Life in the Baby Boomer library world: a survival guide

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Recently there has been a proliferation of literature written for supervisors and managers in how to deal with Generation Y in the workplace – yet in comparison there has been little written for Generation Y to prepare us and provide advice in how to deal with supervisors and managers and navigate the realities of the workplace – which often don’t meet our needs, wants or expectations. Libraries are no exception where workplaces are dominated by Baby Boomers of 45 plus, offering us few peers.So this morning I am going to present you with my guide for surviving life in the Baby Boomer Library World and help you to understand and engage with the complex environments and management structures in your workplace. As I already stated, It is based on my experience over the past five years working in public, education and specialist libraries and also working at varying levels across organisations from the bottom of the heirarchy to management. It is also backed up by a little bit of generational theory and analysis of the library industry. Before we get there though we will first make sure we are all on the same page by looking at some general characteristics of who Baby Boomers and Generation Y are and check out the state of the library work force. ��

Baby BoomerBaby Boomers were born between 1946-1964 which makes them aged between 44 and 62.Major events and markers for the Boomers include the advent of television, rock and roll music, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the threat of nuclear war and introduction of decimal currency. To Boomers life is sequential, moving from one level to the next, having experienced a mostly linear lifestyle – from childhood, to secondary education, moving onto work or tertiary education (and then work), marrying, having a family and are now moving toward retirement.��In the workplace, Boomers ‘live to work’, and created the 60 hour working week. As a result many are workaholics with an overwhelming need to succeed at any cost, sacrificing personal life for professional goals. They have started at the bottom and worked their way to the top believing promotions are achieved through hard work. Their focus in the workplace is on process and outputs, concerned with policy and productivity rather than quality products, outcomes and development of best practices.Generation YGeneration Y are currently between 14 and 28, born between 1980 and 1994 so many Gen Ys are not yet in the workplace, or just preparing for entry. Those Gen Y in the room will be like and me and be at the older end of Gen Y or on the cusp of being labelled Gen X.Major defining events for Gen Y include the advent of the internet, the new millennium, September 11, iPods (and now iPhones), and climate change. In comparison the Boomers leading a sequential lifestyle we are referred to as ‘zigzaggers’ as Gen Y’s are likely to explore their job options, travel, and delay tertiary education, partnerships and parenthood, and not take a step by step approach to life. Gen Y is termed the ‘options’ generation or put in a negative way – non committal as they tend to keep their options open rather than commit to career, marriage or having children. However options come with the downside of greater expectations and feelings of the need to achieve quickly.�It is important to remember Gen Y are the children of the Baby Boomers and are the most educated generation in history, the most entertained and materially endowed, and the first generation of digital natives, resulting in us being the first post literate generation where visual stimulus and interaction is valued more than written word. �In the workplace Gen Y are team oriented, purposeful and social, not motivated by money when seeking employment, instead more motivated by the level of experience and relationships they will be exposed to. From a job, Gen Y value new challenges and responsibility; and from a workplace flexibility, ethics, engagement and belonging and good leadership.A small note about Generation X: they have not been forgotten amongst this however the relationship between the Baby Boomers and Gen Y is the primary focus for two reasons: Baby Boomers comprise 65% of the library population and currently hold the majority of senior management positions with the responsibility for supervising and leading Gen Y employees.

