Bruce Tulgan

The number twelve myth about Generation Y is that they only want to learn from computers.

They DO want to learn from computers.

Here's what they want to learn from computers. They want to learn from computers stuff that is easy to learn from computers. If they're working on a task, responsibility or project and they run across a skill or a knowledge gap that prevents them from achieving a tangible result, they want to be able to go to an information management tool that they're familiar with to fill that skill or knowledge gap. They want to be able to use a menu-driven information system or Wiki technology or social networking technology to fill those skill and knowledge gaps in real time.

And here's what really drives them crazy: When they have less sophisticated information management tools at work than they have at home.

But that doesn't mean that they only want to learn from computers. Gen Yers want to learn from people also. Here's what they want to learn from people: Stuff that's not easy to learn from computers; the lessons of experience, wisdom, and context.

Those are the things that they want to learn from people. And when managers are willing to spend time teaching them the things they can't learn from computers, those are the managers they respect the most.