I had an interesting experience that followed up a session at the IABC conference on generational differences in the workplace.
Exhibit A. My husband (baby boomer) was looking for the phone number of a local golf course. He turned first to the closest print phone book and then the Yellow Pages. No listing in either one. Meanwhile, Son #1 (Gen Y) is saying, “Check on the web.” He does. Bingo, finds the number immediately.
Exhibit B. A person I met at the IABC conference has my business card with my e-mail address on it. In a follow-up, he contacts me first on Facebook, not e-mail.
An aside, for you word-lovers: a new (to me) term learned in the same session was “high ping quotient,” referring to someone’s responsiveness to instant messaging/e-mail/online activity.
I’d put “high ping quotient” in the same category as being asked whether I have the “bandwidth” to take on a particular new project. It’s one of my favorite clients who does this, but it still makes me feel like I have antennae stickng up from my head.
I’ve had that query too. Don’t you feel like you should be plugging in some sort of diagnostic tool to deliver the appropriately calibrated answer?