communities, at least in the way I understand them, are groups in which members help each other, protect each other, and establish limits and norms. Communities are founded around a common cause, which holds them together.

Thinking of the communities I’m familiar with, like AA, a community in which members have the common objective of combating their addictions to alcohol.

What communities based on this concept have you been a part of? In school? Even if you aren’t still a part of these communities, are you nostalgic for them? Do you miss them?

I want to talk about communities in the 2.0 world. Are you part of a facebook group or a community on Orkut? Do these groups or communities really mean something to you? If you leave them will it truly make a difference in your life?

And is this truly a community? Even if you belong to a virtual community, it doesn’t really interact with you, and you don’t interact with the community.

You may be wondering what all this have to do with life? Everything.

I believe that this concept of “crowd sourcing” which I’ve talked about many times, shows how communities impact our lives. The power of groups in discipline, order, research, in working together, and in sharing, actually happens slower than I thought. We need to be less idealistic. These pseudo communities aren’t really the communities that make a difference.

Sometimes communities are created for a destructive motive Yet, because of the so-called “power of the consumer” the masses end up analyzing what’s being discussed, sold, or expressed, in a very superficial and often inaccurate way. This exposes individuals and institutions in a very negative way, when in fact they deserve more respect.

Now I’m going to give a very provocative example to illustrate my point.

The Trainee Brasil, community on Orkut conducted a survey to find out what the worst HR company in Brazil is. So a lot of people vote without really knowing anything about these companies, as if this whole survey was no big deal.

What I’m trying to say is that many times these pseudo-groups unite in a perverse, simplistic, destructive way.

Hitler rose to power in a moment of extreme chaos, a time when things where out of control. This is usually how humanity makes its biggest mistakes.

Are these communities in fact fighting for something? Defending something interesting? Defending businesses? Are they doing it with the consistency and concrete proof that it takes to really evaluate something or someone?

Today in the blog “O Cappuccino” I read about the power of social media in regards to products. I question how consistent and thorough these analyses are.

This is my cry. This is my protest. The protest of someone who has been defamed by Mr. Pedro Ethos for no reason at all. If he was part of a community, I’m sure he would have been capable of raising masses. This mass may not understand the importance or force a group can have, the damage they can do. Sometimes the damage is irreversible. It’s essential for this generation to ask itself if they are participating in a community or group without a conscious, and to truly understand what they are getting into.

Are we groupings? Are we groups? What’s the difference? Do we want to be part of a community? Or do we prefer the more anonymous nature of a group? I ask this question because I am part of various groups that from my point of view, make a difference. They build things.

I ask Gen Y: What communities do you want to belong to? Which ones do you really belong to and why? And if you are part of a group, why are you there?

Groups and communities: where can we really make a difference?

By Silvana Avinami

I’m over it. I can’t stand reading about one more Gen X manager who thinks that Gen Y is the worst generation of employees that has come along. And I cannot stand watching one more Baby Boomer manager roll their eyes as they complain that Gen Y is a group of spoiled, ungrateful employees who has an extreme sense of entitlement. To all the over-35 year olds out there I have one question for you: “Do you really think that age is the reason why people lack the motivation, passion, loyalty and commitment at work?” (come on, give me a break!). To all those nodding in approval, you’re just looking for a quick-fix where there is none. Do you really think that all your troubles with your staff would be over if you simply hired people who are 35 and up? I’ll give you a few moments to think about what you’d be missing if you did that. (Fresh ideas, new energy, IT-savvyness beyond belief…to name a few).
Simply put, people of all ages can lack motivation, passion, loyalty and commitment. If you don’t believe me, go for a ride with a 60 year-old cab driver – or a 20 year-old. To those managers who insist that age is the source of their pain – I suggest that you take a look in the mirror – and ask yourself what can you do to empower your staff to find the fire within, to feel a part of your team, to be committed to your vision. Are you willing to have honest and open conversations with your staff about work issues? So honest that you’re willing to advise them to find work elsewhere when you feel that a person’s reason for being is outside your company’s walls?

As someone who’s in the habit of putting my money where my mouth is, shortly after I took over as commercial director of my family’s business, I made it clear to my team that they did not work for me – rather that they worked for themselves.

