Understanding Generational
Differences
Some research delivered by
Jim Frye
Westrec VP of Business Development
To Learn More
What seems to matter to them
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Matures & Boomers:
History of organization
Name recognition of organization
Tenure in the marketplace
Historical & Perceived Quality
What seems to matter to them
Gen X & The Millennials:
•The Individual, the Ego
•How things will affect their lives
•How things will make them distinct
•How you’ll impact their future
•How they’re different.
Matures (Born Prior to 1946)
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Dedication, sacrifice.
Experience will always be the best teacher.
Conformity, blending, unity – “We First” Team
Hard, hard times then prosperity – still value
moderation
• Deference
To sell to Matures:
• Let their experiences lead you...
• Ask for the “rules of engagement.”
• Ex: What can we do to earn this business from
you? Are there some things we must do?
• Testimonials & institutions (government,
companies, people).
To sell to Matures:
• Quality is important – they’ll measure it
through their own experiences.
• Remember, your measure of quality and theirs
may be different.
• NEVER mention a product is good for their age
group.
• Standard and prepackaged is good
• Quality is king! Speak to it.
Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)
• Workaholics
• Competitive
• Success is largely visible - trophies, plaques,
certificates, etc.
• Defined by their work
• We are the world, We are the children
Baby Boomers Today (~49 to 67 yrs old)
• Paid their dues “ole school” way.
• Still working long and hard; had expected to slow down
• 85% will work longer than they had thought to afford
retirement
• Proving to be poor mentors:
“Today’s kids want too much given to them.”
• Busy, busy, busy: Kids won’t leave home and now
parents moving in.
• Not transferring the institutional wisdom very well –
still being rewarded for “doing it,” not teaching it.
Baby Boomers
(1946 - 1964)
1970
Killer Weed
Acid Rock
Hoping for a BMW
Rolling Stones
Trying to look like Liz
Taylor of Marlon Brando
Long Hair
2014
Weed killer
Acid Reflux
Hoping for a BM
Kidney Stones
Trying NOT to look like
Taylor or Brando
Longing for hair
Connecting with the Boomers:
• Talk to them about how you’ll save them
time.
• Talk to them about how you’ll make the
purchase and financing easy.
• BUT be very careful of too many technology
solutions.
Connecting with Boomers:
• Help them feel victorious. Visible gifts.
• Become a member of their team. Not
exclusively internal – can include vendors.
• –Ex: “To me, this is not just about selling you a
boat, its about becoming a sort of teammate.”
• Two overriding themes: Forever young.
Rebellious. (Example – Cadillac, Harley
Davidson.)
Communicating with the Boomers:
1) Face to face is number one. Relax. Fluid
sentences. Have fun. They’re an optimistic
group!
2) Telephone. Follow same rules.
3) Email - Full sentences. Few abbreviations.
Opening and Closing.
4) Via Web - maybe / maybe not
5) Texting - depends on the person. Often OK for
kids but not for vendors.
Generation X (1965 – 1979)
Generation X is a tough crowd
• Question authorities
• No shared heroes. Their heroes are people
they’ve met & know.
• Watched the days of lifelong employment end.
Don’t believe it will happen to them.
• Shorter time horizons than other generations
• Time is a currency.
• Carpe diem - Seize the day! If you’re not enjoying
it, don’t do it.
• “Prove it to me.”
Generation X (1965 – 1979)
• Some are ready for more responsibility. Not all, some.
• Gen X is the most discontent of all employees today:
• Boomers not transferring knowledge; awareness that
they’ll be passed by Millennials
• Looking more and more for stability - job hopping slowed
down
• Pressures of the life stage - kids, funding retirement, 529
plans, mortgages...
• But their history of job hopping has made many of them
unready for leadership.
• Tend to be remote leaders - manage from afar. “Closed
door policy.”
Selling Gen X
• List all the available products, services,
options, etc. Everything.
• Emphasize the short term solutions – Carpe
Diem.
• Show back up plans… B, C, and D.
• They’ll use the technology available to double
check what you’re telling them.
• So Anticipate it.
Selling Gen X
• Distrust anything too promotional, sales-y, or
marketing-y.
• –Sell the steak, they’ll see right through the
sizzle.
• Data and information. More is better.
• NO vanity advertising. NO photos of you.
• Where to go for more information - websites,
referral sources, product / service reviews, etc.
Communicating with Gen X
• Probably will prefer email updates.
• Likely let your calls go to voice mail and then
check the message to see how important it is and
how quickly they need to call you back.
• Texting is OK if content is 1) a request or 2)
information: Call me when you can. Or: Just got
your msg. Can I call tomorrow to ask some q’s?
• Face to face: Your clients will not want to make
hard and fast decisions face to face. Let them
think about it and do their research.
Millenials (1980 – 2000)
• At long last entering “adulthood”:
‣ Awareness of long-term investment products risen
50% in past two years.
