The Other Side of the “Inclusion” Issue

Over the past few weeks here at OpenNASA (and a few at NASAWatch), there have been a few debates about “Gen Y/Net Gen/Next Gen/Gen Next” wanting to be included more in how individual NASA centers (and NASA as a whole) are run.  At the very least, they (really “we” since I’m included in Gen Y, if only by age) would like a seat at the table, as it were, and a voice to speak with.  Whether or not mid – high level NASA managers actually listen to said voice  is something else to be discussed at another time, but for the time being it looks like they are at least paying attention.

I bring this issue up for a few reasons:

  1. I think a few people who’ve posted comments here are trying to get across to my Gen Y peers how this initiative is being perceived by those who are in the mid – high level management.
  2. I happen to know of a similar effort (but not quite as organized) at Lockheed – Martin from a mid-level manager. Their point of view is the same point of view that has been expressed both here and on NASAWatch by Gen X’ers and older people.

The crux of the matter, as I understand it, is how Gen Y’ers, who are relatively young, unexperienced, and know relatively ltttle about the nuances of how such organizations are run, are almost demanding that their (our) voice be heard and headed to some extent.  Many, including some detracting commenters here at OpenNASA, complain that many of the presentations generated by the Gen Y effort are mere eye candy that offer no new technical suggestions or solutions to current problems facing the Agency.  To that, I would have to say “I agree”.

In speaking with the L/M manager about the people they manage and their experiences with them, I got the impression that many of the issues brought forth by the Gen Y effort at NASA (and more specifically JSC) are also being expressed at L/M.  The reaction the manager had to this really opened my eyes to how the “other side” thinks about this and can be summed up in two simple words: “slow down”.

Note, this doesn’t mean “stop” or “quit” or “give up” or any other synonym one can come up with for ceasing current activities.

In the explanation the manager gave me for their feelings, they mentioned that the 20-somethings working under them were very bright, but had rather unrealistic expectations that what they (the 20-somethings) had to say would somehow influence the direction of the engineering juggernaut that is L/M and that they would be VP of some division in the next two – three years.  While I haven’t quite identified any large delusions of grandeur in any Gen Y presentation to date, I can see where some have stated that their “knowledge” can, and should, be used to influence the future direction of NASA.

Don’t get me wrong here; I totally agree that if NASA wishes to reach a new generation of young people, then seeking the advice of people in that age group is the right thing to do.  However, when it comes to technical and managerial issues, I say our place is to watch and learn.  Look at what works and what doesn’t work.  Personally, I would be lost here if it were not for the guidance of my mentor and manager who have been here for almost 20 combined years.  I admire the passion and dedication that my peers take to wanting to change the world beyond their fingertips and encourage them to keep up the drive.  But be willing to learn from those people who have tread the path before you; they know the pit-falls and nuances of the road before us.  Leaders, even natural born ones, are also amazing learners.

.::. iMensah

4 Responses to “The Other Side of the “Inclusion” Issue”

  1. Justin Kugler  on November 27th, 2008

    And I would say that’s what the I&I Engagement Teams at JSC are all about.

  2. Gerty  on December 1st, 2008

    It’s good to see a positive and constructive presentation of another “side” of the issue. Progress will surely be made if that approach is followed by others.

  3. iMensah  on December 1st, 2008

    Justin,

    Personally, I’m excited about the I& Engagement Teams at JSC. I think that when people across the agency and in various levels of management/line-working engineers can get together, check badges at the door, and just talk as people who care about the agency, great things can happen.

    Gerty,
    I’ve always prided myself in being able to look at multiple sides of an issue. Through out this debate (discussion?) here and at NASAWatch, I’ve been very silent about discussing my (somewhat) dissenting opinions on things (from the Gen Y point of view) based on the fact that I didn’t want to appear to be overly negative about the entire thing. Quite the opposite, in fact, is true. I think that we as a generation have a lot to offer management at both the center and agency level. I also believe, however, that “they” have a lot to offer us in the way of guidance, knowledge gained by being in the business longer, and lessons learned from previous mistakes (and triumphs). All in all, I believe that ideas, innovation, and engagement requires all interested parties to be equally involved.

  4. Garret Fitzpatrick  on December 3rd, 2008

    iMensah,

    Great thoughts. Actually, the whole generational discussion began along the lines of what you mention in this post. The effort began by trying to spark a discussion about how NASA can engage the younger generations with its mission. It was never intended to be something of a sounding board for Gen Y to tell NASA what to do or anything close to that. The point was to “be the change you want to see in the world”. To honor the legacy of those who came before us in space exploration by learning from them but also trying to embody the same boldness and audacity that was used to lift us off the planet in the first place.

    So, in short, I agree! If we, as passionate space enthusiasts of any age, can foster a healthy discussion about how to bring about positive change in the agency, then I think thats beyond just an opportunity. I think that’s a responsibility that we carry by choosing this line of work. We owe it to our generation, the generation of middle and upper management who mentor us, their mentors before them, and all those to come in the future to try to make the agency a better place.

    To do so, we’ll need to shut up and learn from our mentors. If we can do that and also challenge the status quo when appropriate, then maybe our mentors can learn a thing or two from us, too. Thus, the cyclic nature of cross-generational learning that will hopefully lead us to new heights…….

    And with that, if I could attach an audio file to this comment I would add the Full House tune (you know, the one they play at the end when everyone hugs and the audience says, “awwwwww”… )