I had such fun this morning presenting to emerging leaders in the local community on multi-generation in corporations. The audience was comprised of mainly Gen Y and a sprinkling of Gen X and no Boomers except me. I love their energy and interaction. Before my session, I sat in on another and watched how everyone interacted and joined in. Typically in presentations made up of older generations, there is not much interaction unless it's asked for. In fact, I have been in some sessions where you could drop a pin and hear it as there is silence until the speaker came on. Many people contributed to the conversation and all clapped and laughed, learned something but also enjoyed the spontaneity of the participants. All smart, ambitious young people who are interested in growing, learning and contributing. They asked questions about how to talk with the Boomers and Traditionalists and how they can convey what they feel they can bring to the company. How can they get around the myth that they are considered lazy, laid back, not committed or impatient to move to the top.
It all boils down to communication and creating a bridge to close the gap between the leading styles, motivation differences, myths and misinformation. One suggestion I gave them was to take a Boomer or Traditionalist to lunch or have coffee with them to hear their story, legacy or how they became successful. During this conversation, they could then share their own frustrations and beliefs and work on bridging this gap so they develop respect for each other and an understanding of who each other is. This person can then be your ally or better yet your mentor. The Traditionalists and Boomers can mentor younger generations about the value of relationships and the Younger generations can teach the older generations the efficiencies and conveniences of technology. Hopefully more and more companies will see the value of multi-generation and how to bring out the best in people but also create clarity around the differences.
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