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Bridging the Generation GapFacilitated by Vân Nguyễn – 15Aug2015

There are 6 Living Generations in America:-- GI Generation: Born 1901-1926-- Mature/Silents: Born 1927- 1945-- Baby Boomers: Born 1946 - 1964-- Gen X: Born 1965 - 1980-- Gen Y/Millennials: Born 1981 - 2000-- Gen Z/Boomlets: Born after 2000

The dates for GI, Mature, and Baby Boomer and the beginning of Gen X are set and do not change.The dates for the end of Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z fluctuate depending on what source you are using.

(http://www.marketingteacher.com/the-six-living-generations-in-america/)

MILLENNIALSGEN XBABY BOOMERS

BORN1946 – 1964

(51-69 yrs old)

BORN1965 - 1980

(35-50 yrs old)

BORN1981 - 2000

(15-34 yrs old)

Which generation do you relate to?

What was your home like?

A) Mom stayed home as children were seen as “special”

B) Latch-key kids. Dual-income family

C) Blended family. Coddled kids (they got a trophy for coming in 8th place)

What was your home like?

A) Mom stayed home as children were seen as “special”

B) Latch-key kids. Dual-income family

C) Blended family. Coddled kids (they got a trophy for coming in 8th place)

Boomer

Gen X

Millennial

What are your aspirations at work?

A) Work life balance

B) Job security

C) Freedom and flexibility

What are your aspirations at work?

A) Work life balance

B) Job Security

C) Freedom and flexibility

Boomer

Gen X

Millennial

What do you value?

A) Individuality

B) Success

C) Time

What do you value?

A) Individuality

B) Success

C) Time

Boomer

Gen X

Millennial

How do you deal with money?

A) Cautious, conservative (save, save, save)

B) Earn to spend

C) Buy now, pay later

How do you deal with money?

A) Cautious, conservative (save, save, save)

B) Earn to spend

C) Buy now, pay laterBoomer

Gen X

Millennial

Is your work focused on:

A) Tasks and results

B) Global and networked

C) 1:1, face-to-face, relationships and results

Is your work focused on:

A) Tasks and results

B) Global and networked

C) 1:1 relationships and resultsBoomer

Gen X

Millennial

This photo album contains sample pages to get you started.

To add your own pages, click the Home tab, and then click New Slide.

Baby BoomersInfluencers: • Civil Rights, Vietnam War, Sexual Revolution, Cold

War/Russia, Space Travel• Post War Babies who grew up to be radicals of the

70’s and yuppies of the 80’s. • “The American Dream” was promised to them as

children and they pursue it. As a result they are seen as being greedy, materialistic and ambitious.

This photo album contains sample pages to get you started.

To add your own pages, click the Home tab, and then click New Slide.

Baby BoomersAttributes:• Ambitious• Loyal to careers and employers• Challenge authority, competitive• Consensus leadership, consumerism• Ethical, idealism, live to work, multi-taskers,• Optimistic, strong work ethic

Generation XInfluencers: • Watergate, Energy Crisis, End of Cold War, Increase

divorce rate. • Their perceptions are shaped by growing up having to

take care of themselves early and watching their politicians lie and their parents get laid off.

• Came of age when USA was losing its status as the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world.

Generation XAttributes:• Adaptable• Independent, self-starters, self-sufficient• Confident, flexible, focus on results• Unimpressed with authority• Angry but don’t know why• Skeptical of institutions

MillennialsInfluencers: • Digital Media, school shootings, AIDS, 9/11 terrorist

attacks. • Hope to be the next great generation to turn around all

the “wrong in the world” today• Grew up more sheltered than any other generation as

parents strived to protect them from the evils of the world• Came of age in a period of economic expansion.• First generation of children with schedules

MillennialsAttributes:• At ease in teams• Best educated, diversity focused• Attached to their gadgets and parents• Techno savy, High speed stimulus junkies• Focus on change using technology• Seek responsibility early in their roles

• CONTRIBUTION

• Ambitious

• What’s next?

• Multitasking

• See bigger picture

• PRODUCTIVITY

• Self-reliant

• Work smarter and with greater output, not longer hours

• Want structure and direction

• LONG HOURS

• Driven

• Workaholic – to establish self-

worth and fulfillment

MILLENNIALSGEN XBABY BOOMERS

Work Ethic

•Want to be evaluated on work product – not how, when, or where it got done

•Looking for meaningful work and innovation

•Work/life balance

•Outcome oriented

•Want to get in, get the work done, and move on to the next thing.

• Relationship focused

• Willing to take risks

• Value ambition, collaboration, equality, personal growth

MILLENNIALSGEN XBABY BOOMERS

Values

•Use positive, respectful, motivational style

•Don’t talk down – they will resent

•Tie goals and aspirations to message

• Blunt/direct

• Share immediately and often

• Don’t micro-manage

• Tie your message with results

•In person, 1:1 relationship

•Speak open and direct

•Avoid manipulative/controlling language

MILLENNIALSGEN XBABY BOOMERS

Communication

Tips for the younger generation:• Show. Don’t tell.

Show your boss how you use new tools and platforms so that your boss knows they are a part of your daily work flow.

• Listen with respect and ask questions. Your older coworker has been working in this industry for so long for a reason, and they have years of institutional knowledge. You can learn from them. Asking questions doesn’t just help you learn, but it also makes your coworker feel valued.

• Switch up how you communicate. Pick up the phone. Sometimes a phone call will accomplish so much more than a text message. Nuance is lost in text, and a smiley face does not convey tone.

• Be polite. We know you have manners. But sometimes manners are lost over text and email. It’s worth using pleasantries like “Dear X” and “Sincerely” in emails.

Tips for the older generation:• Your next mentor may be younger than you, and that’s OK. Adapt.

The old ways aren’t necessarily better; we have just been doing them longer. Sometimes it’s necessary to adapt, or risk not making it in the industry.

• Ask for help. Ask your kids. Ask those geniuses at the Apple store. Half the battle is knowing what to ask so you can level the playing field.

• Compromise. Be prepared for change, and be ready to embrace new ideas from this new generation of business leaders. Accept that you are not always going to be right.

• Learn new ways to communicate. Make sure you get on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. Learn to text and Snapchat. It might seem like a fad, but it will open up amazing in-roads with the younger generation.

By better understanding how other Generations are similar and different

to yourself, you can create better ways

to live and work together and communicate more effectively.