Not Everyone Gets a Trophy: How to Manage Generation Y

CHAPTER FOUR

PRACTICE IN LOCO PARENTIS MANAGEMENT

Sure, if my boss was half as cool as my dad, that would be great!

—Gen Yer

Asenior private equity managing director told me of a parent calling to complain that her son was working too many hours. I asked how he reacted to this call. “I just listened and tried to be polite. I didn't tell her that her son was going to make ten thousand dollars less for every minute she kept me on the phone. But I did the math in my head.” He went on, “This is ridiculous. For one thing, my parents never in a million years would have considered calling my boss when I was in my first job out of college. I can't even imagine that. They didn't even know my boss's name. And I would have been mortified if my boss got ...