Things aren't that different, save for a lower tolerance of bullshit

posted by Jeff | Tuesday, November 20, 2007, 9:13 PM | comments: 1

I got to thinking more about my last post, and I realize why that story annoyed me. First of all, my generation (that's "X" to you, dammit), was labeled similarly, and we're kicking ass. Second, working with young people professionally and as a coach, I think it's lame to be down on them.

The truth is that today's 20-somethings aren't any different from any others. Every generation thinks they know better. God knows they've been given plenty of reason to be disenfranchised with the world being left by our parents' generation. Social security, the environment, bullshit wars, shitty foreign policy, Enron, etc. I'm sure the boomers can say something similar about the previous generation.

What I do think has changed is that in a world ripe with information and data, the gen-Y, and probably most of gen-X, have a lower tolerance for bullshit. Bullshit comes in many forms, that's for sure. I can tidy it into several categories for my perspective.

Rigid structure and conformity I think are the things most bullshitty. Yeah, I'm 34 and don't own a suit. Any clown can put on a suit, and it doesn't ensure that the clown respects anything or is qualified for anything. It only means they can put on a suit. Similarly, a worker who shows up at exactly 8:30 and takes exactly an hour for lunch doesn't make them a quality worker. It only shows they can tell time.

On the other hand, someone who has good ideas and is intent on executing them, those are things that matter. Shit, some of these people work this way to a fault, neglecting family and real life to ensure execution.

Another pile of shit people who think like me try to avoid is the loyalty myth. The Man only cares about The Man, and you're only good to The Man when you're good for The Man. Therefore, it's important to exercise the reverse of this. If The Man ceases to be useful to you, you need to let him go and move on. I have a friend who has been very loyal to his company for years, works his ass off, and has nothing to show for it. Minimal raises, no promotions, and he insists he'll get his in due time. Well, no, because The Man doesn't need him.

On the other hand, it pays to find balance in your life with your job, and not be taken advantage of. Even if you love your job, it ultimately won't mean shit if it isn't balanced with the rest of your life. I value my free time. I'll work the extra hours now and then when I think it's necessary, but I won't make a habit of it, and I'll certainly not allow it to become an expectation.

My final bullshit compartment is reserved for something that may be considered a generation gap, but I think it's more about trusting the smart people you hire to do the right thing. I worked with a CEO once who is a total micro-manager. He's out of touch, doesn't understand the value of his people and believes he can apply his experience to totally new situations. I knew another CEO that followed trends but never listened to the people he hired (including me) to innovate and get ahead of the game.

The reality is that people just want to be heard. I think that gets confused with wanting to be right. I don't always have the answers, but I want my shot at contributing. That isn't being arrogant, that's wanting to be relevant. If you're relevant, but wrong, most people see that as a learning opportunity, and that's OK.

So now that I'm in the over-30 crowd (and therefore not trustworthy), I think that people my age and older who tolerate the bullshit are missing the point. If you put it aside, you'd be surprised what there is to see.


Comments

Tekno

November 25, 2007, 12:45 AM #

The real issue that the old fogies at 60 Minutes has with all of this is that they weren't innovative enough to make millions while keeping employees happy and adding a bit of 'fun' into a job. And that's why the way they were doesn't work anymore.

"The Man only cares about The Man, and you're only good to The Man when you're good for The Man."

Exactly. Loyalty in any big business is a joke. It is, after all, a business. If you're not doing for the company what they want, they're not going to be loyal to you, so why be loyal to them when they're not doing for you what you want?


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