Tag Archives: generational differences

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Millennial Feedback, Do They Need Something Different?

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Most employers today recognize the need and value of feedback systems. Should millennial feedback have additional considerations?

millennial feedback

When you ask employers about feedback most will tell you that they give an annual performance review. Other smaller but growing operations might suggest that although they haven’t developed an official process, they are working towards it.

Is something different needed for the millennial (gen Y) generation?

Feedback

When we start to consider the five generations that are active in our workplace today we also might want to consider some stereotypes. In many workplaces supervisory positions are often filled with earlier generation employees. They have more years of experience and often work their way into these positions.

One stereotype is that supervisors (managers, directors, et al) representing the traditional or baby boomer generations don’t give a lot of feedback. They are often described as communicating a message of, “no news is good news.”

The position they might take can also be described as, “When there is a problem I’ll let you know.”

Millennial Feedback

What might be most important for millennials? Formal feedback systems that would include the annual or semi-annual evaluation are still good, but perhaps everyone, including millennials would benefit from something more.

Some suggest that, “80 percent of Gen-Y say they prefer on-the-spot recognition over formal reviews…” While I’m not completely sure of the research methods behind that statistical expression, my informal discussions with millennials strongly reflect this trend.

Giving and receiving feedback more frequently might help every employee. Not only does it make their work more relevant it also helps solidify engagement.

Additionally, many people feel anxiety about the formal review process. When feedback is communicated more frequently, it leaves less room for surprises and helps minimize anxiety. After all, when our anxiety levels go up, our listening skills go down.

Are you or your employee teams providing the right frequency of feedback? Have they been properly trained on the best communication methods?

Does your organization need something different?

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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.

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Generational Purpose: When Differences Lead to a Commonality

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Purpose is critical for organizational success. Is there such a thing as, generational purpose?

Generational purpose

Likely one of the most important yet often unrecognized concepts about generational differences is that each generation may have their own belief (but different) about a similar subject matter.

For example, all generations have a belief about entitlement, respect, and yes, beliefs that drive purpose.

Purpose and Motivation

When you ask ten people what brings them to work each day you’ll probably get at least two or three different answers. Many might suggest some connection with money or providing for their life or family.

The drive for money can certainly be a motivator, but so can fear, or inspiration. What motivates us is usually connected to a purpose, and perhaps sometimes more than one purpose.

At least several stereotypes exist about the workforce generations and motivation. Many believe that some generations are less motivated than others.

Depending on who you speak with it might begin with generation X, but many today are more likely to cite the millennial generation or generation Z as those lacking motivation.

Motivation for your job or work might have a lot to do with money, but it probably isn’t really responsible for the work you do day-in and day-out. Having purpose for your work might matter more than what most people realize.

Some of the most interesting businesses are built around purpose. Have you ever thought about this?

Why does Google, SpaceX, or Macy’s exist? What about Amazon, eBay, or Facebook? How about your local grocery store, the automobile dealership, or the hardware store? What is their purpose?

We might be able to cite numerous differences about purpose related to each of these businesses. How is this related to generational purpose?

Generational Purpose

Many businesses seek answers to managing a multigenerational workforce. They report problems in working with or communicating across five generations. They often cite things such as laziness, a sense of entitlement, and a lack of respect as limiting factors for success.

All of those things might be important and there are many different views about each one. The most successful businesses are finding ways to bring to life the purpose for the work that is done, and as humans we all respond to doing things for a purpose. Purpose is our connection and motivator.

Why do we need Google, SpaceX, or Macy’s? Some might argue that we don’t. Others might believe we can’t live without them. What brings them to life and causes them to exist?

It is about purpose, the best organizations have one or serve one, sometimes both.

Regardless of your generational orientation, one thing we all have in common is that we are all motivated by a purpose.

It’s something we all have in common.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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+


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Are Generational Differences Real?

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As a leadership and workforce generations expert I’m often asked, “Are generational differences real?” Actually, people don’t often ask, they just offer their opinion. What’s the scoop with this idea of generational differences being real or not real?

generational differences real appreciative strategies

Informally, without a survey or empirical evidence I would suggest that many supervisors, managers, and human resources team members are sold on the idea that generational differences are real. When it comes to the C-Suite my best guess is that only about one half of them are convinced.

Since I’ve researched, written about, and provided coaching and training on this subject for more than 10 years I’m compelled to offer my opinion.

Are Generational Differences Real?

Getting right to it, yes, they are real, but there are a few tricky elements connected to that reality.

One of the most common disconnects that I encounter is a lack of understanding about generational differences and differences based on age. Additionally, there are numerous other factors such as organizational culture, social economic conditions, family and espoused values, and geographic location.