In our first strategic planning meeting I put up a slide that said (translated from Spanish):

“Let it be clear that…

No one works for somebody else
We all work for ourselves
My primary objective is to help you work better – and as a result we all benefit – that includes:
You,
The company and
Me.”
And has this approach made a difference? I’ll let results speak for themselves. We’re now well on our way to achieving a 10% higher share of sales than we were 3 months ago. And the team has agreed to even higher targets for 2010. Aside from that, my team of 25 to 55 year-olds is more motivated than they had been in years, they’re making decisions, solving problems and taking ownership. Just as in manufacturing processes it’s known that often times it’s not the people who are to blame for errors, but the processes themselves that need fixing – could it be that you as a manager needs fixing – and not your Gen Y employees?

Silvana Avinami is a strategic job hopper and serial entrepreneur. During her work life that spans more than ten years, she has experienced thirteen jobs and three careers in six industries across three continents. With her insight and achievements, she owns the space of self-made careers.

By deliberately taking ownership of her career, this passionate and energetic woman continues to create choices for herself. Among them, taking time off to write full time. Silvana now works as the commercial director of a leading Latin American original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of medical devices – the only local OEM in the region.

“You’re young. You’re inexperienced. You’re a slacker. You’re immature. You can’t hold down a job. You can’t handle any responsibilities.”

Does that sound familiar? Has anybody, lets say elderly, said those words to you before? That’s how my elders see me. But that’s far from how I see the majority of my generation. You heard that? I said MAJORITY. We’re in a tough spot right now. Most of us who are lucky enough to have jobs which some don’t like anyway and those who don’t are finding job searching impossible. Although we’re ready to contribute, we’re faced with Baby Boomers who don’t understand us and Generation X, who thinks we’re trying to take their jobs. Go figure.

I’ve seen articles that try to define Gen Y as some sort of “anti-work culture”. ( http://recruitinganimal.typepad.com/recruitinganimal/2008/12/the-funny-banker-on-gen-y-barbie.html) Granted, most Gen Ys are pretty young and mostly inexperienced, but that doesn’t mean we don’t know what we’re doing or have what it takes to achieve our goals. (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1640395,00.html) Sometimes I think the older generations forget that they had to start out somewhere, too.

Do They Have What It Takes?
Gen Y is not frightened by the future. Gen Ys want job stability and money to fund their lifestyle and especially work/life balance. But, money won’t buy their passion or commitment at work. Why? Because unlike Baby Boomers and to some extent Gen X, they do not have a fear of authority nor of the future. The neural patterns stored in Gen Y brains are recession free, equity based, see plenty of job opportunities and cheap travel and are full of memories (even expectations!) of their baby boomer parents’ indulgences.

There are a lot of stereotypes out there, everything from “we’re the smartest generation” to “we’re the laziest generation,” all of which only make it easier to discriminate. I’m not saying there aren’t slackers among us. I know some of them firsthand. There are those who grew up having everything handed to them by their parents (spoiled brats!) – Gen Xs or Baby Boomers who were able to make it and wanted their children to have the best of everything. These Gen Ys always have the newest material things, their parents probably paid for college and they may have even walked into their first job without even having to try, just because they knew the right people. But I don’t think that handful of people should define my generation. There are many of us who have always had to work hard for what we want. (*cough cough* ME)

Adjust (Or move over, old timers)
Most people, no matter what generation they’re a part of, are scared of change, and there’s no doubt society has changed during our time. Because of this, some older generations see Gen Ys as a threat. Gen Ys are used to having information at the tip of their fingers, and grew up with an array of rapidly changing technology, making them extremely adaptable. While Gen Ys email and beam (with cell phones), Baby Boomers and some Gen X, still send checks and hand written letters.

Why Hire a Bunch of Slacking Multi-taskers?
We’re not afraid to share our ideas and tell upper management we think they’re wrong or that there might be an easier way to do something. Aside from our high values, Gen Y has higher collective SAT and ACT scores than previous generations and is able to do lots of things all at once. And while Baby Boomers and Gen Xs think our ability to multi-task is a curse, (he, he) taking a five minute break to check your Facebook or Twitter is no different than taking a five minute break to talk about your children, hang out in the break room or go have a cigarette.

“Millennials are going to change the face of business,” Nick Armstrong said. “Because we multi-task so well, I doubt the eight-hour work day will last much past the economic downturn. I doubt that the eight-hour shift in the office will last either. Personally, I lack the focus to sit in a dreary office, listening to my co-workers ruminate on whatever healthy food they brought in, hear Nosey Nancy gossip about everything and everyone, and spend half my day getting belittled by a patronizing, condescending, hypocritical managerial staff.”

