Your Next Work-Related Beach Read

Our Summer 2023 Reading Recommendation

In my early years as an employer, I was gobsmacked by a supervisor’s objections to my managerial methods. To help me overcome my perceived inadequacies, my supervisor gave me The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson.

That recommendation lit a fire in me to read books on management. Name an author who writes about leadership, and chances are above average I’ve read them. I listen to podcasts on leadership. I study the Enneagram to understand my leadership style and how to develop leadership in others. I even hold a Certificate in HR Management. In short, I have worked hard to be a better people leader!

About five years ago, I stumbled on a subfield of management literature that led me to the research of Jean M. Twenge. In reading her books, I realized that I wasn’t a mis-manager so much as a misunderstander of Millennials! What sambal oelek did for my cooking, Twenge did for my managerial style. I give her credit for any success I currently have as a manager of Generation Z’ers.

I believe Twenge’s most recent book, Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents – and What They Mean for America’s Future (2023) is a must-read for anyone in the workforce. This is just as true for Millennials and Gen Z’ers on the cusp of becoming managers themselves as it is for Gen X’ers and Boomers missing the mark in effectively managing their newest employees.

Here’s Twenge:

Companies that hire entry-level employees have already seen their workforces shift from mostly Millennials to mostly Gen Z’ers. In the 2020s, organizations that hire more experienced workers, such as for roles in management, law, medicine, and academia, will see this shift as well as Gen Z ages into their late 20s and early 30s. That means a transition from optimism to pessimism, entitlement to insecurity, and self-confidence to doubt. Millennials were challenging because they expected praise as a given; Gen Z’ers are challenging because they need praise for reassurance. Managers who just figured out Millennials are now figuring out Gen Z. (Twenge, Generations, p. 467)

This generational thinking is a massive mode-switch!  A complete change of direction. A mode that goes against most current (and comfortably complacent) managerial practices. Yet one that is necessary if we want to maintain and sustain our workforce.

So why should you read this book? 

1. Twenge uses time-lag data. That means she demonstrates how current Gen Z 24-year-olds compare to Millennials, Gen X’ers, and Boomers when they were 24. She reveals, for example, that Millennials are actually ahead of where their parents were financially at the same age. (However, the housing market, college loan debt, and the insidiousness of social media have all contributed to widespread belief to the contrary.)

2. Twenge explains the why behind the behaviors and mindsets of each generation. Employers need to stop making sweeping, uninformed declarations about Early Career Professionals (and vice versa). Throwing around stereotypes and generalizations without understanding the realities behind them (ahem, that would be a culture established by previous generations), completely diminishes both the seriousness of the problems and the responsibility we all share in helping ECPs successfully serve society and the workplace. Not to mention why Gen X and Boomers act or believe the way they do.

3. Twenge highlights workplace truths (Chapter 6) regarding Generation Z and current ECPs:

·       They do not have experience with independence and making decisions on their own, needing very clear and specific expectations.

·       They are less likely to want a job that is interesting, that gives them status, or where they can make friends—and more likely to want jobs that allow them to help others or are worthwhile to society.

·       They demand better resources, coverage, and understanding of mental health.

·       They do not blindly accept orders but require more rationale, less top-down leadership, and better onboarding related to company culture and goals.

·       They expect to be able to bring their authentic selves to work, whether that’s in appearance (tattoos, piercings, facial hair, nail polish) or identity (pronouns, gender expressions) self-expression.

·       They have been profoundly and negatively impacted by social media.

Knowing the idiosyncrasies of my current Gen Z employees means not only that I like them more, but also that they do better work overall. After 10 years and Twenge’s help, I’ve found it’s not that hard to pivot successfully.  Meetings now start with “how are you doing, really?”, move into “where do you feel most effectiven in your work?” and continue with “what would you like me to do to help you?” detour into “let’s practice how to approach that,” and land with a clear list of tasks or next steps. 

When I recognize who they are, what they need, the differences in our lived experiences, and how it’s not about me when it comes to their success, we all win.

Post Script: You want to be a really good manager and dive headfirst into this mode-switch? Start paying attention to Twenge’s work on the Polars, first born around 2013, who will be headed into the workforce in 12 years (Chapter 7)!

-emily