Stereotyping

Stereotyping is often problematic with generational differences. Differences in age, values, or beliefs might all be inappropriately targeted. Often we’ll hear things like millennials feel entitled, or baby boomers don’t like change, or generation Z (Gen 9/11, iGen) only wants to work part-time.

These are stereotypes and do not apply to all people who were born during a specific range of years. In addition, wrongful stereotyping might be the biggest cause of breakdowns in trust and respect.

Getting to the Root

Stereotyping, breakdowns in trust and respect; what is really the root cause of these problems? Most likely the problems originate in leadership styles, communication, and the product of both of those combined, organizational culture.

If you believe your workplace is suffering from generational differences, you must get to the root cause. Therefore, pointing out that differences exist is only a symptom of the problem. In most circumstances you’ll find the root cause buried somewhere in the organizational culture.

The Scoop

In conclusion, generational differences are real and in the simplest terms they are based on different values and beliefs.

Descriptors or characteristics often used to describe the attitudes, values, or beliefs of any given generation do not apply to everyone. They certainly apply to some, and likely to a majority, but definitely not to all.

You’ll probably find the solution for improvement exists in leadership styles and how they manage or embrace different values and beliefs. Communication and the ebb and flow of the culture will have a direct impact on the success of generational harmony.

So what do you think? Are generational differences real?

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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+


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Does My Baby Boomer Boss Respect Me?

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Generational differences, that is how most people label challenges associated with communication and working with others who have a significant difference in birth year from their own. Do you have a baby boomer boss that respects you?

baby boomer boss

Occasionally you might hear the words generational respect, but we very seldom hear words or phrases connected with the idea of generational commonalities. Discussion points, debates, or arguments typically open with the concept of differences.

If we think just for a minute about commonalities, one of the biggest things that all generations have in common is that they all want respect.

When we consider the idea of respect spread across all levels of authority or the organizational ladder it is something that most employees are interested to ensure exists. Respect in the workplace can certainly exist across any level or hierarchy and can sometimes be increasingly sensitive when working across multiple generations.

Many workplaces today have traditionals or baby boomers that might report to a gen X or millennial boss, but often it is more common that the more recent generations including gen Z (Gen 9/11, iGen) have a boss who is a baby boomer. So it might beg the question, does my baby boomer boss respect me?

Are You Respected?

Let’s consider a few areas that indicate respect.

  • Listens well. Communication skills, especially listening are an important part of workplace harmony. We can probably attribute many of our workplace challenges, performance problems, or productivity issues to ineffective communication. If the conversations between you and your boss are well grounded in good listening skills or techniques, then you have a good foundation for mutual respect.
  • Asks meaningful questions. In the workplace people are typically driving towards results. Critical thinking, solving problems, and especially asking questions not only produce a wider array of information but also contribute to focus. When co-workers are asking questions of their peer team or supervisors they most likely respect their opinion. The same is true from boss to direct report. Of course the type of question is also important, interrogation techniques do not apply here.
  • Makes time. When you stop to think about it, everything in life revolves around time. If we lived forever nothing would really matter because there would always be more time. Being considerate and taking the time to engage with other people might be one of the biggest signs that you are valued and respected. A boss who has no time for direct reports probably could improve their boss to direct report relationships significantly by making an investment in each other’s time.

Baby Boomer Boss

When we broadly consider the distribution of generations in today’s workforce and we consider those who represent any level of supervisor, baby boomers (who are supervisors) have a significant representation.

So what do you think, does your baby boomer boss respect you?

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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+


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Is There Anything Worse Than No Feedback?

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You’ve been waiting far too long, why haven’t you heard anything? In the scope of your workplace life some might believe that the subject of feedback is relatively unimportant, but others strongly disagree.

feedback

Have you ever been given a new job task or duty and waited for some feedback from your supervisor? Have you applied for a job and anxiously waited for some news only to hear nothing? Have you made a phone call or sent an email that was significant to you and waited for a response that never came?

Underestimated

It seems that much of our society today has grown accustom to the idea that if you don’t want to deal with something, you just let it go. You never say anything, you never respond, you just do nothing. Some believe that this is the socially accepted norm, and others want to jump out of their skin with frustration.

A lack of returned calls, return email messages, and very limited job performance feedback represent costs that are significantly underestimated in today’s workplace. Much of this could be categorized and labeled as poor communication, but what is worse than the communication aspect is that there is an enormous amount of anxiety and stress associated with organizational cultures that support this style. Of course, someone might suggest that it is only stressful if you allow it or if your expectations are too high, or with a bit of sarcasm, express that it only matters if you care.

Generational Challenges

Through people that I’ve coached or otherwise informally surveyed it would appear that the more recent workforce generations typically are not as anxious about a return telephone call or an email when compared with those generations that have been in the workforce longer. In fact, for the more recent generations we might have to dig deeper to the medium of text messaging or social media channels to find their preferred communication platform, but even there they likely don’t expect it. On the other hand, they might feel a little anxious about a lack of feedback concerning their job performance.