Which brings us to the library workforce. What does it look like?�According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) the median age of librarians is 47. Just 12% are under the age of 35. There will be a prolific move in the next three years for librarians toward retirement, opening the door for Gen Y’s to move into senior management roles before the age of 35.Yet , the industry is struggling to attract Generation Y with 44% of new graduates, and 37% of recent entrants (less than 5 years in the industry).And what does a librarian look like?The librarian stereotype is entrenched across culture – which as demonstrated by this photograph means you have to be a little bit eccentric to qualify!Just a reminder of the many roles we may play as a librarian in any one day: actor, therapist, IT trouble-shooter, teacher, detective, research assistant, retail assistant, trainer to a myriad of other roles. We all know how difficult it can be to tell people what we do and what it means to be a librarian, particularly when there are TV shows like The Librarians! And we have all had the experience of telling people at a party we are librarians and people saying ‘That would be so great – I love books too’. Due to the vast changes that have occurred in the profession, particularly over the past 30 years, it is often difficult to reconcile between generations the definition and role of the librarian. There are Baby Boomers who are determined to embody the idealised and stereotypical concept of a librarian despite its irrelevancy in today’s society. This is primarily a consequence of time and education. Information management education today focuses on information and communication technologies, information facilitation and accessibility, and online resources. In contrast, many Baby Boomer’s library education valued information provision and information custodianship.

So this survival guide, founded in generational theory, industry research and drawn from experience, proposes insights into the complexities of cross generational relationships within the workplace. The tips offer advice to Generation Y employees for developing flexible work practices to break through barriers and shape the course of their workplace experiences.I remember in my first year as a library manager, where I was one Gen Y manager against 9 Baby Boomers, I participated in a leadership development program where one morning focused on generational theory. For me, it was an epiphany moment for why I was different to the others and proved to be a real turning point in my career. Is a survival guide necessary? This guide in many ways is common sense illustrated through my lessons learned so a survival guide is not necessary but it may help navigate a little along the way and is certainly not going to hurt – the worst that can happen is you get to have a nap for the next 10 minutes.

Survival tip 1: Professional confidence.After you finish you degree it does take time to develop confidence in your professional skills, capabilities and achievements – but developing your professional confidence is essential for integration into the workplace and for your ongoing growth and success. I will never forget the fear I had when I sat down to do my first reference shift – the fear of not being able to answer the questions I was asked…..it was not long before I was craving to be asked an enquiry that was difficult to find the answer for. When I commenced my first management role in 2006 as a Campus Librarian within a TAFE Institute I was 26 years of age. I entered my first management meeting with great anticipation and sat waiting to meet my new colleagues. I didn’t know what or who to expect however as the group arrived realisation set in that within the ten member management team I was the youngest by 20 years. I suddenly felt like a little girl playing in a grown ups world. In addition, the team had worked together for the past five years, with most being with the organisation for at least a decade. My heart sank and my professional confidence plummeted as I tried to work out how I fitted in with this group. The differences in lifestyle, professional and life experiences, education and ideas proved to be vast. Finding my voice and commanding enough respect to be heard can be difficult when you’re new to a community. Discovering my professional confidence was a long process of reconciling myself with my definition and role of libraries and librarians and recognising the strengths in my different experiences.�When I went to my first interview for a management position I was asked the inevitable question ‘How will you feel and deal with supervising staff who are much older than you?’ I answered that it would be fine and I didn’t have any issues with it, however when I began my first management position it was intimidating – the people I was supervising didn’t have a problem with it – it was solely my issue – it was really the development of my professional confidence that allowed me to grow into a good leader and manager.Professional confidence is not a belief that you ‘know it all’ or a reflection of fitting into the workplace. Professional confidence grows with experience and exists within the commitment to lifelong learning, ongoing professional development and an innate trust in your professional knowledge, skills and capabilities irrespective of your sense of workplace belonging. Librarians are traditionally not good at marketing, themselves or their services. In the current climate it can sometimes be difficult to feel you can prove your worth against Google. You are a trained well educated professional in your field and you are allowed to be confident in that!

