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Typical Gen Y
Written by Buddy Hobart on July 28th, 2009
Even though I have had my “road to Damascus” conversion regarding Gen Y, I am amazed at how my prejudices can surface almost instantly. As business leaders, we need to be constantly aware of how easily it is to back slide. Here is a quick story that is almost embarrassing for an author of a Gen Y book to admit.
Last week I was leaving a client location and flying home. My flight left at 7:30am, stopped in Minneapolis, then continued to Pittsburgh. It goes without saying that I was in for a long day.
The night before my departure I talked to the front desk and requested a shuttle ride a 6am. Before turning in, I confirmed the time. The next morning, when I went to the lobby at 5:55, I was told the shuttle driver had not arrived yet. A few minutes later I saw a young man (Gen Y’er) enter a side door. His shirt was un-tucked, his tie was undone, and it appeared he had just woken up.
My IMMEDIATE thought was “typical Gen Y……..how could he be late and make an already challenging travel day even worse? Must be a slacker.” My prejudices took over and my thoughts were negative.
Now, here is the REAL story. My driver had not been informed of a 6am ride, and in fact his start time is 6:15. The night manager (not a Gen Y’er) had forgotten to tell him about an early departure, even though I confirmed it twice. My driver had, in fact, come in early, just in case there was an early departure! It gets even better.
When he did meet me in the lobby to take me to the airport, his shirt was tucked in and his tie was tied. He was as polite and professional a hospitality employee as I have seen in all of my travels. To top it off, he is getting his college degree in the afternoons and evenings. He works this job because he can earn his tuition by working a 6am to noon shift. From there it is off to school and the library. Most nights he is back home by 10pm, after a visit to the library. The only part of my original misguided thought process was that he HAD just woke up, but not because he had “partied” the night before. He did not get home from the library until after 11pm.
The lesson here? It is important to be self-aware of how prejudices, though dormant, can cause even the most gen y friendly manager to react in a way that is unfair and inaccurate to the situation at hand.
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