Which one is your Jan?: Classic TV Jan…or more recent Movie Jan?

To Jan Brady, it always seemed like everyone else was getting all the attention. If it wasn’t little sister Cindy, then it was, of course, big sister “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!”

Similar to this classic example of “middle child syndrome” from “The Brady Bunch,” it often seems to Gen Xers that they are caught in the middle these days. For, while everyone’s busy talking about Baby Boomers and/or Millennials, members of Generation X are left there, ignored and sandwiched in between, wondering, “Hey, What about us!?”

Having entered the workforce during tough economic times, many Gen Xers, unfortunately, missed the boat that Millennials are about to set sail on. Gen Xers showed up on time, wore a suit, didn’t ask for perks, waited years for that big promotion that never came, and did all the right things…only to now find Baby Boomers tripping over them to shake hands with the GenY/Millennials.

So what does a Gen Xer gotta do to get some attention around here? Like a middle child who sees his or her younger sibling reaping the benefits of being the “shiny new thing” — and with the Boomer generation still calling the shots (for now) – perhaps it’s time to give Generation X a little love

So let’s dig in to and discuss, as generational expert Brad Szollose and I explore the top four things that Gen Xers need to do to avoid being the Jan Brady of the office:

1. Take back your power

As their label suggests, when we Baby Boomers came along (born post-WWII between 1946-1964), there ended up being a LOT of us. In many cases, as we pointed out in previous posts, at work we were expected to just sit there, shut up, and take anything and everything our bosses threw at us…literally. Todd had a boss throw a box of pens at him; and I (Brad) once had a boss throw a punch at me.

 So when Gen X (born between 1965-1979) entered the workforce, they, too, were expected to pay the same dues: work hard, keep their mouth shut, take the abuse, show up early, stay late, obey the rules…and maybe, some day, when the big bosses felt you’ve earned it, they’ll give you a title and a corner office.

But then suddenly, Gen X, after a decade of putting their heads down and doing what they were told, after riding out the recession and waiting patiently for the economic ship to right itself…along came the Millennials (born between 1980-2000) saying, “Excuse us, please…you had your chance…now it’s our turn.” Gen X, outnumbered and beaten down by one of the worst economies since the Great Depression, found themselves pushed aside and drowned out by the more demanding, more vocal, and more favored Millennials.

 Regardless of generation, every employee desires the basics: decent working conditions, fair treatment, fair compensation, etc…, but the Millennial generation (as discussed in our previous post) is the first to walk into companies saying, “If you are NOT going to pay me what my college diploma is worth, enough to pay off my student loans and to move out of my parents’ basement, then I want perks: a laptop and smartphone, flexible hours, free snacks and lunches, and paid time off to help make the world a better place.”

Boomers at first thought this was outrageous entitlement; after all it took them twenty years to earn any of those kinds of perks. But eventually they realized it was just smart business. Pay them less, but make ‘em happy in other ways. Or they’ll just walk out the door. And as this is going on, Gen X is sitting there with their mouths hanging open thinking, “Are you kidding me? I was lucky to even HAVE a job…and they’re asking for all these things…and getting them?”

But here’s the situation, Gen Xers: You may not realize this (especially those of you who have been so beaten down), but with the economy finally improving and with your having paid your dues, you’ve earned some serious clout – and your time has come. Being halfway between Boomers and Millennials, there’s a good chance that you possess many of the most valuable qualities of both. You have the work ethic and experience of a Boomer, combined with the flexibility and adaptability of a Millennial.

So step up to leadership, and take back your power. Sharpen your communication skills, and enhance your influencing skills. Seek out feedback and mentorship from those above you, and be willing to learn from those below you. As more and more Baby Boomers retire with each passing day, you want to position yourself for the next level and the next challenge. The days of “sitting and waiting to be called” are over. You’ve been waiting for your chance to seize the day…and that day has come.

