The Kids Today Aren't What We Used to Be-Really!

I love Wayne Turmel's irreverent approach to human folly, particularly as it shows up in business. Wayne's most recent article on www.management-issues.com is about the kids today...hence this post. To Wayne's points I add my own comments. 

'They don't have any loyalty to an employer - right--they leave a job when it does not challenge them or use their talent to effect.

They don't know the meaning of hard work - Work was never meant to be hard. it is meant to be fun and challenging but not about grinding your way to the end of the day. Challenge is OK; surviving the day is not.

They are spoiled and self-centered - Fruit spoils. Kids. ... well if we gave them the idea that the world is handed on a platter then it is natural to expect that. Self-centered? There is no shortage of very self-absorbed senior workers. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones said Confucious.

They don't understand that business is a rough game and life is not fair - Well if that is not a belief about how the world looks I don't know what is. 

They have book learning, but no real experience - Real experience is the one with life and some of these kids have already lived several lifetimes worth. They bring an inherent wisdom, unless it has been crushed, suppressed or oppressed and an intuitive natural know-how which is also known as tacit knowledge. Many bring curiousity and a desire to learn. This is something that the older generations have lost. Learn and live!

In my books, the kids who went to alternative schools are the independent thinkers, the innovators and the ones you watch for emerging trends. The kids who went to mainstream school will tell you how to work the system to get what you want and what you have to put up with to get there. They are well aware of the game and decide whether they play or not.

Self-sacrifice is not in their agreement with life; nor is serving a company when it does not serve you equally. Makes sense to me.

Pure and outright entitlement...well we have plenty of business cultures, especially the ones backed by the right to exist, who can demonstrate what that looks like.

For Wayne's post see The Kids are Alright.