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Author Topic: 60 Minutes: The Millennials are Coming  (Read 2085 times)
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admin
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« on: November 14, 2007, 09:27:20 PM »
"(CBS) Stand back all bosses! A new breed of American worker is about to attack everything you hold sacred: from giving orders, to your starched white shirt and tie. They are called, among other things, "millennials." There are about 80 million of them, born between 1980 and 1995, and they're rapidly taking over from the baby boomers who are now pushing 60.

They were raised by doting parents who told them they are special, played in little leagues with no winners or losers, or all winners. They are laden with trophies just for participating and they think your business-as-usual ethic is for the birds. And if you persist in the belief you can, take your job and shove it.

As correspondent Morley Safer reports, corporate America is so unnerved by all this that companies like Merrill Lynch, Ernst & Young, Disney and scores of others are hiring consultants to teach them how to deal with this generation that only takes "yes" for an answer."

See the segment:
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3486473n

Read the text:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/08/60minutes/main3475200.shtml?source=mostpop_story

Is Morley showing his age?  Putting aside generalizations, is there a reason to pay attention to these differences?

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« Last Edit: January 17, 2008, 06:59:53 PM by admin » Logged
HeatherDAugustine
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« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2007, 03:59:20 PM »
At the beginning of this piece, I thought Morley was taking a pretty old fashioned approach to the story (in other words I thought he was behaving as a traditionalist (his generation)).  But as the piece went on I began to feel that he developed an appreciation for the Millennials' perspective and in the end that the story was more balanced than I thought at first.

I can understand why the Gen Y kids get tired of being portrayed as needing to be the center of attention.  The definition of my generation (boomer) suggests that we Boomers are centered on money and status.  Neither of these traits are attractive to me and while I can't argue that it doesn't exist in my generation (or probably in the Gen Y'ers) I don't like being looked at this way.

While I feel that generational definitions can help us to come closer to understanding the value systems of each generation, I also think it's important to be open to looking at how an individual might differ from these definitions we use as a tool for understanding.  My hunch is that in the thread "Do you agree with this definition of your generation" we'll see a lot of "partially" answers because as individuals we don't neatly fit into pat definitions.  It's just important to remember that, I think.   
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Dyana
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« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2007, 10:44:39 AM »
FASCINATING! i heard a talk from a group of consultants who support organizational "harvesting" of millenial talents: http://www.interchange-group.com/home.html. thanks for the great info! dyana
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Joe D
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« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2008, 10:23:05 PM »
I think pieces like this while dealing in stereotypes at least raise the awarness of a valid issue, generational differences. These can be mystifying to an unaware person. The knowledge of a problem is the first step in solving it, i.e. hiring an HR person with the appropriate skill set.
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DHenderson
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« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2008, 02:56:40 PM »
Who said it was okay to write "partially" - well, that too is my answer.

I can honestly say that 60 Minutes is not a show watched by a lot of the people I know in my generation (X). That doesn't mean it's not, but most of the folks I know in my generation get their news from a variety of sources - tv, online, newspapers, radio, etc. I also don't know many in Y that watch it (having several siblings, nieces/nephews/friends kids/etc. in that group). I asked them when I saw this topic.

So - I guess making people aware is the first step, like others wrote.

I guess my fear is for those who take one person's opinion as gospel. I know a lot of folks (across the generations, but for me, it seems more in the boomer) that take one newsperson, or one magazine, or one something and suddenly it's true. Y people have to have YES for an answer - well, then that is just how it is - all must be that way, done and over.  Tom Brokaw said it - it's valid. Dan Rather - valid. New York Times - valid. Even this site. Is it true or so because it's here?

I'm certainly not innocent, when I started researching generations a few years back, I was so happy - I finally figured out why my dad was how he was. But to be fair, lots of things made him that way. But if there ever was a description for Boomer - it's my dad.

I still stay go to a variety of sources. Vet your information.

Is Morely showing his age? Probably. No different than me showing my age with things I write. (Or worse - my middle kid syndrome).

Is there a reason to pay attention? You bet - if you are interested in recruiting and retention. What appeals to me does not always appeal to my mom, my grandma, my kid brothers/sister, my uncles, etc. I agree with what was written about seeing the value of each generation. It's okay to identify some problems (but why dwell?) see how it can be adapted. It certainly wasn't the first reason for these problems. (Note middle kid syndrome or only child syndrome or growing up in Des Moines or Israel). Lots of differences - but what do we have in common? That's a topic I'd like to see.
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admin
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« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2008, 11:44:40 AM »
Quote from: DHenderson on January 22, 2008, 02:56:40 PM
It certainly wasn't the first reason for these problems. (Note middle kid syndrome or only child syndrome or growing up in Des Moines or Israel). Lots of differences - but what do we have in common? That's a topic I'd like to see.

Done!  Please see new thread:  http://generationworkplace.com/forum/index.php?topic=42.0
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