"there’s no doubt younger workers are changing the interpersonal dynamics of the modern workplace, much as they’ve already done in high schools and universities. And I have news for you, my fellow judgmental old people: That’s a good thing.
For decades—centuries—the archetype of the successful business person has been the sneering blowhard, unafraid to bark orders and excoriate the work of underlings. He (let’s be honest, it’s traditionally a he) leads with a charming mix of ego, hair-trigger temper and intimidation. The fictional Gordon Gekko is the poster boy, but real-world examples abound: Rupert Murdoch, Anna Wintour, Larry Ellison, Kevin O’Leary, Donald Trump. Steve Jobs, brilliant as he was, was an often vicious and tyrannical boss...
The most progressive bosses today—the ones whose behaviour will be tomorrow’s status quo—are demanding without being discouraging, honest without being rude and confident without being cocky. There has been plenty of important research on each of these management qualities, such as Mark Murphy’s book Hundred Percenters on motivating employees to greatness; or ex-Googler Kim Scott’s “radical candour” approach to providing feedback; or the work of Brené Brown, whose landmark 2010 TED talk is called “The Power of Vulnerability.” Caring about people’s feelings doesn’t make managers airy-fairy pushovers; rather, such leaders recognize their job is to help people excel. And they produce exceptional results not in spite of their compassion and kindness, but because of it."
I really think that this is what it is. Workplaces are so inhumane, and there is no reason for it; some odd idea of 'professionalism' that has stretched too far and gets in the way of people doing what they need to do. I think that workplaces were designed in a time when the people who worked in offices were typically men, wealthy men, who were floating in a lot of warm and fuzzy privileges that made them feel secure and supported and gave them less-privileged people to cater to their needs (making their meals, washing their clothes, even arranging their social calendars).
Today, few people have those things, especially millennials (we are less financially stable, less likely to have social identities with privileges, more likely to be following uncertain career paths with little promise of job security, etc...).
If we want workplaces to be sustainable, to be non-toxic, we need to change them.
Related: Entitled millenials workers unite
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