2. Bridge the Generational Divide

As both of us (Todd & Brad) are Baby Boomers writing from our own first-hand experiences and perspectives, we wanted to seek out the viewpoint of a Gen Xer so we reached out to Jeff Schwartzman, the head of Learning & Development for industry-leading financial services firm Liquidnet to get his thoughts on the subject. 

Jeff commented that while he often thought of himself as more of a Millennial than a Gen Xer, after interacting with a number of his organization’s Millennial interns, it quickly made him realize how far apart he was in so many ways. And yet, he also realized that there was so much he could learn from them. He emphasized that the main strength that Gen Xers bring to the table is that they are well-suited and well-positioned to bridge the generational divide as a result of possessing many of the best traits of each of the generations that came before and after:

“Gen Xers are incredibly important to the productivity of an organization. They have the years of real-world business experience that Millennials don’t have, and yet the openness and flexibility in their mindset to innovate and implement new ideas in ways that many Boomers may not. And as more and more Boomers retire or become farther removed from the latest trends and technologies, and while less-experienced Millennials are still getting their feet wet, the Gen Xers who have been patiently waiting their turn are now ready to stake their claim and step up to leadership.”

Building on Jeff’s thoughts, Generation X, having the very best strengths of BOTH generations, and with hiring picking up, will be more and more in demand as more and more Boomers retire, leaving a huge leadership gap. So with their unique understanding of both the old and the new, the past and the present, members of Gen X are well-positioned to carve out their own paths.

3. Pump up your ambition and step up to leadership

Several recent studies have found that many members of Generation X (and even more Millennials) do not want the pressure and responsibility of a leadership position. Is it fear? Is it a lack of ambition? Or is it a mindset of embracing comfortable stability and avoiding the target on the back that comes with a leadership role. Gen Xers, especially, who have lived through the trauma of seeing so many of their peers unceremoniously laid off and are still somewhat shell-shocked, often think and feel, “Why bother?”

But, as mentioned, there is a leadership void going on out there, and the gap is going to get even bigger as Boomers retire. And, because the size of their generational pool is smaller than the number of Boomers dropping out of the workforce, there will be less competition for those openings. 

So it’s time to use this situation to your advantage. Instead of shying away, be proactive, change your mindset, and step up to the challenge. Your Millennial coworkers are certainly not going to be shy about speaking up for what they want, so you shouldn’t be, either. As Jeff said previously, “stake your claim.” You’ve earned it.

Most traditional companies still see age and experience as two of the key factors in making management hiring decisions. If you are being interviewed for more senior roles, be open about how much you have learned, the experiences you’ve gained, the results you’ve produced, and how you are well-positioned to navigate and negotiate between the three generations. Prove to them that you can handle the Big Chair.

And if you have an opportunity to seek out any management training or leadership development, do it NOW. A Harvard study found that most companies do not put their people through any kind of leadership development until they are in the 40’s, while many of them have been in leadership positions since they were in their 30’s. This, basically, means that they’ve had ten years to operate without any training for this role…and to develop and reinforce all kinds of potentially bad habits! Don’t let this happen to you.

4. Move up…or move on

If you have paid your dues, worked your way up the corporate ladder, and are still being left behind for one promotion after another, perhaps it is time to take a page from the Millennial handbook and move on. Millennials proactively seek out work environments that respect their individual contributions and organizational cultures that treat them as equal partners in the success of the company –- regardless of age or title.

And while loyalty to a company is an admirable trait to have, we all know that company loyalty to employees has, in most cases, gone the way of the dinosaur. As Dan Pink put it in his book, “Free Agent Nation,” even when employed by an organization, we are all, essentially, free agents these days.

And while there used to be a stigma about leaving a job before you’ve been there two or three years, those days are gone. While you don’t want to be a “job-hopper,” you also need to look out for Number One. So if you have maxed out in your current role and all signs seem to be leading towards a dead end, there is no better time than now to make your move.

