Search
Related Links

 

 

Informative Articles

Can Nurses Be Entrepreneurs?
Yes, Nurses can be entrepreneurs. In today’s market place nursing has a unique service to offer not only to hospitals but nursing homes, private care and doctor offices. We as nurses have the skill, knowledge and motivation to be successful...

Narcissism in the Boardroom
The perpetrators of the recent spate of financial frauds in the USA acted with callous disregard for both their employees and shareholders - not to mention other stakeholders. Psychologists have often remote-diagnosed them as "malignant,...

Nine Sure Fire Ways to Boost Your Career
1. Differentiate yourself using a Personal Value Proposition. A PVP a description of how your unique mixture of five key elements creates and/or adds value for an organization and the people in it. A personal examination of these elements...

The Ultimate Career Builder
THE ULTIMATE CAREER BUILDER. See full color web version at: http://www.SeniorManagementServices.com/pvt-105-career-builder.html Last week, I discussed "Success is no Accident." My message was that according to research, most businesses fail...

Top 10 Ways to Handle Problem Co-Workers
Gossiping, backstabbing, power plays - everyone has had to deal with difficult co-workers. They can sap your energy and stand in the way of your enjoyment of your job. 1. Review your company policy, if any exists, to see the guidelines on...

 
Coaching Generation X

It has been said that Generation X is the most ignored, misunderstood, and disheartened generation our country has seen in a long time. No one can define who belongs to Generation X. While most agree that there is a generation after the Boomers, no one agrees on who it is. In a September 23, 1996, article in USA Today, six experts defined Generation X, each with a different answer. They ranged anywhere from those born between 1961 to 1981 (78 to 85 million) to those born between 1965 to 1976 (46 million). Although Generation X appears to be the accepted term, other labels have been applied. William Strauss and Neil Howe refer to them as the Thirteenth Generation (the thirteenth generation since the founding of our country). Baby Busters and Twenty-somethings have also been used.
One of the most fundamental requirements for effective coaching is the ability to understand others' motives, values, and goals, not enforcing one's own on others. A slight variation of the Golden Rule-instead of "treating others as you want to be treated," coaches should "treat others as they want to be treated." This means understanding, and accepting, that people are all different. It also means that there is no "script" for coaching-it is different for every person you coach.
The need to understand differences is especially apparent in the ongoing conflict between Baby Boomers and Generation X. These struggles are rooted in the desire (on both sides) to want everyone to be alike. This would certainly make our lives and relationships easier, but it is not based in reality. Of course, clashes between generations are not new. Remember the generation gap in the 1960s between the Boomers and the Silent Generation?
The fact remains that Generation X are the employees in the workforce today; they are the future. They aren't going away, nor are they likely to conform to the previous generation's definition of work. Boomer managers cannot continue to ignore Xers' differences and try to manage them according to their own mindset. This does not mean agreement with an Xer's attitude but, understanding them to make coaching easier. The better you know them, the more likely you are to have insight to their "hot buttons"-what motivates them. And, at the very best, understanding them may begin to remove the conflict and hostility that exists between the generations and will lead to positive actions and results that are mutually beneficial to the individual and the organization.
The problem with generalizations is that they only go so far and stereotyping runs the risk of alienation. There are always exceptions to the rule, those who will say "that's not me". I can sometimes identify with Boomers and sometimes with Xers (you guess my age!). It is impossible to suggest a prototype for how to coach 46-85 million people. As a start, the generalizations made here are based on a review of the relevant literature and personal observations/discussion with coaches-all with the hope of understanding this generation and offering suggestions on how to effectively coach them. To successfully coach and help Generation X, we must learn what they want, how they feel, and how they view their world.
WHAT WON'T MOTIVATE?
Generation X won't do things because they have a deep sense of mission, or loyalty to an organization. They have nothing but disdain for corporate politics and bureaucracy and don't trust any institution. They grew up watching their parents turn into workaholics, only to be downsized and restructured out of their chosen careers. They believe work is a thing you do to have a life (work doesn't define their life).
During the practice situations in our coaching workshops, the coach will often say-"Your behavior is affecting the company and if you don't change, we won't be in business in the long term." They raise the company flag and pull out the loyalty line. This means nothing to Xers-it will not capture their interest, raise their awareness, or stir them to new thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Xers have no expectation of job security, so they tend to see every job as temporary and every company as a stepping stone to something better, or at least to something else. They have been


