Checking Out the Generations

Presenter: Enid BermanESBERMAN@aol.com

An Infopeople WorkshopFall 2005-Spring 2006

Intros

• Name

• Library

• Position

• One or two traits of your ideal work environment

The Generations

• Traditionalist 1900-1945 Loyal

• Boomer 1946-1964 OptimisticCompetitive

• Gen Xer 1965-1980 Questioning

• Millenial 1981-1999 Realistic

Label Born Keyword

The Platinum Rule

“Do Unto Others as they Need

and Want to be Done Unto”

Generational Personalities

• Your reality differs from those of other generations

– Reactions

– Biases

– What’s right and wrong

Traditionalists Characteristics

• Hard working• Patriotic• Conformity• In control• Formal brick and mortar environment • Top down approach

– chain of command

• Earn your own way by working hard

Influences: 2 World Wars, the military and the Depression

Boomers Characteristics

• Challenge authority– change command

• Workaholic as badge of honor• Want to make a difference

– judge themselves by professional accomplishments

• Put in lots of “face time,” want to be seen• Want to be taken seriously, not frivolously

Influence: Television is window to the world

Gen Xers Characteristics

• Independent, resourceful, self-starters• Rely on themselves

– self command

• Work to live– fun is part of the job

• Don’t have to be seen to do a good job– hate meetings about meetings

• Value autonomy - don’t micro-manage

Influence: Personal computers, cell phones, latchkey kids

Millennials Characteristics

Influence: Internet

• Smart, practical, techno-savvy, confident, pragmatic

• Major concern is safety• Realities are both virtual & tangible• True multi-taskers• Don’t command - collaborate

Cuspers

• Traditionalist/Boomer 1940-45

• Boomers/Gen Xers 1960-65

• Gen Xers/Millennials 1975-80– make the best managers and

facilitators

Exercise #1How Do You React to Different

Generations?

What makes it difficult to work

with people from other

generations in the library?

Main Areas of Generational Conflict

• Motivation– recognition and reward

• Work Life Balance– career

• Communication

Top Common Motivators For Everyone

• Earned Recognition

• Sense of Accomplishment

• Interest in the Work

Motivation - Traditionalists

• Job well done – self acknowledgment

• Job security – changing jobs looks bad

• Recognition of loyalty, years on the job, and experience

• Appreciate a quiet word, pat on back

• Historians

– need to use their knowledge

Motivation – Boomers

• Career clocks

• Money, title, corner office, up-front parking space

• Work on exciting projects

• Do great things

• OK to change, if don’t lose ground

• Learning/mentoring/retooling for retention

Motivation - Gen Xers

• Freedom, balance, good schedule, time-off• Educational sabbaticals to remain

marketable• Retirement/pension plans “to go”• Job change is necessary to get ahead• Show them they’re on a desired career path• Technology is the hottest perk

– Portable pc’s, company-funded computers equals flexibility

Motivation - Millennials

• Work that has meaning for me

• Freedom to work anywhere with technology assistance

• Gift certificates, concert tickets

• Help to keep resume up-to-date

• Loyal to project, not company

Exercise #2 Motivation & Reward

• Answer questions 1 & 2

• Answer question 3 in

Generational teams

MORNING BREAK

Work Life Balance

• Traditionalists: Not a big problem

• Boomers: Most crunched! Need help, sandwich generation

• Gen Xers: Boundary-less environments

Balance now, not at 65

• Millennials: Need flexibility, work isn’t everything

Generational Career Beliefs

• Staying put

• Moving over

• Moving down

• Moving up

• Moving out

Exercise #3 Work Life Balance

• Answer questions 1 & 2

• Answer question 3 in

Generational teams

• How do different work/life pressures play itself out in the workplace?

• What can you do about it?

• Break into triads

Practice Scenario A

• Amy leaves at 5pm each day. Sometimes she leaves work half finished. Although there is no deadline urgency, her boss feels uncomfortable.

• Practice being Amy and her boss…what would the conversation sound like?