Tip 2: The Age paradoxThis sign says: Glassbreaker hammer...Break the glass to get the hammer. As a Gen Y librarian your age is your greatest strength and also your greatest weakness. A classic example occurred when I went for two job interviews within a week for the same role, as a campus librarian, at two different TAFE Institutes in Victoria, not long after I graduated. It was evident to me immediately in the first interview that despite my credentials, capabilities and achievements on paper that the employer was after experience, and more experience, someone who could walk in and take charge. The second interview was the exact opposite where it was evident my youth, fresh education, ideas and approach were in my favour. Needless to say, I was successful in my application for the second institution, but not the first. Despite the experience, knowledge and capabilities I had displayed in my application to be granted an interview it was timing, opportunity and chance that determined by success. The result was more a consequence of meeting organisational needs and future directions rather than my application and interview. �We Generation Y librarians are in a unique position. As a minority within an industry crying out for youth, we are perceived as resourceful, innovative, enterprising and opportunistic, and fresh and are given the power to suggest and drive new directions. This power is attractive and can result in reliance on being the new up and coming librarian. Its exciting to be noticed and given so much attention. Conversely though this can lead to feeling pressure to perform, to always be the driver, the ideas person and the technology go-to. There is no harm in using your age for gain, as youth does not remain forever, however your age should not become a substitute for genuine skill and capability. Be aware that the strength in your age also comes with limitations and be prepared for both.

As Gen Y’s we particularly want someone to look up to, respect, someone to aspire to be like and someone we can go to – a mentor, a coach, a good friend.�Do not forget that Gen Y’s are the children of the Baby Boomers. As the library industry is a Baby Boomer and female dominated industry it is inevitable that as a Gen Y you will be mothered at some point in your early career. This can be a strength and a weakness. In my first library role within a public library I worked in a team with seven Baby Boomer women. All of these women mothered me in some capacity. This provided me with trusted confidants, coaches and mentors and taught me many valuable skills; however it became clear after a year that this mothering had come at the cost of career advancement. Although all believed in my capacity and capabilities for higher duties it was obvious it would not eventuate as they all viewed me through ‘mothering’ eyes rather than as a respected professional. In my last position though, there was one particular library manager who mothered me (and god bless her still does) but who also respected me professionally and offered significant support and guidance and really helped me through some hairy library moments! That said, it never stopped her from giving me a 3.00 hot chocolate, a lindt ball when I was feeling anxious or offering to babysit the children I haven’t yet had! Succession planning and mentoring in libraries are critical issues – particularly with the planned mass of retirements soon to come, yet there are few programs working successfully. Baby Boomers are often resistant to training Gen Y’s due to the expectation that they will leave and find a job elsewhere. �A friend of mine is a Liaison Librarian in a large university, just one of approximately 200 library staff. After being in the role for about a year she talked to me about how ‘lost’ she felt in the system, with little direction and little support. She spoke of her desiring a mentor, an experienced peer to work with collaboratively or at least a role model, none of which seemed to be about to present itself within her workplace. This is not an uncommon story.I was fortunate enough to spend time with a visiting library scholar from the United States whilst working within TAFE and discovered that we ‘hit it off’ and had many similar interests. During the time she was in Melbourne, we discussed and agreed that she would become my mentor. She has now been my mentor for just over a year, and the professional enrichment, confidence, passion and career direction she has instilled within me and the many lessons she has taught me have all led me to being here to speak with you today. Its an amazing experience. �My advice is to seek out your own mentor, role model, coach or trusted experienced peer. Often your workplace will attempt to match you according to capability or experience with someone else without any dialogue. It is important you are part of the process of choosing your coach.Finding a mentor is difficult but essential for professional growth. Think about what you want from the mentoring relationship first. Consider what you have to offer to the relationship as it should be mutually beneficial. Your mentor does not have to be someone working in your organisation, or even in the same country in my case. If you do change organisations there is no reason why your mentor has to change also. When you have found a suitable candidate, talk to them about it. Its really important to formalise the relationship so you both understand the expectations you have of each other.

