INTERGENERATIONAL
COMMUNICATION
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
Norms
•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
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Be open
Listen actively
Participate fully at your own comfort level
Share “talking” time
Use “I” statements
Please make
Use only hypothetical examples
sure all cell
Ask questions
phones and
Honor confidentiality
pagers are
Treat others with respect
turned to
“Ouch” and educate
“vibrate”
Have fun
mode!
A Key Message from Phi Beta
Sigma
The characteristics and attributes
associated with individuals in the
described generations represent
generalizations determined by thirdparties 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.
Generations Icebreaker
Questions
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
Diversity Wheel
Source: Adapted from Marilyn Loden,
Workforce America, 1991
Why Focus on
Generations ?
Old Proverb
People resemble their times
more than they resemble
their parents….
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 group’s
“programming”
– Flexible for individual
differences
Which Generation do you
most identify with?
NAME OF
GENERATION
AGES
YEARS
Traditionalists
60 Years Plus
Born before
1946
Baby Boomers
43 – 61 Years of Age
Born between
1946-1964
Generation Xers
27 – 42 Years of Age
Born between
1965-1980
Millennials (Generation
7 – 26 Years of Age
Born between
1981-2000
Y)
Generations
Icebreaker
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?
Generation Heroes and
Heroines
Heroes and
Heroines
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
Generation X
Millennials
Born before 1946
1946–1964
1965–1980
1981–2000
War Heroes,
Political Figures
and Parents
Actors, Athletes,
Musicians across
Race/Gender lines
Superman
Political Figures
Civil Rights
Movement (Pro or
Con)
Michael Jordan
People in
Business, Singers,
Musicians, Actors,
and Parents
Franklin D.
Roosevelt
Martin Luther
King, Jr.
Bill Cosby
Bill Gates
Tiger Woods
George Patton
Rosa Parks
Michael Jackson
Allen Iverson
Jackie Robinson
The Kennedy’s
Selena
Howard Stern
Mom and Dad
Joe DiMaggio
Winston Churchill
Description of Generations
You might be a Traditionalist
if you remember:
Traditionalists—Born 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
Traditionalists—In Professional
Environments
• Wants
– Want others to respect them
and value their expertise, which
was gained over time and
through experience
• Preferences
– Hierarchy—respect 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
You might be a Baby Boomer
if you remember:
Baby Boomers—Born 1946–
1964
•
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 years—resulting in 76
million baby boomers
•
Values/ Beliefs
– Optimistic
– Personal Gratification—now
versus later
– Personal Growth
– Involvement
Baby Boomers—In the
Professional Environment
• Wants
– Want to change the world and
the workplace to suit their
needs—including 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 work—put in long work
hours
– Driven—willing to “go the extra
mile”
– Good at Relationships
– Good Team Players
– Process Oriented
– Uncomfortable with Conflict
– Judgmental of those who see
things differently
You might be a Gen Xer
if you remember:
Generation X—Born 1965–
1980
• Upbringing
– 50% were latch key kids
– Learned to be autonomous and
self-reliant
– 50% were affected by divorce
– Boomerang Kids—3 times more
likely to move back home as
young adults (in their 20s)
• Key Events Shaping their
Lives
– Watergate Scandal
– Women’s Liberation Movement
– U.S. Corporations began
massive layoffs
– Rodney King Incident
• Values/Beliefs
–
–
–
–
Diversity
Balance
Informality
Self Reliance
Generation X—In 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 balance—not just more
money
– Will speak up for themselves
– Comparison shop during
interviews—looking 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 Authority—
don’t automatically give
respect to authority in the
workplace
You might be a Millennial
if you remember:
Millennials—Born 1981–2000
• Upbringing
– Many are the children of
Baby Boomers
– 1/3 born to single mothers
– More demographically
diverse than any other
generation—1 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- toit”iveness
– Combines teamwork ethic of
boomers, (can do attitude)
of traditionalists, and
“technologically savvy” like
Gen X
Millennials—In 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
– Skeptical—question everything;
that’s how they grew up
– Have a need for supervision
and structure
Comparison of Generations
Comparison of
Generations
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
Generation X
Millennials
What
Motivates
Them At Work
Hard
Work
Personal
Fulfillment
Outcomes
Driven
“What’s
Next?”
Philosophy
Duty
Optimism
Personal
Focus
On My Terms
Attitude
Towards Life
Sacrifice
Crusading
Others
Live for
Today
Just Show Up
Approach to
Spending
Thriftiness
Buy Now/
Pay Later
Save, Save,
Save
Earn to Spend
Approach to
Work
Work
Fast
Work Efficiently
Eliminate
the Task
Do Exactly
What’s Asked
Intergenerational Conflicts
“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!”
Who’s this
Traditionalist
referring to?
Newly recruited
Millennial staff
member…
31
“So I told my boss, if
you’re looking for loyalty,
buy a dog...”
Who’s this
Generation Xer
referring to?
Baby Boomer boss
“If I hear, ‘We tried
that in '87,’ one
more time!”
Who’s this Millennial
referring to?
Traditionalist coworker
33
“Where is he? Doesn’t
anyone have respect
for time anymore?”
Who’s this Baby
Boomer
referring to?
The “late” Millennial
“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 you’ve
learned thus far about the generations?
“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 you’ve
learned thus far about the generations?
Adaptation
Communicating Across
Generations
Communicating with
Traditionalists
• Build trust through inclusive language (we, us)
• A leader’s 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
• Don’t waste their time; they have a job to do
• Don’t expect them to share their innermost thoughts
immediately
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
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
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 humor—reassure them that you don’t take yourself
too seriously
• Encourage them to explore new paths or options
“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
you’ve learned thus far about the baby
boomers? Millennials? Traditionalists?
Application
Acorn Application Model
Accommodate employee differences
Create workplace choices
Operate from a sophisticated management style
Respect competence and initiative
Nourish retention