There is a workplace stereotype often associated with this issue suggests that baby boomer supervisor’s want a culture of no news is good news, but millennial direct reports want immediate gratification. Stereotype or not, if this is real, it signals a communication problem and when ignored or taken for granted this often leads to higher levels of anxiety, more absenteeism, and even employee turnover.

I Don’t Want Feedback

This topic wouldn’t be complete without addressing those who believe job performance feedback is their worst enemy. I’ve heard the arguments in seminars. Some believe that any feedback at all is counterproductive, but especially distasteful and unwanted is feedback that signals any kind of performance improvement. They often offer that they give their best effort to all of their work and if it isn’t good enough, then it just is-what-it-is. They offer the challenge that they would be much more motivated if people said nothing and just allowed them to continue with their work.

I challenge that if there is something wrong, incorrect, or that could be improved wouldn’t you want to know? Would you feel any embarrassment if you were producing poor or rejected work for weeks, months, or years and no one told you? Imagine everyone walking on egg shells while your ego is pleased because you’ve received no feedback. No one said you had to like it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t necessary. And with that said, yes, there is a difference between constructive feedback and negative or mismanaged feedback. Feedback experts will insist that it is not constructive criticism, it is constructive feedback.

I would like to suggest that there should be more returned calls, more email responses, and more constructive feedback.

Is there anything worse than no feedback? Sure, it is feedback that is mismanaged, but that is a different topic.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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 Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+


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Hiring Millennials and Gen Z: Will They Stay?

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Many organizations are searching for employees who represent the millennial or generation Z population, but if they hire them, will they stay?

business woman with her staff in background at office

Questions like this are good. They help us to focus and be better prepared to make good decisions. Many organizations desire to on-board employees representing both generations but often they report difficulties in finding suitable candidates or challenges in having them stay once they are hired. Generalizing on this subject is tricky because each industrial sector, geographic location, and organization size has an impact on the data.

Let’s consider just two points:

  • Millennials are staying longer with their early career employer (Whitehouse Report 2014).
  • Enrollment in 2 and 4 year colleges has been volatile (up and down) since 2010.

These points are important because many informal reports suggest that many who get hired stick around only from a few minutes to a few months and then take off for a different job; and that many are college educated and as such only accept the highest paying, no manual labor white collar job opportunities. This data set might support a different hypothesis.

Research data behind the millennial and generation Z population is complex. Millennial behavior has been studied and trends exist, but much of the trending has numerous other factors involved which only add to the confusion. Some of these factors include rural vs. urban living, home ownership, and marriage and family, and this is just naming a few.

It is worth mentioning that there appears to be a trend with the most recent generations preferring to relocate to more urban settings leaving businesses in smaller rural communities feeling like they have a lack of choices. The emerging generations might choose to start their own families and become homeowners later in life, and as such they might not share the same style of community commitment as those generations who have come before them. This is not about right or wrong, it is an indication of differences.

Will They Stay?

Complex issues sometimes have to be broken down into simple terms. Organizations need to make the best choices possible for their workforce. There will always be trade-offs with skills, compensation, and other employee value based factors. So how can organizations improve their millennial and generation Z turnover ratio?

  • Hire Smart. Use interviewing skills and techniques to make the best choices for your organizational needs and location. Having a strategy that includes competency models and employee demographic data that illustrates the characteristics of the ideal candidate are best.
  • Cultural Values. Value the most recent generations, emphasize this with actions and a well-illustrated culture. Many are eager to earn an honest living, but they’ll seek to be respected and not feel as though they are being inappropriately used.
  • Mentor. Build and encourage mentor opportunities with role model employees of a similar generation. Often organizations will attempt to form connections for mentor opportunities by pairing mentees with role models of a different generation, while this might be somewhat situational, this is often not as effective as someone within the same generation.

My experiences working with many different organizations in both rural and urban settings indicate that organizations that lack a specific strategy for on-boarding the most recent generations are the same organizations that struggle the most to have them stay. In contrast, organizations that have a strategy and follow it are most likely the same organizations with a culture that is acceptable across the entire generational framework.

Hiring decisions are certainly complex and not every person (employee or employer) will actually deliver exactly as they present throughout the interview process. You’ll never get a guarantee that every employee is going to stay, and perhaps not every employee you’ll want to keep.

Generational Denial

One last thing worth mentioning, occasionally I encounter organization leaders who believe that generational differences are not real and that the generational problem has been going on since the industrial revolution. If the leadership team cannot agree on the problem, it is unlikely that a solution will be found.

