You Know You're Old When . . .

. . . your director sends around an e-mail entitled, "Understanding Generation X Talent". We've been hiring a lot of younger attorneys lately. I don't even think many are Generation X'ers anymore. The youngest must be Generation Y, or Millenials - - or whatever they call the latest group.

Anyway, I'm embarassed reading the e-mail which is actually an advertisement for a "webinar". It includes "gems" like this.

Although stereotypes can be unfair, and each individual is unique, there is some truth to the saying, "We resemble our times more than we resemble our parents." This generation grew up having different shared experiences than the Baby Boomers or World War II Veterans who came before them. To cite just a few examples:

Many Generation X workers grew up as "latchkey" kids. Both parents worked, or they came from single- parent families. No one was waiting to serve them milk and cookies when they got home from school. They were forced to become independent.

For this generation, over 50% had parents who divorced. As their single parents dated, pseudo-moms and dads came and went. They have learned to be cautious about entering into relationships.

They watched their Boomer parents work long hours and then get laid off by the employers they had given so much of their lives to. They are cynical about the employer/employee relationship.

As children, they witnessed a president resigning from office in scandal, the fall of Jim Baker, and their parents (or their friends' parents) divorce. They are skeptical of authority and their elders' abilities to run things.
It's important for you to realize that these employees are members of a generation with it's own unique personality. They were shaped by different times, influenced by a different economy, molded by different heroes. Given their very unique experiences, it's no small wonder that managing and motivating this generation is a challenge.