Gen z Archives - Dennis E. Gilbert

13
Aug 21
-

Communication Experiences, Doc Holliday Changed Mine

Tags : communication Gen z generations hearing listening

Everyone has communication experiences. Recognizing how individual experiences affect conversation clarity can make a significant difference in the workplace and in life.

A number of months ago my nephew sent me a text message, “I got a new whip.”

I thought, what the heck? What does he mean a new whip?

Moments later a picture of a new bicycle popped into my message box on my phone.

I laughed.

Then a few days ago I stumbled across a line from a movie. A line that I recognized easily, only now it was different. It was different from what I had understood for more than 25 years.

“I’m your huckleberry.”

Do you know the movie? Tombstone, produced in 1993.

If you saw the movie, you’ll likely remember this line or phrase.

Doc Holiday, (Val Kilmer) said it many times as he was about to draw his pistol in a old west style gun fight.

Only, what I learned was this is not what was being said. Apparently in the mid-1800s the handle on a casket was called a huckle, and someone helping to carry the casket was called a bearer. Today, we often call this a pallbearer. (Example scene 1:15)

Immediately, I went to YouTube and searched, “I’m your huckleberry.”

When I listened differently. I heard it differently.

Communication Experiences

This isn’t where my experience stopped.

It is where it started.

It started here because this movie is more than 25 years old. This means that Generation Z likely knows little about this movie. Certainly, good movies last for decades and decades, but would Gen Z connect with this experience? Would the youngest millennials?

Some of them, perhaps. They may have watched it with their parents or even an older brother or sister. It’s a western theme by genre so some will have skipped it all together.

Communication shapes our experiences. A huckleberry is much different from a huckle bearer. (My spell checker doesn’t even validate huckle.)

A YouTube or Google search follows what the masses of people would search, huckleberry. Some suggest that Val Kilmer was actually saying, huckleberry. It was a mistake with his lines and then they kept using it.

What communication have you misunderstood? What communication have the people all around you misunderstood?

How will you communicate better when the workforce is generationally diverse such that they may not understand what you understand?

It’s really just the edge of a much deeper topic.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

28
Jan 19
-

Who is Generation Alpha? Gen Z Gets Framed.

Tags : gen alpha Gen z generation alpha generations united states

Much of the talk is still about millennials. Millennials this, and millennials that, but much of the chatter is often misidentified. Unknowingly, they’re often talking about Gen Z. Now trends are emerging to define the next generation, generation Alpha.

It seems like just yesterday, but in 2008, I published some of my first work related to workforce generations. In 2015, I released, Forgotten Respect, a book committed to helping ease some of the pain.

What is new with workplace generational challenges? A new generation is emerging, that is what is new. However, they won’t be hitting the workforce until around 2028.

Step Aside Gen Z

In January 2016, just four months after the release of my generations book, I delivered a conference opening keynote in upstate New York. The keynote was about navigating workforce generations.

Following the keynote, the floor was open for a few questions. One of the questions asked was, “What is the next generation and when will it start?”

Keep in mind, that it is January 2016, and in this group, many are hearing for the first time that the millennials are not the youngest in our workforce. When I wrote my 2015 book, the framework and definition of what we now know as Gen Z was still in its infancy.

In fact, as I researched and applied my own experiences to the generations, this new generation barely had an identity. It has had struggles with the labels of Gen Z, iGen, and Generation 9/11.

Today, three plus years later it seems much of society has settled on Gen Z. Great!

Generation Alpha

Back to the question at hand, “What is the next generation?” I really wasn’t prepared to answer, but I applied the logic I’ve believed in for more than a decade. There are three factors that shape the generations, and on the spot, in front of 250 professionals, I gave my best guess.

My estimate was that the next generation, the one beyond Gen Z, would have birth dates starting somewhere between 2008 and 2010. The reason is simple, in the United States we had the great recession of 2009, and in 2010 we had the introduction of the iPad.

At the time, I had no idea what this next generation would be labeled. However, I felt confident about my opinion.

It seems now, other generational experts, such as Mark McCrindle, may have also taken a position as far back as 2015-16. Mark is receiving some credit for the new label, generation Alpha, or Gen Alpha. Hat tip to Mark!

