The times they are a changin’
Dr. Martin Webster | TLT President's Report December 2015
When mentoring a member of a younger generation, sometimes it’s unclear as to whom is teaching whom.
The life experiences of members of different generations are not as different as you might think.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / photography33
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS I HAVE OBSERVED a significant demographic shift around me at work. As the tail end of the Baby Boomer generation transitions into their post-employment lives, a new generation of talented early-career professionals has entered the working environment. I have been impressed with the goal-oriented approach and enthusiasm which these newcomers bring with them, and it is fun working with individuals that bring in new perspectives and ideas. I am sure that many people in a similar situation have made the same observations.
I have had multiple opportunities to mentor early-career professionals and have found it a very rewarding experience. However, with their far superior skills with the ever-increasing and often confusing array of communication options, I sometimes wonder who is mentoring whom!
During these mentoring interactions I have often reflected on how much the work environment has changed over the course of my own career. I am hesitant to reveal that when I started my own post-education career, mail arrived in paper form, and if you were lucky it was delivered to your office perhaps as often as twice as day. If you wanted to communicate with someone quickly you used one of the new touch-tone phones. More permanent interactions were recorded in written memos or letters and had limited distribution. My wife was an early telecommuter, as she worked from our home in the U.S. for a UK-based company. However, this routinely entailed cycling down to our local store that had a fax machine to send or receive documents from the head office. Furthermore, a mouse was a rodent, and twitter was a noise that birds made! This all feels archaic now as I think about the rich, varied, fast-paced and massively connected and interactive world in which we live today. I can’t even imagine what changes this next generation will go through over the course of their careers.
More recently though, my thoughts on change have been challenged. As the new generation settles into their careers and they build their individual personal lives, the topics of discussion have moved onto familiar ground. Many elect to benefit from the pleasures of home ownership and discover that most homes need both routine and unplanned maintenance. Since Star Trek “beam me up” technology has not been invented yet, dual-career couples have to manage balancing both careers and the more complex commuting challenges that can result. If additional family members arrive on the scene, a whole new series of time-management and career challenges occurs. I have noticed that when faced with these challenges, the new generation is very happy to approach their more experienced colleagues for some helpful advice. These interactions typically do not occur using digital channels but the old-fashioned way, face-to-face, often during lunch or social events.
What this has taught me is that perhaps many things fundamental to our lives have not changed as much as outward appearances suggest. There is no doubt that new technologies such as the Internet, smartphones and our interconnected world offer a greater variety of options. However, decisions and compromises still need to be made. People still need to find a balance between private and working lives. Advice from someone who has been there is often one of the best sources, and the nuanced and more intimate interactions that occur during face-to-face conversations convey much richer detail than their digital and remote counterparts.
Mentoring at work and as part of my STLE interactions is a role that I find increasingly enjoyable. Initially I tended to focus on helping newcomers grow technically. I have now come to realize that when the appropriate opportunities arise it also can include offering perspectives on other aspects of managing professional and career challenges.
I am proud of the fact that the STLE community has gained a reputation for being a friendly group that receives newcomers with open arms. When we welcome newcomers to our meetings, local sections and events, we should keep in mind that sometimes it is our experiences beyond technical expertise that can help the next generation navigate the complex waters of having both successful careers and balanced lives.
Martin Webster is a senior research associate for ExxonMobil Research and Engineering in Annandale, N.J. You can reach him at martin.n.webster@exxonmobil.com.