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The advertising industry is just one of many struggling with inter-generational challenges and how to benefit best from and work harmoniously with the huge, impatient, Gen Y/Millennial generation. Their impact will be felt not only in the workplace itself, but also in how they influence consumers of advertising, media and products and services.

It’s not the first time a marked shift has occurred, of course, Those of us who watch “Mad Men” or remember the late 1960s and ‘70s as teens or young adults have seen the impact of the Baby Boomer generation setting out to change the world. (The fact that the parents of the Gen Ys are mostly Boomers should not be lost in this discussion.)

On May 7^th, Val DiFebo, CEO of the Deutsch, Inc. ad agency and a Boomer moderated a panel titled “Don’t Generalize My Generation” comprised of one Boomer, one Gen Xer and two Gen Y/Millennials as part of a social media week. The discussion, relevant to many industries and workplaces, revolved around a number of questions other generations have of the Gen Y/Millennials and their impact.

• How do you describe what you are looking for at work?

The Gen Ys insisted their generation won’t adapt to the Boomer workplace. They are looking for a collection of experiences; hence many have “side hustles.” Those multiple roles define them and also serve, they think, as a safety net in what seems a perpetually uncertain economy. And some Boomers and Gen Yers think that the Gen Yers experience of being overscheduled with activities from a young age led to difficulty focusing.

There must be a “why” for Gen Y in the workplace, a purpose, and little or no hierarchy.” (They say they aren’t interested in titles  - until someone else gets one.)  Employers and managers need to elevate the mission of each project and be sure to clarify where their assignments fit into the big picture.

• If you work at multiple jobs (the “slash generation” with a “side hustle” in addition to the main job), do you really see yourself as embodying all of your roles?

[Older generation] bosses wonder how things get done when people are only “half in.” Are they unwilling to make sacrifices? Do they lack commitment to anything but themselves? Or are they actually saner for rejecting the model set up by the Boomers and Xers in which they never take their foot off the gas. Would rejection of that model benefit everyone?

• Can you be successful working from anywhere? How do you convince someone that you have the ability to do the job?

Gen Yers are comfortable organizing themselves virtually and think they can work from anywhere. The Boomers and Xers think that works for some jobs and some personalities. Some of the ways they can convince people that they have the ability to do a job are to explain how they think and their problem-solving process and convey confidence.

• What does leadership in the future look like?  Do you have trouble making decisions if you can’t crowdsource?

As for future leadership, the Gen Yers on the panel said they didn’t know what it would look like but it would be different. Leadership is about getting followers behind a vision, a movement, they said. Few decisions are made by anyone alone.

• How do Gen Yers define success?

One of the young panelists said he isn’t worried that he can’t define career success. The other Gen Y defined career success for herself as feeling happy with her involvement and self-actualization, which perhaps seems the opposite of crowdsourcing or looking to others.

• Do the older generations need to shift to accommodate Gen Ys? Is that a good thing?

Are the older generations the ones that have to shift? One shift the panel thought could benefit everyone is more transparency. And they can follow the example of the Gen Ys who are reaching out to the generation that follows them (Gen Z or the Re Generation or other names to come) and give them opportunities – paying it forward – which is likely to create more harmony between those generations. Make the younger generations part of your vision.

• What does industry need to do to keep Gen Ys engaged?

Some of the things the panel felt the industry needs to do to better accommodate the Gen Ys are: figure out how to automate grunt work so they don’t have to be burdened with it; urge all generations to always be curious to learn and try new things; maintain an excitement about what you don’t know; and incorporate plenty of praise and feedback.

While there are many generational gaps to bridge, the multi-generational panelists actually have much common ground in their views, particularly about the desire to work well together.

Have you been observing changes in the way different generations relate to each other? Do you think it varies by industry? Please share your observations and thoughts at pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com or the Cross-Generational Conversation group on LinkedIn.

Phyllis

© Phyllis Weiss Haserot, 2013. All rights reserved.

* The generational chronology for easy reference: Generations are defined by the similar formative influences – social, cultural, political, economic – that existed as the individuals of particular birth cohorts were growing up. Given that premise, the age breakdowns for each of the four generations currently in the workplace are approximately:

Traditionalists:                             born 1925-1942   

Baby Boomers                              born 1943-1962

Generation X                                born 1963-1978

Generation Y/Millennials              born 1979-1998   

For coaching, training and special programs on inter-generational challenges for and among 4 generations in the workplace, attracting and retaining clients and employees of different generations, and maximizing the potential of young professionals and work teams, call or email Phyllis for an exploratory talk or complimentary coaching session at 212-593-1549 or pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com. .

Phyllis is available to speak at your organization or at firm retreats on inter-generational relations and organizational effectiveness topics. Call or e-mail for a list of topics or to custom-tailor your own. 

Learn about our *Generational Wisdom for Mentors and Mentees* programs as well as multi-generational team facilitation. Call 212-593-1549 or e-mail pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com.