COMMUNICATING ACROSS THE GENERATIONS

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COMMUNICATING ACROSS THE GENERATIONS

• Produced by
• Beverly Stencel, Professor
• and
• Hans Hanson, Associate Professor
• University of Wisconsin-Extension,
• Department of Community
• Resource Development

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Program Outline

• Introduction and Overview
• Background of the Generations
• How Do Generational Differences Affect You?
• Communicating Across the Generations
• Managing Across the Generations

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Workshop Goals

• Increase knowledge and understanding of the four
  generations
• Enhance comprehension of how generational
  differences affect you
• Promote skills for effective intergenerational
  communication
• Expand capacity to manage diverse working styles
  across the generations

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Is the Generation Gap Back?

• Generational differences represent a critical new
  aspect to workplace diversity.
• How you view generational differences is based on
  your generational perspective.

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• Are you a mature, one of the many loyal company
  men with solid work ethics and respect for
  authority?
• Do you work for a baby boomer who preaches
  participative management and works late to pay
  for a BMW?
• Do you have team members who are Gen Xers, most
  comfortable with their Dockers and flexible
  hours, resentful of traditional power and
  politics?
• Is your organization prepared to recruit the
  coming-of-age Gen Ys, a group of idealistic,
  multi-tasking web-surfers?

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Decades Brainstorming
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The Matures

• Born between 1922-1943/1946
• are now 57 - 81 years old
• Represent 25 of the work population
• Also known as theveterans,
• seniors, traditionalists,
• silent generation

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The Baby Boomers

• Born between 1943-1960/1946-1964
• Now between the ages of 39 and 60
• 72 million strong
• Also known as Boomers

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The Generation Xers

• Born between 1960-1980/1964-1980
• Currently 23 43 years of age
• 17 Million
• Also known as Xers, BabyBusters, Post-Boomers

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The Generation Ys

• Born between 1980 and 2000
• Under 23 years of age
• 68 Million Strong
• Also known as themillennials, nexters,
  Nintendo Generation,Internet Generation

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The Times That Shaped Them
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The Four Generations

• The Matures 19221943/46
• The Boomers 19431960/1946-1964
• Generation Xers 1960-1980/1964-1980
• Generation Ys 1980-2000

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Matures Defining Events

• The Great Depression Dust Bowl
• The New Deal
• Social Security Established
• Golden Age of Radio
• Pearl Harbor Attacked
• WW II and Korean War
• Patriotism
• Rise of Labor Unions

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Matures Heroes

• Superman
• MacArthur, Patton, Halsey,Montgomery, Eisenhower
• FDR
• Winston Churchill
• Audie Murphy
• Babe Ruth
• Joe DiMaggio

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Boomers Defining Events

• Economic Prosperity
• Expansion of Suburbia
• Focus on Children
• Television
• Vietnam
• Assassinations
• Civil Rights Movement
• Cold War/McCarthy Hearings
• Space Race/Moon Landing

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Baby Boomers Heroes

• Ghandi
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• John and Jacqueline Kennedy
• John Glenn

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Gen Xers Defining Events

• Watergate, Nixon resigns
• Challenger Disaster
• Computers
• Single-parent homes
• Latchkey Kids
• MTV
• AIDS
• Harsh economic conditions
• Glasnost, Perestroika
• Persian Gulf

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Gen Xers Heroes

• NONE

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Gen Ys Defining Events

• Technology
• TV Talk Shows
• Multiculturalism
• Desert Storm
• Clinton Scandals
• Schoolyard Violence
• Oklahoma City Bombing
• 9/11
• Columbia tragedy

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Gen Ys Heroes

• Michael Jordan
• Princess Diana
• Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa
• Mother Teresa
• Bill Gates
• Kerri Strug
• Tiger Woods
• Christopher Reeves

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How Their Times Shaped Them
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Generational Descriptors
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Generational Descriptors
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Generational Descriptors
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Generational Descriptors
Source Rocking the Ages, Smith, J. Walker and
Ann Clurman
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Generational Clash in the Workplace

• Worldwide economy
• Rapid change in the workplace
• Downsizing of companies
• Mergers, acquisitions, consolidations
• Elimination of middle management
• Less union activity in companies
• Seniority only one element of promotion
• Technology

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The Result

• No job is safe, and no career assured.
• Causes employees to identify more with their
  generation and blame other generations for
  workplace problems and issues.
• The real generational workplace conflict is based
  on differences in values, ambitions, views,
  mindsets, and demographics.

