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Which Components of Culture Transcend Generations?
Written by Buddy Hobart on April 14th, 2010
One of our Gen Y employees recently posed an interesting question. She said, “Since you talk about organizational adjustments that first should be made for Gen Y, I’m interested in knowing what types of things should not be changed or adjusted.” The question made me think about several talks that we have given about timeless leadership and that a leader is not looking to accommodate Gen Y; a leader is looking to lead. With that said, what are some things that should never be legislated out of a superior culture?
Over the next several weeks we can discuss more of these cultural cornerstones. In response to my colleague’s question, here are the first four that come to mind:
1. Adherence to deadlines: In order for any organization to succeed, deadlines still need to be upheld for all projects. This is particularly true in a collaborative environment where one piece of the puzzle relies on another piece of the puzzle in order to make a whole. If one group misses its deadlines, then the entire team can fall apart. No matter what, realistically set deadlines are mutually agreed upon.
2. Timeliness: It is true that Gen Y does not measure time in the same way that previous generations have. We often talk about the real-time nature of Gen Y and how Gen Y is finding information and acting in the now. Our research and observations have led us to believe that Gen Y does not manage time the same as previous generations. While that is fine, Gen Y still needs to understand the need to be on time for meetings, work, and meet time-sensitive obligations. A simple example I like to use in my conversations is a seven-member team assembled for a meeting. If six of the seven members are on time, and one of the members shows up 10 minutes late, it is not just 10 minutes lost. It is 10 x 6 = 60 minutes of organization time.
3. Common Courtesy: There have been dozens of articles over the past several months discussing how common courtesy is on the decline. Many of these articles focus on Gen Y. It has not been our experience that Gen Y is any more or any less courteous than other generations. I think it is a function of self-awareness and our surroundings.
Organizations should take some time to determine their “gadget rules.” Is it OK to be walking the halls listening to your iPod? Is it OK to check email or receive emails during meetings? Too many organizations allow these types of decisions to be made individually and not collectively as a team. One person’s need to accept an important phone call during a meeting is another person’s perception of being disrespected.
Leaders should take some time to define what is acceptable and unacceptable as it relates to new technology. Simply having this discussion will allow folks to become more self-aware and therefore more courteous.
4. Respect: I am continually fascinated by individuals who “demand respect” and then fail to give it. Oftentimes our consultants hear people say, “I won’t be treated that way,” while sometimes treating others in that same fashion. I truly believe leaders who are aware and seeking cultural alignment will not allow any generation to disrespect another. Gen Y cannot disrespect Boomers about their lack of technological skills, just as Boomers can’t disrespect Gen Y for their relative inexperience in a given situation. Respecting your teammates might be the ultimate cultural cornerstone.
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