How Gen Y is able to manage?
Due to the old-fashioned work style Baby Boomers and Gen Xs seem to be satisfied with, many Gen Ys are escaping by starting their own businesses. Many of us feel it’s more important to make a difference and share ideas than to be caged into the typical work style. I’m so proud and admire those enterpernuers who are making this happen. THANK YOU!

My Perspective
I think people my age tend to live more in the now. We grew up with The Dotcom Bust in the late-1990s, the September 11, 2001, and now have a economic recession to deal with. Because of those things, Gen Ys seem to be more concerned with where they are today and about doing something that will make an immediate difference than where they want to be 10 years from now. We do want to economize money and prepare for retirement, just as our previous generations have done, but there’s a more imminent feeling that now is the most important time, and everything else will fall into place. Just because we want to do something fulfilling – and it may take changing jobs 10 times to figure that out – doesn’t mean we’re slackers or unworthy. We were taught to find something we love and do that for the rest of our lives. We’re taking that to heart – it just may take a little time. Have you ever heard of the saying ” Patience is a virtue”? We obviously don’t want work to be our whole lives. Sure, work is important, but there are other things in life, too. That’s why it’s important for us to do what we love and want to be doing, that way work doesn’t feel so much like work and it could be also fun. We also respect our elders, regardless of what they may say. We actually admire and look up to them. The problem in their eyes seems to be that we only respect those who deserve it – those who have made a difference, whether that be in our lives or in any circumstances. We’re also a lot less likely to respect people who have a preformed negative attitude toward us. People should remember that you have to give respect to earn it. I speak of experience. Hopefully, you can accept that things are changing, provide a little bit of a challenge and learn to respect us the way you want to be respected, then you can find a good Gen Y employee. If not Generation Y moves forward without you. We are hanging tough.

Cheila Esquilin was born in the Suburbs of Bronx, NY. Raised in the small yet beautiful island of Puerto Rico. Currently living in Baltimore, MD where she found a group of friends that became into the family she never had. She works in a holistic, well known Pharmacy Your Prescription For Health since 05′. Working there has giving her the motivation to persue her own career inhe medical field. Now, she’s majoring in nursing to become a pediatric nurse. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, blogging, social networking, watching sports especially football, listening to her ipod, laughing and watching her litter sister persue her soccer career. She is very gratefull of the life she is living now and to the people who are in it.

By Scott Asai*

Today’s organization is a mixture of different generations. It’s important to understand the differences in values, communication style, work ethic, etc. It’s even more vital to apply these findings at work. Here’s some suggestions to narrow the “gap” at work:

Baby Boomers

Think SUCCESSION plan. Plan with the end in mind.
Boomers have all the experience and knowledge. Don’t let the knowledge leave when you retire. MENTOR!

Help Gen X by: Delegating responsibility and tasks. This entrepreneur group enjoys leading projects, so start training them to take over.
Teach them how to lead a team.

Help Millennials by: Giving them feedback on their performance. One of the biggest mistakes is expecting them to lead alone. This is a collaborative group. They lead by team consensus.

Generation X
LEADERSHIP skills. This generation is driven to be efficient. They prefer to work independently, yet need opportunities to lead people. This is the next group of leaders. They are the “hybrid” of Boomers/Millennials.

Help Boomers by: Offering efficiency solutions. Ask to get involved at the management level. Be proactive, not critical. Help your experienced counterparts understand the Millennials (most of you have younger siblings this age) Help Millennials by: Showing them the work expectations of their Boomer supervisors. Teach them how to be professional. Help them increase the quality of their oral and written communication.

Millennials
TEAM players and TECH-savvy. This optimistic group expects to reach their dreams. Relationships are important – more important than their careers.

Help Boomers by: Asking Boomers to mentor you. In return, teach them technology PATIENTLY. Show them how technology increases efficiency.

Help Gen X by: Sharing your optimism. Tell them to lighten up and not take things so seriously. Explain how social networking helps build relationships.

This is a brief list, but a good start for implementing action NOW!

Don’t wait. Take action and be part of the SOLUTION!

