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Re-Sending Generation Y: You Are Not Entitled to Never-ending Success

One of the biggest challenges in advising managers on the Generation Y "problem," is answering the question "Why do Gen Y workers act like this?"  Bloggers, journalists, and lecturers across the nation suggest different views on this, but here's a new perspective.  We (Gen Y workers) have grown up without being allowed to fail.  We have been entitled to success in all we do, so that when we do fail, we have problems coping.

For example, some junior high and high schools have either abolished failing grades or lowered the standards for passing grades.  In May of 2005, the Arizona Republic ran an article that reported AZ State Officials lowering passing grade standards for graduating senior exit exams for High Schools Diplomas.  Outside the classroom, consider secondary school athletics.  In my secondary education in Seattle's Eastside suburbs, no student was ever cut from any school athletic program.  Everyone had a chance to play, because to cut someone could damage their self-confidence.

So now Generation Y-ers are leaving school and getting into the workplace; guess what?  We're failing in ability to complete tasks.  We leave jobs that don't give us the benefits we want or end up being much harder than we thought during interviews.  We complain that we're not being treated fairly, and then when we are treated well, we ask for more.

To the managers, the best way to combat this is to mentor your employees.  When an employee makes a mistake, remind them that it happens and help them back to their feet.  Be patient, but firm - they must understand that they need to move on and learn from failure.  Do not tell them "it's okay, you gave it your best shot, you're still a winner."  If they failed, it probably wasn't their best shot. 

To the Generation Y-ers, get used to the fact that life isn't going to be as easy as high school or some of college.  You will fail - it's going to happen and the only thing you can do is reflect on it (briefly), then learn from it and move on.  You are not entitled to never-ending success, you are merely entitled to develop your potential, and that requires both success and failure - both result in learning.