Generational Clashpoints: Turning a liability into an asset

Copyright (c) 2009 Success Performance Solutions

We live in interesting times, indeed. Four generations are co-mingling in the workplace, each bringing with them different managerial approaches and working styles. Capitalizing on each generation's strengths is a must. Neutralizing their liabilities is essential. Minimizing generational clash-points is a necessity. Finding common ground is priority #1.

While generations can clash in a variety of situations, conflicts often fall into one of four "buckets": - Definition of work - Communication - Meetings - Learning

Defining "work." Older workers talk about "going to work." Work is a place they go to. And they likely have a specified time to do the work, say from 8:30 am to 5 pm. This definition of synchronized work stems from a time when the nature of most work required that workers be present together.

But times change. And so do jobs. Today many tasks do not require synchronous activities, yet many older workers- including many senior executives - continue to expect synchronous behavior. Younger workers, in contrast, view work as something you do - anywhere, any time. They communicate 24/7 and expect near real-time responses. They have grown up in a world of digital recorders when they can watch any show when they want. The rigidity of set work hours is becoming an anachronism from another era.

As a result of the different definitions of work, it's easy for team members from different generations to misinterpret each other's behaviors. Is someone who arrives at 9:30 necessarily working less hard than other team members who are there at 8:30? Is it okay for some members to work from home or Starbucks? Is it critical for teams to be meet at the same time and in the same place to accomplish their tasks or is generational attitude getting in the way of progress and productivity?

Communication. It's no surprise that communication ranks high on the list of generational conflicts. Complaints about young workers participating in meetings with an ear-bud to their iPod in one ear and listening to the meeting in another are common place - all while constantly texting their friends and co-workers. But these very same tech-reliant young workers are equally frustrated by the arcane practice of older workers responding to requests days and even weeks later. We live in a dynamic, constantly changing world. While real-time response and feedback may not always be possible and necessary, it is equally inappropriate and effectively destructive in today's world to force an entire generation to digress into the past. The crux of most technology-based team misunderstandings is not the technology - - it is how each team member interprets each others' intention .

Meetings. Boomers and X'ers love meetings! They are experts at planning and scheduling. Gen Y's are coordinators. When faced with a need to meet, Gen Y's can almost immediately identify everyone's whereabouts and begin video-conferencing, chatting, texting, talking, and tweeting ...all at the same time.

Older colleagues on the other hand prefer to find a time, date and place that fits everyone's schedule - even if it means delaying the meeting for days or weeks. Older workers have a routine. They have things to do, people to meet and places to go. As much as young people are tethered to their mobile devices, the umbilical cord of older workers is their calendar. To Gen Y's, the ritual of scheduling that goes on in most workplaces is stifling, unproductive, and a complete waste of time. To Boomers and Xers, seemingly seat-of-the-pants approach of the young adult worker is irritating.

Learning. Boomers and the more senior generation are linear learners. They are most comfortable sitting in classes, reading manuals, and pondering the requisite information before beginning the task at hand. Gen Y's learn "on demand." In Boomer vernacular - they prefer to "wing it," figuring e things out as they go. Learning is interactive - this is the generation that has always know Google and where the Encyclopedia Britannica was replaced by Wikipedia. When they need additional information or help, they shoot off a text message, do an online search, or call a friend. They might even dial up the boss or CEO directly - much to the chagrin of more bureaucratic and hierarchical senior workers. Gen Y's are equally turned off and easily bored by a project that begins with a lengthy training phase. Likewise, X'ers and Boomers are annoyed by Y's' frequent questions and requests for input - "if only they would shut up and listen!"

Working effectively with multiple generations is not an option 'it's a necessity. Generation Y, like it or not, is the up-and-coming generation at work. Unlike Generation X which was a much smaller generation, Gen Y is large - even more numerous than the 78 million Baby Boomers. Combined, Gen X and Gen Y already outnumber the Boomer and Seniors. Their effect and influence is not something organizations can hope to avoid or continue to ignore. Managers must either learn to leverage the assets of each generation for the good of the organization or fall victim to the inherent intergenerational conflicts and liabilities.

Priority number one in every organization should be to help all employees avoid confusing perception with reality. Create opportunities - workshops, informal get-togethers, mentoring - for members of each generation to share their worldviews. Bring each team members' diverse perspectives out in the open.

Do not rush to judgment. Do not allow tradition and convenience to trump the opportunity to change and improve productivity. Decide as a group which norms will work best for your multi-generational team. Start by asking: how realistic is it that starting times and meeting places be flexible? How can we best communicate with all members of the team so that they can receive and respond to information quickly?