Discussions at this Meeting for Aspen Junior Fellows kicked off with the observation that every generation is distinguished by a different set of rules that gives rise to a tussle between generations and a consequent divergence in behaviors. The participants highlighted the need to understand this variability over time in order to be able to construe the factors that shape leadership. The baby boomers, the generation born between 1945 and 1964, embodied leadership styles that drew their inspiration from rules and objectives different to those of Generation X (born from 1965 to 1980) and Generation Y (those born between 1981 and 2000). Given that the current Aspen Junior Fellows fall within the latter cohort, the Meeting prompted a debate between baby boomers and Generation Y in particular.
It was noted, firstly, that perceptions of the workplace have changed: while in the past the “office” was associated with the objectives of competition and status, today it is idealized through the values of tolerance, comfort, and technology. This shift in perception underlines how work has gone from being conceived as a duty to now being seen as an opportunity, having been reappropriated from an objective to a resource for fulfilling one’s aspirations. Another distinguishing feature of members of Generation Y (as identified by the participants) is that it is they themselves who confer authoritativeness on authority figures: leaders must win the confidence of others by proving their worth in the field, with mere investiture from above no longer sufficient. Yesteryear’s personality cult of individual leaders has given way to a rise in importance of leadership teams, and to greater interaction and receptiveness to input.
It was seen as evident that such drastic changes in perspective have naturally had a direct impact on businesses.
Nevertheless, it was acknowledged that certain elements have not changed over time. These were described as stable core values, the most significant of which were summarized as follows:
- workers – regardless of which generation they belong to – are conscious of the need to create value for their firm in order to justify the expense they represent;
- in order for preset production targets to be met, individuals must work together to generate a collective effort; and
- it is necessary to be creative in the workplace, yielding original solutions that produce excellent results in conformity with the shared rules and processes of the organization.
The discussion then turned to a consideration of the precise nature of the “new rules” that inform the outlook of Generation Y. Firstly, it was noted that the market has played a key role in reshaping the expectations of workers. Indeed, it was stressed that continual growth in line with the mounting expectations built up by businesses until a few years ago is not sustainable. Nor can targets be geared to running “sprints” in the short term, but should rather focus on winning “marathons” through planning and perseverance. Even the perception of a firm’s events, image, and strategies were seen as having become crucial elements. The ability to analyze one’s mistakes in retrospect, while also acknowledging them, was deemed an exercise in humility fundamental to staying competitive. The ability to accommodate different points of view and the assertion of dissenting positions have also become essential characteristics today, in contrast to the forceful attitudes and line-towing of the past. Lastly, the culture of risk-taking was held up as another defining feature of the change witnessed in leadership styles.
In conclusion, the participants emphasized the importance of not bemoaning the speed with which these changes have impacted on organizations and people, urging instead the need to analyze the situation as best as possible and to invest energies in remaining key competitive players.