Managing the deliberately mute. (In The Trenches).

KEY CONCEPTS

* Generation X

* Communications Styles

* Differences in Values

* Solid Task Orientation

* Participation versus Outcome

* Getting Gen-Xers to Talk

One of the things that puzzles and irritates physician managers, regardless of the organization, is why their twenty-something employees have so little to say. A medical director observed, 'The Xers don't give feedback, don't respond to surveys, and don't participate in meetings. They don't even file workplace grievances. They just put their heads down and work."

Gen-Xers, with their different values, are aware that forty- and fifty-somethings like to converse and will make small talk If they have nothing significant to say. Xers are lousy at small talk. Most believe that if you have nothing to say, silence is the only alternative. Ask veterans of campus recruiting. They will tell you that whatever the young say to each other, they're laconic in the extreme during interviews. What they do say may be important and relevant, but no words are wasted.

"I don't care" attitude

When we work with Gen-Xers, now mostly in their mid to late twenties, the contrast in communication styles and values between them and forty- and fifty-somethings is obvious. When we question them about their taciturn manner, they all give us the same two reasons: They really don't care one way or the other and they're convinced that what they say doesn't matter anyhow.

This may frustrate a manager charged with getting the buy-in or enthusiastic participation from the troops, but it's a fact. Gen-Xers are focused on the assignment and the deadline; their goal is to do good work in a timely manner. They are highly skeptical that enthusiasm has any influence on the outcome.

Here's an example: A five-person team was responsible for planning a new service bill introduction. One person wrote the first draft, emailed it to the next person who added content, corrections, and fine-tuning. It went around the circle by Intranet until all five had worked on it. They never once met face-to-face nor did they check each other's work. Their manager told me, 'I thought it was extraordinary that five people worked serially on the plan but never interacted. It was a reasonable plan and we'll use it, but I can't help believing it would have been better if they'd met." Like many forty-somethings, he's unable to imagine that face-to-face contact doesn't necessarily produce better results. He's right, however, in thinking that none of those five people cares as deeply about the outcome as each cares about getting the job done.

This "I don't care" attitude has a reason. Gen-Xers grew up in an uncrowded generation--unlike the Baby Boomers--and they did not have to compete for attention. They were not exhorted by their parents to "be good with people," so they never had to fine-tune their communication skills. Instead they were told, "You must learn everything, develop good skills, be cutting edge, or--by implication--whoever you work for will get rid of you in a New York second."

The fact that companies are larded with forty- and fifty-something computer illiterates who haven't been fired does not show up on an Xer's landscape. Obsolescence will doom them if they let it happen. What matters is whether a job provides ongoing learning opportunities until they can start their own businesses. Then they will have to learn to communicate with customers and clients, many of whom will be older and demand small talk. Until then expect them to maintain their solid task orientations.

We've heard "What I say doesn't matter" so many times it must be a Gen-X mantra. The reasoning goes this way: 'If my boss asks my opinion and it disagrees with his or hers, we're going to do it his or her way. Talk about futility! I can't understand why someone who'd already decided on a course of action would care what anyone else thought. I wouldn't."

How many meetings are intended to affirm a course of action rather than to decide on one? Xers tell me that's the kind they attend most frequently. Then there are those meetings during which a boss plays what Xers call "The Game." The game is trying to guess what the boss is thinking or what he or she wants. Xers won't play. They'll sit in a meeting for hours and not say a word since, again, from their perspective, there is no point. Whether it's a task force brainstorming ways to get employees to give to United Way or a team meeting, Xers are convinced participation does not influence outcome. Will HMO policies change if they voice an opinion? Not really.

Getting Xers to talk

Even the most temperate manager can be frustrated by his or her mute charges. There are, however, ways to get Xers to talk--provided you really want their ideas and opinions and you acknowledge that you hear what they say. Forget employee surveys; you'll get precious few responses. This group is not committed to the organization emotionally or long-term. They're just passing through. But they still may have something to say that you could use. Here are the best techniques from those who successfully manage large numbers of the young, including young physicians.