Here is where we stand:

Millennials, Born 1977-1994

Gen Z, Born 1995 – 2009 (2009-ish)

Generation Alpha, Born starting around 2010

What is shaping this new generation?

Of course, technology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence will play a role. Keep in mind where these kids are starting. Toy blocks and Barbie dolls won’t be the same. They haven’t been for generations. What happens next will be stimulated by what’s happening online.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

29
Nov 17
-

What Causes a Generational Shift?

Tags : framework Gen z generational differences millennials shift

Generational differences continue to be a hot topic. It seems that nearly anything that is changing or perceived as non-mainstream thinking casts blame on the millennial generation. However, millennials are not our youngest workforce generation. What causes a generational shift?

In a general sense, the definition of each workforce generation is a soft concept. By soft, I’m indicating that it is not an exact science and popular opinions led by experts in the field shape most of the published work which defines the generations.

Generational Framework

In my opinion, and consistent with many opinions discovered through my research on the subject this is our current (2017) framework (Chart):

Traditionals: Born 1930 – 1945

Baby Boomers: Born 1946 – 1964

Generation X: Born 1965 – 1976

Millennials (Gen Y): Born 1977 – 1994

Generation Z (Gen 9/11, iGen): Born after 1994

What shapes this framework or what causes one generation to end and another to begin?

generational framework

Factors Shape Generations

Three significant factors are likely responsible for an emerging new generation.

Socio-Economic Conditions: This represents a significant shift in values, culture, and issues that impact economic conditions. One example is the Great Depression (Circa 1929-1933).

Major Technology Shifts: Represented as anytime technology drives a significant shift in activities, behaviors, or the economy. Examples could include the space race (Circa mid-1960’s), and the emergence of personal computing devices (Circa late-1970’s, early 1980’s).

Times of War: Unfortunately, a time of war also seems to impact or contribute to shifting the generational framework. Examples could include World War II, Vietnam, and the Gulf War.

Generational Shift

Popular wisdom suggests that there may be a blending of these conditions, and if only one condition seems to exist it is unlikely that a generational shift will occur. When two or more of the conditions (factors) exist it is very likely the framework will shift.

For example, the shaping of the next generation, the one beyond Gen Z has likely started around 2007. This is true because of the period becoming known as the Great Recession (2007-2010) and the emergence of shifting technology with the introduction of the iPhone, which is often regarded as the first smartphone.

It is also worth noting that I while I consistently cite Gen Z as having a start year of around 1994; I believe it is closer to 1990. Consider the Gulf War, economic factors, and technology shifts such as those associated with NASA and the emergence of cellular telephone hardware and services.

generational differences

There are opinions that generational differences are not real, that it is only representative of changing needs based upon age. However, there is strong argument from social philosophers and experts who research this subject.

Differences exists because of age as well as what we label as the generations. Generational differences are not so much about age, but they are about the values and beliefs of people who are grouped together and categorized by their birth year.

– DEG

Developing a greater understanding of how to navigate workforce generations is why I wrote this book:

forgotten respect

Buy on Amazon

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

This article was originally posted on November 29, 2017, last updated on November 10, 2018.

14
Mar 17
-

Millennials and Gen Z Believe in Making a Difference

Tags : Gen z generational differences millennials

If you work in a multigenerational workplace you’ve probably stumbled upon some different perspectives on life. Do millennials and gen Z (Gen 9/11, iGen) believe in making a difference?

Nearly everyone has heard the idea (value) of treating others the way you would like to be treated. It is a decent value to carry. It shows that you care. You typically want the best for yourself and when you deliver that to others it would certainly seem to make the world a better place.

One stumbling block for many organizational cultures today is integrating the knowledge, experience, and talent across all generations. Things often seem to lean towards one end of the generational framework or the other.

When a business or organization really wants to have a supportive culture across all generations they might need to think differently.

Multigenerational Harmony

Trust me when I say, “What I’m about to say rubs some people the wrong way.”

Businesses that have been around for a while insist that those coming on-board must adapt to their culture. After all, their culture is the preferred culture and it is how the business was built. That might be okay, if you don’t plan to hire across all generations.

