I am sure many leaders out there will be as frustrated as I am/was about this conversation. For the sake of full disclosure, I like voicemail and use it quite frequently. My initial reaction was not a positive one. However, in an attempt to practice what I preach, I proceeded to engage the group in a lively conversation about “adapting to your audience’ and using the mode of communication that is most likely to get the desired result. After all, it is the result, not the effort that is most important.

I also pointed out how their attitude may well be hypocritical. If they have a desire for Gen X and Boomer leaders to adapt, then shouldn’t they also adapt? Is it simply ok to equate taking action with achieving results? Also, and as we discuss in the book, we don’t “train or handle people” we lead people. Why is it ok for them to “train” someone and not lead?

The response was very interesting and unexpected. Since Gen Y seeks to CONNECT, their response was to admit a certain amount of hypocrisy. If voicemail was the best way to connect, then the group seemed to feel a need to ADAPT. If they want us to adapt, then they also should adapt.

This reminded me of something Chuck Fowler, the President of Fairmount Minerals told me as we were writing Gen Y Now. Chuck said, “instead of becoming frustrated with new employees, look at this as a way to teach and guide them”. A spirited conversation is always better than frustration and alienation.

Gen Y Now tries to help Gen X and Baby Boomer leaders understand the leadership strategies necessary to recruit and retain Gen Y. Most of my time lately has been talking to these experienced leaders, so talking to the next generation of leaders was a bit of a shift.

One thing I learned for sure is…..Gen Y can be as prejudiced toward us as we are toward them! Our book challenges our prejudices, and I spent a great deal of time in my talk challenging the Gen Y audience on THEIR prejudices. Just like Gen Y is not WRONG for doing things differently, neither are boomers and X’ers wrong for the way they view the world. Different is not wrong. Different is, quite simply, different.

I challenged the Y’er audience to…

• Try to understand the X’er and Boomer perspective.

• Realize how it developed and that it did not develop overnight.

• Do not think it is your job to “fix” your boss. (in the book we discuss that Gen Y does not need to be fixed…and neither do their bosses!)

• Be a leader and LEAD change. Simply pointing out that a change is necessary is not leading change.

• Do not “live down” to low expectations. Display the work ethic and commitment that got you this far.

One of the biggest hurdles for businesses over the next few years will be getting each generation to realize that different is not wrong. Sometimes, different is GREAT!

While furniture shopping, my wife and I were looking for a chair with an ottoman. Our sales person was a Gen Y’er, and we discovered, studied interior design. She seemed to be very knowledgeable and was also very professional.

As we were describing what we wanted, my wife mentioned that when she came home from work she did not want to be “Rob Petrie” (referring to the opening of the old Dick Van Dyke Show when he tripped over the ottoman). I immediately knew what she meant, and also immediately knew our sales person DID NOT understand the reference. I probably should have clarified it, but I thought it would be a fun and harmless experiment.

For the next fifteen minutes we were shown very large pieces that simply would not fit our space. Then we CLARIFIED our need by providing more information versus an obscure old TV reference. We were then led directly to the perfect piece of furniture.

After we finalized our purchase I asked the sales person about the Rob Petrie reference and if she understood. She admitted she did not. I realized that since she had no point of reference, she could not even formulate a good follow up question in order to better clarify our needs. If we had been more specific she could have been more productive.

I left the store wondering how often I do that at work without even realizing it. Can I improve my communications so folks can be more productive? Without the proper frame of reference folks can not even ask good follow up questions.

There were two things I got from that furniture store….a very nice new ottoman, and a good lesson on communication.

It is hard to pick up a national or local publication and NOT see an article about Gen Y. Business magazines, employment papers, marketing gurus and just about everyone else is now at least TALKING about the differences. There seems to be a greater awareness to the issue today than when we first started to write the book. However, I have some serious concerns about how that awareness has been gained and how many publications are presenting Gen Y.

Over the past 3 months I have seen literally dozens of negative articles and cartoons exploiting the prejudices of Baby Boomers and Gen X toward Gen Y. This negative positioning is not helpful to business leaders as they try to create their strategies for growth and recovery. Gen Y will be a critical part of the recovery, and having a negative view of what they bring to the work world will not speed up the process of creating a useful solution.

As an example of how the negative stereo types are presented, a recent national weekly magazine ran a story of Gen Y and focused on their sense of entitlement and “self indulgence”. The article talked about a generation that has had $100,000 sweet 16 parties. There was also a photo of some “20-somethings” having fun at a nightclub. The photo was designed to drive home the point that this cohort is out of control.

In the following days after seeing the article I had an opportunity to talk to several business forums across the country and conducted an informal survey. I asked “has anyone here held or attended a $100,000 sweet 16 party”. Not only was the answer no across the board, the rooms (mostly made up of successful baby boomer business people), laughed at the idea. My point here is this….I am sure SOMEONE has held six figure parties for their children, but it is not the norm. (In fact, who is to say the 16 year old recipient of the party even wanted it!) I am concerned these rare examples are being presented as the norm and playing on our Baby Boomer prejudices.

On a final note, we need to also be careful of the images we are presented about Gen Y. The photo I referred to in the article did not show Gen Y in a good light. They were partying, holding drinks and “acting the fool”. A week after I saw the article a friend of mine held a 50th birthday party. For the most part the party was a “dry affair” and we were by no means intoxicated. The photos I received after the party made it look like we were out of control…having the nerve to laugh, joke and clown around with friends! The nerve of us old folks to have fun! Many of the photos could easily been taken out of context and presented in a negative light.

Business leaders need to guard against these stereo types and avoid having an entire generation of talent branded negatively.