Years ago, when I oversaw a large call center, I had a young team member stop me and ask, “What is that thing?” While she was randomly pointing at “something” I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what. “What thing,” I asked. “That thing.” I could tell she was getting frustrated with me, she must have been thinking I was a real dolt. Feeling a bit chagrined myself, I told her to touch what she was referring to….it was an electric typewriter…an IBM Wheelwriter. Oh good Lord…save me!
The Boat Anchor
While PCs had long become the norm in business settings, especially in call centers, there was always that one-off situation where a typewriter would come in handy. So….we kept that old, dingy beige boat anchor “just in case.”
Always the teacher, I shared my history with electric typewriters, including learning the IBM Magnetic Card Typewriter (https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/modelb/modelb_office2.html) in high school, and how excited I was in college to go from a manual typewriter to an electric. I could type more papers faster, and make more party money with an electric than a manual…capitalism at its best!
Wakeup Call
I walked back to my office a bit dumbfounded. For the first time, I had seen generations crash in the workplace. How many other things had I said or done that were second nature to me, but to someone of a younger generation were foreign? In all the many conversations I’ve had, analogies or verbiage used, trainings I’ve conducted, how many times have team members been lost in translation? This one situation, funny in the moment, became a loud wake-up call. Just how different were the generations?
Frame of Reference
There’s been so much written about the various generations – World War II generation, Silent generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, Millennials – who they are and what are their “standard” characteristics. But…the most fun way to explore the differences is via Beloit College’s Mindset List!
Beloit College is a private liberal arts college located in Beloit, Wisconsin. It’s the oldest operating college in the state. A faculty team began developing the Mindset Lists in 1998 as a way to put frame of reference to freshmen students entering the college. Their first list in 1998 features people born in 1980, and has become a fun favorite followed by millions.
So, if you’re looking for a good giggle….or a “you’ve got to be kidding me”….hop on over to the Mindset List. You’re going to love going back through the years!
What’s your frame of reference, one thing those from another generation just wouldn’t understand? Mine is a party line (Two or more households sharing the same telephone line. We had to wait our turn to make a call, and if we were sneaky we could listen in on a neighbor!!) Comment below….I’d love to hear from you!
