Right, comment…

I’m an X-er (1976) and totally agree with you that our generations fundamentally understand collaboration much differently than say our parents and their parents. I believe what we are currently seeing online in “Web 2.0″ is purely evidence of that.

I’m a social-systems buff and the words I’d use to describe the phenomena are: self-organization, non-hierarchical, self-managing, shared leadership, high productivity, high cohesion…

I feel that in a work setting, our generations are looking for:

Personal Needs:
1. Elbow Room: to have the opportunity to make just the right amount of decisions.
2. Learning
a) Setting Objectives
b) Getting (the right amount of) Feedback: in a timely way
3. Variety: having just enough variety in the work they do - not too much and not too little.

Organizational Climate:
4. Mutual Support & Respect: from co-workers specifically in relation to task accomplishment
5. Meaning
a) Understanding the Whole: of what they are doing. A redundancy or parts model where no one understands the big picture just won’t cut it.
b) Socially Useful: work that has an impact in the world in which we live.
6. Desirable Future: where one sees a path ahead of them and opportunities to grow and move.

These are the six criteria for effective human activity and take a socio-ecological perspective to work. I love ‘em. They are part of Open-System Theory developed by Fred and Merrelyn Emery. Once I get my act together, I’ll start blogging about this stuff.

Until then, take care and keep up the great content!