Tamara Erickson's book "Plugged In" is geared towards Generation Y - those born after 1980 and before the year 2000. These are the next or current group of people entering the world of work, and so, Erickson decided to map out the differences between the Y's and the X's (and older generations). There is a decidedly different attitude that the Y's want to bring to their work, which the book explains in detail. Whether or not this attitude will come to fruition is another story.
I am a Generation X'er, so I thought it would be curious to see how different the Y Gen thinks versus how I think in today's work environment. I find a paradox between my own personal view of work, and that of what the Y wants. The paradox is that I find my own "wants" in a work environment to be similar to that of the Y, however, I also find that there are some fundamental business and economic "stuff" that still needs to be taken care of, which always seem to be the bumps in the road - mainly the idea of how to get your basic financial needs met while in pursuit of that balanced lifestyle.
Erickson paints a picture for the Y's that sounds easy and to get their aspirations met as innate in the generation they are brought into. In fact, the whole book is written in a style that is like a cross breed of a self-help book and an astrological reading. When I come across lines in the book like; "You like jumping into new challenges and learning as you go. You apply for jobs for which others might view you as underqualified and relish the opportunity to "figure things out"", it makes me suspicious that I am reading some new age text on how to feel better. But the writing is not an objective account, nor it is entirely subjective, and yet, I do not feel its balanced well enough to accommodate both points of view. The author attempts to mark the generation with statistical changes in attitude in Gen Y with general questionnaires. The major difference that I see is to ask the question, "what generation does the owner or head of the company belong to?" If you can answer that, you can get some idea of what kind of business model they are going by. More and more younger people are getting higher positions,(or simply creating their own business), and it follows suit that the business model would be indicative of which generation they grew out of. We saw in the 80's, young adults fresh out of college getting high paying jobs, top-tier positions, and changing the economic face by implementing what they wanted. Today's generation is making an impact at an even younger age, many without college education because computers cannot be learned adequately through a book, but hands-on experience. With so many kids growing up with computers, they already are experts by the time they graduate high-school. And with no need for college due to their being little to no training on a college level, High School grads are being employed. So experience is what is being rewarded, not degrees of knowledge.
Tamara Erickson does address the current technology and its heavy influence on our thinking, I also think she does not consider its influence well enough. In regards to "finding your passion", she relates a story about a person whose business tactics seem to speak for the Gen Y population, is summed up in a quote with: "With the world events, at any point in time, my life could be over - so never live in the future and never live in the past. Live for today." While this is good advice, it is universal advice for any generation. And what teenager do you know does not live by those words? In the late 60's and early 70's, the hippies and the communes and the Zen Buddhists and LSD trippers all had similar ideas about the world. The major difference is the technology they use to support their beliefs. In my opinion, teenagers of virtually every generation had the idea of "living for today". In order to fulfill those words, and have them stand on something, they seek for something to support it, and it usually is something external and present in many peoples lives. As I said, in the late 60's, religion and drugs were the means to support that lifestyle. Today, however, technology is giving the new generation that same support - the internet, cell phones, texting, instant access to information, etc., etc, are the support they need.
So what is the difference between the two generations? Businesses adapted the newest technologies, while they did not adapt Zen or LSD (understandably). So, their justifications, it might be said, is finally being supported and justified and, most importantly, accepted. So it might be said that it is less of the attitude that is changing, but more that business models and technology are finally in agreement which reflects that attitude.
In sum, I felt the overall book was an interesting read. Not a revelation, as anyone who spends time on the computer and talk with teenagers today can figure out what the general attitudes are for work. My biggest criticism of the book is the style that its written. Lots of "you"'s in there, which as I said, made me feel like I was getting my horoscope read. On the other hand, there are some questions within the text that did spark me to re-assess my own business and consider where I am, and what I have felt most important, is "finding my passion". I feel that it is important for people to do this, however, I also wonder if, although the Gen Y's have a propensity to want to fulfill their passion, how many will actually get to do this before they discover that "settling-in-your-job" sensation and forget all about their passions? Tamara Erickson writes positively about the changing of the times and is very optimistic about what the new Generation will being to the work environment. I volunteer for a small women-based community that has similar ideas about how business can be done on a horizontal plane, by connecting with other people, rather than in a hierarchical structure. So I am seeing it in action and wonder if big business will find it within their core nature to follow something similar. It is certainly worth reading if you are interested in changing the structure of your current business. If you are in the Y Gen population, I would recommend the book, but not as answer or a means to an end, but more like a philosophical treatise for business that would spark yourself to ask some questions about what you want and potential means of achieving them.