Scott Asai writes “Leading Gen whY”, to help increase the performance of the Gen Y/Millennial Worker. He started Growing Forward Coaching in 2007 to help corporations understand and learn how to maximize the talent of the younger worker. Prior to running his own business, he spent over ten years as a coach, director and youth leader. To contact him, please email scott@growingforward.net

Yesterday I gave a lecture in Porto Alegre. My lecture was part of a Management Seminar which included people such as Jose Tolovi Jr, the president of the “Great Place to Work Institute” and Carlos Faccina, the President of BSP and ex-Director of HR at Nestle. I tackled the issue of different generations and their relationships to each other. There were about 350 people in the audience. True to the city’s name, I found the people particularly “alegre” (the Portuguese word for happy). As we began to discuss the topic of new leadership within businesses of the future, I felt like a knot was forming inside my head…

During my lecture, I talked about how this new generation is filled with urgency and a desire for immediacy. This generation hasn’t lived through the time of letter writing, when it would often take 20 days, to receive news from a loved one. They haven’t experienced a world filled with a calmer, more tranquil, rhythm in which business people conducted large meetings in regards to “Strategic and Operational Planning.” If I proposed a strategic five-year plan to Generation Y, I think they’d look at me as if I was from another planet.

Faccina talked about leadership from a humane perspective. He stressed the importance of recognizing that people are individuals and taking care of them. At that precise moment, as these reflections bloomed in our minds, in front of that huge audience, I began to wonder…

I wondered how to make sure Generation Y would be good leaders. Did they have good role models in their schools or in their religion? What about in their households, did they find “grounding” and “inspiration” there, despite all the breaking and remaking through parents’ separations, divorces, and remarriages?

How are we going to prepare them to lead a team, in a world even more fiercely competitive than Baby Boomers faced? How will they deal with such a different and unpredictable future, where decision-making must happen at the speed of light (sometimes without sufficient information)?

Young people chat virtually, are more egocentric, and question everything. How will they take on the complex role of leadership, all while being a positive example for their team?

The future of businesses might resemble a chaotic orchestra. What sort of conductor will harmonize such a questioning and (at times) disobedient orchestra? Harmony might be found in a “conductor” who is able to convince through his or her charisma, posture, generosity, engaging the “orchestra” in innovation, and cutting-edge projects, where dedication, concentration, resilience, and extensive planning are all indispensible to making the right decisions and achieving overall success.

Laurent Lapierre , a Ph.D in Leadership, living in Canada, spoke about what it means to be a true leader. A true leader knows their strong and weak points. A true leader knows that they are not all knowing, or omnipotent, and are conscious that they too risk falling into impotence. A true leader uses emotion to manage the team, and to make decisions. They know that a leadership-role includes having doubts and coexisting with those doubts. Being a leader also means being human and failing sometimes. Being the boss, isn’t just about getting the best chair, the most incredible office, earning a better salary, and giving orders.

At the end of the lecture, I talked to Faccina. We spoke about our role as teachers, and preparing this new generation for the difficult task of “deepening the superficial,” in a world spinning at a speed which often doesn’t allow for this deeper vision. As educators, this is, without a doubt, our biggest challenge. As managers, it’s our biggest mission. We need conductors who will make beautiful music, despite all the chaos. Leaving Porto Alegre, full of happiness, my mind was lost in reflection. I was truly impressed with the hotel and its service. Upon my arrival, I asked for an ice bucket, and found it as soon as I set foot in my room. The young man who took me up to my room (Generation Y) was grinning ear-to-ear. He was so happy to see me surprised and struck with such admiration. I could only think who his leader would be…

By Rachel Glickhouse

I “met” Eline Kullock through a social networking site. She asked me to write a guest post for the blog. I found Eline to be extremely interesting, intelligent, and a hard worker (she is the President of Grupo Foco in Sao Paulo). So here I am, “guest blogging…”
People like to talk about the differences between generations. They constantly speak about generation gaps, and the cultural differences that separate different generations, including: The Baby Boomers (born after WWII), Gen X (born from 1960-1982), Generation Y (born from 1982-1986), and Gen Z (born in 1996…).
Still, the question remains, are these generation gaps different in Brazil and in the United States?

Technology
The United States has a large middle and upper middle class. So, Americans have access to relatively low prices when it comes to technology. This makes it possible for all generations to stay up to date in regards to new technologies.
Of course, technology is directly related to fashion and style. Everybody wants to have the coolest, smartest, latest, gadget (I phone, W. ii and TiVo for example).
In general, most of the population, from the Baby Boomers to Generation Z is technologically savy. They have constant access to computers and to the Internet. Since the technological revolution is very recent, it has changed everything very quickly. This forces us to constantly be learning and trying new tools and products.