It has been stated that the greatest cause of miscommunication is not cultural or gender diversity but generational misunderstanding. Within the workplace, Baby Boomer leaders and managers do not often communicate clearly, providing directives rather than guidance, and rarely provide constructive or positive feedback. Often the only comments offered are when an employee does something wrong. For example a few months ago I was working on a particularly complex tender submission for work – yes you heard me correctly I was preparing a tender submission – and yes I am librarian – I had never prepared a tender submission before in my life let alone one that was overly complex! I worked exceptionally hard to read the two hundred page brief and schedules and understand all the jargon and legal speak and put together as much of the information for the tender as possible and gave it to my supervisor. The following day he called me into his office and all he said was ‘it’s obvious to me you didn’t read the requirements properly’. No ‘feedback sandwich’ no offer of training or any kind of support – particularly considering I had never done anything like that before! This is reflected in that 42% of Gen Ys reported that poor management and leadership was the primary reason for leaving their previous role – I admit that I am one that adds to this statistic.One of my previous senior managers would often state ‘I don’t need to be thanked for my work, I get thanked every pay day!’ A Gen Y employee seeks positive reinforcement, learning opportunities and being valued by their managers. For example, a colleague of mine wrote a report for publication and sent it to her supervisor for review. After the report had been published she noticed the conclusion to the report had been heavily edited. She had no issue with the change however commented ‘I would like to know how to make my conclusions better for next time’. Before I mentioned the leadership development program I participated in - I remember another epiphany moment I was talking to the group about wanting and needing more feedback – and my manager mentioned that it wasn’t that she didn’t want to give feedback she just never thinks to do it. This was a lesson to me – once I knew this I didn’t look for her feedback – I asked for it when I needed it. So, I say be empowered and ask for feedback. Don’t wait for it as you may be waiting a really long time! Baby Boomers often do not realise or just forget to offer the feedback you need. It is not malicious; it just doesn’t come naturally. In my experience, managers appreciate the forthrightness to ask for informal performance appraisals and guidance. Baby Boomers are motivated by respect, so by asking for advice and feedback you are respecting their knowledge and experience.

According to generational theory Gen Y are characteristically impatient due to over stimulation caused by media and technology – we have short attention spans and need to continually be challenged. Peter Sheahan, a well respected professional in this field, has a great quote which says ‘They (Generation Y) are all ADD compared to those many years older than them’ This impatience manifests itself in many forms including ambition; constantly on the lookout for something better; delusions of personal ability and competence; and a need for instantaneous communication and feedback. �Resistance to change is rife within Baby Boomer led organisations. Within libraries this resistance is contributed to by traditional perspectives of library services and more likely a fear and/ or lack of understanding of technological advancements. Within any organisation change takes time which can cause significant frustration, particularly when it comes to technology in the library and you feel like you are forever playing catch up with the real world – and just when the library decides to adopt something (or ITS decides to help you adopt something) it is usually past its expiry date…. From experience, Baby Boomers will come on board they just require more time.�The speed of life we experiences external to the workplace is not mimicked within it. There is the temptation as a newcomer to walk in and want to change many practices, equipment and facilities. Patience in understanding appropriate timing and context is paramount. It is in your best interest to become practiced at choosing appropriate times to make yourself and your processes ‘visible’. Pay due respect to the workplace efforts that have occurred before you. Make it your responsibility to learn about your workplace, past practices and innovations. You can’t change the library world in the first six months (believe me I tried…) �

So what do we make of all this?Generational understanding is the key to success. Through learning and appreciating generational backgrounds and life stages it’s possible to avoid a number of workplace frustrations and break through personal and professional barriers faced. It’s forever a balancing act between generational understandings and respect for the experience and knowledge of the Baby Boomers, and the skills and education of Gen Y. And just think in 15 years time we will be at another conference learning how to deal with Gen Z! �Although my experiences are unique I hope you can relate to my journey – perhaps you have found some echoes within your own – perhaps I have learned some lessons that you now don’t have to – or perhaps this just reinforced what you already knew – whatever the outcome I encourage you to go confidently in the direction of your dreams and conquer the Baby Boomer library world. Thankyou.