Motivating Generation Y - Getting in the "Flow"

The stereotyping of Gen Yers (born between 1982 and 2002) by Baby Boomers (born between 1943 and 1960) and Gen Xers (born between 1961 and 1981) tends to be that they have short attention spans, are spoiled, disrespectful, and technology-dependent. In reality it is probably more accurate to describe Gen Yers as fast-paced, multitasking, fun-seeking, and technology-savvy.
One thing is for sure - Gen Yers are different in terms of their values, expectations, and motivations! So how should we older (and wiser?) folks be thinking about managing and motivating Gen Yers in the workplace? Many of us are familiar with the standard theories of motivation rolled out routinely at management training courses (Maslow, McGregor, McClelland etc. just to mention the "M"s) - but not so many of us have heard of "Flow Theory" from a theorist with the almost unpronounceable name of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced Chik-zent-mi-hally).
In a nutshell, Flow Theory tries to identify the conditions for happiness (motivation?) as applied to people in their work. In his book Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning, Csikszentmihalyi outlines a concept of being "in the flow" while at work. I am pretty sure that most of us have experienced this state at one time or another (if not in work, then when we are engaged in our favorite pastime) - he describers it as when:
Attention is focused; there is full concentration and complete involvement
Action and awareness merge
There is freedom from worry about the future
Self-consciousness disappears
The sense of time passing gets distorted
The experience becomes its own reward
An example of being in the "Flow State" at work was provided by Mike Murray,Ex Vice President, Human Resource, Microsoft Corp, who said: "Living is so much fun, and I see work as one element of that. I want to be able to love work because I have to spend so much time in it. I better enjoy it ... I also really like the business of business ...... Business is fun for me"
Wow! - this seem like a very powerful and productive state to be in - but how to generate it? According to Csikszentmihalyi there are three conditions to generate the flow experience:
There are clear goals at every step of the way
There is immediate feedback
There is a balance between challenges and skills
All three points are important for managers of Gen Yers. Clear goals and immediate feedback are what GenYers expect, but Boomers and Xers may not be so willing to provide (e.g. "no one told me what to do, I had to work it out for myself" or "they need to show some initiative and not have to be told what to do all the time" etc., etc.).
The final point of balancing challenge with skills is an important one that is also often overlooked by Boomer and Xer managers. Too much challenge without the commensurate skill (or getting thrown in at the deep end of the pool) is, according to Csikszentmihalyi, anxiety producing and can preclude learning and motivation. On the other hand, insufficient challenge given the skill level of the individual leads to boredom and low morale. This balancing act leads to an optimal zone called the "Flow Zone". that can be visualized as follows:
For those of us seeking ways to manage the growing numbers of Gen Yers in the work force it would be well to take notice of some of these ideas. Helping employees achieve their "Flow" may sound a little wacky to some of us, but it may be part of the answer to retaining and increasing the productivity of the best Gen Y employees. After all - if you don't consider "Flow" maybe your competitor will!
Kevin is an Industrial/Organizational psychologist and management consultant specializing in organizational development, employee development, and human capital management. He is also an adjunct Professor of Management, teaching courses on conflict resolution and international business. Kevin has held senior management positions with global corporations in Marketing and Human Resources, and has worked as a management consultant for clients in Europe, Africa, and the USA. His consulting assignments have included coaching executives and management teams, designing and implementing management training and development programs, and designing succession planning and performance management processes for large and medium sized companies. Please visit http://www.aspenod.com for more information.
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