Don’t know about you, but I’m getting a little tired of all the “Gen Y” articles that are out there and all the publicity about how we have four (or some say, five) different generations all in the work place at the same time for the first time ever. So, when I was reading the May/June 2010 edition of my Diversity Executive Magazine, and I saw an article entitled, “What Makes Generation Y Tick?” I thought, “Here we go again!”

But, I have to say, there were a few good points that really resonated with me.

At ISHR Group, coaching is a huge part of what we do. We believe in the value of creating a coaching relationship and to teaching leaders how to be coaches. Strong coaching skills are fast becoming crucial for business operating leaders and HR leaders to set themselves apart and add sustaining value-add to their organizations. Too many leaders, we discover, think they are “coaching,” when, in fact, they are merely giving feedback, providing advice and/or acting as a sounding board for others to vent their frustrations or share their ideas. Yes, it’s this, and so much more!

Back to the Gen Y article … respondents to a survey were asked what their ideal manager would look like. The verdict was clear, and two sentences stood out for me: One, “The ideal manager of Generation Y has to give immediate and constant feedback.”  (Interestingly, the article said that these Gen Y’ers are used to receiving constant and immediate feedback on their peer networking sites and in interactive video games and so this technology fundamentally shapes what they expect from both life and work.)  Two, “They want their managers to be coaches, rather than managers,” (and provide them with goals and targets, but allow they to be left to their own devices to get their jobs done). 

My take-away, yes, Gen Y, and presumably lots of other generations as well, want to receive more feedback (read this as more than simply an annual performance evaluation) and want to be coached in how they are doing (as opposed to simply being hit over the head because they did something wrong or being granted a stock award because they did something good).  Teaching leaders how to do this … how to be better coaches and deliver more than simply feedback, and how to create an environment where coaching is consistently delivered as a way of life as opposed to an annual event, is where we are transitioning.  We love being involved in this transition and helping leaders to understand the differences between simply giving feedback, and the skills needed to be a terrific coach.

What do you think?