How Dare They?

I'll have to be honest and say that I am one of those boomers who doesn't respond overly well to having my work questioned by a twenty something who's only been in the industry five minutes.

Okay that's probably because, more often than not, they are right, dammit. And I wish I'd had the balls, naivety - call it what you want - to ask those kind of questions when I was their age, but nevertheless.

That's not to say that there aren't some spoilt little so-and-so's out there who've never had to work for a thing in their lives - and don't see why they should start now - but 'twas ever thus.

By its very nature this is a young and energetic industry and, not withstanding the fact that the wages at entry level are pretty shocking, we are likely to continue to attract young people into it.

So, rather than launching into our grumpy old men routines, it is up to those of us who are allegedly older and wiser to learn what turns "Gen Why" - and all the other gens - on, and flex our management styles accordingly.

In other words they're here to stay, so get over it and get on with it.

Here are a few tips: Apparently Gen Y wants constant feedback, openness and transparency - so tell it how it is. They want to be trusted, given responsibility and allowed to fail without fear. They want flexibility around their working conditions and they want to be judged on outcomes not processes - give me a job and some boundaries and then let me get on with it.

Sounds fair enough to me. I'm off to update my Facebook site.

Tim Webster
Consultant
Fitness Professionals

More from one of the UK's leading authorities on Generation Y, Simon Walker, in the next week's post.

To find out more about the conference and to book your place with an Early Bird discount visit the FIA website or email flame@fia.org.uk.