‣ Interest in home ownership up 25% in last six
months.
• Parents are a big influence and will remain so. And vice
versa. Well cared for by parents.
• Still much younger than you at same age:
‣Only recently began preferring traditional workplace
culture (offices, cubicles, promotions).
• Group orientation.
Boomers will pass $41 Trillion on to this generation!
• Same life Stages
• At much older ages!
• The most important characteristic of their
messaging:
• A strong sense of individuality – “You’re
special already!”
Then vs. Now
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Audie Murphy
• Medal of Honor
• Distinguished Service Cross
• Silver Star
• Legion of Merit
• Bronze Star
• Purple Heart
• US Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal
• Good Conduct Medal
• Distinguished Unit Emblem
• American Campaign Medal
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Army of Occupation
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal
• Combat Infantryman Badge
• Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar
• Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar
• French Fourragere
• French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier
• French Croix de Guerre
• French Croix de Guerre with Palm
• Medal of Liberated France
• Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm
Connecting with the Millennials
• Advice must have an immediate application to them.
• Must be unique to them.
• Want what their friends have and what their friends
are doing with a unique twist.
• Spend time. Answer questions. Become a non-stressful
provider of information.
• Be consultative.
• “Sensitive to my needs.”
• Individual relevance – “Why is this important to me?”
Communicating with Millenials:
• Texting is OK. Preferred! Do it.
• You must be present on the social technologies.
• Recognize individuality and uniqueness. Very
important.
• Parents! Don’t forget about them. They’ll want to
talk to you, too.
• Printed: Simple. Sleek. Modern.
• Be authentic. Be genuine. Be helpful. Don’t try to
fake “cool.”
THE ROLE OF EXPERTS
The Role of Experts - Baby Boomers
• Baby Boomers will largely heed the advice of
experts because they respect and recognize
expertise.
• Time and experience creates experts.
• Experts have earned the right to make specific
recommendations for customers.
• Awards, designations, honors and accolades is
proof of expertise.
The Role of Experts - Gen X
• Gen X believe experts must prove that they are
experts.
• Expertise is not conferred or granted based on
history or awards.
• The role of an expert is to lead the customer to a
decision he/she has had some input into making.
• An expert proves expertise by their ability to
convey their expertise to the non-expert in a
buying situation.
The Role of Experts - Millennials
• Experts are there to help acknowledge the
uniqueness of the individual’s situation.
• Experts are teachers.
• They guide through the process, educating
along the way.
• Experts are resources to be called upon
repeatedly as needed, even long after the
transaction has closed.
Top 4 Takeaways
• With Gen X & Millennials - No more “let me tell you
about my company.” Now it must be “Tell me about
you” and “Let me tell you about you.” Teach, don’t sell.
(This will work inattracting new employees, too.)
• With Boomers and Matures - Your history - company,
brand, personal - give you the right to ask for the
business. Ask for it.
• It will help if your sales force looks like your targeted
customers.
• Same life stages will happen at older ages. Therefore
expect your products to be sold to more savvy buyers.
Points to Ponder…
• The Millennials are buying and financing their purchases.
• There are 80+ million of them - large pool of potential
customer. And may inherit some money.
• They will soon hit the next life stage and I expect their
purchasing power to decrease as kids take over.
• The typical boaters - wealthy white males - are thinning out.
• Not replacing themselves. Smaller families, less money, etc...
• The Gen X boater is a tough customer.
• But if I’m in a family owned boating business and I’m the next
generation, the Gen X customer is a MUST for me.
• They have the kids that will build your business for the future.
Points to Ponder…
• For the younger generations of boaters, your story is
less important than their story- its about them, not
you.
• The Gen X SuperParent is obsessed with their children’s
experiences, so take the family on a test ride. Do
everything possible to make sure the kids have fun.
• Ask your Boomer customers about their children.
• Listen for opportunities to meet the kids. Make a
connection with the kids but don’t try to fake cool - its
an agonizing thing to watch.
• With the Matures: You’ve earned this. Go. Enjoy
yourself.
Time Magazine has long been preoccupied with the
“Generations”
Are there stories to share from your
experiences in understanding
generational differences?
Forget Millennials.
Gen Xers Are the Future of Work
• Says: Susan S. LaMotte, the founder of exaqueo (exACK-wee-o), which helps organizations build
cultures, create employer brands and develop talent
strategies using a data-driven approach.
• There’s a big birthday coming up: in 2015, the first
Generation Xers will turn 50 years old. Born between
1965 and 1980, these independent-minded, latchkey
kids are now old enough to get their AARP cards.
Gen Xers are the Future of Work
• But that’s not all — they’re poised for great
leadership–the average age of an S&P 1500
CEO is 50.
• And they’re already leading the majority of
growing companies: 68% of Inc. 500 CEOs are
Gen Xers.
