Page 35 - Becoming a Successful Manager

26 KNOWING THE TERRITORY

a complication, and still others see it as an integral way of life? You
must understand the people behind the conversation.
Consider the varied factors that might exist in your workforce.
Traditionalists and early Baby Boomers grew up in an age of hier-
archical structure, having to justify themselves, pay their dues,
and bide their time. They differ from younger generations in how
they interact at work and process information. They are less tech-
savvy than younger generations, and they prefer in-person interac-
tion to e-mails and technological gadgets. Therefore, the best way
to engage this generation is through face-to-face interaction.
Late Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Gen Yers (also known
as the Millennials) grew up in the more volatile global economy
fraught with mass layoffs, downsizings, and off-shoring. These
relatively younger groups learned from the do-more-with-less
mantra. So, that’s what they do.
Gen Yers, with current numbers estimated as high as 70 mil-
lion, are the fastest-growing segment of today’s workforce. Often

they want only bits and pieces of information, specifically, the parts
they feel are most important to them to accomplish their tasks.
In some circumstances, these individuals may not be as comfort-
able with their face-to-face interpersonal communication skills. It
results from their reality in which much of their social interaction
has been over instant or text messaging, cell phones, and e-mail.
Overall, younger generations are used to working in a fast-
paced environment and getting information instantly. However,
short, abrupt communication, which may seem comfortable and

efficient, may omit details and humanness that may be required to
deliver adequate responses. Older generations, on the other hand,
may overinform, causing confusion or extra work in sifting out
pertinent information. Obviously, either of these independently
can cause serious problems for a manager if they are not matched
with complementary workers. One solution is to match comple-