Generation ‘Moi’ – the rise of the ‘needs of self’ mindset

Main Tag:
Leadership

Great article on the change of mindset and behaviours in the new generation of people entering the labour market in the current edition of the European Business Review called; ‘Managing Digital Natives – Opportunity or Challenge’ by Jonsen, Martin and Weg.

Research in the US on narcissism has shown that there is an alarming increase in the number of people who appear to have a grandiose view of one’s own self, a lack of empathy for others and a need for admiration and self-enhancing experiences. The point is made that Generation Me has grown up in fat times, creating a mindset that is focused less on fulfilling duties and more on having fun.

The authors also state that this generation puts their own needs above all others, has an inflated sense of entitlement, and that the world owes them a living. Not for them the ‘work hard and one day you’ll get there’ mentality.

Generation Me expects instant gratification

The point is also made that Generation Me also expects instant gratification – they are used to having information at their fingertips; memorising is in the past, googling is the future and multi-tasking is the operating standard. They want, no they expect things, and they expect to not have to wait for it. As a parent to two teenage boys, I can confirm this to be very much the case in my household – much to the exasperation of myself and my wife. Discussions with other parents indicate that we are not alone.

Finally, points are made that this generation are digitally dependant, and that any work environment that removes their access to the digital world will not be one in which they stay. They are used to generating and sharing ideas, not sitting on their own and passively consuming information. This generation wants to make its opinion heard, and can cause issues when they share their opinions freely with senior managers who just want them to get their job one.

So – a culture clash storm in the making?

Maybe there are lessons to be learnt on both sides. I recently sat at a roundtable event discussing how to develop the talent pool of the future, when the Global Head of Procurement for a multi-national FMCG from the US shared an insight about how they are using graduates to ‘up-skill’ senior managers in their digital capabilities, taking them through social media like Facebook.

She stated that the 25 year olds were amazed to find the 55 year old ‘C’ level exec’s didn’t have a Twitter or Facebook account, wondering just how they managed to survive, and were being used to ‘reverse mentor’ the executives on how to use this medium. Also, today’s job roles are becoming more regional and global, and the ability of Generation Me to use technology to work where and whenever creates previously unavailable levels of flexibility.

Issues will almost certainly arise when we try to apply old school values of discipline, rigour, hard work and the promise of future rewards on today’s new generation. The days of ‘Command and Control’ really are numbered for those companies that want to compete – but that’s no bad thing. The West’s inability to let go of the Taylor model has been an inhibitive factor for some time anyway. In the future, the company that can take the good aspects from Generation Me and re-direct the bad will be the one who gains competitive advantage.

Empower and release, rather than command and control – what are you doing?

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Sean CuleyBusiness Transformation Expert (SCOR-P, FCILT)

Sean Culey (SCOR-P, FCILT) is a global keynote speaker on the topic of disruptive technologies and their impact on businesses, the economy and society. He is the author of 'Transition Point', a detailed look at the causes of technological disruption and the impact it has had on our society, and how the current wave of technological change - from robotics to AI - will completely disrupt our business models, economy and society at large.  Sean is also the author of numerous articles published in magazines such as Forbes, The World Financial Review and The European Business Review.

 

Sean is an expert at helping companies develop and deliver new customer centric business models, and he advises supply chain leaders on how to align their organisation to ensure they are executed successfully. He has 25 years of experience including six years as CEO of business consultancy ‘SEVEN’, and a decade working for Cadbury Schweppes, where he was the Global Design Authority on what was the world’s largest SAP implementation. He has developed a series of masterclasses about Disruptive Technologies and how companies can create new business models to exploit them.

 

Sean is also Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University and a Fellow at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT). He is also the UK’s only certified SCOR Master Instructor and a futurist for IBM Watson.

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