Practice Scenario B• You (Larry) are a member of a

project team. Another member, Gene, meets his commitments but it appears as though he’s never actually in the office.

This is bothering some of the other team members and yourself.

• How would you handle it?

Lunch Break

Communication

• What does and doesn’t work

• Intergenerational styles

• Visual communication– dress– graphics to communicate

• Learning on the job

What Doesn’t Work

• Aggressive– Intent: Get needs met, no matter what

• Passive– Dislikes conflict– Aims to please, or not displease

• Passive/Aggressive– Indirect and manipulative– Uses sarcasm, humor, pouting, silent

treatment

Assertive Communication Works

• Direct

• Honest

• Respectful

Giving and Receiving Feedback

• Traditionalists: – no news is good news– information given on a need to know basis– use annual appraisal tool which is less

subjective and more quantitative

• Boomers:– interpersonal and lots of it, eye to eye– “truth will set you free”– don’t require constant feedback– formal appraisals with lots of

documentation– use politically correct verbiage

Giving and Receiving Feedback

• Gen Xers: – monitor performance instantly

– honest, straight talk, not slick, no B.S.

– want regular feedback• reinforce good work• eliminate guesswork

• Millennials:– want immediate feedback

• whenever I want it

– no news is bad news

Exercise #4Giving & Receiving Feedback

• Answer in Generational Teams

Afternoon Break

Definition of Insanity

• Doing the same things over and over and over again and expecting different results

Exercise #5Difficult Communications

Explore a situation in the library

setting where you

miscommunicated based on

generational differences

Visual Communication

• What do you see?

• What do you think, based on what you’re seeing?

• Initial impression

Generational Differences Around Learning

• Traditionalists - Learn by doing

• Boomers - Mentor and mentee

• Gen Xers - Learn to stay marketable

• Millenials - Lifetime learners

Learning on the Job - Traditionalists

• I learned the hard way, you can too

• Setting needs to be comfortable –chairs, good lighting, bigger print on materials

• Food helps the brain

• No games, don’t want to look stupid

• Essential to get them involved early

Learning on the Job - Boomers

• Old: Train ‘em too much and they’ll leave

• New: Education as a retention tool

• Make it politically safe to disagree

• Look good in front of boss

• Have them share success stories

• Need life skills training

– time management, care giving, financial planning, investments

Learning on the Job - Gen Xers

• The more I learn, the longer I’ll stay• Want to remain valuable/cutting edge• Likes interaction, games, exercises• Learn anytime, anywhere• Need management training

– how to manage Boomers and Millennials

• Life skills training– stress, balance, parenthood

Learning on the Job - Millennials

• Learning is a way of life

• Skills needed for next phase of career, linked to career goals

• Fast paced

• Want fun included

Intergenerational Teams

• Pros

• Cons

When You’re the Boss

• Train for retention

• Use the Platinum rule

• Direct, honest, respectful

communication

If You’re a Gen Xer Boss

• Respect experience and incorporate it• Need to have patience vs. “right now”• Admit mistakes and learn from them• Use Platinum Rule• Be a team player• Show loyalty• Be aware of “loss of face”

If You’re a Boomer Boss

• Don’t judge by level of “workaholism”• Reward results vs. “face” time• Allow for flexibility

– virtual worksites

• Instill fun into the workplace• Use your strength as a mentor• Remember, moving up is only one

way to succeed

If You’re a Traditional Boss

• Build strong teams by using experience & new approaches

• Expect job movement

• Train to keep staff marketable

• Give honest feedback often

• Ask staff how they want to be motivated

Practice Scenario

You are the boss and Gayle is one of your most productive employees. However, she appears to lack confidence since she needs constant feedback.

How do you address this?

Practice Scenario

Your new boss has changed many systems and procedures. You are willing to change but feel that you are being second-guessed on every decision you make.It is de-motivating and you’re feeling like “why try?”What do you do?

Exercise #6Change Commitment

• Choose one behavior that will improve intergenerational relationships at work?

• Now you’re ready to check out the generations!

• Thank you for your participation

• Please fill out your evaluation forms