If you want, or more importantly need (which most businesses do) to start onboarding those representing the two most recent generations you might have to think differently.

You might have to change your philosophy from treating others the way you would like to be treated, to treating others the way they would like to be treated.

Millennials and Gen Z Believe

In the workplace many traditionals, baby boomers, and generation X, are focused on building their professional portfolio and establishing professional recognition.

In contrast, recent studies indicate that 84 percent of the millennials believe that, “making a positive difference in the world is more important than professional recognition.”

As with all of the research related to generational differences, it is not everyone, in every sector, or every business.

Consider asking someone if they believe in making a difference. Most will say, “Yes.”

Then you’ll just need to understand what that really means.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

19
Dec 16
-

Performance Reviews for Millennials

Tags : Gen z millennials performance reviews PIP

Performance reviews are often one of the most important yet misunderstood development tools used in organizations today. Recently I’ve been asked some questions about the performance review process for the millennial generation.

Should the performance review process be different for a millennial?

I believe the answer is both yes and no.

No, the general characteristics or the process should not be different. The foundation for the tools or process should remain as a standard for any employee review.

Yes, the type of interaction and perhaps the style or flow of the conversation might be more productive if it is managed a little differently.

Performance Reviews

Performance reviews should be recognized as one of the most powerful and useful tools for continuing to develop employees and the organizational culture. Unfortunately it is often misunderstood, taken for granted, and inappropriately used.

Performance Review woes

Here are several areas that show up near the top of the misunderstood and misused list:

an opportunity to scold or negatively blast employees
highlight one specific error or wrong doing
used to justify other issues, such as no pay raise

The performance review process should consider all efforts and should in some way be appropriately connected to a job description. It should be used as an opportunity to focus on future performance, help to establish future development goals, and to reinforce the performance that is most desirable.

If you have an employee that is struggling to achieve or maintain successful levels of contribution and organizational performance then you probably should consider a performance improvement plan (PIP) instead of using an annual or semi-annual performance review process. Certainly, there can be some overlap with the uses of these tools, but the general approaches should be different.

Millennial Considerations

As I’ve already mentioned the foundation of the process should not be different for a millennial employee but taking into consideration a few common characteristics might be helpful. Generational differences are not so much about age as they are about values and beliefs and many millennials struggle with a traditional or boomer boss in a number of areas.

Here are a few common areas of struggle that the millennial employee may feel.

Unheard or not listened to. Perhaps this happens when millennials share an idea but then fail to see any implementation or what they perceive as consideration for their idea.
Not well respected. There is a difference between not respected and disrespected. Often the millennial employee interacting with a boomer boss feels that the boss lacks appropriate respect for the millennial.
Different about solving problems. Traditionals and boomers typically view problem solving as requiring effort and a plan. While millennials almost always seek to improve the situation through a technology solution.

Frequency

Different values and beliefs brought about in-part because of societal changes could mean that many millennials are seeking more frequent feedback on performance.

millennial performance review

A formal review process is typically annual or semi-annual and any employee on a specific PIP would receive feedback more frequently. Informally, more frequent feedback exchanges are often welcomed by millennial or gen Z (Gen 9/11, iGen) employees.

The stereotype is that traditionals and baby boomers are willing to view a day on the job as, no news is good news, whereas the youngest representation in our workforce today needs feedback for encouragement, motivation, and to help keep anxiety levels low.

Millennial Reviews

Should performance reviews be different for millennials?

Every performance review approach, style, and delivery should have some variances.

Some common mistakes made by supervisors are that they themselves don’t take the feedback process serious enough.

Supervisors often feel unprepared or challenged by any conflict that might arise. They then deliver based on how they themselves would feel most comfortable and achieve the most benefit. When in fact, the best performance review should be delivered with considerations for how the recipient would benefit the most.

– DEG

Originally posted on December 18, 2016. Last updated on May 11, 2018.

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

28
Nov 16
2

Millennials and the Work / Life Blend

Tags : balance Gen z millennials work / life blend

Many of the traditionals, baby boomers, and generation X population are familiar with the idea of work / life balance. It has been the topic of many books, self-help guides, and even a buzz phrase for corporate culture, unfortunately that was during the 1990’s, and perhaps into the early 2000’s.

