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Unfortunately, most of the young managers moving into my agency in the past few years (including a few from Harvard)act as if they have all the answers and show no interest in learning anything from the people that have been around for awhile.
Posted by pcharge on October 24, 2007 - 09:47 AM
Get the message older generation? Do these young whipper snappers think they're the first generation to want to make a contribution to society, balance career and family, and want meaningful work so they understand what they do has a real purpose in this universe? My father's generation answered the call under FDR, my generation answered the call under JFK (remember "My fellow Americans, ask not 'What America will for you?' but rather ask 'What can I do for my counrty?'" The line streaches all the way back to July 4th, 1776 guys. Proud to be "older generation" and heard the message way before you johnny-come-latelies were ever born.
Posted by V on October 24, 2007 - 12:20 PM
I will confess to being surprised by the sour tone of the two comments that have come in so far on this post. (BTW, I'm 59, so I cannot claim to being a member of the younger generation myself.) I don't think any of the kids are claiming to have invented public service, and my experience is frankly that kids today respect the contributions of their elders far far more than the boomer generation did when they were kids. I think the message is just that if the federal government wants to attract and retain good young people, we need to work hard to make sure we tie their jobs to their sense of mission commitment, look for opportunities to give them meaningful responsibilities, and combat the fear industry that threatens all federal employees, young and old, alike (the only difference is that the younger ones are less invested in their jobs and thus are more likely to exit that kind of workplace environment). I fear that if the negative attitudes represented in these two comments are representative for federal workplaces, the battle to recruit and retain talented kids will be lost.
Anonymous
Posted by jsmeditor on October 24, 2007 - 01:24 PM
One ELC presenter stated that those under 40 represent a majority of the US workforce. However, in the Federal Government, those under 40 represent less than a third of the workforce. I agree with all of the things mentioned by the "young people" at the Human Capital track. There are many problems that were outlined by them and some that were mentioned by FCW. What topic that I don't think was covered was one I discussed with a DoD CIO and a former gov't person now with a DoD contractor. The problem was that the government does a horrible job of recruiting. I have heard universities mentioned and how the government needs to get "young people" excited about a federal career. What I don't hear is how the 30-40 year old professionals are targeted. I pointed out to these folks several people at ELC that would make great feds. I know for a fact that each person I pointed to has hit a brick wall when they have gone after a federal position, myself included. All of the people I mentioned have been and continue to be leaders in the private sector.
In regards to the comment that the other person posted regarding "most of the young managers...acting as if they have all of the answers" I would say that most of the "old managers" I have met in government fail to keep up with the latest technologies, are not willing to listen to new ideas, and can not tell you who their customers are. The answer is our US citizens.
Posted by Sandtoc on October 24, 2007 - 01:47 PM
Excuse me, but why is that an employer should have to make a job meaningful? It should be the responsibility of each individual to decide to make the job they do interesting and meaningful, or change jobs. That seems to be the primary divide between the old and the new; a sense of entitlement. A job is a job, but each person decides their own path.
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