1. Focus on what matters

Instead of asking for feedback in general, ask what could go wrong with a project or in a particular scenario? The dimmest Xer can understand that prevention matters. Don't ask questions answerable by one word. What obstacles does he or she anticipate? Concentrate on fact questions, don't fish for opinions or attitudes. Contrary as this is to the nature of management theory, it's important when dealing with Xers. You'll find questions that start with. "How do you feel about. get no useful response.

2. Don't ask if you're not going to act on the feedback

Nothing confirms the Xers belief that bosses are playing games so much as being asked for ideas or opinions followed by business as usual. You're unlikely to get anyone who's had more than six months' work experience to answer twice. Frame questions by telling Xers why you want them to respond and what you'll do with the information, For example, "I'm trying to decide whether we should allow the billing staff to telecommute two or three days a week. Here's what I want to know." You will get a response. The issue matters to Xers and you've generated trust because you've committed to a timeline.

3. Personalize your request for information

Xers tell me that the boss, not the organization, is most important in their career success--or lack thereof. They also tend to attach to a boss they respect. If your boss presses you to have employees respond to a hospital-wide survey, ask your employees to fill it out as a favor to you--not because they should. What the hospital wants doesn't matter, but the fact that you might be in hot water if they don't fill them out does.

4. Always do a worst case scenario when you need the buy-in

Don't even think about winning one for the Gipper. Xers neither know nor care who the Gipper was. Instead of leaving an Xer to figure out independently if you're serious about an issue or merely taking the party line, explain what will happen if something isn't discussed fully. "If everyone doesn't know all the details, we may end up overlooking something critical. Briefly, where are you on your part of the project?"

Conclusion

As Xers continue to enter the workplace, physician managers need a variety of communications styles, unlike the one-size-fits-all they used with Boomers. In fact, we've identified a subset of Boomers we call the Wrinkled Busters who have the same skepticism the Xers show. They are, not surprisingly, people who went through downsizings in the 80s and have taken a vow in their own blood that they'll never make the same emotional commitment to work again. Add this group to the Xers and ten years from now 'buzz" and "grapevine" may be retro terms.

RELATED ARTICLE: Getting xeros to talk

Even the most temperate manager can be frustrated by his or her mute charges. There are, however, ways to get Xers to talk--provided you really want their ideas and opinions and you acknowledge that you hear what they say. Here are the best techniques from those who successfully manage large numbers of the young, including young physicians.

1 Focus ON WHAT MATTERS

Instead of asking for feedback in general, ask what could go wrong with a project or in a particular scenario? Don't ask questions answerable by one word. What obstacles does he or she anticipate? Concentrate on fact questions, don't fish for opinions or attitudes. Contrary as this is to the nature of management theory, it's important when dealing with Xers.

2 DON'T ASK IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ACT ON THE FEEDBACK

Frame questions by telling Xers why you want them to respond and what you'll do with the information. For example, "I'm trying to decide whether we should allow the billing staff to telecommute two or three days a week. Here's what I want to know." You will get a response. The issue matters to Xers and you've generated trust because you've committed to a timeline.

3 PERSONALIZE YOUR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Xers say that the boss, not the organization, is most important in their career success-or lack thereof. They also tend to attach to a boss they respect. If your boss presses you to have employees respond to a hospital.wide survey, ask your employees to fill it out as a favor to you-not because they should. What the hospital wants doesn't matter, but the fact that you might be in hot water if they don't fill them out does.

4 ALWAYS DO A WORST CASE SCENARIO WHEN YOU NEED THE BUY-IN

Instead of leaving an Xer to figure out independently if you're serious about an issue or merely taking the party line. explain what will happen if something isn't discussed fully. "If everyone doesn't know all the details, we may end up overlooking something critical. Briefly, where are you on your part of the project?"

Marilyn Moats Kennedy is Managing Partner. Career Strategies. Inc., Wilmette, Illinois, and a long-time member of the ACPE faculty. She can be reached at 1150 Wilmette Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. 847/251-1661, via fax at 847/251-5191, and via email at [e-mail].