Tips to my younger colleagues

[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.

Mental acuity starts declining at 40. Also, tech companies tend to be on the young side. And I've read that ageism is rampant in Mexico-you're considered old by the time you're in your late twenties.

Wow! How many stereotypes were perpetuated in that post?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

not likely, because I happily do all the requests with speed and proficiency. I've managed to triple my salary since moving to DC 8 years ago even through a rough job market, I just work with a lot of inflated salaries and I'm the youngest here, so be default the lowest.

That said, if you don't know public information is easy to find, I'm happy to have that skill make me look better. Because IT HELPS YOU WITH YOUR JOB just like if I don't know where something is, I ask you...and you help me. It's called teamwork. Even if I think your requests are stupid and show your lack of tech savvy, I happily do them.

If you don't like being part of a team, it's not that difficult to work for yourself.

But you're so obnoxious. Does your skill set include the ability to hide that, or are you the useful but unlikeable coworker that every office seems to possess?

Look, people, clearly the question of asking colleagues for information depends on the context. If two people are in the same room already in conversation or working on something together, it makes sense to ask for information rather than look it up. If the senior/more experienced person is in the middle of another task-- even something as simple as writing an email-- then don't interrupt. There are numerous studies which show how bad simple interruptions are for our thought process and overall efficiency-- far more so than most of us are aware. It takes much longer to for our brains to re-engage in a task than we realize, even if it's not a particularly complicated one.

[Anonymous]

Stop speaking like a Valley Girl.

Stop making all of your statements sound like questions.

Learn to use proper grammar and punctuation.

[Anonymous]

Please understand that I, as a senior member of the professional staff, might have useful suggestions. My comments and critiques come not from arrogance, but from experience -- I know what can go wrong.

Also, remember, you are here because I do not have the time to do it all. I hired the junior staff to handle the day to day tasks while I worry about bringing in the money that pays us all.

[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 actually a generational thing. The more generations in the same workplace, the more clashes. I'm an administrator in an elementary school where we have Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millenials. Went to a workshop recently that talked about how to coach across the generations. Here are some the work style characteristics of Millenials (born 1980-2000)

--love to collaborate
--have a perception of entitlement
-- careers must have meaning
--want to be a contributor
--ambititious but not entirely focused
--thrive in a fast paced environment
--use technology to multi-task
--open to new ideas
-- have a "me first" attitude
--self-absorbed
--confident
--want it NOW!

Of course these are generalizations, and some of these are about any generation when they were in their 20's. But many of these things are what I picked up in this thread. And they are things that I've observed in the workplace. They clash with the Boomers and Gen Xers who believe you have to work your way to the top and and/or advancement is based on results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't ask a more senior colleague for information you yourself can track down easily. It makes you look lazy, uninformed and like someone who doesn't realize her time is less valuable than her senior colleagues' time.

Agree, be resourceful.
That said, your first couple months get all your questions out there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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 actually a generational thing. The more generations in the same workplace, the more clashes. I'm an administrator in an elementary school where we have Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millenials. Went to a workshop recently that talked about how to coach across the generations. Here are some the work style characteristics of Millenials (born 1980-2000)

--love to collaborate
--have a perception of entitlement
-- careers must have meaning
--want to be a contributor
--ambititious but not entirely focused
--thrive in a fast paced environment
--use technology to multi-task
--open to new ideas
-- have a "me first" attitude
--self-absorbed
--confident
--want it NOW!

Of course these are generalizations, and some of these are about any generation when they were in their 20's. But many of these things are what I picked up in this thread. And they are things that I've observed in the workplace. They clash with the Boomers and Gen Xers who believe you have to work your way to the top and and/or advancement is based on results.

Most generations start out with a lot of those expectations but as time goes on, realizes it's not about them. They too will become bitter and responsible as they realize nobody gives a f***, just as the generations that went before them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Win, win.

Yep. Lower positioned folks (eg assistants, office managers, etc) have been information hoarders/gate keepers forever in the working world. They have used it as a way to keep their low skilled jobs. Very smart.

