Jay Leno and Generation X
SteveThere have been numerous posts about NBC's mishandling of the Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien situation. Most have taken the stance that NBC has royally screwed up, they have managed to alienate the talent, the audience, and the general public as well.;)
I don't really care all that much about who hosts the Tonight Show, I won't watch unless NBC names basketball commentators Hubie Brown the new host with Jeff Van Gundy as his sidekick.
But to me, the real issue is only partly about inept executives and (possibly) scheming celebrities.
It is a straight up workplace generational drama. Leno is just a few months shy of 60, placing him squarely in the Baby Boom generation, that massive group that has led and shaped the business world for the last 20 years or so. O'Brien is 46, and could be considered at the upper end of Gen X, and after waiting patiently for his chance (to be fair, one that was promised to him) at the 'big job' suddenly finds himself getting squeezed by a Boomer that won't retire.
A long-tenured Boomer with the plum job that he can't or won't let go, a guy that has a track record of success (Leno was regularly the ratings leader in his old time slot), with a talented, yet frustrated Gen X dude waiting in the wings eager for his chance.
This little scenario is likely to play out more and more in the next few years. Unlike Leno, whose issues with simply walking away are not financially driven, we know many, many boomers will have to postpone retirement, still trying to recover from the effects of the recession on retirement savings and real estate values. And waiting in the wings, like Conan was, the Gen X cohort that keeps wondering when these boomers will finally step aside and let them climb in to the big boy chair.
Hubie circa 1981
For organizations, managing the expectations of the top Gen X talent, facing what has been called a 'gray ceiling' above from boomers that by choice or necessity are not ready to retire, and pressure from increasing numbers of ambitious younger generations could be a significant issue.
Figuring out how to manage the Gen X stars when the boomers won't let go is a challenge for sure. It is a good thing for Jeff Van Gundy that even though the 76 year-old Hubie won't retire either, there are plenty of games to go around, and both announcers have work.
What do you say, am I just being a sour grapes Gen Xer here?
Reader Comments (10)
Steve, interesting article! I like you really really don't care who gets the job...may the best man win! But I must admit that I am have a variety of reactions (full disclosure...I am a boomer).
My first reaction is "it is about talent"...and you acknowledge Leno's results..."a guy that has a track record of success (Leno was regularly the ratings leader in his old time slot)" yet you "temper" this statement with some interesting descriptors - "a long-tenured Boomer with the plum job that he can't or won't let go" - so is the premise that if you are a long-tenured talent you have an obligation to let go of "plum jobs" at a certain age? Or that at "certain age", despite your results, you can no longer be "talent"?
Second, I have no doubt that Conan O'Brien is potential talent...but my question is does that potential guarantee him this job or any plum job at a certain point in his career?
Third, did he deliver the ratings leadership that Leno did for NBC during his short tenure? (I truly don't know).
Fourth, ultimately I believe "Boomer" vs. "Generation X" is not the real issue....the real issue is that our economy is NOT creating and growing new, meaningful, and "plum" jobs...so all of us (Generation X, Generation Y, Millennials, Boomers) are competing as talent for a smaller jobs pie.
If you are talent, job creation and growth are the engines and greatest guarantees for sitting in the "plum" job.
Deb - Thanks for the great comments, I think that ultimately you are correct that the economic situation that leads both to many boomers delaying retirement and less overall 'plum' jobs available is the driving factor. I think practically, the executives of NBC did botch this situation by promising the coveted job to O'Brien way back in 2004. But I do think that the tension of talented junior executives having less opportunity to become senior executives than before is one worth watching and preparing for.
Thanks again!
Steve, more and more, I feel myself sliding toward the "let's blow this whole thing up" end of the spectrum.
NBC wants to milk the Leno cow for all it's worth? That's disappointing, though not surprising. It's not like I'm learning anything new here about the network—it's not like I ever expected them to do anything other than what seems safest.
It's moves like this that confirm for me that Gen X, on the whole, is not meant to take over the world that is being handed to us. Neither are we meant to sit in the shadows of the Boomers, though, or stand by as Gen Y comes through.
