INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNICATION

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INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNICATION
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Learning Objectives

• Identify and describe key traits of four
  generations
• Describe how generational differences can shape
  professional behavior and interactions
• Identify ways to adapt communication styles to
  communicate more effectively across generations
• Make decisions on how to adapt workplace
  behaviors and practices to attract, develop, and
  retain different generations of employees

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Norms

• Be open
• Listen actively
• Participate fully at your own comfort level
• Share talking time
• Use I statements
• Use only hypothetical examples
• Ask questions
• Honor confidentiality
• Treat others with respect
• Ouch and educate
• Have fun

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A Key Message from Phi Beta Sigma
The characteristics and attributes associated
with individuals in the described generations
represent generalizations determined by
third-parties with expertise in this area. They
do not represent the official views of Phi Beta
Sigma or any of its executives, and should not be
construed as such.
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Generations Icebreaker Questions
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Definition of Diversity
The many identities that define each person as a
unique individual including

• Age
• Education
• Socioeconomic class
• Race
• Ethnicity
• Gender

• Nationality
• Language
• Religion
• Sexual orientation
• Physical mental abilities

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Diversity Wheel
Source Adapted from Marilyn Loden, Workforce
America, 1991
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Why Focus on Generations ?
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Old Proverb

• People resemble their times more than they
  resemble their parents.

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Stereotypes vs. Cultural Patterns

• Stereotypes
• Generalizations that we make about a group of
  people based on a particular diversity dimension
  that they share
• Fixed and absolute

• Cultural Patterns
• Refers to the shared norms and values which make
  up a cultural groups programming
• Flexible for individual differences

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Which Generation do you most identify with?
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Generations Icebreaker
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Group Discussion

• How did you wear your hair in eighth grade? In
  High School?
• What television/radio shows did you watch/listen
  to after school or on Saturday mornings?
• Who were your heroes and heroines when you were
  growing up?
• What world events were going on when you were
  growing up?

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Generation Heroes and Heroines
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Description of Generations
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You might be a Traditionalist if you remember
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TraditionalistsBorn before 1946

• Upbringing
• As children, grew up in hard times
• Many lived in segregated communities and attended
  segregated schools
• Key Events Shaping their Lives
• Stock market crash
• 2000 banks failed
• 9 million Americans lost life savings
• 1930s Great Depression
• 86,000 businesses closed their doors
• By 1932, 1 out of every 4 workers was unemployed
• World War II

• Values/Beliefs
• Place duty before pleasure
• Believe patience is its own reward are willing
  to wait for delayed gratification
• Value honor and integrity

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TraditionalistsIn Professional Environments

• Wants
• Want others to respect them and value their
  expertise, which was gained over time and through
  experience
• Preferences
• Hierarchyrespect authority, even sometimes when
  it frustrates them
• More formal communications
• Spelled out roles and responsibilities
• Clear directions
• Stability

• Workplace Behaviors
• Avoid challenging the system
• Maintain dedication to a job, once they take it
• Most are not technology savvy, and tend to avoid
  using it
• Engage in face to face communications

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You might be a Baby Boomer if you remember
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Baby BoomersBorn 19461964

• Upbringing
• Indulged by their parents
• Were told they would be the generation that would
  change the world
• Experienced integration in neighborhoods and
  schools
• Key Events Shaping Their Lives
• John F. Kennedy Assassination
• Vietnam War
• Civil Rights Movement
• Man landing on the moon
• Healthier/ Post War Era resulted in a baby born
  every 17 minutes for 19 yearsresulting in 76
  million baby boomers

• Values/ Beliefs
• Optimistic
• Personal Gratificationnow versus later
• Personal Growth
• Involvement

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Baby BoomersIn the Professional Environment

• Wants
• Want to change the world and the workplace to
  suit their needsincluding government policy and
  consumer products
• Want to please everyone
• Preferences
• Prefer the process of getting things done,
  sometimes to the detriment of achieving results
• Prefer convenience and immediate gratification
  versus delayed gratification

• Workplace Behaviors
• Live to workput in long work hours
• Drivenwilling to go the extra mile
• Good at Relationships
• Good Team Players
• Process Oriented
• Uncomfortable with Conflict
• Judgmental of those who see things differently

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You might be a Gen Xer if you remember
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Generation XBorn 19651980

• Upbringing
• 50 were latch key kids
• Learned to be autonomous and self-reliant
• 50 were affected by divorce
• Boomerang Kids3 times more likely to move back
  home as young adults (in their 20s)
• Key Events Shaping their Lives
• Watergate Scandal
• Womens Liberation Movement
• U.S. Corporations began massive layoffs
• Rodney King Incident