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Mature Values

• Dedication/sacrifice
• Law and order
• Strong work ethic
• Risk averse
• Respect for authority

• Patience
• Delayed reward
• Duty, honor, country
• Loyalty to the organization

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Boomer Values

• Optimism
• Team work
• Personal gratification
• Health and wellness

• Promotion and recognition
• Youth
• Work
• Volunteerism

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Gen X Values

• Diversity
• Thinking globally
• Balance in life
• Computer literacy
• Personal development

• Fun
• Informality
• Independence
• Initiative

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Gen Y Values

• Optimism
• Civic duty
• Confidence
• Ambition/achievement
• Tradition

• Education
• Idealism
• Fun
• Diversity

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The Way They See the World
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Matures at Work

• Assets
• Stable
• Detail oriented
• Thorough
• Loyal
• Hard working

• Liabilities
• Inept w/ambiguity and change
• Reluctant to buck the system
• Uncomfortable with conflict
• Reticent when they disagree

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Boomers at Work

• Assets
• Service oriented
• Driven
• Willing to go the extra mile
• Good at relationships
• Want to please
• Good team players

• Liabilities
• Not naturally budget minded
• Uncomfortable with conflict
• Reluctant to go against peers
• Put process ahead of results
• Sensitive to feedback
• Judgmental of those who see things differently

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Gen Xers at Work

• Assets
• Adaptable
• Techno-literate
• Independent
• Not intimidated by authority
• Creative

• Liabilities
• Impatient
• Poor people skills
• Inexperienced
• Cynical

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Gen Ys at Work

• Assets
• Loyalty
• Optimism
• Tolerant
• Multi-tasking
• Fast-thinking
• Technological savvy

• Liabilities
• Need for supervision and structure
• Inexperience, particularly with handling
  different people issues
• Service levels are low

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Matures Training Development

• Developing
• Technology
• Dont stereotype as technophobes
• Use formality and order
• Dont rush it

• Training
• Take plenty of time
• Give them the big picture
• Emphasize long-term goals
• Let them share their experience

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Boomers Training Development

• Training
• Focus on the near future
• Focus on challenges
• Focus on their role

• Development
• Meetings and team team building
• Provide develop-mental experiences
• Use business books and training tapes

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Gen Xers Training Development

• Development
• Electronic support
• Keep materials brief bullets/checklists
• Help them train for another job

• Training
• Focus on balance
• Offer them access to many different kinds of
  information
• Provide resource lists

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Gen Ys Training Development

• Development
• Focus on customer service and interpersonal
  skills
• Model the behavior you want to see
• Large teams with strong leadership

• Training
• Take plenty of time
• Let them know what they do matters
• Communicate expectations

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Messages that Motivate Matures

• Your experience is respected here.
• Its important for the rest of us to hear what
  has, and hasnt, worked in the past.
• Your perseverance is valued and will be
  rewarded.

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Messages that Motivate Boomers

• You are important to our success.
• We recognize your unique and important
  contribution to our team.
• What is your vision for this project?
• You are valued.

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Messages that Motivate Gen Xers

• Do it your way.
• Weve got the latest computer technology.
• There arent a lot of rules here.
• Were not very corporate.

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Messages that Motivate Gen Ys

• We provide equal opportunities here.
• Your mentor is in his/her sixties.
• You are making a positive difference to our
  company.
• You handled that situation well.

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SITUATIONAL STATEMENT
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Communication Levels of Response

• Level 1Acknowledge and let it go.
• Level 2 Change your behavior.
• Level 3 Use a generational template to talk it
  over.
• SourceThe Xwers The Boomers,
  Claire Raines, Jim Hunt

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Case Studies
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Using the ACORN Approach

• Accommodate employee differences.
• Create workplace choices.
• Operate from a flexible management style.
• Respect competence and initiative.
• Nourish retention.
• Source Generations At Work, Ron
  Zemke, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak

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COMMUNICATING ACROSS THE GENERATIONS