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61+ 42-60 26-41 <25AACRAOBoston, MA

Friday March 02, 2007

Who's Next? Talking About "My Generation":

An Introduction to Cross Generational Communication.

Tom Richmond, Director of Admissions Marketing and CommunicationsBradley University

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Session Description

Who’s Next? Talking about “My Generation”: An Introduction to Cross Generational Communication

At any given time, there are three predominant generations in our workforce. Just entering this workplace is a generation that will rapidly become its largest segment. As Millennials join Gen X’ers and Baby Boomers, there will also be a decline in the number of working Traditionalists. What will this generational shift mean to each group? This session will introduce you to each of these four groups with some history, some humor, and some proven tools to help you more effectively communicate when generations collide.

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1925 - 1945

Quick Generations Survey

1965 - 1980

TraditionalistsGeneration X(Baby Busters)

1946 - 19641981 - 1999Baby Boomers

Millennials

Before 1925 or after 1999Just Checking

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1.) Each generation is significantly different in their values, perceptions, and communication style.

A Cross Generational Communication Premise

2.) These differences affect how people work together.

3.) When recognized, these differences can be managed – and even turned into assets.

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• Generations are shaped by formative eventsTo a great extent, the “personality” of a generation is formed by the seminal events that take place from the early to middle years of its members.

Defining a Generation

Uncommon Threads: Mending the Generation Gap at Work By: Brad Sago, DBA

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1.A Southerner has always been President of the United States.

2.Cars have always had eye-level rear stop lights, CD players, and air bags.

3.The "evil empire" has always been in a distant galaxy far, far away.

4.Barbie has always had a job.

5.A "Hair Band" is some sort of fashion accessory.

Are Generations that Different?One Generation’s Perspective:

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6.George Foreman has always been a barbecue grill salesman.

7.Fox has always been a television network.

8.Ozzy's lifestyle has nothing to do with the Nelson family.

9.The drinking age has always been 21 throughout the country.

10. Hip-hop and Rap have always been popular musical forms.

One Generation’s Perspective:

Derived from Beloit College’s CLASS OF 2006 “Mindset list”

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1925 - 1945

Defining the Generations

1946 - 1964Traditionalists Baby Boomers

1965 - 1980 1981 - 1999Generation X Millennials

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Traditionalists/Silent

• Having Experienced WWII and having parents who experienced the Great Depression has taught this generation how to live with limited means.

• Traditionalists are loyal, hardworking, financially conservative and faithful to institutions.

• Patriotic and respectful of authority.

•Born 1925 to 1945

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• You can name all of the members of the “Rat Pack.”

• Saw Casablanca, It’s a Wonderful Life, or Rebel Without a Cause in a movie theater.

• You remember where you were when you heard that the atomic bomb was dropped.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Traditionalists - Here’s your sign.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Boomers

•Born 1945-1962 (1964)

• The boomer generation is almost twice the size of the generations on either side of them.

• Baby boomers invented the 60-hour workweek, figuring that demonstrated hard work and loyalty to employers was one way to get ahead.

• Boomers challenged the status quo, are responsible for many rights and opportunities now taken for granted.

• Civil Rights Marches, Women’s Rights, Vietnam Protests, Woodstock

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• You saw Dr.Strangeglove, Clockwork Orange, Shaft, or The Graduate, at a drive-in.

• You saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan

• You remember where you were when President Kennedy was shot.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Boomers - Here’s your sign.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25GenX / Baby Busters / 13th Generation

• Generation X'ers are technologically savvy, having ushered in the era of video games and personal computers.

• They witnessed skyrocketing divorce rates, challenges to the presidency, organized religion and big corporations. This combined to instill a sense of skepticism and distrust of institutions.

• Seeing their parents being laid off after years of dedicated service, they don't expect employer loyalty and therefore see no problem changing jobs to advance professionally.

Born (1963) 1965-1980 (1982)

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25You might be an X’er if…

• You can name most of the members of the “Brat Pack.”

• You saw The Breakfast Club, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on VHS.

• You remember where you were when you heard the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25X’ers - Here’s your sign.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Millennials / Generation Y / Gen Why?

•Many in this generation are still in school, but the oldest millennials are recent college graduates just now entering the work force. •Have always had access to phones, pagers and personal computers.•Millennials have grown up in a world that accepts diversity. Places that are not diverse seem strange to them. (Nearly 31% of Millennials are nonwhite.*)•They favor teamwork and have always functioned in groups in school, organized sports and extracurricular activities. •Expect them to keep their career options open not limited to one job.

Born 1981 to 1999 (2002)

*U.S. Census 2000

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25You might be a Millennial if…

• You believe that Star Wars Episode Iwas the first Star Wars movie.

• You first saw the Beatles on PBS.

• You saw The Matrix, Office Space, and Fight Club on DVD.

• After Columbine, you remember thinking, “I know kids like that at my school”.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Millennials -

BABY ON

BOARD

Here’s your sign.

