I am not clear how creating a generational demarcation is that useful.

Just to add a little contrary opinion to the mix, I don’t think your main header topics accurately depict any differences.

Work/Life Balance: Remember one of the Baby Boomers slogans?, turn on, tune in, drop out? This was a generation that explored much more social freedom than any previous or subsequent generation. To say Boomers don’t value their social lives might not be accurate. Also, isn’t being connected to your office all the time, even when you are not there, skewing your work life balance?

Skills Path: You work at a Bank. I am pretty sure there is a delineated corporate structure there. However, I see that as a negative and the positive is to not have a structure to have to climb rung by rung. You might find that the corporate ladder is not a luxury, but an impediment and a meritocracy should be the preferrable structure to allow you to grow and learn faster than within a more structured orgainization.

Manager as Yoda: Who doesn’t love Yoda. “If you do not produce, fire you I will”. Are you saying that Baby Boomer managers do not mentor? I would like to see the data on this. Seems way too general to be useful. Good managers mentor, no matter what generational category you place them in.

I would like to see the data sources as I find this topic interesting. thanks ts

WORK-LIFE BALANCE. I’m with you and I used to think that this is where history was taking us.

But last I heard, France is backing away from their commitment to things like a 35 hour week in order to boost productivity.

And I think that’s probably the way things are going to go for awhile. Gen Y is going to have to compete with skilled workers in Asian countries that are technically advanced but culturally backward and poor. How can that help but work to our disadvantage?

WE VALUE THE THE THINGS WE LEARN MORE THAN REACHING THE TOP

The meaning isn’t clear here. If there is no way to reach the top you have to value the skills that are going to make you hireable as you move laterally from job to job.

However, Gen Y is going to be just as interested in reaching the top as anyone else.

There was a tremendous amount of propaganda against being power hungry when the baby boomers were growing up and here you are implying that they are they are very much oriented to hierarchy.

BABY BOOMERS ARE ELITISTS – Where did you get that idea about Baby Boomers expecting a clear demarcation between managers and employees?

Whatever Boomers are like I doubt that Gen Y will be very different .

I think Peter Drucker pointed out that as jobs require ever more specialized training the workers will know more about their jobs than their managers. So there will be less disrespect of subordinates.

A boss, however, can be self-important and show disrespect to people on her team no matter how well-educated they are.

TRUE – As automation will make our lives easier there is more leisure time available. And the increase in education spreads democratic attitudes.

However, there is going to be no radical break between Gen Y and the Baby Boomers. And the demands of the moment in history have to be taken into consideration as well.

I wish Gen Y writers would read some history in order to stop making unfounded assumptions about Baby Boomers – and themselves.