3 Lessons from the Millennial Generational Debate

Happy New Year!  I've been MIA recently on the Catapult HR blog, but one of my goals for 2014 is to post on a regular basis.   To kick off 2014, I wanted to begin discussions around generational dynamics in the workforce.

I’ll admit, I enjoy reading about generational differences in the workforce.  Some people like reading about cars, others politics or beauty.  This is a nerd alert – I like to read about stuff like different generations in the workforce.

 

I hear about generational differences regularly in discussions with my managers and various organizational leaders.  And guess what?  Millennials (or Gen Y) have a generally terrible reputation.  Anyone who has ever read an article on the topic is not surprised.  Now, I need to preface all of my comments with the fact that I am a millennial - I was born in the 1980’s.

 

I speak to business leaders all the time who are actually PART of Gen Y themselves, and have pretty negative things to say, especially as they regurgitate the characteristics that have come to define the generation such as narcissism, instant gratification, laziness, entitlement, job hoppers and even delusional.  Managers often talk about Gen Y as if they’re Millennial aged staff don’t know what they’re saying.  They also pretend like even though they are part of the generation, these stereotypes are not characteristic of them…they’re different…they’re “special.”  The problem is, that’s exactly part of the negative stereotype.  Everyone thinks they are a “special snowflake”.  My personal feeling on the matter is that there is some truth to the stereotypes, as there is to many stereotypes, but generalizing a group of people born over a 25 year period (or any group of people for that matter) is dangerous and misleading.  But this post is less about my opinion on Gen Y, and more about what I've learned after some thought on the matter.  I don’t disagree that the direction millennials have taken some cultural norms is not a positive one.  So, if or when I have children, there are a few things I plan to teach them based on these heated millennial debates.

1. I plan to set expectations.  I plan to set these expectations based on what I've learned.  These include things like the importance of a college degree and hard work.  The expectation that education is important, but does not equate success, and the importance of giving.
2. Avoid student debt.  I took on student debt to go to graduate school, and while I’m grateful for my degree and the doors it helped to open, the debt associated with my degree took away some of my freedom and life options for the early part of my career. 
3. Get paid to do what you love.  Leading a happy life that you’re satisfied with at the end of it all is so important.  Start doing what you love, and then find a way to monetize it!  Too many people do this backwards – they get a paycheck, then wish it was from doing something they really loved.

Future generations will have their own stereotypes, and challenges to overcome.  However, it’s important for everyone to reflect and pull upon the wisdom of current and previous generations.  

What lessons have you learned from the millennial generation debates?