Customer Reviews

Twentysomething: Managing and Motivating Today's New Workforce

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Lawrence J. Bradford and Claire Raines Twenty-Something: Managing & Motivating Today's New Work Force attempts to provide managers and supervisors in all types of organizations a practical guide to better understand and lead their young employees. This book examines the background and work orientation of today's new worker by examining the values of younger workers between the ages of 17 and 27. There are growing frustrations from managers and supervisors across the nation about the new workers' lack of work ethic and loyalty, dominated by self-interest, and their non-caring attitude. Bradford and Raines provide insight into this "so-called" disrespectful, cynical, but yet educated, innovative, and energetic group of young workers by helping managers and supervisors alike, better understand the values that drive their behavior. The book identifies eight core values of these "Generation X" employees: they are self-oriented, want "quantity" time, have an extended adolescence, feel disillusioned, are materialistic, want to have fun, are slow to commit, and don't bow to authority. Understanding these core values provides managers and supervisors more effective methods of motivating and leading these young workers. Throughout the book, the concept of effective leadership is intertwined with understanding. In order for managers and supervisors to lead effectively they must learn new leadership strategies in leading twentysomething workers. Bradford and Raines feel that the information about twentysomethings will help managers and supervisors better understand and lead these new workers successfully. This consists of outlining specific responsibilities, goals and performance standards, communication paths, advancement opportunities and rewarding their young workers. Managers and supervisors must not assume their workers have the same values and views of work as they do, or that they are driven by the same things that they are. Today's young workers are learning new management models in college that gives more power to front-line employees and flattens the organizational chart. In knowing this, managers and supervisors must get to know this new "breed" of young workers, their expectations, and provide them constant feedback and communication. Bradford and Raines have provided some useful information and background into this new type of worker. Their book is well written and provides good insight that helps the "old school" manager or supervisor lead, manage, and ease the impact of this generational conflict. Overall, the successful leader, manager, or supervisor of the twenty-first century will be a coach, mentor, a supporter, and a people person.

Although too disgusted to continue beyond a few chapters, I can honestly say this book is easily the most offensive drivel I've read in years.

The book's synopsis, which ascribes such sweeping generalizations as "an extended adolescence, feel disillusioned, are materialistic" to the young workforce, was in itself enough to rouse my anger. The crude chapter concerning twentysomething managers ("The Yellow Sneaker Syndrome") managed to turn my stomach, while the pages of mean-spirited and heavily prejudiced stereotypes motivated me to write an angry letter to the publisher.

Having worked in the technology industry, where under-30 employees comprise 40+ % of the workforce, I have seen first hand how untrue all the precepts of this book are. When in history has a demographic worked longer hours (60 - 70 + /week) or in worse circumstances (the increasingly unstable technology economy) with more globally impacting results (see Jamie Zawinski's contributions to Netscape)?

Although I'm sure the authors have some right to their "expert" status, no professional should lay claim to such ignorant and blatantly one-sided misrepresentation of an entire generation. Should all the "twentysomething" references be replaced with any of a variety of ethnic labels, outraged public reaction would be immeasurable; the ignorance that prompted similarly charged racial stereotypes 50 years ago should not be heralded as sage advice when expressed in reference to an age demographic.

I would suggest "disillusioned" and "materialistic" more accurately describes the producers of this book, feeding on the fear of middle-aged workers forced to compete with a younger age group in an economy that has rendered many old-school business practices obsolete.