In Brazil, it’s a different story. In the past 5 years, the middle class has grown considerably, allowing access to technology to become much more widespread. Washing machines, DVDs, and personal computers, are now a bit more commonplace than they were 5 years ago.
Previously technology-use, was limited and exclusive, to an elite segment of the population. However, now as salaries increase, and social consciousness grows, through politics and social awareness programs, most individuals have access to technology, or at least to the Internet.
However, within the new middle class, those who benefit the most from these changes are Generations Y and Z, leaving Baby Boomers and Gen X behind.
Just as before, older generations belonging to the middle and high classes are extremely tech savy.
In contrast, the older adults belonging to the new middle class are still struggling with the learning process, particularly when it comes to using the Internet and computer programs. Orkut has been a very useful tool. Through Orkut, these new users have started to understand how to use the Internet, and upload photos and videos.

The Job Market
I believe that the job market is currently very different in both countries.
In the United States, we are dealing with the worst Economic crisis since the Great Depression. Yes, we have one of the strongest economies, and are one of the most powerful countries in the world. However, the impact of this crisis is not just financial. It’s emotional as well. Americans’ self-esteem is extremely low and the general environment is not optimistic (especially since the honeymoon phase with Obama has passed.)
All generations are suffering in this job market, especially with the cutbacks happening in every industry.
But the generation that is suffering the most is Generation Y. Generation Y has entered the job market at a very difficult moment.
Since the 1960s there have been tremendous changes in the job market. People have been able to try new careers (especially women). There’s also been a technological revolution that created many new jobs (IT for instance).
This has allowed people to work in different fields, and not simply limit themselves to the traditional professions of: dentist, accountant, doctor, lawyer etc.
As a result, Generation Y is being forced to differentiate themselves even more. They have to set themselves apart with a distinct image and professional profile, as well as a differentiated set of skills.
Since there are currently many more potential employees than open positions, this is a secure moment to enter a “traditional profession” like Medicine, Engineering, etc. Obviously, these professions require extremely specialized knowledge. Therefore, people are going back to school.

In Brazil it’s not like this. The Baby Boomers and Generation X have suffered from economic instability, military dictatorship, and hyperinflation, which results in a very low self-esteem (which Eline writes about). Until recently, with economic growth and stability, unemployment rates were high, and it was difficult to penetrate the job market.
In Universities, students focused on “practical” and “traditional” careers. There wasn’t a great desire for creativity, unless that also came with a lot of money.
However this is also changing. Gen Y and Gen X are gaining access to a larger job market, which is more fluid and open. These generations have much more flexibility in regards to the career they choose. They also have more freedom to choose their career path. Innovative professions born out of the technological revolution, now have an important presence in Brazil. Gen Y’s self esteem is much higher than that of the Baby Boomers or Gen X, when they were of the same age.

Cultural Values
In the United States our collective history is schizophrenic and our historic memory is very short. We try to live in the moment. We focus on the present, instead of learning lessons from our past. This is how we’ve lived through three horrible wars.
Each generation does preserve its historical moments. Still, what gets valued the most, is “the now.” A subtle cultural pressure exists, telling us to keep the past in the past. We observe this in history books, and in black and white films.
Baby Boomers and Gen X have a desire to become part of Generation Y. They constantly “show off” their knowledge of the present, and adhere to new values.
The shift in cultural values is shared by all generations. For example, the majority of Americans want to prohibit smoking in public places. Also, many more people are starting to fight for gay rights.
In Brazil, collective history is much stronger. Young people remember the 1950 World Cup. They enjoy listening to old music like Gilberto Gil. Of course they also remember the dictatorship, Vargus, and colonialism.
Brazilian society is similar to a family. It has collective roots, and a valued history. However, I also feel that cultural values are slowly changing with each generation. Generation Y is more progressive. However, values take longer to change here than in the United States. This is also probably largely due to the fact that young people have much more respect for their parents and grandparents than in the United States.
In the U.S. it’s acceptable and perhaps even implicitly encouraged to reject your parents’ values. In Brazil, it’s completely unacceptable.
Despite advances in technology, like texts and e-mail, people still prefer to communicate on the phone or face-to-face.
Although there is fast food available, and workers are stressed at work, Brazilians still prefer to take their lunch hour, usually with their coworkers.
Of course, Gen Y in Brazil shares many cultural values with Gen Y in the states. But the traditional values, those passed on from other generations, are also important, and even sacred.

