Generationing

You know that metaphor of the seemingly graceful swan paddling like mad underneath, to describe a very busy (or panicking) person, but who looks calm and composed? Yeah, that’s not me. When I panic, I skip the ‘remain calm and composed’ part of my brain and jump right into PANIC. And in work this isn’t the best idea. Panic causes you to make mistakes, lose control over your tone and to display negative body language. It causes your manager, your client (eek!) to lose even more confidence in you than you’ve lost in yourself.

I thought this tendency to panic openly was just me. To some degree it is, but I also think it’s a generational thing. Generation Ys were taught by their parents to be open about their lives, being given permission from an early age to freely express their emotions. Additionally, growing up in a world where there is little need for information to be stored in one’s head suggests that, when faced with a tough situation where there is neither someone to ask nor internet to search, the initial response of some Gen Ys may be to express how they feel: panicky. In business, where acting ‘professionally’ is paramount, a panicking employee isn’t going to instil confidence in anyone and may even damage the brand if the panic occurs in front of a client.

Such a tendency to panic also stems, in part, from always having been saved. Our parents saved us; our teachers saved us; even our universities saved us. If we were in trouble, there was always someone there to pick up the pieces and save us from the consequences to our actions: we were never allowed to fail. Unfortunately, being disallowed to fail has taught us helplessness, which isn’t great for businesses, which need employees who can work independently; who can take managed risks, and aren’t going to let the fear of failure paralyse them into un-productivity.

Surprisingly, this panic tendency can actually be harnessed by employers to their benefit. Firstly, Generation Y is prepared to ask for help which, when appropriately managed, can significantly improve productivity and the quality of work. It also provides an opportunity for managers to gain the respect of this cohort by being there (although not to excess of course) perhaps as a mentor. Just knowing that there’s someone to ask will help calm the most panicky of Gen Y. The need to be saved as also led many Generation Ys to be more their trusting of organisations (unlike independent me-against-the-world Generation X). This suggests that if employers work to help Generation Y feel part of the business, such as establishing excellent socialisation activities and processes, and maintaining open and transparent communications, they will find themselves with a generation which, feeling safe in its new ‘home’, is very loyal.