What is the work / life blend and how is it different from work / life balance?

Work / Life Blend

Millennials and gen Z (Gen 9/11, iGen) are much more interested in the work / life blend. This style of corporate culture suggests that your work is much more integrated with your life as compared to the concept that work and life are two very different aspects.

Starting in the late 1980’s some management styles began to measure performance based on the number of hours you put into your job on a daily or weekly basis. The bragging rights or social proof of performance was demonstrated by stating the number of hours worked as compared to productivity, efficiency, or outcomes. Even today you might find pockets of what I will call old school management philosophy that attempts to correlate a person’s value to the organization by the number of hours spent on the job.

Over the course of a few decades the medical (and psychiatric) communities began to suggest that many people needed more work / life balance. The millennials and gen Z population observed much of this trend through their parent’s steadfast commitment to work and building a better life only to still be working towards those same goals today, and so they have decided that there must be a better way.

The better way, or so it is believed, is more work / life blending.

Work and Lifestyle

Regardless of the generation, this concept doesn’t work for every occupation or for every person, nor should it. However, many employers can and probably should consider incorporating a culture related more towards a work / life blend. Especially those who insist they want millennial and gen Z representation but cannot understand why they experience so much employee turnover within these generations.

Examples of moving more towards a work / life blend might include the ability and permission to:

have more flexible hours, recognizing that some of your work occurs outside of the workplace
encourage processing email and interacting electronically after traditional hours
connect performance measurement to results, not “clock” hours
incorporate marketing and branding efforts with social “off the clock” activities
have open workspaces with less confinement and more team centric objectives

The concept centers on the idea that work is mixed in with lifestyle.

Messengers Message

If you are a traditional or baby boomer manager who glances at this concept and just as quickly dismisses it, may I suggest that you pause? There certainly are challenges here and it might seem impossible in manufacturing, retail, and healthcare (just naming a few), but to the extent possible this concept should be explored. Early adopters in some sectors are testing combinations of fixed (traditional) hours and flex hours (read flex as blending) in an attempt to stimulate cultural change.

Avoid thinking of this concept as functioning like a light switch, with full on or full off.

Most workplace cultures will benefit the most from strategically working towards this concept and should not try a drastic move from one extreme to the other. At the same time it is important to consider that successfully onboarding and retaining the future generation of workers might depend on how soon you begin to develop and value job roles and duties that incorporate more of a work / life blend.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and coach that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is the author of the newly released book, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at DennisEGilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

22
Nov 16
4

Managing Multigenerational Meetings

Tags : Gen z meetings millennials multigenerational

Meetings are an important part of your workplace life and if you’re involved in recurring, regular scheduled meetings, you know meeting management is important.

The meeting chairperson and participants alike often wonder about the frequency of meetings and also how to measure their effectiveness, but what about those meetings that have the added dynamic of being multigenerational? They’re quite common today especially as the more recent generations take a commanding position in organizations by bringing to the table a vast set of technology oriented skills coupled with fresh new ideas.

Enter the era of meetings that incorporate the entire spectrum of the five generations currently active in our workforce.

What It Means

If you have a broad multigenerational segment of employee representation at your meetings you may have to prepare differently.

First, if you are a traditional, a baby boomer, or gen X meeting leader (chairperson) you might have to consider dropping your idea that meetings run without devices. Devices of course mean smart phones, tablets, and notebook computers. You’re already cringing but that’s not the end of it.

The second thing to keep in mind is that while true multi-tasking is very questionable, the most recent workforce generations, those representing the millennials and Gen Z (Gen 9/11, iGen) crowd, are accustomed to fitting in some listening skills while also actively browsing their device. Keep in mind that in many cases they’ve done this for what to them, feels like their entire life.

Yes, you can set the guidelines for the meeting to not allow active devices and yes they will sit there and listen and participate, but their best work might not happen. It’s true that much of this will depend on the type of meeting and the meeting objectives but it’s also true that this is something that old school meeting leaders need to carefully consider.