Visit: Adventures of a Gringa

By Inês Schinazi

Our writer Ines Schinazi had interviewed the Pulitzer Prizewinning reporter Michael Winerip about his new column “Generation B.”

Ines: How did the idea for Generation B come about?
Michael Winerip: I am of that age, so these are things that interest me. I’ve been a reporter all my life. I’ve been able to pursue what I’ve been interested in.
I was writing a parenting column for the New York Times, from 2006-2008. I enjoyed that very much. I was going through what I would call one of my “high parenting moments.”
I have four kids, three were teenagers at the time, and [I had] lots of issues like teenage drinking…how to deal with curfews, how to deal with college.
Most of what I wrote about wasn’t about my family, only about 10 percent to 15 percent was. Most of the stuff I reported related to the things that interest me, about how other families handle themselves.
Three out of my four kids are now off at college. So I was less interested in writing a parenting column.
I went to talk the style editor of the Times…Trip Gabriel. He said, “I’ve always had this idea [about the baby boomer column] and don’t know quite what to do with it… “
My reaction was on one hand, “oh god!” It made me cringe! The baby boomers! The stereotype of baby boomers is selfish, consuming, rich, self-absorbed, spoiled…all those things.
But as a journalist, one of the things that has always interested me, is to kind of take something that’s not seen as that important or that interesting and put a close up lens on it and surprise people.
In other words to kind of do the obvious so it seems the obvious. And you know when I wrote the first column, I got a tremendous reaction, I never answered all of the e-mails.
There was a substantial number either from a generation younger or people close to my kids’ age, saying “Oh god! A self absorbed baby boomer column, just what the world needs!”
When I write the column 90 percent are about other people and 10 percent are about me.
The Style Section, which I write for skews very young. It’s probably the youngest, hippest, section of the Times. It’s a way of reaching across another group of readers.
So a lot of the columns are sort of counter intuitive and heavily reported. They kind of play against the stereotype.
One of the statistics in the first column, which I get a tremendous reaction to is that something like 20 percent of baby boomers are taking care of both their kids and their parents.
If it is indeed a selfish generation… that again goes against the grain. [The column] is an interesting prism to look at things.
One of the things I like about being a reporter is being surprised and I’m constantly being surprised.

Ines: In the article “Seven Snapshots of a changing era” you speak about how Peter Kennedy’s kids, though all baby boomers, had incredibly different life experiences, even saying that during the time they grew up, a year often felt like a generation.
One could argue, that generation Y has also grown up in a time where “a year feels like a generation” due to the constant evolution of technology…” Do you agree?
MW: I think you are absolutely right. A year is an enormous time in a young person’s life. I mean look at the difference between a kid graduating college in 2007 and a kid graduating in 2009, because of the economy. A year or two can make a big difference. All that said, the Kennedys also shared a lot, by being raised in that era and being raised by the parents they were raised by.

Ines: In your writing you use many of your personal experiences to illustrate just how much your generation didn’t and doesn’t want to repeat their parents’ mistakes.
Yet, precisely because of this fear, generation B has resorted to the other extreme of “over intensive parenting” and “helicopter parenting.” What are your thoughts on generation B’s parenting?
MW: In terms of parenting, every generation has a helicopter parent. I don’t think the helicopter parent is new. I think it’s because this generation of parents has more wealth so they are able to spend more time and money. I think a smart parent today is no different from what a smart parent was before.

Ines: The current economic crisis has made for some atypical situations when it comes to traditional power structures and hierarchies concerning generations.
You actually wrote about the abundance of baby boomers attending job fairs, and job searching alongside generation Y applicants. In a sense, the crisis has allowed different generations to mix together, breaking down the traditional hierarchy a bit.
In your opinion, will this generational “mixing” fortify or weaken the link between different generations in the workplace?
MW: I think it’ll fortify. I learn empathy from my kids. I see the world through their eyes too. That brings us together. I learn from my kids. There’s a lot of bridging across generations.
What fortified the gay revolution is that everyone knew a gay relative. The link between women fortified the women’s movement. The civil rights revolution came slower because whites and blacks didn’t mix enough. But generations mix all the time.