Gen Xers are the Future of Work
• And yet we’re still ignoring them at work. Generation X
may be the smallest portion of the workforce, but
they’re your company’s rising and current leaders. So
why do we ignore them?
• With the rise of Millennials (predicted to be more
than 40% of the workforce by 2020), we’re obsessed
with pleasing the masses and concerned about the
aging Boomer workforce. But we’ve forgotten about
our middle children, the silent, independent ones. And
they matter much more than you might think.
• Here’s why:
Heads downs, thumbs up
• Gen Xers play the 7-up game daily. They are
known for keeping their heads down and
assuming their work speaks for itself.
• They constantly plug along and feign satisfaction,
too afraid to upset the apple cart. And that’s a
productivity and engagement killer.
• We know Gen Xers are less engaged than their
Millennial counterparts, and that makes for less
motivated, energized and prepared leaders.
The burden of the work-life balance debate
• As the average child-bearing age increases and life
expectancy expands, Generation X is bearing the burden of
raising young children while also managing aging parents
more so than ever before.
• According to AARP, “in 2012, 42% of Generation X had a
financially dependent child along with a parent over 65.”
• Like it or not, we can’t ignore the stress, concern and lack
of sleep that follows them into the workplace and into
positions of leadership.
• This also means Generation X is more likely to use the
Family Medical and Leave Act resulting in increased
absenteeism from work for months at a time.
The downward financial spiral
• The generation under the most financial
stress, Generation X lost 45% of its wealth–
almost double that of the Baby Boomers before
them.
• We know how financial stress affects work quality
and engagement but it also means this
generation may take fewer risks in the workplace
for fear of losing their jobs and have a lower
propensity for change and shifting jobs even
when opportunity arises.
Thinning ranks
• Because Generation Xers will make up only
20% of the workforce, as leadership roles are
vacated by older workers, there are fewer
Generation Xers available.
• And Millennials may not have the experience
and maturity needed for such roles.
• Can we say war for talent? Three to five years
from now experienced leaders may be
impossible to recruit.
Renewing Leadership
• Impossible recruiting?
• Absent and unfocused workers?
• What sounds like a recipe for leadership disaster
can be avoided if organizations don’t assume
their middle children are doing just fine.
• Focusing the same attention on the generation
that isn’t demanding it could be even more
productive than helicoptering over your
Millennials.
Renewing Leadership
• Start by looking inward first–that’s where data
comes into play–not the large sweeping global
trends on generations, but a deep look inside
your organization:
• Who are your Generation Xers?
• How are they performing?
• What are their specific challenges?
• How is the organization helping to address
those challenges?
• Then you can work on removing the
roadblocks in their way–engagement,
financial, personal–and develop tailored plans
for those high-potentials you want and need
to be ready for the top jobs.
• Sometimes all the middle children need are a
little attention and care.
Generation Y,
Work, And Life As They See It
A Gen-Y Primer
By E. E. Kane, Published April 01, 2008
• Who Are They?
Those born between 1982 and 2000 are generally
considered to be Gen Y members.
• The current 20-somethings are the children of younger
Boomers and older Gen Xers.
• The “boomerang” tag comes in part from their
numbers. Boomer children were so called because of
the sharp increase in births after World War II.
• Generation X saw a sharp decline. Generation Y is back
up again, within ten million of Boomer’s numbers.
Gen Y and X
• Generation X paved a few golden roads for the
younger set, mostly in the workplace.
• Gen X did not like the corporate ladder system,
nor did they want to get shafted by cold
corporate layoffs.
• They valued a stimulating working environment
that provided plenty of feedback and utilized a
team effort rather than dictatorial-style
supervisors.
• Companies listened, and a few drastically
changed their structure.
Characteristics of Gen Y
• Family ties –
• After watching their older siblings graduate from
college with a mountain of debt, then spending
years trying to dig themselves out, Generation Y
has a new tactic.
• They are going back home to live with their folks.
The plan is not only to help pay their debts.
• They want to save money on setting up house
until they secure a job they really want – not just
something to pay the bills.
Family Ties…
• Living with Mom and Dad is a smart move,
according to Penelope Trunk, columnist for the
Boston Globe and author of Brazen Careerist: The
New Rules for Success.
• “Today it’s almost impossible to become selfsufficient on an entry-level salary, especially in
coastal cities like Boston, where rents are
skyrocketing,”
• she says in her career-savvy blog ("Moving Back
Home With Your Parents is a Good Career Move,"
May 15, 2005, blog.penelopetrunk.com).
Tech savvy –
• Generation Y has distinct advantages over Gen X
and Boomers in the world of technology.
• Boomers may have invented the PC, and Gen X
created the large Internet companies, but
Generation Y grew up with tech-savvy genes.
