This is a blog post shared by a Gen Y HR professional. At the request of the author, we are maintaining anonymity.

How often have we come across people who are really difficult to deal with? As a Gen Y – I always thought that people are easy. Handling and dealing with people has got to be a cakewalk; until of course I had to deal with Gen X!

I was just nineteen when I joined an MNC to work as an analyst – and I Dreamed! Dreamed Big! Dreamed to make it big in the corporate world. I still remember walking into my cubicle on the first day, trying to shift gears on my roundabout chair; opening my brand new company given laptop – and look around to find some really old looking people.

My first encounter with a Gen X was when I walked up to my manager and started enquiring a lot about the project that I was assigned. He answered all my questions – in fact even asked me to refer a particular site to gain more info, but it was during that brief interval between my questions and his answers – that he nodded his head left to right and ‘oophed’; ‘You Gen Y….’ ; and I paused to look up at him – I dint know what Gen Y meant, and I definitely dint know that I was a Gen Y

It took me a while to understand what Gen Y meant – and I personally took offence by my Manager’s comment, but I resolved to set it all right! I took up a key role in the project and worked on knowing its history and its current status – I was prepared for the upcoming meeting with the entire team; and when I got into the posh round table cabin – I was asked nothing, told nothing and do nothing.

I went back to my seat wondering if I was supposed to be proactive and do some extra bit on the project – but then, this was a team project right? So I decided to approach a team member and find out what I can do about it.  He just looked at me head to toe and gave me a couple of Excel worksheets to work on – and I walked back to my cubicle – happy, that I managed to find some work – but that happiness lasted only until I realized those were time sheets – and I had to work on budgeted time of each individual.

In the above case – I proactively researched and found a lot about the project I was going to work on – I was excited about playing a major role in the project – until of course I was given time sheets to work on.  Disappointed that I was, I still resolved to work on them and send it across – once I did; I had nothing to do but wait for people to give something to work on.

Point here being – Gen Y might not have the patience to involve themselves in projects step by step – but we are capable of handling a huge project down from scratch. When we are under utilized and our potential is under cover – we get bogged down and look for other opportunities that can help us figure out the purpose behind our job. We are extremely ambitious, and we don’t believe in hard work – we believe in smart work; and we know that if we work smartly through – reaching the top is sure a cakewalk.

More thoughts from the HR Geek the coming week; until then – my tip to Gen X – learn to unleash the potential in your Gen Y, better now before he quits to find an another job.