| STRATEGIC ANALYSIS |
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| The generation challenge |
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Beyond the absurdity of the situation, this is an example of interaction between different generations. All in all, the Emo movement doesn't seem as bad to me as the jokes being made about it. It just manifests itself differently from the generation it's part of, a generation known as the "Y" generation or "Internet"/ "Google". If we remember (those who can I mean) the hippie, punk, disco, break-dance movements, they were also criticized or viewed differently when they first appeared. They were tied to certain musical genres and had symbols that identified them as such (gestures, words, clothing etc.). Maybe the role of these types of movements appearing within the framework of certain generations was that of highlighting the existence of that particular generation.
During my training sessions I can clearly see the differences between participants belonging to a different generation through the reaction they have regarding activities - some of them debate a lot, others solve them very quickly and need a new challenge. When I first read about generations and the differences between them I asked myself the following question: "How much should I trust these general needs in a population group numbering tens of millions?". Would this mean I can say that all those belonging to the X generation behave or dress the same?
If someone wants to analyze a certain group of people or an individual, he has at his disposal precise instruments, perfected through time. Looking for the general needs and traits of a generation serves as a starting point with which you can anticipate certain types of reactions that employees of a certain age might have in different situations. If we look at the moment in which a generation appears, the social balance, economic and technical evolution puts their mark on their development. As Morris Masey, author of "People Puzzle", observed, the first ten years of a child's life define his attitude, values and convictions. After that and until the age of twenty, these values and convictions embed themselves in our personality and end up influencing our personal and professional life.
If we think about certain periods in history and their impact on the children who witnessed them, we can easily understand what the impact on their values and convictions can be. And even if the members of a generation don't share the exact same values and convictions, they experience approximately the same learning environments and thus contribute to creating a generational identity.
Out of the different options of breaking down generations, the one I thought is the easiest to accept is this:
• The 1920-1940 generation, globally named "The Silents", in Romania I would call it "Inter-War"
• The 1940-1960 generation, called "Baby Boomers" in many countries, in our case I would call it "Collectivization"
• The 1960-1980 generation, called "X" or in our case "Decreeds"
• The 1980-2000 generation, called "Y" (with different variants such as "Millennials", "Internet", "Google") and the first generation, in my point of view, aligned with other countries when it comes to its needs and values
• The 2000-2020 generation, still in development, called "Z" or "C" (from Community) which is still relatively unknown
What would the characteristics of these generations be, in short?
1. "The Silents" generation or "Inter-War"
• Their age varies between 68 and 88 years, most of them are retired
• In some countries they are still present as share-holders or as members of management boards
• They were raised in the spirit of the inter-war years with a focus on respect towards others
• They are traditionalists and they like a structured approach
2. The "Baby Boomers" or "Collectivization" generation
• They are aged between 48 and 68, senior managers or top management, presidents in a lot of companies
• In Romania, they have all made a career during the communist regime and the revolution caught some of them off guard, challenging them to change their convictions and start over
• Some of them have managed to build successful businesses or become managers in different companies (especially the younger segment of the generation)
• Unlike the baby boomers of Europe and the USA, that rebuilt their countries after the war, the energy in our case was different and focused towards survival and resistance, this can be sometimes seen in their needs
• They have a tendency to be loyal to organizations and appreciate clarity and stability
• They like the traditional style, they sometimes yearn for that which is Romanian and they see it as disappearing in the fog of globalization
• They respect hierarchy and management positions within organizations, sometimes taking them as a status-quo that mustn't be challenged
3. The "X" generation or the "Decreeds"
• They are familiar with modern technology (personal computers were born at the same time they were) - do you remember HC 85, the Basic operating language, Spectrum or XT?
• In Romania, they were the result of a decree that practically lead to the number of children doubling, with disastrous effects on the educating system. Still, Romania's X generation is the one that occupies management positions in most of the companies in Romania and is also the one that ensures our country's transition from communism to capitalism
• They like an informal approach in the relations they have with others and this can be seen in their desire to force the limits of conformity and traditionalism, to which the members of the "Collectivization" generation feel so attached
• The fact that they had access to computers ever since they were small children, allows them to have a greater capacity for learning than the previous generation and, at the same time, a greater flexibility when adapting to change
• Because many of them have reached not only a physical but a professional maturity at this point they are starting to seek a balance between personal and professional life
• They like diversity and they feel prepared to handle different experiences, some of them are seeking, around the age of 30, to compensate for all that they lacked during Ceausescu's regime such as sports that were banned or impossible to practice
4. The "Y" generation
• At worldwide level , they are the first generation that was born with computers and technology in their house
• At this point they are very familiar with social networking and communication technology, forcing even the limits of organizations towards a larger integration in the business context
• In Romania they are the first generation that is aligned with the Y generation at a global level when it comes to needs and behaviors
• They learn faster than the previous generation but don't have the patience to accumulate and therefore have a tendency to put pressure towards this
• They aren't always fans of hierachy and have a tendency to work extremely well in a network type organization, in which structures are replaced by delegating responsibility and clearer, simpler processes
• The tendency to speed up and lack of interest when it comes to gradually building up experience means they need careful supervision during their development process
• They are more narcissistic then previous generations, individualistic, independent
• They have a great deal of confidence in themselves
• They have a "Been there. Done that" attitude
• They want to know that their work has an impact
In the next article we'll look at the following subjects that can help you in managing people:
- How do generations react towards?
• Technology
• Relations with others
• Diversity and change
• Career
• Management
• Rewards
- How can I use their strong and weak points in my organization?
Rares Manolescu
Senior Manager
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Human Invest is a Premier League company in the arena of training and organizational development consultancy services, present on the Romanian market since 1998.
We are recognized for conceiving and implementing programs which offer managers an authentic experience towards improving their leadership performances, and thus we support companies in becoming more and more engaged in delivering excellent services for their clients.
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