Open Forum

​My Curator and I have been working with interns and volunteers from our local Museum Studies graduate programs for a decade, having them complete projects at our small city history museum, providing them with thesis projects, and working for credit or just experience. Until recently we've had great success with them: they've been highly conscientious, well-trained, and professional.

Bur recently we've had a few students in a row that seemed much less mature than previous classes, particularly in the area of soft skills: consistent and meaningful communication, conscientiously meeting deadlines, interacting effectively in a team setting. We have heard from others that they are having similar difficulties with interns and volunteers in their early 20s, and now I'm wondering whether it is a digital native phenomenon. Are others having this experience, and have you found strategies that help you work more effectively with them?

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Elizabeth Stewart PhD
Director
Renton History Museum
Renton WA
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Elizabeth,

A lot has been written about the attributes and skills of various generations in the workplace. If you haven't done so, it would make sense to review some of the literature to help you sort out and address your situation.  It's important to understand that "soft skills" come with practice and young interns are at the beginning of this learning curve. That, coupled with the fact that students today use digital communication as their primary tool for work and social interaction. If you can wean them from the screen for awhile and help them with their soft skills development, you'll be doing them a big favor and, hopefully, they'll eventually repay your efforts with some really great work.

Here's one example overview from the Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2014/09/managing-people-from-5-generations

And another from Forbes: 5 Generations in the Workplace (and Why We Need Them All)




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Anne Ackerson
Former Director, Museum Association of New York
Troy NY
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-07-2017 12:36 PM
From: Elizabeth Stewart
Subject: Working with Next Generation of Museum Professionals

​My Curator and I have been working with interns and volunteers from our local Museum Studies graduate programs for a decade, having them complete projects at our small city history museum, providing them with thesis projects, and working for credit or just experience. Until recently we've had great success with them: they've been highly conscientious, well-trained, and professional.

Bur recently we've had a few students in a row that seemed much less mature than previous classes, particularly in the area of soft skills: consistent and meaningful communication, conscientiously meeting deadlines, interacting effectively in a team setting. We have heard from others that they are having similar difficulties with interns and volunteers in their early 20s, and now I'm wondering whether it is a digital native phenomenon. Are others having this experience, and have you found strategies that help you work more effectively with them?

------------------------------
Elizabeth Stewart PhD
Director
Renton History Museum
Renton WA
------------------------------

​Thanks, Anne--that's helpful! I am familiar with the literature about intergenerational workplaces and have even taken trainings about working across generations, but this cohort is something totally new! We'll keep working it--I appreciate the suggestions.

Liz

------------------------------
Elizabeth Stewart PhD
Director
Renton History Museum
Renton WA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-08-2017 10:10 AM
From: Anne Ackerson
Subject: Working with Next Generation of Museum Professionals

Elizabeth,

A lot has been written about the attributes and skills of various generations in the workplace. If you haven't done so, it would make sense to review some of the literature to help you sort out and address your situation.  It's important to understand that "soft skills" come with practice and young interns are at the beginning of this learning curve. That, coupled with the fact that students today use digital communication as their primary tool for work and social interaction. If you can wean them from the screen for awhile and help them with their soft skills development, you'll be doing them a big favor and, hopefully, they'll eventually repay your efforts with some really great work.

Here's one example overview from the Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2014/09/managing-people-from-5-generations

And another from Forbes: 5 Generations in the Workplace (and Why We Need Them All)




------------------------------
Anne Ackerson
Former Director, Museum Association of New York
Troy NY

Original Message:
Sent: 09-07-2017 12:36 PM
From: Elizabeth Stewart
Subject: Working with Next Generation of Museum Professionals

​My Curator and I have been working with interns and volunteers from our local Museum Studies graduate programs for a decade, having them complete projects at our small city history museum, providing them with thesis projects, and working for credit or just experience. Until recently we've had great success with them: they've been highly conscientious, well-trained, and professional.

Bur recently we've had a few students in a row that seemed much less mature than previous classes, particularly in the area of soft skills: consistent and meaningful communication, conscientiously meeting deadlines, interacting effectively in a team setting. We have heard from others that they are having similar difficulties with interns and volunteers in their early 20s, and now I'm wondering whether it is a digital native phenomenon. Are others having this experience, and have you found strategies that help you work more effectively with them?

------------------------------
Elizabeth Stewart PhD
Director
Renton History Museum
Renton WA
------------------------------

Original Message------

​My Curator and I have been working with interns and volunteers from our local Museum Studies graduate programs for a decade, having them complete projects at our small city history museum, providing them with thesis projects, and working for credit or just experience. Until recently we've had great success with them: they've been highly conscientious, well-trained, and professional.

Bur recently we've had a few students in a row that seemed much less mature than previous classes, particularly in the area of soft skills: consistent and meaningful communication, conscientiously meeting deadlines, interacting effectively in a team setting. We have heard from others that they are having similar difficulties with interns and volunteers in their early 20s, and now I'm wondering whether it is a digital native phenomenon. Are others having this experience, and have you found strategies that help you work more effectively with them?

------------------------------
Elizabeth Stewart PhD
Director
Renton History Museum
Renton WA
------------------------------