Our job in our time is quite specific: lay the foundation for a wholesale shift in what's meaningful, using whatever tools are necessary... and if that means setting the occasional brush fire, then so be it.
Your own show is a perfect example: you dismantle the idea of HR as a cluster of administrative automatons by bringing out its humanity. You think HRHappyHour would fly if hosted by either a 60 yo or 25yo? No way—it requires a combination of experience and energy to pull off what you're doing.
Conan's experience is a lesson, but not a new one.
It's time we stopped learning it, and started acting on it.
Gen X, light your torches.
Yes, you can see this as a classic case of boomers unwilling to give way to the younger generation. Or you can see this as a practical merit based assessment of who will bring the biggest ratings at a given time slot. Or you can see this as another impetus for users of all generations to relinquish their TV habit and turn to alternative technologies. When Jay Leno was at 10PM, I used my Tevo, recorded his program and watched it at 11:30PM anyway, because I didn't care for Conan's style of humor. Would I like Conan if I were ten years younger? I don't know.
I don't think Boomers are out to keep Gen X from taking their jobs in any way. We are just the first generation to continue to feel well and relevant into our later years and we want to take advantage of that. And we can't generalize. In many industries, like publishing for example, young, cheap, technology-savvy, talent has pushed out the older generation from mid level jobs. The publishing industry shifted to the web, and the younger generation took advantage of that. So be it.
Suitable blog response: http://altitudebranding.com/2010/01/its-not-them-its-you/
I believe that life learners that stay relevant will add value and be great contributors- ... great communicators in important roles have a place whether they are 40 or 50 or 60. It's when people stay in their own strata and cannot relate to each other- those are the ones that should be stepping aside and of course- we all know that won't happen ;).
P.S> How is the new gig?
Glad to see your post, Steve. I've found it fascinating to see this play out so publicly - if nothing else, this alone should be teaching companies a new reality. While most people don't have the platform that Conan does, there is certainly greater access to reach broad audiences via digital channels than ever before.
Like you, I don't care which one gets which spot in the end. If I'm awake that late I'm probably watching Jon Stewart and Colbert. However, if I was forced to watch NBC, Conan would get my vote - Leno never appealed to me for many reasons. What's more interesting, and troubling, to me is this - where is the commitment to Talent. Specifically, I mean Conan. This seems to be more a case of Leno not performing than Conan's performance. If someone is moved into a new role and they don't do well, why punish the successor? Instead, address the real issue. I saw part of Leno's new show once and it was horrible. NBC and Leno need to own that. Regardless of what happens at NBC, they've already set Conan up as the winner and Leno as the loser because of the way this situation has been handled.
Re generations - I'm always hesitant to address something through generalizations. I come back to leadership and commitment to Talent. This is a case of bad leadership and politics playing out in a very public manner. I think this could happen within the generations as easily as its happened here across generations.
If your looking for another laugh about all this, here's a funny little piece of history between Conan and Zucker: http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/no-joke-jeff-zucker-had-conan-arrested/
@Jason - I thank you for the comments. I do think you make an excellent observation about the need for that combination of experience and energy to really drive change. I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts with us,
@Esther - Thanks for the comments. I actually decided to write about the generational play here after hearing some commentary from other comics all saying the same thing, various takes on 'Jay should just get out of the way and retire already, give the opportunity to the next guy'. And demographics and the economy (and as you say the simple capability and desire of boomers to continue working) are all going to make different versions of this example play out more and more.
@William - Thanks for the link - I will check it out.
@Debbie - So far really good, very busy and fun at the same time!
@Susan - Thanks very much for your take on this. I think that you make some great points, there are many ways to look at this situation, and 'The NBC execs are idiots' is probably the most likely correct analysis.
Bad leadership and management decisions aside, to me there's vestige of old workforce entitlement that just can't be ignored here. I could care less who hosts any of these shows since I'm in bed by 9, but the fact is no one can truly be guaranteed anything or any position anymore (unless it's contractual, and even then). Boomers will stay working. Gen Y is mastering social technologies and how to network. But I'm with Seiden and the torches -- we have to make, light and burn our own ways. Conan is talented and will make his own way. All generations must own their career management and do the same.
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