Ines: Like the economic crisis, technology’s speedy evolution has also deeply changed the traditional generational hierarchy.
Being digital natives, younger generations often have power and resources where older generations do not.
How do you think that this will impact our workplaces, our world, and intergenerational relationships in general?
MW: I’m in the Newspaper Business, which is affected by exactly what you are talking about. Younger generations don’t read the newspaper the way my wife and I read the newspaper. This is very much a generational thing.
Technology is wiping out newspapers. Now I have a lot of anger about that. I don’t have a lot of anger at my kids. I do feel resentment that we as a society, haven’t dealt with this problem. Are we going to have an economic model to support independent reporters who will challenge the government on a local, state, and federal level, [and] who will challenge companies?
I’m not mad because my kids don’t understand that the Internet isn’t truly free. The fact that they can go to the New York Times Website and get it all free is insane! I don’t blame my kids for that. I do blame the leaders of our society who are mostly from my generation, for not perceiving this as a problem that transcends the marketplace, and a problem that affects democracy.
I’m angry at a leadership and economy that can’t think out of the box. Can we live in a democracy without The New York Times, The Washington Post, [and] The Wall Street Journal? Can all these blogs replace this? I don’t think so.
What makes the New York times, the New York Times, is that they have about 500 people like me who they pay to write sometimes one story a week, sometimes two stories a year, that are extraordinary.
That costs time and money, and what’s going to happen if every blogger isn’t going to have the time for that? I really worry about our democracy, and I worry that our leaders haven’t given this enough thought. It’s not generational. It’s societal.

Ines: As a writer, do you think that the extreme technological advances have changed the manner in which you write? Has technology overflowed into your writing affecting your style and the art form of writing?
MW: No, but I’m very privileged. I’m still writing for the New York Times, and I’m not writing a blog.
I guess one thing that has changed is that I do write more personal stuff than the previous generation of New York Times writers. There is more personal stuff in the New York Times.
Most of the personal pieces which don’t take me as long to write, because I’ve been thinking about them for 25 years…get e-mailed highly.
What technology has changed is the creation of these blogs, and the blogs are highly personal. There is some reporting going on there, but for the most part the world of blogs is personal.
Anybody can do that. It doesn’t cost a lot of money. I think that this is having an effect on the demand for reporting. I think that our society is affected that way.

Ines: What do you think is the biggest difference between Generation Y and Generation B?
MW: Because my generation was such an incredible demographic… a large part of the population was doing the same thing at the same time.
Yeah, we were self absorbed, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and sex, in our early twenties and late teens… but that’s what people do at the age.
…I think the boomers were judged way early because they were such a numerous population…
They were characterized in this stereotype a lot, of these self absorbed, unattractive things, which were true, but are more about youth than they were about that generation.

By Andy Teach

It’s funny how sometimes we miss the most obvious things in the workplace. I was an executive in the entertainment industry for over 25 years. As a Baby Boomer, I managed many members of Generation Y during that time. If I had any difficulties managing a Gen Y’er, I always assumed that it was because of gender or cultural differences. It was only after I began writing my Gen Y career advice book that I realized that some of the difficulties arose because of generational differences.

In most workplaces, there are three or even four different generations working together, or at least trying to work together. I’ve seen studies indicating that many members of each generation simply don’t respect, understand, or communicate with members of other generations and this obviously hurts productivity. I believe one way of overcoming this obstacle is simply to try and understand where each generation is coming from in terms of how they were brought up, the historical events that affected them, and what their priorities are.

Members of the oldest generation, known as The Matures or the Radio generation (some grew up before television was invented), are about 65 years old or older and they grew up during tough times-The Great Depression and WWII. They have a very strong work ethic, are loyal to their employer, and expect the same from their employees. The Baby Boomers (there was a big baby boom  right after WWII) range in age from their mid-forties to mid-sixties and grew up during the 1950’s Cold War and the turbulent 1960’s. We have a very strong work ethic and sometimes judge our success by how many hours we work each week. We are also very loyal to our employer. Generation X (also known as the MTV generation) is between approximately30 and 44 years old and grew up during the Reagan years and the Gulf War. They were the first generation to avoid the do-or-die Baby Boomer work ethic and are more loyal to the person and not the employer. The youngest generation is Generation Y (also known as The Millennials) and its members are between 9 and 29 years old. They grew up during the New Millennium which included the events of 9/11. Gen Y is the most technologically advanced generation ever but has a reputation for being entitlement focused, for switching jobs often, and for wanting a balance between work and life.

