Managing Generation X: How to Bring Out the Best in Young Talent

Cover......Page 1
Preliminaries......Page 2
Contents......Page 8
X......Page 9
Acknowledgments......Page 12
Caught between Wall Street and MTV......Page 14
The attitudes of Xers and Boomers are galaxies apart......Page 15
The stereotypes don't hold up......Page 16
Star Xers define the management challenge......Page 17
The plan: talk to Xers themselves......Page 18
Managers can use the lessons these Xers share......Page 19
This generation illuminates the post-modern workplace......Page 20
Don't misinterpret popular impressions......Page 21
A reality check on bad management......Page 22
Where this book fits in the management canon......Page 23
Motivational theory and behavioral psychology: Boomer staples......Page 24
A generation has appeared since Peters and Waterman searched for excellence......Page 25
Some context will ground the coming chapters......Page 27
A group subject to much scrutiny......Page 30
The popular media didn't hesitate to stereotype X......Page 31
What this book aims to do......Page 32
The world as Baby Boomers saw it......Page 34
Boomers turn their focus inward......Page 36
Xers turn their focus to paradoxes......Page 37
Politics and culture as management guides......Page 38
We have little reliance on external forces......Page 39
Creativity equals safety to X......Page 40
Xers already have an effect on the bottom line......Page 41
The value of Generation X in the management equation......Page 42
Xers don't seek isolation . . . we come from it......Page 43
A new generation looks for a new employment bargain......Page 45
Xers are not disloyal......Page 48
What is belonging in the age of miracle and wonder?......Page 49
Xers aren't afraid of change – it's what we know best......Page 50
Xers are not cynics......Page 52
One team really makes a mark......Page 53
Xers look for teams built around information......Page 54
Xers know risk-taking is the key to innovation......Page 55
Xers do not have short attention spans......Page 56
An asset of X: a fundamentally different perspective......Page 57
Xers place a premium on flexibility......Page 58
For Xers, information yields initiative and responsibility......Page 59
Experimentation cures inexperience......Page 60
Xers are not arrogant......Page 61
A youth formed by self-sufficiency......Page 62
Isolation defines post-modern life......Page 63
Xers are used to swimming against the demographic current......Page 64
The key factor: "a certain level of trust"......Page 65
Xers want good management......Page 66
Xers are not slackers......Page 67
Xers seek trust and involvement......Page 68
Creative strategies . . . that aren't obvious......Page 69
Monet and Rembrandt . . . it's all great art......Page 70
Bottom line: "Tell me what to do, give me information, and then let me create!"......Page 71
Learning from bad experiences......Page 72
When managers misuse Xers' time......Page 73
Chrono-crunch: shortage of X-time resulting from bad planning, inefficiency or lack of respect......Page 74
Xers work on their lap-tops at the hospital......Page 75
How bad planning causes false urgency......Page 76
A task I normally enjoy giving a lot of time......Page 77
"There was no need to create such urgency"......Page 78
"I felt like he held all the cards"......Page 79
How managers misuse X-time......Page 80
Neither Xers nor clients approve of overbilling......Page 81
Twenty-four attorneys sitting on a bus for an hour and a half......Page 82
No space – when managers micro-manage Xers......Page 83
A familiar scene: the manager who can't let go......Page 84
"He thinks that no one else in the world is competent"......Page 85
Micro-managing isn't really managing at all......Page 86
Missing the concepts in search of typos......Page 87
Causing needless strain in work relationships......Page 88
"I can't baby-sit every piece of paper"......Page 89
Rule of X: anyone you abuse has a powerful incentive to undermine your authority......Page 90
Abusive managers are just like all abusers......Page 91
Staff management by Jekyll And Hyde......Page 92
"She even yanked me around by the arm"......Page 93
A style is so cruel that it crushes morale......Page 94
I am going to get screwed no matter how good it is......Page 95
"People don't have time to be polite"......Page 96
Treating people badly to make themselves feel powerful......Page 97
". . . The way no one should ever yell at anyone"......Page 98
When Xers need to create personal support networks for abused coworkers, Xers' energies are distracted from management goals......Page 99
The office grapevine flourishes in managerial manure......Page 100
Conferenced in from his sick bed......Page 101
"Her staff had been sending nasty E-mail messages"......Page 102
The best way to demotivate Xers is to make us feel that we are not getting the rewards we deserve......Page 103
A simple "thank you?"......Page 104
"A little pat on the back"......Page 105
"It looked as if there was no reason for me to be there"......Page 106
Xers see fair-weather presence......Page 107
Why Xers grow anxious without feedback......Page 108
Xers look for true motivation in our managers......Page 109
Denying information causes anxiety......Page 110
Summarizing the feedback problem......Page 111
Try not to say "It's your fault"......Page 112
"Negative feedback hurts my motivation"......Page 113
An anti-climactic bonus check......Page 114
"It was like a fraternity rush"......Page 115
"She wanted to commit suicide"......Page 116
The issue of Xers paying dues......Page 118
Xers have grown up on shaky ground, we understand efficiency......Page 119
Success without tangible reward is a waste of Xers' time......Page 120
Don't be misled by what some people mistake for arrogance......Page 121
The star X factor = leadership in the next millennium......Page 122
Xers want the responsibility and the opportunity......Page 123
Opportunity is a tangible reward because the future is uncertain......Page 124
How you can invest in Xers' quest for career security......Page 125
The model: F-A-S-T . . . feedback which isaccurate, specific, and timely......Page 126
"Both positive and negative, but in regular doses"......Page 127
Respect and appreciation earn respect and appreciation......Page 128
"He goes out of his way to recognize small successes"......Page 129
