But will they “like” me?

That title may be the mantra of the as yet unnamed next generation. (Considering that we never fully agreed on what to call the last one, Gen Y or Millennials, this may be a moot point and whatever we call them they’ll probably resist it and come up with their own identity.) This hyper connected generation is having a huge impact on our economy, our means of communication and the frequency of communication. They are always in touch with their entire network and this is both good and a peril.

Mobile Gen

In a recent article in the NY Times about this mobile generation they were described as becoming more risk averse, more emotionally intelligent and possibly less innovative. They seem more dependent on the approval of others and more willing to “go along to get along.” Instant gratification plus less self assurance is a potentially bad mix. Will this generation that deletes pictures and posts if they don’t get enough “likes” in the first fifteen minutes be willing to go out on a limb for an idea that will require weeks or months of energy and investment if it will be ridiculed, or even worse, ignored by their network?

Their enhanced emotional intelligence is great but will this group be able to give constructive feedback if they’re so afraid of offending or being ostracized by their cohorts? As they mature and enter the workforce they can’t be asked to put down or turn off their phones. It just won’t happen. So how will this energy, these connections, this network be harnessed and used for good rather than evil? This is the challenge we and they face and will need to be resolved as the Gen Y/Millennials fade from being the hot, new generation to be understood and integrated and we address the needs and wants of the Online Gen. The App Gen? Mobile Gen?

If you’ve got an idea for a name I’d love to hear it. Post it in your comments for others to see and consider. I hope you get a lot of “likes!”

3 thoughts on “But will they “like” me?

  1. Of course we like you, Ron! I recently saw some research that suggests that Millennials do like the term Millennials. It certainly is better than Generation Y, which is not only a derivative of the more apt, but unfortunate, name for Generation X, but it puts us all in an awkward position two generations from now. If Generation Y had stuck as a name for the cohort born roughly between 1980 and 2000, the people born between 2001 and 2020 would be Generation Z. This pattern would leave us in trouble; what would we call the generation that follows? It’s not like we can pretend it’s an Excel spreadsheet and call them Generation AA.

    As for the dependency on approval by their peers, that’s not new for this generation – it’s a function of their age. Adolescents have always been somewhat obsessed with peer approval (and there is a lot of evidence pointing to adolescence lasting much longer in recent generations.) What has certainly changed is the ways they seek (and give) approval. And yes, we like you!

    • Pat,
      I’ve noticed a preference for Millennials as well, yet the news media seems to prefer Gen Y. Easier to say and spell? Perhaps.

      The impact of teen behavior as this generation reaches the workforce while still in their “adultescence” will need to be resolved. Will Gen X managers be more tolerant than some of their predecessors? Only if they think they need to be. I believe and hope that Gen X managers will be more open to different work styles.

      Thanks for your comment!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *