Did you hear the one about the 17 year old who text-messaged his mother - who was two rooms away in the kitchen - to ask when dinner would be ready? If this sounds incredulous, you probably need a refresher on how to work with the next generation. If this sounds normal, you’re eligible to teach the class.
When you really get under the dress of generational conflict at work, much of it comes down to communication styles. XP’s (experienced professionals) moan, “these young professionals just don’t know how to communicate face to face!” YP’s (young professionals) retort, “meetings are a waste of time - email is faster!”
Who’s right? This is a loaded question, since work and communication styles are generally not right or wrong; they’re just different. So I would challenge all sides of the debate to consider:
- Think about the last meeting you were in. Were you totally engaged? Did you feel like it was the best use of your time? Probably not. A lot of what happens in organizational life is wasted time. That’s why there’s an entire industry dedicated to running more effective meetings, projects, and organizations. The best book I’ve read on when and how to have meetings is Building a Project Driven Enterprise. Check out the third method: “Urgency-Driven, Stand-Up Meetings.” I wish we had more of these.
- When is technology - like IM’ing and txt’ing - a good use of time and energy? When is it most effective? In our team, we use it to communicate with each other when a dialogue is not necessary, i.e. when Jack needs to tell me that he’s wheels-down and on time for a client meeting, or to confirm that a project has been handed off, i.e. PDF to Kinko’s. “Done on Sat by 10 am. Will u pick up?”
- If you are not a txt-messager, might it benefit you to learn? Nearly all cell phones are equipped with TXT abilities. And if you know how to use a blackberry, your thumbs are ready. Imagine the surprise - even delight - if a YP in your office got a TXT from you that said, “Gr8 job in AM mtg. Stop in 2 talk next steps.” If using your phone for txt messaging seems too slow, you can use this option. If you really want to step out, try Jyngle.
- If you’re a YP who disdains meetings, think about the things that happen at real-time, face-to-face meetings: chit-chat, joking, shared experiences. These are the kinds of social events that emoticons can’t fully capture. Remember, too, that many XP’s are accustomed to face-to-face meetings. It’s not that they’re totally unwilling to work differently; F2F meetings are simply their default modes. How could you benefit from being more open and prepared for F2F meetings with your boss, team, etc.?
Finally, if you believe that the web, IM, text messaging, websites like MySpace, and multi-player gaming are making the next generation incapable of “real” communication, Will Wright, inventor of the Sims takes you on in his article from Wired Magazine.