• Values/Beliefs
• Diversity
• Balance
• Informality
• Self Reliance

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Generation XIn the Professional Environmet

• Wants
• Want to be independent and self-reliant
• Preferences
• Prefer not to make long term commitments to
  companies
• Prefer full package of workplace benefits that
  allow for balancenot just more money
• Will speak up for themselves
• Comparison shop during interviewslooking for
  best salary, benefits, work/life balance, and
  raises

• Workplace Behaviors
• Work to Live, not live to work
• Adaptable
• Techno-literate
• Independent
• Not intimidated by Authoritydont automatically
  give respect to authority in the workplace

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You might be a Millennial if you remember
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MillennialsBorn 19812000

• Upbringing
• Many are the children of Baby Boomers
• 1/3 born to single mothers
• More demographically diverse than any other
  generation1 out of 3 is an ethnic minority
• Best educated generation in U.S. History
• Spend a great deal of time on internet and
  computers

• Values/Beliefs
• Belief in Collective Action and Optimistic
• Relationship with Parents
• Civic Duty
• Diversity
• Tenacity/Stick- to- itiveness
• Combines teamwork ethic of boomers, (can do
  attitude) of traditionalists, and
  technologically savvy like Gen X

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MillennialsIn the Professional Environment

• Wants
• Want to live in the moment
• Preferences
• Prefer to be optimistic about life
• Prefer to earn money and consume it immediately
• Key Events Shaping their Lives
• Oklahoma City Bombing
• Schoolyard Shootings
• Clinton/Lewinsky Affair
• Columbine High School Massacre

• Workplace Behaviors
• Technologically Savvy
• Multitaskers
• Inexperienced with handling difficult people and
  issues
• Demonstrate respect only after they are treated
  with respect
• Rely on immediacy of technology
• Skepticalquestion everything thats how they
  grew up
• Have a need for supervision and structure

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Comparison of Generations
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Comparison of Generations
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Intergenerational Conflicts
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A hiring bonus! Still wet behind the ears, and
he wants a hiring bonus! At his age, I was just
grateful I had a job!
Whos this Traditionalist referring to?
Newly recruited Millennial staff member
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So I told my boss, if youre looking for
loyalty, buy a dog...
Whos this Generation Xer referring to?
Baby Boomer boss
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If I hear, We tried that in '87, one more
time!
Whos this Millennial referring to?
Traditionalist coworker
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Where is he? Doesnt anyone have respect for
time anymore?
Whos this Baby Boomer referring to?
The late Millennial
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(No Transcript)
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In Good Company Video Clip Part A1

• What did you observe in the video?
• What were the dynamics between generations?
• How does this relate to what youve learned thus
  far about the generations?

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(No Transcript)
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In Good Company Video Clip Part A2

• What did you observe in the video?
• What were the dynamics between generations?
• How does this relate to what youve learned thus
  far about the generations?

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Adaptation

• Communicating Across Generations

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Communicating with Traditionalists

• Build trust through inclusive language (we, us)
• A leaders word is his/her bond, so focus more on
  words, not body language
• Face-to-face or written communication is received
  best
• Use more formal language
• Dont waste their time they have a job to do
• Dont expect them to share their innermost
  thoughts immediately

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Communicating with Baby Boomers

• Boomers are the show me generation, so use body
  language to communicate
• Speak in an open, direct style
• Answer questions thoroughly, and expect to be
  pressed for details
• Avoid controlling, manipulative language
• Present options to show flexibility in your
  thinking
• Use face to face or electronic communication to
  reach out to them

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Communicating with Generation Xers

• Learn their language and speak it
• Use e-mail as your primary communication tool
• Talk in short sound bytes to keep their attention
  
• Present the facts, use straight talk
• Ask them for their feedback
• Share information with them immediately and often
  
• Use an informal communication style
• Listen! You just might learn something

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Communicating with Millennials

• Let your language paint visual pictures
• Use action verbs to challenge them
• Show respect through your language, and they will
  respect you
• Use e-mail and voicemail as primary communication
  tools
• Use visual communication to motivate them and
  keep them focused
• Constantly seek their feedback
• Use humorreassure them that you dont take
  yourself too seriously
• Encourage them to explore new paths or options

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(No Transcript)
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In Good Company Video Clip Part B

• What did you observe in the video?
• Why was Dan able to be more effective in this
  meeting than his coworker?
• How does this information relate to what youve
  learned thus far about the baby boomers?
  Millennials? Traditionalists?

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Application
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Acorn Application Model

• Accommodate employee differences
• Create workplace choices
• Operate from a sophisticated management style
• Respect competence and initiative
• Nourish retention