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Understanding GenerationalDifferences Presented by: Debbie Jones

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What makes a Generation? “The events and conditions each of us experiences during our formative years determines who we are and how we see the world.As a result of these events and conditions, each generation has adopted its own “generational personality.” - Lynne Lancaster and David Stillman When Generations Collide

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What is a ‘generatio gap?’The term “generation gap” was created to mean the empty space in which peopleborn of different times do not understand each other because of their differing attitudes, values, communication, and interests.

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Why Should We Care?1. Increased interaction2. The era we grew up in shapes us and gives us our perspective.3. Potential for increased conflict

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How can understanding generational differences help us? Help people discover the values of eachgroup Help different age groups relate to oneanother better Help us have more concern and appreciationfor the issues of each era.Help us to learn what motivates the membersof each generation

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Generation Types Traditionals  Born between 1922 – 1945 Baby Boomers  Born between 1946 – 1964Generation X  Born between 1965 - 1980Generation Y  Born between 1981 – 2000Homelanders  Born between 2001 – Present

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Traditionals(also known as the Silents or Matures)Born Between 1922 - 1945“The difficult we do at once; the impossible takes a bit longer.” - Motto of the Seabees

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Events that Define Them Stock Market Crash Great Depression FDR and the New Deal The Dust Bowl Pearl Harbor – enter WWII D-day in Normandy Korean War

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What They Are Rebelling Against Economic and national condition of the country –responsible for responding Generation battle cry of:  “Bear any burden, pay any price” …and “do it big”  Re-build the U.S. back into a great country

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Key Characteristics Hardworking Loyal Submissive Tech-challenged Traditional morals Superb interpersonal skills

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What Other Generations Say About Them Boomers say they are:  Rigid and resistant to change  Technologically challenged  Narrow in their view  Dictatorial

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What Other Generations Say About Them Gen X says they are:  Set in their ways  Need to learn how to use e-mail  The ones with all the money

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What Other Generations Say About Them Gen Y says they are:  Trustworthy  Good Leaders  Brave

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Baby Boomers Born Between 1946 and 1964 Those born during or after World War II and raised inthe era of extreme optimism, opportunity, and progress Motto: Live to work

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Events that Define Them Television Civil Rights Movement Prosperity Family Planning JFK, MLK and RFK assassinated Woodstock Vietnam War Kent State Rock and Roll

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What are they rebelling against? Established social norms of the Traditionals Effective due to large number

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Key Characteristics “Me” generation Competitive and hardworking Get the job done at any cost Live to work Driven and service-oriented Good team players Like to avoid conflict

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What Other Generations Say About Them Traditionals say… “They are self-absorbed” “They talk about things they ought to keep private…like intimate details of their personal lives”Generations At Work, Zemke, Raines, Filipczak

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What Other Generations Say About Them Gen X says… “They are self-righteous.” “They are workaholics.” “They do a great job of talking the talk, but they don’t walk the walk.”Generations At Work, Zemke, Raines, Filipczak

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What Other Generations Say About Them Gen Y says… “They’re cool. They are up to date on the music we like.” “They work too much.”Generations At Work, Zemke, Raines, Filipczak

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Gen XBorn Between 1965 - 1980 A generation born in the shadows of the Boomers

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Gen X “It’s no wonder Xers are angst-ridden andrudderless. They feel America’s greatnesshas passed. They got to the cocktail party twenty minutes too late, and all that’s left are those little wieners and a half-empty bottle of Zima.” Dennis Miller RANTS

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Events that Define Them Nixon Resigns Energy Crisis Divorce Rate + 2 Working Parents Technology Revolution Stock Market Crash Corporate Downsizing Fall of Berlin Wall Challenger Disaster Operation Desert Storm Rodney King and L.A. Riots

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What are they rebelling against? Work/life imbalance of the BoomersMotto: Work to Live

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Key Characteristics Latchkey kids Digest information rapidly Witnessed corporate downsizing May not sacrifice personal life for a company Open to receiving feedback Good at networking Roamers Able to do multiple things simultaneously

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What Other Generations Say About Them Traditionals say:  They don’t respect experience  They don’t follow procedures  They don’t know what hard work is

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What Other Generations Say About Them Boomers say:  They are lazy  They are rude and lack social skills  They are always doing things “their own way”  They spend too much time on the Internet and e-mail  They won’t wait their turn

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What Other Generations Say About Them Gen Y says: Cheer up already!

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Gen Y(also known as Millenials, Nexters & Internet Gen.)Born Between 1981 - 2000A flip-flop wearing, I-pod toting, multi-tasking generation that is optimistic and ready to change the world and your organization!

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Events that Define Them Oklahoma City bombing School violence Technology Busy, over planned lives Clinton/Lewinsky Multiculturalism TV talk shows September 11th

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What are they rebelling against? Complacency of the Gen Xers They are ready to change the world… for the better …and they have the numbers to do it

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Key Characteristics Civic Duty Achievement – in all aspects of life Diversity Confidence Optimism Goal Oriented

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The Age of the “Helicopter Parent” Hovers near at all times ready to swoop in and save the child from whatever peril may face him/her Wants to contact professors, bosses and HR to correct grades, salaries and working conditions

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Gen Y – was bombarded with a unique set of compelling messages growing up… Be smart—you are special Leave no one behind Connect 24/7 Achieve now Serve your community

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Their Preferred Work Culture “Gen Yers resemble the Traditionals in many ways—they believe in collective action, optimism about the future, trust in centralized authority, a willingness to get things done, and a heroic spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.” Generations At Work, Zemke, Raines, Filipczak

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Their Preferred Work Culture Collaborative Diverse and Inclusive Goal-oriented Sociable Civic focused – a company that cares about social and/or environmental issues Challenging Lots of opportunity to learn and grow

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What do They Want in awork/community environment? You be the leader Challenge me Let me work with my friends Let’s have fun! Respect me and my ideas Be flexible

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What Other Generations Say About Them Traditionals say… “They have good manners.” “They’re smart little critters.” “They watch too much TV…with crude language and violence.”Generations At Work, Zemke, Raines, Filipczak

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MillennialsWhat Other Generations Say About Them  Boomers say… “They’re cute. “They can set the time on the DVD/VCR.” “They need to learn to entertain themselves; they need too much attention.” Generations At Work, Zemke, Raines, Filipczak

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What Other Generations Say About Them Gen X says…“Here we go again…another self-absorbed generation of spoiled brats.” “What do you mean, “What’s an album?”Generations At Work, Zemke, Raines, Filipczak

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Remember…..“Regardless of the generation a person was born into, he is still an individual.”

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What does this mean in practice? As community cultures evolve with each generation… You have the unique challenge to ensure that work teams become and remain culturally and generationally diverse because of the wealth of information and experience that individual team members can offer.

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Managing the Generational Mix Find out about the MEMORABLE EVENTS that occurred as they were growing up. AVOID assuming that because people are a certain age they will act a certain way. Find out how THEY like to be treated. ACKNOWLEDGE the age difference.

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Point to RememberWhile it is helpful to know some of thegeneralizations about different generationsas a starting point, the real learning and thereal bridging of age difference comesthrough doing two things: suspending yourassumptions and judgments, and engagingin dialogue across generations.

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Exercise Traditionals Baby Boomers Gen X Gen Y