Here's how we had been looking at generations wrongly

In the previous post, I shared 8 tips on how you can communicate better with Millennials, or Gen-Ys.

In it, we discussed how someone is usually group in different "generations" mainly due to their age.

However, during my time working with the talent development departments of companies around the region, I come to realise that it's not always the case. Yup, using age as a primary way of categorising someone is not always correct, and it may even affect how you lead, work and deal with them.

But before that, let's look at some generalised characteristic about the generations.

KEY TRAITS ACROSS THE MAIN GENERATIONS

Let's just look at the three more prominent generations: Babyboomers, Generation X, and Millennials. They make up most of the workforce at the moment, while the others, Traditionalist and iGens, are far and few (for now.)

NOTE: These are generalised observations, so don't take it too personally. :)

Babyboomers (1946 - 1964)

• Anxious to please
• Can break down big picture into smaller tasks
• Good team players
• Avoid conflict when possible
• Service orientated
• Hard workers
• Believe in going the extra mile
• Dislike change
• Expects everyone to work hard like them too
• Judgemental if disagree with someone
• Self-centered
• Loyal to the team
• Process Orientated
• Values ambition
• Wants/demands respect from younger employees

Generation X (1965 - 1985)

* Including the Xennials (1975-1985)

• Adapt well to change, thrive on flexibility
• Consumer Mentality
• Direct communicators
• Good task managers
• Growth Centric
• Values feedback
• Seeks for information
• Highly educated
• Multitaskers
• Skeptical of others
• Don't understand the optimism of Baby Boomers and Millennials
• Dislike authority
• Impatient
• Lacking in people skills
• Lack of long term outlook/goals
• Tech-savvy
• Respect competance
• Output/results focused
• Prefers work-life balance over work accomplishments
• Rely on tech- and business-savviness to compete
• Want to get in, get the job done, and move on to the next thing

Millennials (1980 - 1994)

• Values collaboration
• Goal Orientated
• Optimistic
• Positive atttude/outlook
• Tenacious
• Tech-savvy
• Highly educated
• Brain smart, dislike menial work
• Inexperienced
• Needs supervision and structure
• High expectations
• Lacks discipline
• Lack skills for dealing with difficult people
• Responds poorly to those who uses authority to lead and manage
• Due to technology, they believe in remote work, and should focus on results/outcome, rather than how the results are achieved (non-process orientated)
• Mentoring is important
• Training is important
• Growth-Orientated, want to pursue higher/further education
• Prefers fun and casualness
• Can be obsessed with career developments
• Ambitious
• More entrepreneurial
• High expectations of bosses to mentor and guide them

Source

Again, I gotta stress that these are generalised observations, so don't take it too personally. Furthermore, read on to the next section and you'll know why you may not be the generation you're supposed to be.

4 FACTORS THAT MAY TRUMP THE AGE FACTOR

While age is generally used to categorise your generation, here are three other factors to consider. Again, there are also some generalisations, so don't take these observations and pointers as absolute. As we progress through life, we will experience changes in personal values, and that, in turn affects our beliefs and behaviours. Plus, human beings are naturally adaptable, and that includes you! :)

#1. How many siblings do they have?

While the babyboomers saw a huge spike in number of population (hence the name), some babyboomer parents decided that it may be wiser to go by quality instead of quantity.

If you're born into a big family, meaning you have a number of siblings older or younger than you, there's a higher chance that you will adopt a more "babyboomer" behaviour. Resources will be more scarce since sharing is required among your siblings, and to some, there may not be enough to go around.

Mindset of scarcity and fierce independence may sink in, along with a stronger sense of responsibility, especially if you were the older one. In poorer families, it's common for the elder siblings to work so they can afford the opportunity for their younger siblings to further their education. This made them hard workers, and later in life, may opt to pursue further education, as a way to fulfil a long lost dream.

If, however, you came from a smaller family, or maybe an only child, then the dynamics will be very different. There will be more resources to go around, and you may be given better opportunities in education, food and healthcare. Being a single child also meant 100% attention from parents, which depending on the upbringing, may cause some form of dependency and overprotected-ness.

So, if you're from a smaller family, you may adopt a more Millennial or Gen-X mindset. Whereas if you're from a bigger family, you'll probably lean towards the babyboomer side of the scale.

#2. Where did you grow up?

