Gen X Lazy, Boomers Technologically Inept -- According to Fortune

In an article that manages to be condescending to both Boomers and Gen Xers, Fortune magazine sought some insight on mediating inter-generational issues at work. Fortune's Anne Fisher interviewed Janet Reid of consulting firm Global Lead, who made no friends with comments like these:

"Often, Gen Xers will approach their careers with the attitude, 'I'm just going to keep changing jobs until I get the title I want and the pay I want, until I reach Nirvana.'"

and

"... one trait that is shared by almost all Gen Xers is, they like to explore and problem-solve on their own" (funny, that was a trait my kids had when they were two).

(We'd like to point out to the consultant, Janet Reid, that the oldest Gen Xers are now past forty and officially middle-aged. We're pretty sure that makes them adults.)

Boomers fare no better:

(Of Gen Xers) "As long as they are involved and learning and contributing, they'll stay. Pay for performance works, too. Give them more money to go along with those bigger challenges." (Boomers, on the other hand, must stick around even if they're NOT involved, learning, contributing, or compensated. No wonder they don't understand Gen X!)

But there's hope ...

"In one of my client companies, I had a Boomer manager who gave her Gen X employee a lot of valuable advice about navigating the politics of the place to get something done. In exchange, the employee set the boss up with an iPod and taught her how to download business books on it." (it's apparently a fact -- no one born before 1965 can figure out how to operate those newfangled iPods.)

To sum up: brain dead, time-serving Boomer bureaucrats can manage job-hopping Gen X slackers if they entice them with foreign concepts like fulfilling work.