Getting Results

Your meetings are important. They are not only a vehicle for communication but they are also likely important for decision making, planning, and solidifying team effort. If this holds true for you and you want the most productivity from your meeting you’re going to have to consider not only bringing your best and brightest talent to the meeting but also allowing them the ability to carry in a few tools.

How often have you asked a question in a meeting but no one knows the answer?

The old school way is to write it down, go research it, and bring the answer to the next meeting. Millennials and gen Z simply do not understand this low efficiency method. They can probably find answers or possible solutions, and in some cases video tutorials within just a few moments.

Can you say productivity? Time is money.

Spaces

If you are conducting workplace meetings across the multigenerational landscape present in our workforce today not only do you want to consider how the meeting will operate but you’ll also want to consider the meeting space. Meeting space, like office space, is changing.

You’re going to have to think about more open space with fewer closed doors and stuffy high-back leather chairs. Don’t just think about a meeting room; think about atriums, outdoor spaces, and coffee shops.

Enjoy your next meeting.

– DEG

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

26
Oct 16
2

Are Millennials More Productive?

Tags : baby boomers Gen z millennials OK boomer productivity

Recently I wrote about the subject of information overload which sparked online and offline conversations about various workforce generations and productivity. Are the more recent generations such as the millennials and generation Z more productive?

Let’s start by considering a few key points. The first is that what separates the generations is not so much about age, but it is about differing values and beliefs. The second point is that the most recent generations have been taught differently and perhaps learn differently, and the third is that when compared with the earlier generations much of the millennial population and all of the generation Z population have predominantly known information access at their fingertips on a computer or cellular phone.

My belief is that when you consider productivity you have to ask yourself, “Productive at what?” Most people will likely connect productivity with the ability to accomplish one or more tasks in a timely manner. The person who can do this with little or no error in the shortest time is the most productive.

If we agree on that, then the question still remains, productive at what?

Knowledge and Entitlements

If we were to generalize about skills in the workplace one argument could include the idea that those who have been in the workforce longer will have more skill, but those representing the more recent generations may bring additional knowledge of the subject matter.

When it comes to entitlements in the workplace traditionals and baby boomers believe that they are entitled because they have more experience and the millennials and generation Z people believe that they are entitled because they have more knowledge.

Does this have anything to do with being more productive? Likely, yes, it does.

Resource Efficiency

Consider baking a cake, learning to play a musical instrument, or building a bookcase, if we have two human subjects both with about the same amount of resources, knowledge, and experience who will be more productive?

It seems to me that the best answer is the person who will use their resources the most efficiently and effectively to learn the skill, apply the skill, and then be able to repeat the process becoming more productive as they build more skill.

I must confess that from my experiences, with all things being equal, the millennial generation would most likely (I’m generalizing of course) be more productive.

Millennials More Productive

A millennial or Gen Z’er who has developed a reasonable level of problem solving skills will most likely locate the resources for learning (consult an expert, watch a video, find documentation online) faster and more efficiently as compared to the baby boomer.

They will think about it differently because their espoused values and core beliefs are likely different. To help illustrate this point, a baby boomer might seek to find a book or ask a friend and the millennial or generation Z person is already watching a video.

Are millennials and generation Z more productive in today’s workplace?

I believe it depends on many factors and most of the factors would not be equivalent across the generations. The earlier generations might have some advantage with life experiences that the most recent generations have not had, but it is reasonable that a person from any generation can be highly productive with the proper resources and training.

– DEG

Are you interested to learn more about the generations?

I wrote this book to help.

forgotten respect

Buy on Amazon

This article was originally posted on October 26, 2016, last updated on November 18, 2019.

22
Sep 16
7

Who is Generation Z?

Tags : Gen z generation z generational differences millennials respect

Millennials get a lot of media attention, but who are the millennials and who is considered to be in generation Z?

Generational differences have a lot to do with stereotypes and bias. Often people make a quick judgment based on perceived age that anyone who is in their mid 30’s or less is a millennial. We see it, read it, or hear it in news reports, professional presentations (excluding those delivered by generational experts), and sometimes in chatter throughout the workplace.

Content marketing organizations and social media outlets thrive on the popular millennial keyword. The truth is, most generational experts agree that there are not three workforce generations, not four workforce generations, but five generations currently active in our workforce.

