A team leader lamented in a recent training session I conducted that the fresh graduates and the younger generations coming into the system have huge ‘attitude’ issues. She said they don’t seem to realize that they are not in college anymore and need to shift their outlook to become part of a team and work for an organization. She felt they don’t show the seriousness or commitment towards work, respect for seniors or inclination to learn!!

Got me wondering, if that is how it is showing up, where has the problem started? Is it just that there are too many opportunities for them to move around and not worry about anything? Are they are not excited enough to put in their energies into the current one? What else?  I am not happy to see the younger crop being misunderstood(I would like to think) and branded non-committed/ non aspirational/ or simply reckless.

I think we need to go back and try and check on the way the system has been developed, the one in which these kids are growing up.  There is too much focus on ‘competition’ and winning, both at the educational institutions and at homes.  There are constant comparisons, pressure and push to do more and better, and work to achieve individual success. And success is mostly measured through numbers and ranks. Where is the concept of #collaboration and #cooperation in this milieu?  Who’s talking and teaching about the need for developing #Empathy?  Where is the importance of developing #EmotionalIntelligence along with other technical topics?  Who has the patience and time to talk about the importance of taking your fellow beings along with your growth and development?

Now, once they enter the corporate settings, we expect them to suddenly develop ‘Team spirit’ and align with the goals of the team and the organization.  Not going to happen so fast! Takes a lot of time, effort and understanding to shift their thinking and assimilate them into the new system.  They need to be specifically taught that they need to help themselves become a part of the whole and not be individual performers like before.  They need to be driven to understand that etiquettes of working for a team and an organization are to be learnt and followed and are not a given.  The need to groom themselves to be team players, empathetic and giving, has to be highlighted and the path illuminated.   There is some work to be done there! This seems to make the #CampustoCorporate programs very important.

I have complete faith in the new generations. They are indeed universal, very aware, more non-judgmental, quick learners.  Somewhere if the systems they are exposed to growing up gears them up to their future needs, and not just push them into the system to beat competition, they are wonderful people.

It is on us to realize there is more to life than stepping over each other to survive. We have to teach our children to view the world with empathy and extend a hand wherever possible. These are the future of this planet, after all.