Tips to my younger colleagues

[Anonymous]

Wow -- I had no idea there was so much age-related animosity in the workplace! Can't we all just get along?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tip for my older colleagues -

Don't assume that just my being less experienced than you generally means that I know less than you across the board. Not all of us kids are useless. Me, I try to treat everyone respectful and be appropriately grateful if someone helps me out, no matter who that person is.

I really hope you don't write like this at your job. Your post was 2 sentences long and I had to read 3x to figure out what you were saying.

Please give examples how you, the young and less experienced, know more than me who has worked for the company for X years and have been there done that a 1000x over.

Ack, you're totally right. Clearly the afternoon coffee did not take. What I meant was that people who have less experience still may have valuable knowledge and contributions, possibly even to the issue in question. I'm a legal assistant and a know a lot more about e-discovery and cloud computing than many senior partners in my office. It's true that I do not have 30 years of legal experience, but in practical terms, knowing how to operate the company software well is sometimes more useful than that case you argued at the Supreme Court 15 years ago.

Everyone has their value and their skills. And I always try to find the answer myself before asking someone how I can find the answer, so as to stay out of their hair next time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tips for colleagues -
If I'm looking for something you know off the top of your head, why wouldn't I utilize you as a resource? Seems like a much better use of time if you're right there and I ask you for something/information.

Just a thought!

Because it makes you seem lazy.

No, it's a use of a good resource. If you don't think of yourself as a good resource for a younger colleague, you're a sourpuss and need to get over yourself. It doesn't do anyone any good to resource horde. Of course, if it's something the employee has specifically been given or shown how to do, that's different.
I'm the lowest on the totem pole and people ask me to find things ALL the time that are public information. They sometimes go, "wow, that was fast!" yes, it is the most recent press release on the Senator's web site, but since you're too old to know how the internet works (or you're on a powertrip and like tasking people), you had me find it. In the time it took you to tell me what you were looking for, old person, you could have already had it.

it works both ways!

With this attitude, you will stay on the lowest rung.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the OP. If you're just looking for plain information available online or in a document you have access to, you get it yourself -- unless you need it right that second, and it's part of a conversation you're having.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the OP would be in for a rude awakening if she worked at a company where seniority by longevity wasn't the norm. That 25 year old could then be your boss within five years. After a basic threshold, age and experience are not necessarily conducive to results and effectiveness.

OP here. I'm senior because I know my stuff and because I'm effective. Oh, and let me add: you want to meet with, you check my Outlook calendar and invite me. Why should I be your secretary?

Oh my gosh. Get over yourself. You are not that important. You are replaceable. Just do your job and stop making things unpleasant for others. You can be replaced by someone with better skills and a better attitude. No one wants to lose good talent because your ego is hogging up all of the air.

-Business Owner

[Anonymous]

I would never check anyone's damn calendar. I'm not their assistant.

One of our biggest time-wasting VPs will send an email that says "let's meet at x time, is that OK?" When you say yes, he writes back "can you send me an invite?" In the time it took him to type that sentence, he could've added it to his own calendar.

I just ignore him now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the OP would be in for a rude awakening if she worked at a company where seniority by longevity wasn't the norm. That 25 year old could then be your boss within five years. After a basic threshold, age and experience are not necessarily conducive to results and effectiveness.

OP here. I'm senior because I know my stuff and because I'm effective. Oh, and let me add: you want to meet with, you check my Outlook calendar and invite me. Why should I be your secretary?

Oh my gosh. Get over yourself. You are not that important. You are replaceable. Just do your job and stop making things unpleasant for others. You can be replaced by someone with better skills and a better attitude. No one wants to lose good talent because your ego is hogging up all of the air.

-Business Owner

Or, I could just start disapproving stuff that comes to me, instead of trying to work with the lazy person trying to make me do all her work. Don't get defensive if I ask you if you've read policy XYZ, which is completely pertinent to this issue, since what you're trying to do would require a waiver of that policy, and you appear not to have a grasp of the issue but just want me to rubber stamp something.

[Anonymous]

I look at the repeated requests from the senior management for easily available information as job security for me.

Win, win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would never check anyone's damn calendar. I'm not their assistant.

One of our biggest time-wasting VPs will send an email that says "let's meet at x time, is that OK?" When you say yes, he writes back "can you send me an invite?" In the time it took him to type that sentence, he could've added it to his own calendar.

I just ignore him now.

If you need my help to get your work done, you can schedule a meeting at my convenience. I don't need you for anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I look at the repeated requests from the senior management for easily available information as job security for me.

Win, win.

That's the opposite here. Wouldn't you find it weird to ask a person two levels senior to you for easily available info?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I look at the repeated requests from the senior management for easily available information as job security for me.

Win, win.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never check anyone's damn calendar. I'm not their assistant.

One of our biggest time-wasting VPs will send an email that says "let's meet at x time, is that OK?" When you say yes, he writes back "can you send me an invite?" In the time it took him to type that sentence, he could've added it to his own calendar.

I just ignore him now.

If you need my help to get your work done, you can schedule a meeting at my convenience. I don't need you for anything.

That's funny. It's always the senior-level staff who are asking us to meet -- which is why I said he's the one sending the email.

I would never schedule a meeting with them. They're worthless and spend more time blowing hot air than doing work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow -- I had no idea there was so much age-related animosity in the workplace! Can't we all just get along?

I think we have a problem of a lack of humility from the younger worker set coupled with an unwillingness to mentor by the experienced crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow -- I had no idea there was so much age-related animosity in the workplace! Can't we all just get along?

it's not age related, it's competence and consideration related.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would never check anyone's damn calendar. I'm not their assistant.

One of our biggest time-wasting VPs will send an email that says "let's meet at x time, is that OK?" When you say yes, he writes back "can you send me an invite?" In the time it took him to type that sentence, he could've added it to his own calendar.

I just ignore him now.

If you need my help to get your work done, you can schedule a meeting at my convenience. I don't need you for anything.

That's funny. It's always the senior-level staff who are asking us to meet -- which is why I said he's the one sending the email.

I would never schedule a meeting with them. They're worthless and spend more time blowing hot air than doing work.

So you report to mid level staff?