Gen Y Now: Millennials and the Evolution of Leadership, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER THREEWHY THE NEGATIVE FEELINGS TOWARD GEN Y: The Science

prejudice (n., pre^•ju^•dice) An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts.

Prejudices

There are a lot of negative attitudes about Gen Y. Most people know someone from Gen Y and have some sort of opinion about that generation. Some people are uncomfortable with Gen Yers because they seem so “different.” Some just have a gut feeling that Gen Y is “trouble.” In the business world, many employers honestly consider that hiring and working with Gen Yers is a problem.

It is human nature to fear or feel uncomfortable about something we don’t really understand, and our research and experience show that Gen Y is, indeed, something people “don’t really understand.”

In speaking before business groups, and even in casual conversations, we have found that most Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, and Gen Xers not only do not understand Gen Y, but they have a very poor opinion of that group. It seems that most of us are, in the true sense, prejudiced against Gen Yers. That is, we are prejudging them and attributing overwhelmingly negative characteristics to them without knowing all the facts.

Believe it or not, this is not at all unusual. It happens all of the time. When you meet someone new, you make instant judgments based on subconscious triggers. In any merger and acquisition we have ever worked on, “the other” is usually the challenge/problem. Most people, without even knowing ...