accused of not wanting to pay their dues. But, in today's changing workplace, anyone who is thinking about doing a job long enough to pay dues is out of touch!
Because they won't put in long hours at what they mostly term "dead end" jobs (Douglas Coupland coined the term "Mcjobs,") and they don't exhibit the same loyalty as Boomers do towards an organization, they have been called slackers. However, Xers will work very hard for a job that they believe in, for something that challenges them. In a l995 survey, Babson College Professor Paul Reynolds found that "10% of Americans between the ages of 25-34 are actively involved in creating a start-up company, a rate about three times as high as any other age group...it should help dispel once and for all the myth that today's youth are motivationally challenged." (U.S. News and World Report, September 23, 1996)
WHAT DOES MOTIVATE?
Value The Individual and Nurture Relationships
Although there doesn't seem to be one description of Generation X, most will agree that a defining characteristic is that they don't like to be characterized (as I'm doing in this article!). They don't want to be treated as a single entity, but want to be looked at as individuals. In addition, this is the first wave of latchkey kids to hit the work force. They are homesick for the home they never had (due to both parents working). Their focus on relationships over achievement is what leads Boomers to complain about their laziness. Isn't this strong sense of community and personal relationships in the workplace just what we need?
Challenging Work
This generation has sometimes been called the MTV Generation because of their short attention span. Xers want new challenges and the opportunity to build new skills. Training is one of the best motivators. They have a tremendous capacity to process lots of information and concentrate on multiple tasks.
They don't want to spend a lot of time talking about things or having meetings. They want to get in, do the work, and move on to the next thing. If you're looking for someone to deliver a report every week, you don't want an Xer. I recently brought up the subject of understanding twenty-somethings during a coaching workshop. Immediately a manager complained, with a lot of emotion, that kids today don't want to work and will only stay for a week or so and then leave. Well, the job was very repetitive and offered little challenge. No wonder!
Freedom to Manage Time and Work
Xers don't want over-your-shoulder, in-your-face managers who constantly check what they're doing. Perhaps as a result of their latchkey childhood, these young workers are not used to being closely supervised and are remarkably good at working on their own.
Feedback and Recognition
On the other hand, members of Generation X seem to crave time with their bosses and can never get enough feedback on their performance. They may be searching for what was missing when they were growing up. Because of their short attention span, recognition and rewards must arrive quickly. Employee of the month doesn't do anything for them.
CONCLUSION
The characteristics for which Generation X has received such bad press are the very qualities that make them valuable. We say we want an empowered work force...give Xers the ball and they will run with it...we want a self-directed work force...these workers have been self directed from a very young age...we want computer literacy...Generation X comes out on top...we want flexible, adaptable workers-right on again.
Xers will respond to Boomer managers if they put meaning, into the buzzwords they use so often-empowerment, teamwork, communication. Create an environment where they are challenged by and enjoy their work, where they're measured on performance rather than on which clothes they wear, where they are informed, included and recognized. Gee, maybe Xers aren't so different from anyone else!


About the author:
Please click here http://www.cmoe.com/coaching.htmto learn more about our Coaching services and the organizations we have served.



 

 

 

Content Menu
  • 10 reasons to start a home business

  • 10 things you will like about a home based business

  • 18 caveats on how not to change

  • 5 common free agent myths

  • achievers interview with david showalter

  • adam smith the real life grinch who stole christmas and won

  • advance your nursing career work as an independent nurse contractor

  • all aboardeveryone going global

  • alternative retirement income options in 2005

  • and you can quote me

  • an honest look at your business

  • audio marketing comes of age educate first and sales will follow

  • avoid the three biggest financial pitfalls

  • a hitchhikers guide to the internet

  • balancing your priorities with your search for at home work

  • basics about writing a business plan

  • beginners guide to blogging

  • being other focused

  • benefits of using freelance consultants trainers for your projects

  • ben franklin didnt quite get it right

  • ben franklin didn t quite get it right

  • beyond budgeting a new approach to annual budgets

  • be a pest make money

  • biweekly mortgage

  • blogging for business

  • blogosphere networking

  • book summary nice girls dont get the corner office 101

  • bridging the gap dont forget your core customers

  • bridging the gap don t forget your core customers

  • building better teams through executive coaching

  • business like image

  • business planning myopia

  • business plan basics

  • can nurses be entrepreneurs

  • career management in a jobless economy

  • change or reinforce

  • christian business opportunities bring relief to your daily routine

  • coaching generation x

  • computer business opportunity provide huge profit potential

  • could a roth ira be better than a 401 k

  • creative strategies for brainstorming for business success

  • crm

  • dance on your brain tonight for a better tomorrow

  • decisions how close are you to a 100 strike rate

  • dej… vu all over again and again

  • dont fall for email scams

  • downtown san diego condo market is ideal for investors

  • do you have the global entrepreneurial spirit

  • entrepreneur runs list sales company from office in his home

  • eq at the office

  • executive coaching and the american president

  • factors to make or break your home business and home business residual income streams that work

  • filling the data leaks the importance of digital asset protection

  • finding the purpose in online networking groups

  • five questions to ask yourself before launching a new business

  • five questions to ask yourself before starting a new business

  • forex trading

  • freelancers your job away from job

  • fun with credit cards

  • going against the conventional investment wisdom

  • going mobile part 1 wireless phone service for your home business

  • going mobile part 2 how to get in on the wireless revolution without credit checks or 2 year commitments