Speaking of technology, I grew up with slide rulers instead of calculators, big black and white television sets instead of sleek high-definition color TV’s, AM radio and record players instead of iPods, typewriters instead of computers, and no fax machines, internet, cell phones or Blackberry’s. Yes, times have changed and for the better and I for one don’t take things like the internet for granted because it wasn’t around for a good part of my career.

One example of generational differences occurred when I gave one of my Gen Y employees their yearly performance review. It was a very positive review but I did have some criticisms of the employee and I found out that a year later, this employee was still dwelling on the criticisms. At first, I thought that they were just being too sensitive and then I realized that many members of Gen Y are brought up with a lot of praise from parents, teachers, and sports coaches. Many Millennials got sports or school trophies for just participating (hence, they are also known as The Trophy Generation) while my generation had to actually win something to get a trophy! Some Millennials are just not used to being criticized and when they are, they don’t know how to react. My advice to Millennials is not to take criticism at work personally-everyone gets criticized. Listen carefully to your boss’s criticism and if you agree with it, tell your boss that.  If you don’t, you can respectfully disagree. Your boss is not only looking to see if you are going to improve but also to see how you react to the criticism.

My point is that every generation is brought up differently and has different ideas and expectations of what their jobs are going to be like. If you are a member of Gen Y or Gen X and you work for a Baby Boomer and they’re all about making work their first priority, then you should know that they will most likely expect the same from you. It is equally important for Baby Boomers to understand where Gen Y and Gen X employees are coming from and try and take their needs into account. Don’t let age differences get in the way at work-embrace them instead. Get to know people from other generations by observing them, speaking with them, and learning from them. You’ll be glad you did.

Andy Teach is the author of the new career advice book, From Graduation To Corporation.

Our generation lived for Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Jackson 5, and Michael Jackson.

Our Brazilian idols were Leila Diniz, Elis Regina, Tom Jobim, and Chico Buarque.

We listened to all thismusic. Religiously.

In 1968, the “Reboucas Tunnel,” was inaugurated in my hometown of Rio.

The tunnel connected the south area of Rio with the rest of the city. Ipanema beach, which had always been an oasis of calm and tranquility, became jam packed and chaotic.

Dictatorship hit right before our eyes. But we still managed to be happy. At that moment, young students, all over the world, broken down rigid paradigms. Questioning morals and ancient customs and traditions. Paris was literally in flames.

At that moment speed picked up, and our lives accelerated.Our generation, the Baby Boomers, started getting married and having our own kids.Between all the rules, norms, and laws, of the time, we raised our children. We changed, we changed the world, and we created a generation. We changed what it meant to raise kids. Perhaps the greatest evidence of our new child raising philosophy came in the ever present sentence,

“Mommy said I could!”

The little boys and girls who were born in 1980 and in the years that followed, are now starting to lead the world. We coexist with them in our businesses and outside of them. I wonder where they will be 15 or 20 years from now?

I wonder who their heroes and idols will be? Who will they remember? Who will they be proud of?

I miss, Tom Jobin, Leila Diniz, Elvis, Lennon, SydBarret, David Gilmour, and Michael Jackson. I miss Michael in Black and White. I miss Belle de Jour by Sartre. I miss the beautiful “make love not war” attitude. Our generation laid the grounding for where we are today.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of all this, is that we still question ourselves.

How do we deal with the new generations? Who are they? What do they want?

No rules and no family dinners. The television blares in our living rooms, and computers are almost as vital as blood, their sound interfering with the voices from the TV.

Our children don’t even have time to listen to us anymore.

So now what?

The death of Michael Jackson means the death of a brilliant entertainer who also lived between three generational planes. We could perhaps call him an “X Y Boom.” Technically born into the baby boomer generation, he speaks our parents’ language and has many fans in the baby boomer age group. And yet, nearly every time I go out, the night often isn’t complete until the DJ plays a Michael Jackson song.

Generation X and Y know the dance steps to “Thriller” and “Billy Jean.” Some of them can even do a perfect moonwalk. Not to mention, those who can recite every single word in a Michael Jackson song, without skipping a beat. Clearly, he’s made quite an impression on the younger generations. He speaks the languages of X, Y, and Boom.

In many senses, Michael Jackson brought different generations together, sliding between them, allowing them to see how similar they actually are.

In the workplace, perhaps we need someone like him. A mediator. Someone who speaks both languages. Someone who exists on many generational planes. Someone like the great Michael Jackson. We need a translator, who doesn’t get lost in translation.