I (Brad) was recently attending a Vistage event that was being held at a brand new law firm when Amy came running up to me to say hi. One of the top IP lawyers with one of the top law firms in the country, I couldn’t imagine what she was doing there, hosting the event. “I quit three months ago,” she blurted out, “and I couldn’t be happier!” 

Turns out she had been disgruntled at her old firm for years, but didn’t even realize it. After 17 years and millions of dollars generated, she was still being kept at bay for partnership. She just figured this was all part of the partnership promotion process: waiting and suffering. But something I had said over a year ago made her realize that something was missing in her high-powered career: appreciation and recognition.

So she left her prestigious, old-school law firm for a small, new firm that immediately put her on the fast track to partnership. She looked younger, happier, and was doing better than she could have ever imagined. And it wasn’t the money; it was a sense of appreciation for working her tail off that she had been needing.

 So just as Amy did, if this is how you are feeling and what you’ve been thinking, it may be time. Though it’s never easy, give yourself permission, be proactive, push yourself beyond your comfort zone — and the safety and security of the status quo — and explore the world of possibilities that exists out there. Not only will you be glad you did, but you’ll ask yourself, “What took me so long?”

In closing, as a Gen Xer you have struggled through some tough and turbulent times, and never got to share in the glory years of the Baby Boomers. But on the other hand, there is no time like the present, and with things finally picking up out there, it is finally your turn to shine.

In my last Hired Guns post, we discussed:

Five Myths About Millennials That Boomers and Gen Xers Need to Let Go Of;

and previously explored Five Things Millennials Need to Know When Being Interviewed By a Baby Boomer.

Now in this, the third of a four-part series on generational issues in the workplace, we want to flip the traditional hierarchy on its head and discuss the increasingly common occurrence of how (and why) Baby Boomers and Gen Xers need to think, and act, a little bit differently when it is a Millennial who is in charge.

Click here for our discussion on how the tables have turned...and what we can do about it.

One of the hottest topics out there right now is the subject of generational differences in the workplace.

And there are a lot of myths -- and myth-conceptions -- floating around. 

In this second in a series of posts co-written with generational expert Brad Szollose, this piece is directed towards Boomers and Gen Xers to help view the increasingly challenging Millennial situation with fresh eyes. 

Click here to read the full piece.

One of the hottest topics out there right now is the subject of generational differences in the workplace.

So how do we bridge this generational divide?

In this first in a series of posts co-written with generational expert Brad Szollose, this piece is directed towards Millennials to give them a few things to think about when dealing with Baby Boomers.

Click here to read the full piece.

“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages…” ~ Shakespeare

When anyone – including my coaching clients and grad students – asks me for career advice, my answer is always the same:

“It depends!”

And what does it depend on? A lot of different, individual factors. But among the most important is, where are they in terms of Shakespeare’s “seven ages”…and at what stage are they in their career?

While there is, of course, no “one-size-fits-all” answer to the question, “What career advice do you have?” based on my own, subjective and personal experience, here’s my best career coaching advice for every age and every stage:

Teens: The Age of Exploration

When you are in your teens, you don’t know what you don’t know. Try to gain exposure to as many different experiences as possible so as to learn more about the realities of the workplace and to get an idea of what you may be good at and what you’re not, as well as what you may like to do and what you don’t. Don’t be afraid to try or to fail. That’s what these years are for. Find internships, take temp jobs, entry-level jobs, do volunteer work, and ask questions. Lots of questions. Don’t feel that any question is dumb, or that any job is beneath you. At this stage of your life, everything is a learning experience. Just go into it with a positive attitude, and you’ll be amazed at how much you can learn and how much, and how fast, you will grow.

20s: The Age of Experimentation

Now that you have a better sense of what’s out there, take a more targeted approach toward finding your niche. You are still exploring and experimenting, but the stakes are a little higher now than when you were still in school. You want to do well, gain experience, build your network, and show that you are capable of producing real results. Take chances, but be smart about it. And don’t burn any bridges or do anything rash that could potentially come back to haunt you one day (including what you put out there on social media). You are now establishing your reputation, building your resume, planting the seeds for your career, and – as Steve Jobs put it – asking yourself how you are going to “put a ding in the universe.”