  • going mobile part 3 finding the perfect wireless phone

  • good first impressions count when you mean business

  • good news in our brave new world

  • google slavery old habits die hard

  • hey that was my idea corporate games for a rainy day

  • home business

  • home business solutions 60 minute money

  • how corporations can use real estate to access untapped capital

  • how to get a visa mastercard with no credit check

  • how to get that promotion

  • how to increase your chance of promotion at work

  • how to make money working from home

  • how to share your home office with a sick child

  • how to use an hr consultant

  • how to use emotion in stock trading

  • how your new years eve bash can grow your career

  • important considerations when setting up a profitable home business and a handful of work from home income streams that are quick simple to set up

  • independent rn contractors are taking the nursing profession

  • index

  • innovative entrepreneur ideas

  • investors look for the real estate sweet spots

  • is it boys vs girls on the internet

  • is there any money left in currency trading

  • is the medicalcare system still a disaster in us

  • its high time for lifetime savings accounts

  • know your career goals

  • leadership by persuasion four steps to success

  • learn the art of dynamic leadership

  • life is short love what you do do what you love

  • looking for a change

  • madeline hill senior community pioneer

  • maintaining your motivation

  • make or break home business tips and home based residual incomes that work

  • make your career offshore proof

  • managing project risks part 1 dont be snared by these 6 common traps

  • managing the human resource project

  • marketing your home business in just 30 minutes a week

  • mlm success training why some people become wealthy in network marketing and others dont

  • my identity crisis

  • narcissism in the boardroom

  • narcissism in the boardroom part ii

  • new mobile applications shock market part 1 of 2

  • new years resolutions for your home business

  • new year s resolutions for your home business

  • nine sure fire ways to boost your career

  • no plan no cash back to square one

  • office politics

  • offshore investing leveraging overseas trading

  • oil demand and the effects on the global stock market

  • organizational political savvy

  • paid surveys and focus groups maximize your online income with these tips

  • political selling 101

  • preparing for change during international expansion

  • present like a pro ten ways to wow your audience

  • print and modern thought

  • problogging making money from blogs

  • professional relationship blueprints

  • profiles of the powerful advertising exec steve grasse

  • qualities of a winner

  • reloading the matrix with jada mrs smith that is

  • remember its the world wide web

  • retire debt free

  • rocket investing stock market research advice

  • roi on the 8 step coaching model

  • rotator

  • sales force of the future its not about selling

  • self publishing at the speed of thought

  • sell you with your small talk yes you can

  • several red flags for spotting a phony or scam

  • six of one half a dozen of the other

  • speak with es part 1

  • speak with e s part 1

  • sports betting as an alternative investment

  • succeed the natural way

  • succession planning not on my watch

  • success in the import export business

  • surviving corporate politics

  • surviving corporate politics part 2 keeping up appearances

  • surviving corporate politics part 3

  • talk the talk

  • tax reform my way

  • ten fatal flaws frequently found from the podium

  • theodore roosevelt the original rough rider

  • the advantages of having a home business

  • the benefits of using freelance consultants trainers for your next project

  • the biggest oil opportunity in the world and how you can profit from it

  • the business meeting

  • the fabric of economic trust

  • the fairness of office politics integrity and political motivation

  • the macedonian lottery

  • the musketeer approach

  • the perfect project manager

  • the real story of the little engine that could

  • the sickly state of public hospitals

  • the top 10 brainstorming techniques for business success

  • the top 10 strategies for moving into action and for getting bottom line results

  • the ultimate career builder

  • the wages of science

  • the wages of science part ii

  • think outside the box home business ideas

  • three common deadly mistakes made in job interviews

  • throw out the lifeline

  • time to think outside the box

  • tired of jumping jobs

  • top 10 ways to handle problem co workers

  • top ten brainstorming techniques for business success

  • to get free publicity think local

  • to grow out of unemployment

  • triple the response of your ales letters by harnessing the mysterious power of mind reading

  • trust in a digital economy

  • uncovering soul in the workplace

  • wearing your politics on your sleeve

  • what if peter drucker were your ceo

  • what shes got five essential traits of web wonder women

  • what work at home moms can learn by watching the apprentice

  • when politics prevent innovation

  • when the levee breaks a selfish look at the financial effects of katrina and how many more fuel increases we can take

  • whose goals are they

  • why demo fx account performance is often better than real account performance

  • why dont they just get it done 7 performance tactics for ceos

  • why is it more profitable for an indian to take up work at home business

  • why the internet is an entrepreneurs dream

  • why would anyone hold a bad meeting

  • why would anyone want to hold a bad meeting

  • winning the credit game

  • work from home office policies

  • worse than tsunami trade protectionism hurts third world citizens

  • youre the boss