In my conversation with my peers around the country, it seems like one of the biggest hurdles in developing the now generation of nonprofit leaders is the mindset of current leaders.
That’s right, I said it.
It’s not the economy or the lack of funding available for leadership development. It’s the fact that many older nonprofit professionals don’t see younger generations as viable candidates for leadership.
Look, I’ll prove it to you. A recent BoardSource report highlighted several disincentives for nonprofit boards to actively seek out younger members, including skepticism about the need to have younger generations on boards.
Why the skepticism? One reason may be because there are a bunch of myths out there that need to be debunked about what young people can and cannot contribute. Those myths are especially strong when it comes to Generation Y. Let’s pull back the curtain on some of the other myths that limit the possibilities for future leaders.
1. Generation Y doesn’t have any experience.
This myth is pretty ridiculous when you look at the numbers. Generation Y refers to young people born between 1980 and 2000, which means that the oldest Generation Y-er is already 30 years old. This also means that the oldest Generation Y nonprofit leader has about 12 years of work experience.
2. All Generation Y does is tweet and Facebook all day.
Yes, Generation Y is overwhelmingly more comfortable and proficient with technology as a generation, just because we grew up with it more than other generations did. But here’s a news flash: Many young people are not even familiar with Twitter or Facebook. According to Pingdom, 64 percent of Twitter users and 61 percent of Facebook users are 35 or older. What bothers many young leaders about this technology myth is that their youth is only valued when social media comes up and the CEO wants to know how to use Twitter. For everything else, younger leaders are relegated to supportive roles.
3. Generation Y just wants to come in, take over, and change everything.
Not at all. Unfortunately, most Generation Y nonprofit leaders are not even thinking about changing anything in your organization. My generation is pretty much still emulating the older generations, afraid to fail, and trying not to rock the boat for fear we won’t ever get a chance to sit at the big kid’s table. We’re out here trying to get the right education so we can learn how to do all the right things at the right time so we can get the right jobs so we can move up into the right positions so someone can bestow upon us the right kind of power that will allow us to finally make a difference and make things right in the world. For the most part, Generation Y just wants to learn from older leaders and get the opportunity to contribute something to your organization. So you can chill out and stop worrying about The Big Takeover. Because as much as I’d like to say otherwise, it ain’t happening.
9 Responses to Three Myths About Generation Y
snotforprofit - June 11, 2010 at 12:37 pm
I’m not so sure about #3, Gen Y not wanting to rock the boat or change things and instead wanting to learn from others. Up here we had a study released surveying 24,000 university graduates about their work expectations – the oldest of those studied would be 27: “A majority of Canadian undergraduate students about to enter the workforce presume they will be promoted in the first 18 months of starting a job and be handed a 63% increase in their salary within the first five years.”The study also noted that Gen Y does not expect to have brand loyalty to a workplace, or to fit in longterm in an organization. Rather than Gen Y waiting to have power bestowed upon them, they are expecting rapid advancement. Rapid advancement is listed as a top priority.I think it’s important to address that these expectations do exist and are the basis for a lot of what’s written about this generation in the workforce.One of the articles on the topic is here:http://www.canadaviews.ca/2010/05/12/millennials-replace-corporate-ladder-with-catapult-study-finds/I'm 32 so on the cusp of X/Y and I do see these attitudes reflected in my peers and in younger workers.
cbismark - June 14, 2010 at 2:39 pm
I think the debunking in #3 was debunked itself by the final sentence: “Because as much as I’d like to say otherwise, it ain’t happening.” Like to and want to are the same thing. So if you would like to come in, take over and change things and it’s just not happening YET, it’s not from lack of wanting. Debunked!
wildwomanfundraising - June 15, 2010 at 12:46 am
Dear Rosetta,Thanks for writing about Gen Y! I agree, the older generations need to see the leaders in Gen Y. I strongly identified with what you wrote, because I have been expected to be office tech person and otherwise keep my mouth shut on program development issues, and that has irked me, because I am so much more than my tech skills. Sure, I can help debug a computer or help someone attach a document to an email. But I ALSO have 7 years of experience in fundraising. I’ve raised over $1 Million. I’ve run galas for 800 people and coordinated steamboat ride cultivation events for 40 people. I’ve written $130K in successful grants. I’ve done so much. And it seems like the older generations are unwilling to recognize this sometimes, and give up the reins. For example, I see a lot of MBAs in their 40s and 50s with NO nonprofit or fundraising experience being expected to lead nonprofits as the executive director, straight from the board, and sure enough, they fail. Why doesn’t the board recognize that nonprofits need good fundraisers first? Why don’t they see the Gen Y leadership right under their noses?As a Gen Y fundraising professional, I definitely want to come in and take over and change everything. Because as Dan Pallotta has shown us with his fabulous book, Uncharitable, everything needs to be changed. If you haven’t read it, I’ve got a synopsis of the major ideas over here: http://www.wildwomanfundraising.com/nonprofits-asked-fight-hand-tied/When I have mentored Gen Y interns and staff, one thing I’ve noticed is that they are really eager to help and have more responsibility given to them. The people I have known have been extremely conscientious. And I have never had to tell anyone to get off of Facebook or Twitter.Sincerely,Mazarine
wjfreeman - June 15, 2010 at 3:21 pm
I find it amazing that The Chronicle continues to give a platform to Thurman’s winning. Just follow her previous “articles” and any reader will find a continued theme of self-righteous indignation. Come on — find someone of substance.
wjfreeman - June 15, 2010 at 3:35 pm
It should also be added that Thurman is an adjunct instructor at Trinity in Washington, DC with only a master degree.
starrynight415 - June 16, 2010 at 10:15 am
I have to say that I agree with Mazarine. I’m 27 and have worked as the sole full-time employee at my organization for the past five years.I definitely think there is a bias among the older generations of nonprofit leaders toward those in their mid-20s. Now, I am the first one to acknowledge that a lot of people my age (regardless of occupation) graduated college with a sense of entitlement. College leads you to believe that you will land a great job with a great salary doing what you love right out of college. Those of us who have been there and done that, know that is not the case. But, that does not mean there are those among us who refuse to start at the bottom and work their way to the top.As a young nonprofit leader fighting for higher level responsibilities within my organiztion, and to be recognized as more than just the computer problem solver, the older leaders (i.e. the Board) are only concerned with my professional development and growth when there’s nothing else more important to worry about. It’s unrealistic to expect 20somethings to be loyal to an employer when they are resistant to cultivating the raw talent…simply because someone older and more experienced can do it better.I will continue to search for growth and development, because even though I have a Master’s in Nonprofit Management, I believe in learning by doing, but Thurman’s article definitely struck a chord within me.
tracymmo - June 16, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Funny thing is that the same post could have been written by a Gen Xer at one point, and a Boomer before that.
skinser - June 17, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Thanks, Rosetta, for addressing the “technology consultant” problem. While in some ways I’m thankful for my relative technology expertise because it creates job security (they can’t fire me if they can’t run webinars or update the website without me *ha ha*), I also sense that playing fix-it girl for the office undermines my authority in my position (that is, the position they actually pay me to do).
travistrott - October 15, 2010 at 1:23 am
wjfreeman: do you spend your days reading Rosetta’s insightful pieces so you can comment on them and discredit her? If you are so lucky to be employed, I suggest that you spend your time working rather than trolling.
Viva Gen Y!