Create a strategy that builds a culture that achieves your desired results.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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 Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+


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Age Differences or Generational Differences?

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Ten years ago I attended a business conference that easily had several thousand participants. I remember how exciting it was, the main stage hosted some incredible speakers and following any given performance or on scheduled breaks the hallways were buzzing with excitement.

Joyful group

One particular talk featured a businessman who discussed investments, retirement accounts, and how to monitor the stock market. It was content rich, and he delivered a very compelling message. While some would label his presentation a sales pitch others were excited to learn more about his methodologies and personal finance management tactics. As he closed his presentation he urged audience members to immediately go to visit his hallway booth where there was a limited supply of additional information and very limited seating for his next full day educational seminar coming to a location near you.

Curious I went to his booth and observed lines of people scurrying to make a purchase. While the conference was generationally diverse, in my estimation, there was no person younger than 45 or 50 years old in that line.

Was this representative of an age difference or generational difference?

One school of thought in the workplace today is that there aren’t any real generational issues, only the same patterns that have repeated themselves over and over again at least since the industrial revolution, and those patterns are about age and not about some nebulous generational malarkey. A different school of thought often comes from workplace generation experts who politely (and sometimes not so much) disagree.

Age Differences

Age differences relate to engagement, decision making, and communication preferences that are based more on age and not so much on societal trends, values and beliefs. For example, a conversation about retirement funds or a 401k balance might be of more interest to those closer to retirement age as compared to those who are just exiting high school or college. Age differences may also come about as physical changes with persons having less energy, less flexibility, or less tolerance for strenuous physical activity making them seek different ways of moving about, sitting versus standing, or even the lifting or moving of objects. In still other examples age differences might be represented in personal debt such as paying for college education or making the 15th payment of a mortgage loan as compared to the the 359th (30 year mortgage). There are many things that are connected to age that are not necessarily related different values, beliefs, or societal dynamics.

Generational Differences

Generational differences are much more likely to be connected to life experiences, emotional connections grounded in traditions, technology (or lack of), or socio-economic trends. For example, earlier generations might have little or no desire to listen to music through ear buds, perhaps preferring a more traditional method such as a device that broadcasts music through speakers of which anyone within a close range can also hear. This simple example is probably more reflective of a generational difference (rooted in technology) rather than age. Consider that if our hearing weakens with age the ear buds may actually be a better alternative but are typically trendier with younger people. Generational differences develop from societal trends during a given period of time, what felt accepted, respectful, or to be common practice. These differences might also have roots in other factors such as parental values and even in rural as compared to urban living.

In the workplace people deal with both age differences and generational differences, but the generational differences are much more complex and are not as simple as the much easier defined and navigated difference in age. Of course in any workplace we need to be very cautious of how we manage and discuss any differences in age so we are certain not to discriminate.

Are generational differences in the workplace real? Yes, and they are not improved or navigated without skillful communication, leadership, and respect.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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+


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Generation Z GenZ

Who is Generation Z?

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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 E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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+


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When Popular Isn’t Permanent

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People can spend an entire career, or their entire career up to this point chasing the current theme, trend, or what is viewed as the short track to success. The problem with this direction is that nothing is permanent, often leaving the disciplined feeling short changed.

Surprise Millennials

When was the last time you saw:

  • A boom box
  • Zima
  • Roller blades
  • Big hair
  • A fanny pack…

Long-term planning has become a short-term game. Blame technology, generational ideologies, or the economy but what you choose to do today is just that, for today. The best success may come to those who plan to pivot.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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.


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Do You Have Generational Wisdom?

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Considering your job performance and setting aside the idea of formal education, the number one priority for most people is experience. When we consider having a balanced workplace culture and we set aside the feeling of belonging, happiness, or purpose, our number one desire might be gaining or keeping respect.

Millennial traditional

Working across the five generations that are active in our workforce today we often find that the earlier generations place a significant value on experience while the most recent generations place more value on knowledge. We can also consider that we gain both experience and knowledge when we are learning from each other, regardless of the generation you represent. Traditional’s and boomers can learn much from the millennials and generation Z and vice versa, and that is without even mentioning the savvy generation X people.

Any workforce generation should be interested to learn more about:

  • What are we doing different today, as compared to last year [quarter, month]?
  • What worked well when we most recently met or exceeded our goals?
  • What organizational culture attributes are most consistent and meaningful for our success?
  • Are we implementing new and innovative ideas that are cost effective?
  • How can we better utilize technology?

Your biggest gain won’t come from comparing differences (a common cross-generational challenge) or focusing on problems, it will come as you and your organization gain wisdom. There is something excitingly special and respectful about an organizational culture that asks good questions, listens well, and is willing to learn. They capitalize on opportunity.

The opportunity for wisdom.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), 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.


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