"Getting feedback the next day, we knew when we were on target"......Page 130
Creating an atmosphere that celebrates success......Page 131
How the best managers are investing in Xers' careers......Page 132
"They are giving me opportunities to excel"......Page 133
"He wants us to succeed . . . we want him to ucceed"......Page 134
Xers will go out on a limb for our investors......Page 135
"I am a future leader of the company"......Page 136
Xers want to take on the challenge of leading......Page 137
What is the significance of corporate culture in managing Generation X?......Page 138
But Xers' responses have been systematically sharpened......Page 139
Rule of X: Xers will never invest our best with managers who refuse to invest in Xers......Page 140
Some corporate cultures make Xers uncomfortable......Page 141
When there is no mission, there is no team: the job is just a job......Page 142
Denying Xers explanations serves no purpose......Page 143
When does lean become malnourished?......Page 144
Xers are often the ones staying later than anyone else......Page 145
A manager so stingy he lost what he had......Page 146
A manager bossed around by everybody else can't manage......Page 148
Juggling intermediaries – and dropping everything......Page 149
"I had to manage her ego in addition to my work"......Page 150
"Look, instead of wasting all this time . . ."......Page 151
Cultures that treat Xers as if we are interchangeable with any able body......Page 152
"Our peers are being used as an inhuman resource"......Page 153
"Don't you dare leave this company"......Page 154
Too much machismo + no chance to celebrate = bad management......Page 155
Recruiting women and minorities doesn't make a diverse work force......Page 156
A fact of life: working harder to accomplish the same......Page 157
"I didn't see anyone who looked like me succeeding"......Page 158
He has a "problem with women"......Page 159
"Now I sue banks for a living"......Page 160
How some managers create corporate cultures which offer Xers self-building and personal security – and win our loyalty......Page 161
Building authority by learning the details of Xers' work responsibilities......Page 162
Know what it's like on the front line......Page 163
Xers know the difference between managers who pay lip service and managers who value input......Page 164
Listen to input from everyone on everything......Page 165
Make Xers believe our work counts......Page 166
Treat Xers like valued sources of skill and knowledge......Page 167
Earn Xers' respect by going to bat for us......Page 168
"My manager really backs me up"......Page 169
Why a little care and feeding is such a powerful signal to Xers......Page 170
"Wow, this is kind of weird"......Page 171
The wonders of a fitness center......Page 172
"I could focus my energy on something else for a little while"......Page 173
Top ten lists remain an Xer staple......Page 174
"Sometimes we all go out for a nice lunch"......Page 175
What does it take to win Xers' commitment?......Page 176
Good management has a personal element......Page 177
Spread the burdens and the benefits......Page 178
"He wants to have an aggressive team of stars"......Page 179
Xers' facility creates management challenges......Page 180
Xers are used to having information at our fingertips......Page 181
Military situations clarify the need for good information......Page 182
How Xers work around information monopolies......Page 183
"He would keep key pieces of information from people"......Page 184
She would always tell me, "You don't need to know"......Page 185
What happens when Xers are cut off from information?......Page 186
"Call a doctor"......Page 187
Avoid burning energy without creating value – and don't just grunt......Page 188
A case of not knowing what was expected......Page 189
When Xers have to fake it, quality suffers......Page 190
A rotten model: general instructions, very specific expectations......Page 191
Work isn't a guessing game......Page 192
"If I have questions, they grow impatient"......Page 193
Rushed answers do more harm than good......Page 194
Avoid seeming too important to approach......Page 195
"He doesn't know how to listen to people"......Page 196
Insulting underlings undermines credibility......Page 197
How do good managers keep Xers informed?......Page 198
Regular meetings should be brief and detail-oriented......Page 199
Wasted hours are hard to bill or write off......Page 200
What is the teaching part of managing Xers?......Page 201
Xers admire managers who can explain......Page 202
No sense of hierarchy but a real sense of authority......Page 203
"The next time, I would solve that problem"......Page 204
This generation's creative bent......Page 206
Rule of X: there are no problems, only projects......Page 207
Managers who let Xers work on our own terrain, enjoy the fruits of our entrepreneurial spirit......Page 209
"He lets me do the job he hired me to do"......Page 210
"I respect it because it is my responsibility"......Page 211
"I could do what I needed ... and make my manager look good"......Page 212
"I can manage my own time"......Page 213
"It is kind of an honor system"......Page 214
Smart managers leave Xers in control of our own time while still managing our work......Page 215
Support creativity with an atmosphere of trust......Page 216
Let Xers define problems so we can create solutions......Page 217
Ownership of results means intense commitment......Page 218
Xers want to create distinction......Page 219
Xers seek "the incredible freedom to be creative"......Page 220
Xers are a growing phenomenon......Page 222
Don't buy into easy stereotypes......Page 223
A new understanding of a new profile......Page 224
Positive experience + opportunities for success = Xer loyalty......Page 225
"When I am happy, I work a lot harder"......Page 226
Assemble resources, set ground rules and trust your people......Page 227
A memo to managers of Generation X......Page 228
Managers find two useful conclusions in this book......Page 230
How one Xer turned from managed to manager......Page 231
Xer versus Xer in the political arena......Page 232
Making the need for self-building count......Page 233
This Xer victory team created instant results......Page 235
Moving from short-term defeat to lasting victory......Page 236
Index......Page 237