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Four Generations…

Traditionalists Boomers Generation X’ers Millennials1925 - 1945 1946 - 1964 1965 - 1980 1981 - 1999

62+ 43-61 27-42 26 or younger52 Million 80 Million 46 Million 76 Million

…One Workplace

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6%

40%38%

15%

MillenialsGen-XBaby BoomersTraditionalists

Bridging the Boomer X'er Gap: Creating Authentic Teams for High Performance at WorkConnie Fuller, Ph.D., SPHR

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Attitudes

Do people born into different generations really have different attitudes?

Administered annually to over 400,000 incoming freshmen at more than 600 colleges and universities nationwide

Since 1966: 12 million students; 1,800 institutions

LetLet’’s check the CIRP s check the CIRP Freshman SurveyFreshman Survey

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Contrasting Values

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Develop a meaningful philosophy of life

Be very well off financially

CIRP Trends:CIRP Trends:Entering College FreshmenEntering College Freshmen

Boomers MillennialsGen X’ers

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Grade Inflation

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CIRP FS Trends:CIRP FS Trends:Entering College FreshmenEntering College Freshmen


61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Debunking a popular beliefMillenials are more civic minded and

volunteer more.Observation: there has been a rise in youth volunteering.

Support: an increasing number of high school and college students report that they have volunteered their time in the last year.

Reality: Many high schools and colleges require community service (or colleges like to see it on admissions applications). So even the rise in short-term volunteering might instead be "involuntary volunteering."

Weblog of Generation Me author Dr. Jean Twenge

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Debunking a popular beliefBelief: Baby boomers are commonly

noted to be the most self-absorbed generation in American history

Observation: As Boomers enter the end of the traditional workforce

years, they are not just stopping. They are refocusing.

Support: Nationally, boomers (33%) have higher volunteer rates

than either seniors (24%) or young adults (24%), reports the Corporation for National and Community Service.

USA Today’s 'Me Generation' becomes 'We Generation' Posted 8/2/2006 by Daniel J. Kadlec

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• Stay at Home Moms • Loyal to Company• Live to Work • Family First – work

hard to provide nice things

• Working Moms• Not One Company• Work to Live/Work at Home• Family First – by being there

for their family

• X’ers and Millennials have witnessed the Baby Boomers coming home exhausted from stressful jobs and don’t want that for themselves. The new workforce will be comprised of workers who are interested in a life with value and meaning – they want something different.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25The Implications

1. Boomers expect to be respected because they are the boss. X'ers will not give respect for position alone.

2. Boomers put work first – resulting in long hours and time away from family. X'ers put family and friends first and will change jobs to get more quality time if necessary.

3. Boomers followed their parents’ cradle to grave approach to work. X'ers begin to panic after three years in a company.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Applying what we know to…Working with Traditionalists

• Honor the chain of command. Traditionalists have respect for authority and they expect it in return.

• Value their experience. Use them as a resource to learn what has — and hasn't — gone right at the company in the past.

• Appreciate their dedication. Unlike other generations, traditionalists are most likely to have taken a job and stayed with one company for their entire careers.

http://www.centeronline.org/knowledge/article.cfm?ID=841

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• Show respect for Boomers. Acknowledge that you have less experience and can learn from them.

• Choose face-to-face conversations. Many baby boomers find e-mail or voice mail too impersonal.

• Give others your full attention. Multitasking may help you accomplish a lot, However, if you're typing an e-mail while your colleague is talking to you, chances are you'll frustrate your older colleague.

• Baby boomers are uncomfortable with new employees who breezes in and wants to change things without knowing what's gone on before. Learn the history.


Applying what we know to…Working with Boomers

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• Use e-mail. Take advantage of technology in your correspondence with a generation X'er. Save meetings for issues which require face-to-face communication.

• Don't micromanage generation X'ers. Generation X'ers crave autonomy. Give them direction and then allow them to figure out the best way to get results.

• Get over the notion of dues paying. Generation X — which values a healthy work-life balance — won’t spend as many hours in the office.


Applying what we know to…Working with X’ers

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• Challenge them. Millennials want to work on things that really matter. Offer more responsibility as a reward for their accomplishments.

• Ask them their opinion. Millennials love to collaborate and be team players. They respond less enthusiastically to a dictatorial chain-of-command style of management.

• Provide timely feedback. Millennials are used to getting feedback instantaneously — at the touch of a button. In the workplace, they expect frequent, worthwhile feedback.


Applying what we know to…Working with Millennials

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Greatest Challenges Millennials

Face in the Workforce• Patience with the time it takes most things to

happen.• Lack of work ethic (as long as the baby boomers

get to define it).• Understanding their relative unimportance to the

“big picture” of a business.• Developing true skills while changing jobs often.• Becoming discouraged with the aging workforce

still needing to work.The Millennial Generation: The Next Generation in College EnrollmentTerri Manning, Bobbie Fields, Cheryl Roberts

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Pop Quiz

What two generations are featured here and how can you tell?

