Transcript One-to-Many Marketing Intuit Canada`s Discovery

A Partner in
Cross Generational
Communication in The Workplace
Sherri Petro
2008
The Objectives
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Define the generational mix
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Discuss the consequences of four
generations in the workplace
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Share best practices to decrease
generational conflict and create better
communication
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The Generation Mix In 2008
♦ Traditionalists
♦ Generation X
– Born 1925-45
– 63-83 years
– Born 1965-80
– 28-43 years
♦ Baby Boomers
♦ Generation Y
– Born 1946-64
– 44-62 years
– Born 1981-?
– 18-27 years
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Current National Landscape
6.5%
22.5%
Traditionalists
Baby Boomers
41%
Generation X
Generation Y
30%
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Clarifying Question
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How Workshop Participants
Have Answered This
♦ Sherri to fill in....
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We Have Different....
♦ Beliefs
♦ Comfort levels with
people, processes
♦ Motivators
and
technology
♦ Ways of
♦ Need for space,
expressing
communication
ourselves
and
direction
♦ Power distributions
♦ Time sensitivities
♦ Action-orientations
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Traditionalists Work Style
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Respect for authority
Loyal
Command and control
Can be tough for them to use
their own judgment
Why customize?
Believe in the value of work
more than finding personal
meaning
Separation of work and home
Acknowledged for what they
know as well as what they do
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Baby Boomers Work Style
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All about respect
Self-improvement
Strong work ethic
Desire flexibility
Optimistic and idealistic
Struggle with work/life balance
Into symbols of recognition as rewards
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Generation X Work Style
♦ Stay in a job for 3.5
years, 2 years in high
tech
♦ Money-motivated
♦ Like to solve their own
problems
♦ Multi-taskers
♦ Fiercely independent
♦ Direct communicators
versus reading in
between the lines
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♦ Job movement
♦ Want to be valued
immediately for their skills
♦ Informal
♦ Results-oriented
♦ Quick study
♦ Sound byte processing
♦ Work solo and yet on
teams
♦ Need for external
recognition as reward
Generation Y Work Style
Digital natives
Menu-driven thinking
Work on their own terms
Think globally
Have positive expectations
Want customization
Desire interactivity
Express to express -- not
impress
♦ Looking for an experience
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Multi-taskers
Desire mutual respect
Ready for collaboration
Are looking for a cause
Want to make a
difference
Celebrate diversity
Acknowledgement for
being here
Relational
Missing the financial dot
connection
What Else Is Important?
♦ Traditionalists
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♦ X
Commitment
Conformity
Security
Discipline
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♦ Boomers
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Global issues
Freedom
Money
Education
♦ Y
Balance
Spirituality
Relationships
Legacy
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Family
Religion
Generosity
Technology
Solutions
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The Real Issue – Differences In
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Assumptions
Expectations
Priorities
Approach to communication
Approach to work
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Communication Solutions
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CLARIFY Assumptions
MANAGE Expectations
SET AND COMMUNICATE Priorities
EXPLAIN your approach to communication
MODEL your approach to work
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Solutions: Tapping In
♦ Understand first where you are
♦ Understand where other generations are
coming from
♦ Appreciate the differences
♦ Be open to new perspectives
♦ Strive to be flexible
♦ Accept and respect
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Start with Similarities*
♦ We receive great reward
– For the work we do
– From the people we work with
– And believe that we are contributing to society
and our current jobs
♦ We receive great satisfaction from our
accomplishments at work
• CCL Emerging Leaders Research by Ross DePinto, 2003
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Generational Similarities*
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Harmony is preferred
We want to be on the same wavelength
We all need clear communication
People do not like to operate out of fear
Everyone likes to have fun
* Eric Chester, Generation Why?
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Solutions
♦ Communication
– Have both informal and scheduled times to
brainstorm, update, coach
– Commit to dialogue vs debate
– Commit to the concept of enlargement
– Create guidelines for resolving conflict in a
healthy way
– Honor energy, intuition and instincts
– Acknowledge effort
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Solutions
♦ Leverage Technology
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Think wiki (open systems)
Internal blog
Virtual assessment techniques
SharePoint
CEO MySpace?
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Solutions
♦ Culture
– Define rules of engagement
– Cultivate enthusiasm and commitment to the mission
– Conduct a temperature check survey on being valued,
trusted and respected
– Commit to explaining the “why?”
– Walk your talk
– Leverage a coaching philosophy: people are whole,
resourceful and creative
– Balance teams with different generations
– Capitalize on generational diversity for more than HR
issues
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Solutions
♦ Leadership
– Employ a student and teacher mindset
– Deconstruct by starting from your strengths
• Use appreciative inquiry
• State the obvious
– Delegate well
• Define the objective
• Agree that getting to the objective is the most important and not
necessarily HOW – unless unethical
– Customize leadership opportunities for those with potential
– Encourage critical thinking skills
– Think beyond standard leadership training to nonprofit service
and equines, etc
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The Objectives
♦
Define the generational mix
♦
Discuss the consequences of four
generations in the workplace
♦
Share best practices to decrease
generational conflict and create better
communication
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Thank You!
Sherri Petro
VPI Strategies, a Partner in
[email protected]
www.vpistrategies.com
www.sherripetro.com
858-583-3097
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