Generation Y : Soften Your Change to Succeed
Young professionals in Generation Y are passionate about change. The media, human resources departments, recruiters, heck even politicians know it. Change can be a great thing, especially when it is done correctly.
Unfortunately, many Generation Y change agents fail. I have seen it time and time again. They come into businesses, project groups and even social groups and demand change. And why shouldn’t they? These groups and projects are operating on antiquated notions! They are old school, sub par and in desperately need of change, right?
Why should our generation do anything but charge ahead with hard change?
- Older generations still run most of the work force.
- Many older systems, processes, and traditions are deeply ingrained and require finesse to change.
- Change cannot be successful without buy-in from those affected, no matter how big the improvement is.
- Everyone responds well to respect – reckless, fast change with little regard for others is seen as disrespectful.
Wait… so if our generation shouldn’t charge hard for change, what should we do? Reject the negative, bull-in-a-china-shop stereotype and drive change with passion and soft skills.
So how should we soften, and ultimately accelerate, change?
- Demonstrate respect for the existing process, chances are good that you work with the person who created it and they are more likely to support you if you support them.
- Always stay positive, even in the face of stiff opposition, if you get discouraged or abrasive you will only hurt your cause.
- Befriend the gatekeepers: work closely with technical people, support staff and administrators. They will often act as informal character witnesses and feasibility advisers to the decision makers.
If our generation can soften our approach to change without losing it’s passion, we can achieve the flexible, fulfilling workplace we all search for. Without softening our change, we could easily live up to the negative stereotypes that are already discouraging executives and managers in the workforce.
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I agree it’s important to “always stay positive” because there seems to be a lot of negativity and skepticism amongst older generations, when they really should be embracing new ideas.
Sound advice, esp. in regards to maining respect for existing the process. One of my strong points (and reasons for getting promoted to management) was the ability to change and improve procedures. But to change anything, I needed to learn not only what the existing procedure is / way, but HOW it got there.
Great post! Organizations often see Gen Y employees greatest strength as bringing fresh ideas and initiating change. The tips you offer are some great practical steps towards balancing established organizational practices with the need for change.
I can definitely vouch for how important it is to befriend the gatekeepers. In my own job, knowing the IT staff has helped immensely in improving the operations and bringing new tech/software into the work I do. Without them, I might never have gotten superiors to see the options I offered up as possibilities.
I also made a guest post on Business Pundit awhile back about how we are not making the best impressions with bosses and the older members of the workforce.
Why don’t you just come out and say “sit down, shut up, and do what you’re told.”
The reason the kids come in demanding things be done differently is because the bloated, rotting carcass of a formerly tightly run company is going under if things stay the way that they are. It’s called stagnation, and the bigger you are, the more likely you’re company is already suffering from it..