Incompetent people do this too.
In addition to simple parroting around what other smarter people tell them, grabbing work from other people once it is in the final (easy) stages, and racing to do secretarial things for the big boss in the hopes of fooling everyone that they did the actual deliverable. Ha!

We have one "15 years as an analyst" person in our office and she can get desperate sometimes. Right now we just use her to make phone calls to agents, brokers, sell side, and to clients once we've done the heavy lifting and made a decision who to go with. Clients really love chit-chatting with her! No tough questions ever!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please understand that I, as a senior member of the professional staff, might have useful suggestions. My comments and critiques come not from arrogance, but from experience -- I know what can go wrong.

Also, remember, you are here because I do not have the time to do it all. I hired the junior staff to handle the day to day tasks while I worry about bringing in the money that pays us all.

+1000

[Anonymous]

This thread makes me sad.

I'm a 40 something Director at a large agency and I love working with my junior staff. I work at a mostly male dominated organization and in the past 3-4 years we’ve gotten many more women in our agency. It has been so great to have more females interested in the field.

Also, no one is irreplaceable, eventually, just as I replaced my boss one of the people working for me will replace me. I plan on teaching them everything I learned and I hope they will one day surpass me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me sad.

I'm a 40 something Director at a large agency and I love working with my junior staff. I work at a mostly male dominated organization and in the past 3-4 years we’ve gotten many more women in our agency. It has been so great to have more females interested in the field.

Also, no one is irreplaceable, eventually, just as I replaced my boss one of the people working for me will replace me. I plan on teaching them everything I learned and I hope they will one day surpass me.

+1 -That's the kind of manager I like to see. With this attitude, your junior staff will enjoy working and collaborating with you! I think most of the time, the issues that arise I think a good manager inspires the junior staff to the point where they go above and beyond to be resourceful and shine at their job!

[Anonymous]

PP here- Wanted to say. " The issues that arise are due to poor management"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me sad.

I'm a 40 something Director at a large agency and I love working with my junior staff. I work at a mostly male dominated organization and in the past 3-4 years we’ve gotten many more women in our agency. It has been so great to have more females interested in the field.

Also, no one is irreplaceable, eventually, just as I replaced my boss one of the people working for me will replace me. I plan on teaching them everything I learned and I hope they will one day surpass me.

THIS is the kind of manager whose surbodinates will enthusiastically ask "how high?" when she tells them to jump and will wipe her ass if she asks. Why? because she treats them with common decency.

OP, with your snooty Marissa Mayer wanna be attitude, you are a mere cog in the wheel, regardless of what your ego likes to tell you.

[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.

Mental acuity starts declining at 40. Also, tech companies tend to be on the young side. And I've read that ageism is rampant in Mexico-you're considered old by the time you're in your late twenties.

That's because by the time you reach your late twenties you are too old to sleep your way to the top

Mental acuity does not decline at 40. But most certainly has declined for some of the posters here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread makes me sad.

I'm a 40 something Director at a large agency and I love working with my junior staff. I work at a mostly male dominated organization and in the past 3-4 years we’ve gotten many more women in our agency. It has been so great to have more females interested in the field.

Also, no one is irreplaceable, eventually, just as I replaced my boss one of the people working for me will replace me. I plan on teaching them everything I learned and I hope they will one day surpass me.

THIS is the kind of manager whose surbodinates will enthusiastically ask "how high?" when she tells them to jump and will wipe her ass if she asks. Why? because she treats them with common decency.

OP, with your snooty Marissa Mayer wanna be attitude, you are a mere cog in the wheel, regardless of what your ego likes to tell you.

See, I think the OP is telling newer/younger staff to treat more senior colleagues with common decency--albeit in a blunt way. Have none of you ever worked with some young whippersnapper who doesn't "get it"? I love love love my staff who organize their questions for me instead of popping in and interrupting every five minutes, who check to make sure I have time (hint: I always make time for someone who asks), and who try to find the answer themselves ("I was wondering about X topic, and found the following--do you agree that this is what I should be pursuing?"). That is a much better question for a manager than "I was wondering about X topic, where should I look?" Obviously when someone is brand new you have to do more hand-holding, but I have worked with people who truly seem to take the path of least resistance. To me, they are not "team players."