30s: The Age of Self-Actualization

At this point in your life, there is, hopefully, some connection between who you are and what you do, as well as having developed a strong sense of your “personal brand.” One way to explore what your personal brand is is to think about your answer to the question: “What do you want to be known as ‘the Guru of’ or ‘the Go-to person’ for?” And then figure out what you need to do to make that vision a reality. Ideally, you want to be working at what you are good at (and/or aspire to be great at) and what you like or love to do. You want to be setting yourself up for success and becoming a subject matter expert in your field, while still creating opportunities to take risks and to grow. You may have greater “adult responsibilities” now, so it may also be time to start thinking about and preparing for the future — financially and otherwise. The key is to be proactive in figuring out what you need to do to maximize your performance, your productivity, and your potential, both in your career and in your personal life.

40s: The Age of Expertise

Ideally, you’d like to now be settled into a career in which you’ve established a proven track record of success based on producing tangible results, as well as having developed a positive professional reputation and a network of contacts. (And not just online “connections,” but true, real-world relationships.) Building on the results you’ve produced, and with an eye toward the future, very often at this stage your thoughts turn to further developing your leadership potential while continuing to hone your personal brand — both internally within your firm and externally within your industry.

But what do you do if you’ve had a setback and/or your career train has gone off the track? My feeling (from personal experience) is that it’s never too late to reinvent oneself. As the saying goes about best-laid plans, they often go awry. And, as in a board game in which you get knocked back to the starting square, you may need to go back to the Ages of Exploration and/or Experimentation again and start anew. And, if so, keep in mind that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that (!), as it happens to most of us at one point or another. The good news, however, is that this time around you get to leverage the wisdom of your experience as you set out in search of new horizons and new possibilities.

50s: The Age of Mastery

Here’s where and when you want to leverage your many years of experience to establish your reputation as a credible subject-matter expert in your field. You’ve earned it. But it’s equally important to keep learning! Remember that “In an ever-changing world, if you’re standing still you’re falling behind.” Everything today – technology, the marketplace, expectations – changes quicker and more frequently than ever. The shelf-life of knowledge in this day and age is shorter than the expiration date on a container of milk. So it’s a never-ending, 24-hour-a-day race just to keep up. But you must, as there is no other choice if you wish to stay relevant and be seen as valuable. Your strength, at this stage, lies in combining your years of experience with your ability and willingness to proactively stay ahead of the curve. At this stage, you may also be thinking about what you want your “leadership legacy” to be…and, therefore, think seriously about what you need to do between now and the future to make that vision a reality.

60s +: The Age of Wisdom

You’ve seen it all. Or have you? With things these days changing faster than ever, we see something else we've never seen before. You want to make yourself marketable by branding yourself as a sage, and yet have the humility to look to those younger than you as your teachers. You want to be a mentor, and yet be open and willing to be mentored. With that combination of attributes, you will have much to contribute and be much in demand. You want to experience the satisfaction of continuing your own personal and professional journey of growth and development while, at the same time, taking the time to -- and taking pride in -- passing the wisdom of your experience along to the next generation, keeping in mind the maxim that “Wisdom is where Knowledge and Experience meet.”

A Few Final Words

Please bear in mind that this is all just one person’s totally subjective, general advice, and you are entirely free to agree or disagree. And there are no “shoulds.” Career paths take us where career paths take us. Just as in Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” our career journeys are ultimately made up of the combination of the choices we made…and the choices we didn’t. The reality of today’s workplace is that careers are rarely a straight “path” but more of a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, starts and stops, twists and turns, and victories and setbacks.

So, with that in mind, to me the keys to a successful career journey include a life-long love of learning, proactivity, resilience, a positive attitude of gratitude, and a growth mindset that keep you continuously looking – and moving – ever forward…at every age, and through every stage.