Okay, but who are they?

Traditionals: Born 1930 – 1945

Baby Boomers: Born 1946 – 1964

Generation X: Born 1965 – 1976

Millennials: Born 1977 – 1994

Generation Z: Born after 1994

While the ranges supplied here seem straight forward, confusion sometimes occurs because the labels such as traditional, baby boomer, and millennial, are not always the same. For example, millennials are commonly known as millennials or generation Y, and generation Z is also known as generation 9/11, or iGen, and others.

Generation Z

While there is much agreement formulated from various sources on the existing (year ranges) frameworks, there is often disagreement as well.

Personally, I believe the last emerging generation, labeled here as generation Z, has the most confusion or disagreement related to framework. During the writing of my book, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce, I extensively considered popular wisdom, web based research, and traditional published works citing various frameworks for each generation.

Generation Z has the most unsettled framework with some people citing the starting year as early as 1990, and others believing it may be as late as 2005. Many current views position it closer to the mid-1990’s and for the purpose of clarity in Forgotten Respect, I used the mid-1990’s as the starting year.

My belief is that three factors are largely responsible for creating a generational shift; they are significant changes in socio-economic conditions, significant technology changes, or unfortunately, times of war. Historically, these factors appear to be consistent across the generally accepted framework, and I offer that my position on this latest generation is still evolving.

Final Word

Generation Z is not another label for the millennials and everyone who is mid to upper 30’s years of age and younger are not all millennials. The millennial generation has an ending year and it is representative of those born around 1990 or slightly later. Those persons currently (circa 2016) filling the space as younger than mid-20’s, born early 1990’s, or later, are Generation Z.

– DEG

Originally published on September 22, 2016. Last updated on April 1, 2018.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

26
Jan 16
4

Can Boomers Lead Generation Z?

Tags : boomers Gen z generational differences leadership

Considering there are now five generations active in our workforce it seems reasonable that reaching across three, four, or five generations will represent some challenge. I am often asked questions about how to change the incoming workforce, not how to address the problems, but how to change the people.

Reaching across the generations is complex, but approaching it with the intent to improve relations and not change people is where most of the engagement value exists. It may start with the questions we ask ourselves, and it definitely needs to work towards improving the root cause.

The root cause of our generational differences often develops from leadership style, communication, and organizational culture. Changing our approach should begin with focusing on the commonalities that we share. When we have a successful organization or business it is because we provide products or services that add value or solve problems. Since we’re all in it together, that is one important factor we all have in common.

We should be asking ourselves questions like this:

What is our purpose? Motivation to jump in and get started happens when everyone understands their sense of purpose and contribution. Doing the task is one thing, but understanding why provides the motivation. This is our mission.

What problem are we trying to solve? Most organizations are in the business of fixing, reducing, or improving problems. They fulfill a need and provide value or a solution. Everyone’s contribution should be related to meeting this exact need.

How does what we are doing solve that problem? If we can’t identify the results or establish the metrics or measurement, we’ll likely have trouble with employee engagement. Everything should have an identifiable result and outcome.

When we stop trying to change people and start focusing on the commonalities of our mission, people of every generation will work better together. We may have differences such as values and beliefs, social orientation, and technology competence, but keep this in mind; the value of the team doesn’t exist in everyone being the same. The value of the team exists in utilizing everyone’s knowledge and experience to solve the problem or accomplish the goal.

When leaders forfeit the strength of differences across the generations they have forfeited the value of the team.

Yes, boomers can lead (Gen 9/11, iGen) generation z.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker, and coach that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is the author of the newly released book, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at DennisEGilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

Tag Archives: Gen z

Aug 21

-

Communication Experiences

Jan 19

-

Step Aside Gen Z

Generation Alpha

Nov 17

-

Generational Framework

Factors Shape Generations

Generational Shift

Mar 17

-

Multigenerational Harmony

Millennials and Gen Z Believe

Dec 16

-

Performance Reviews

Millennial Considerations

Frequency

Millennial Reviews

Nov 16

Nov 16

Oct 16

Knowledge and Entitlements

Resource Efficiency

Millennials More Productive

Sep 16

Generation Z

Final Word

Jan 16

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