This is about your exposure to opportunities. Some of you grew up in a smaller town or village, with poorer infrastructure and limited access to the internet, like me! Though we had dial-up internet, access to books above O-Levels were very limited, and e-commerce wasn't a thing yet. You can imagine, my town only had the first 7-11 at the turn of the century!

Due to lack of exposure, we had limited access to information outside the staple diet from the public school system. Sure, we had Discovery Channel, but that wasn't ultra promising as well.

Because of these factors, I had to admit, my mindset was pretty much a babyboomer. I wasn't growth-centric until I became an adult, when I came to further my studies in Kuala Lumpur, capital city of Malaysia. When I first walked into a bookstore here (in Kuala Lumpur), MAN, was I blown away! I had been that frog living under a coconut husk at the bottom of the well in the remotest part of the jungle!

So, conversely, when I observe my city friends who grew up with all the exposure to information and easy access to the internet, I noticed there was a huge difference in our thinking patterns. I considered myself lucky because by hanging out with them, they have helped me grow out of my scarcity mindset, into one that believes in continuous growth.

I don't label myself as Millennial thinking, but compared to the old Babyboomer Maverick, I must say I've grown quite a bit.

So, if you are not at a place where you can get decent amount of exposure (and internet is luxury), take an opportunity to leave your home and expand your learning. Trust me. It's worth it.

#3. Have you lived abroad before?

Ah, this is like exposure to the next level. Babyboomers, and some Gen-Xs, due to their lower financial capabilities (bigger families, lower education) may not have the opportunity to travel as much, let alone live abroad. Plus, with the absence of facilities like AirBNB, Uber and low cost carriers, travel was indeed a luxury before the year 2000.

As a matter of fact, coming from a small town, students who get to study and live abroad were hailed as village heroes, the poster child for every student to aspire to. Parents would sing praises, teachers would put them up on pedestals, and school would make space on the wall for their portrait. The whole works.

For those who had lived abroad before, having the chance to experience different cultures, traditions and practices, would be able to scale their point of references and experience. If they had gone to or lived in advance countries (first world), the exposure would help them think and behave differently, compared to someone who grew up in his/her village all their lives. Even with TV and the internet, nothing beats truly living in a foreign country to really know the culture, people and nuances that came with them.

Of course, the reverse is also true. If you're from a first world country living in the third world counterpart, it will expand (probably deepen) your experience as well.

#4. Are they from rich or poor families?

No doubt, your family's financial background will definitely affect the opportunity and exposure you have, growing up. Having lesser at home also meant a different outlook to hardwork, growth and mindset, and that ultimately affects which generation behaviour you'd default on.

For example, if you're from a poorer family, you'll probably have lesser education choices. You'd notice your parents working harder, and may have arguments about money regularly. As a matter of fact, the common saying at the dinner would be "No money for this/that." You'll have lesser resources too, which means sharing was compulsory.

However, research has shown that kids who witnessed their parent's hardwork and persistence, will in turn adopt the attitude too. You will know the value of a dollar, and appreciate grit and underdog stories. You'll adopt the better set of beliefs of babyboomers and Gen-Xs.

I know, because I was from that background. Nothing to be shameful about, as we eventually outgrew our financial constraints. And I valued the lessons I had the chance to experience first hand growing up too.

If you're from a richer family, you'd probably have a head start towards the Millennial end of the scale. Having better opportunities and exposure meant a better world-view, a better quality of network and well, that eventually leads on to more opportunities.

SO… HOW NOW?

Don't let your past determine your future.

Once you know these factors at work, you can better understand the origins of your beliefs, values and outlook towards life. From there, you can make a conscious choice to change for the better. As they say, ABC - Awareness Before Change.

And seriously. Look at it this way, you're born in the age of blockchain, and may have even experience the internet revolution. How cool is that!?!

---

Wait, why's Mav posting on Steemit nowadays?

Well, unlike other blogging and social media platform, Steemit is the only platform that allows me to earn cryptocurrency when I engage with it. Yup, one Steem is about USD7, and you, too, can earn Steem Dollars every time you:

• Create content (articles, blog posts, podcasts, videos, photos)
• Upvote (like) other people contents
• Comment on other people's posts
• Have discussions, share opinions etc!

Yup, basically it's the very same thing you're doing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc all along!

The only difference? For once you can earn a nice income on the side!

Sign up for a free Steemit account, and you can thank me by coming back and upvoting this article. And guess what, you will earn Steem too for doing that! #awesome