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25A Powerful Tool

• Reflect upon your knowledge of Generational Differences

• Actively seek to step beyond the stereotypes that accompany this knowledge.

• Accept the differences

• Value the Differences

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1.) Each generation is significantly different in their values, perceptions, and communication style.

A Cross Generational Communication Premise

2.) These differences affect how people work together.

3.) When recognized, these differences can be managed – and even turned into assets.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25AACRAOBoston, MA

Friday March 02, 2007

Who's Next? Talking About "My Generation":

An Introduction to Cross Generational Communication.

Tom Richmond, Director of Admissions Marketing and CommunicationsBradley University

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•Traditionalist seek no applause but appreciate a subtle acknowledgement that they have made a differenceBoomers are often giving feedback to others but seldom receiving, especially positive feedbackXers need positive feedback to let them know they’re on the right trackMillenials are use to praise and may mistake silence for disapproval. They need to know what they’re doing right and what they’re doing wrong.

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Strategies for Cross-Generational Relationship Building By Simma Lieberman and Kate Berardo.

Approach with Interest. Approach generational differences with interest, not fear or negativity.

Be Mindful of how your assumptions are influencing your interactions.

Changing from Stereotypes to Individuals. In your mind, how long do people stay categorized by their generation: "one of the old guys" or "part of that young group"? At what point do they become individuals:

Put yourself in their shoes. Do you know what their day-to-day is like? Do you know what motivates them, excites them, gets them down--or how they want to be treated? Empathize with their situation, needs, and values. You can do this sometimes directly by asking questions and taking an interest in their interests and indirectly by getting involved in some of the traditions and pastimes of another generation.

Be flexible with your preferred communication (face-to-face, email, etc.)

Practice active listening. Listen for clear expressions of different values or outlooks than you have. Seek to understand the individual better by listening carefully to what they say (or don't say).

Show Respect. Most generations have felt they don't get the respect they deserve. Using the strategies above, you can show coworkers that you do respect them, their background, and their outlook on life--and build powerful relationships as a result.

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• Administered annually to over 400,000 incoming freshmen at more than 600 colleges and universities nationwide

• Since 1966: 12 million students; 1,800 institutions

CIRP Freshman SurveyCIRP Freshman Survey

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Grade Inflation

0

10

20

30

40

50

1966

1970

1973

1976

1979

1982

1985

1988

1991

1994

1997

2000

2003

Perc

ent

A- orhigher

C+ orlower



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Contrasting Values

0

20

40

60

80

1967

1973

1979

1985

1991

1997

2003

Perc

ent "

very

impo

rtan

t" o

r "es

sent

ial"

Develop a meaningful philosophy of life

Be very well off financially



61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Debunking some popular beliefsBelief.Observation:

Support:

Reality:

Web log of Generation Me author Dr. Jean Twenge

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25• United States Army• Traditionalists: “Uncle Sam Wants You”• Baby Boomers: “Join the People Who’ve

Joined the Army” (1973)• Generation X: “Be All That You Can Be”

(1981)• Millenials: “The Power of One” (2001);

“She’s Not Just My Daughter, She’s My Hero”

MANAGING AND MOTIVATING THE GENERATIONS:IMPLICATIONS FOR THE STUDENT AND THE EMPLOYEETampa, FL, February 12-16, 2003Peggy Blake Gleeson, PT, PhD Texas Woman’s University, Houston, TXand Matrix Rehabilitation, Katy, TX

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25BibliographyWorkplace generation gap: Understand differences among colleagueshttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/working-life/WL00045

Uncommon Threads: Mending the Generation Gap at Workby: Brad Sago, DBASource: Executive Update Published: July 2000http://www.centeronline.org/knowledge/article.cfm?ID=841

Baby Boomer Versus Generation XManaging the New Workforceby: Gregory P. Smithhttp://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/genx.htm

"Coaching Generation X"by: Terri Naglehttp://www.coachingandmentoring.com/Articles/x's.html

How to Solve the Generational Puzzle at Work - The Questionsby: Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillmanhttp://humanresources.about.com/od/conflictresolution/l/bl_genx_quiz.htm

Bridging the Boomer/Xer Gapby:Connie Fuller, Ph.D.http://www.iacrao.org/2003_annual_meeting/Opening_Session.ppt

The Millennial Generation:The Next Generation in College EnrollmentTerri Manning, Bobbie Fields, Cheryl Robertshttp://www.tacte.org/public/TACTE%20Millennial%20Presentation.ppt

http://www.iacrao.org/2003_annual_meeting/Opening_Session.ppt

61+ 42-60 26-41 <25Population Distribution by Age

Age Distribution of the U.S. Population, Selected Years 1965 –2015. The Urban Institute calculation based on U.S. Census and Social Security Administration data and population projections.

© 2004 Gwendolyn Dungy, NASPA

Traditionalists

X’ersBoomers

Millennials

X’ers

BoomersBoomers

X’ers

Traditionalists

Documents

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