Building Intergenerational
Trust
January 6-7, 2010
NC Campus Compact Regional Meeting
Introduction: Tell a story of ….
…The first music product that you purchased
 What was the artist/band?
 What was the name of the musical work?
 How did you acquire it? How much was it?
 What’s your memory of playing it for the
first time?
 Where do you think that product is now?
Differences that make a difference
Your behavior is grounded in two key
dimensions:
Intercultural Conflict Survey Instrument, Dr. Mitchell Hammer
What is Culture?
Culture represents the
“normative system” in a social
community for how to
interpret events and how to
respond to them.
Not all individuals in a cultural
community necessarily think,
feel and act according to the
normative system.
Preference within a community
defines at the group level the
identified cultural patterns –
which structure interaction
within the community.
Intercultural Conflict Survey Instrument, Dr. Mitchell Hammer
Generational Check In
Traditionalists. b. 1900-1945
Baby Boomers. b. 1946-1964
Generation Xers b. 1965-1980
Millennials b.1981-1999
From When Generations Collide, Lynne Lancaster and David Stillman
On Career Goals
Traditionalists.
“Build a Legacy.”
Millennials.
“Build Parallel Careers”
Baby Boomers.
“Build a Stellar Career”
Generation Xers.
“Build a Portable Career”
From When Generations Collide, Lynne Lancaster and David Stillman
On Balance
Traditionalists
Support me in shifting the balance.
Baby Boomers
Millennials
Help me balance everyone else
and find meaning myself
Work isn’t everything,
flexibility to balance my
activities is.
Generation Xers
Give me balance now, not when
I’m 65.
From When Generations Collide, Lynne Lancaster and David Stillman
On Feedback
Traditionalists.
“No news is good news.”
Millennials
“Feedback whenever I want,
at the push of a button.”
Baby Boomers
“Once a year, with lots
of documentation.”
Generation Xers
“Sorry to interrupt, but how
am I doing?”
From When Generations Collide, Lynne Lancaster and David Stillman
60 Minutes (CBS)
November 14, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5IfsNqJcmA
From Live First, Work Second by Rebecca Ryan
Maslow’s Self Actualization
“Teach people to be authentic…”
“Teach people to transcend their cultural
conditioning…”
“Help people discover their vocations…callings, fates or
destinies…”
“We should refresh consciousness, teach people to
appreciate beauty…”
“We should teach people to transcend trifling problems
and grapple with life’s serious problems…”
Four Turnings
(Strauss and Howe)
High
A New Civic Order Emerges
Crisis
Awakening
Rapid decay of institutions;
Spiritual Upheaval
Rebirth of new order
Unraveling
Institutions weaken, individuals strengthen;
Civic order decays, new system takes hold
Working Interculturally
Intercultural Conflict Survey Instrument, Dr. Mitchell Hammer
What Millennialls Want per our
Focus Groups
Tell a story of how you or your
agency…
• Learned from it’s past mistakes by taking on a new
strategy or action; or publicly shared what it has
learned with its co-workers/constituency
• Recognized the strengths of its talent; or tried to act
from an intention on building on strengths.
• Created a dynamic and effective team
• Demonstrated accountability to its constituents/coworkers, or modeled transparency or authenticity
• Made others feel included, especially those in the
margins
What we did today
Recognize: How our agencies currently deal with
intergenerational relationships.
Reframe: The roots of intergenerational conflict
are grounded in culture; a framework of five
values.
Reconcilation: We shared stories of how we
already bridge these cultures, and we created
options and possibilities for further
reconciliation.
Discovery and Intention
Write a sentence that starts with:
“I learned that I…”
“I re-learned that I…”
“I discovered that I…”
“I affirmed that I…”
Write a second sentence that starts with:
“I intend to…”
“I plan to…”
“I will…”
“I want to…”
Want the Powerpoint?
MacArthur Antigua
Director, National Recruitment & Expansion
Public Allies
macarthura@publicallies.org
414.460.1156