• They took computer classes beginning in
preschool, played with cell phones as babies, and
instinctively knew how to manipulate a
spreadsheet program that still mystifies most
Boomers.
Tech Savvy • College students start Internet businesses in
their dorm rooms like it’s extra credit. (It turns
into extra cash. Sometimes lots of it.)
• The Ys can upload images from their cell
phones, download music from the Internet to
their iPods, and often know how to program
the high-tech home-entertainment systems.
Shorter attention spans –
• Gen Y is fantastic at multitasking.
• It’s what they do best.
• They can work on their homework while they
text friends, listen to their iPod, watch
television, and upload new pictures to their
MySpace page.
• It is the lack of stimulation that drives them
nuts.
Social Values –
• Young people like to spend time with their
families, and they are known to choose a job
based on who they will be working with – friends,
or a group of people who seem friendly.
• More than any other generation (even Gen X),
they embrace diversity in their
workplace and social circles.
• And they are environmentally conscious, after
years of green education.
Free time –
• When Boomers and Generation X wanted to
pursue their need for wanderlust, or to “find
themselves,” society frowned upon them.
• Generation Y is doing basically the same thing,
but in a more productive way.
• Overseas studies are nearly the rule for graduate
work, not the exception.
• And volunteering in Botswana or Mississippi for a
summer is par for the college graduate course.
Free time • According to UCLA's Higher Education Research
Institute, 66.3 percent of freshmen polled said
that helping others was very important.
• Gen Y is exploring and discovering, but without
the slacker reputation.
• The difference is that society is looking on with
approval.
• This might be the first generation in a long time
with which older folks are impressed.
Compliant –
• If you consider the fact that Generation Y is willingly
volunteering for military service during a time of
military conflict, and contrast that to the 1960’s
demonstrations against Vietnam, it is apparent that
Generation Yers are not political activists.
• Not in the traditional sense of the word. (Sure, there
are protestors, but many of them are Generation Y’s
parents, angry that their children are in danger for a
cause they do not believe in.)
• Generation Y prefers quieter tactics, such as
environmentalism and everyone doing their part to
make a better world.
Outspoken –
• To a Boomer, outspokenness sounds rude.
• But Gen Y has been taught to question the
status quo, to think outside of the box, and to
speak up when they see discrepancies.
• That can be frustrating to a boss who expects
workers to follow instructions without
questions or argument.
• “Because I said so” doesn’t fly with Ys.
Work issues –
• The 20-somethings entering the workforce are willing to do grunt
work and stick with a company, if they are reassured that the
company will be personal and look after them in return.
• They like security and stability. Everyone wants stability, but Gen Y
is willing to join small businesses because they are sure to have a
personable working environment and a closer relationship to the
owner.
• The media might have you believing they are narcissistic and
spoiled, but according to Neil Howe, generation expert and coauthor of several books about generations, including “Millennials
Rising: The Next Great Generation,” this newer generation is
proving to be hard workers. True, they need frequent affirmation,
having been raised in the most child-centered culture ever,
accustomed to constant praise for every accomplishment.
Companies might have to learn new tricks to satisfy the influx of
millions of new workers.
Work issues • The media might have you believing they are
narcissistic and spoiled, but according to Neil Howe,
generation expert and co-author of several books
about generations, including “Millennials Rising: The
Next Great Generation,” this newer generation is
proving to be hard workers.
• True, they need frequent affirmation, having been
raised in the most child-centered culture ever,
accustomed to constant praise for every
accomplishment.
• Companies might have to learn new tricks to satisfy the
influx of millions of new workers.
Catering to Gen Y
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New businesses should take a clue from major marketers,
who know that Gen Yers want products that are
environmental, healthy, public-conscious, genuine, and
appealing.
• Good marketing will get a product into the hands of readyto-give-it-a-try Gen Y beta testers.
• Free samples will be a big hit with them, especially when
accompanied by catchy buzz-words and cool labels.
• Employers can help young workers gain experience, and
would do well to remember to be flexible toward this
generation’s job-hopping style as they look for just the right
job. They aren’t lazy, just quickly bored.
Catering to Gen Y
• Gen Y wants to be trained, mentored on a peer
basis, and they love flexible hours and workfrom-home opportunities.
• They are creative, work well in teams, and love
interaction.
• Because Gen Y thinks outside the box,
opportunities for company leaps in creative
thinking are quite possible.
Will it work?
• Will Gen Y be won over by clever marketing
and career opportunities?
• Yes, it’s most likely to happen, and the older
Gen X and leftover Boomers (their parents)
will be proud of them, too.
• The future is very promising with a workforce
that breaks out of the mold that has stagnated
business, and sent many jobs overseas.
Will Gen Y Succeed?
• Generation Y may have what it takes to turn
the nation around in the job market.
• It certainly will be refreshing to have a new
outlook on life, and some positive thinking for
a change.