Generationally Diverse Teams – Back-up beats Burden
Young, dynamic, highly motivated and deeply driven, Robert, just 29 and COO (Chief Operating Officer) of a listed company, laments about how difficult it is commanding respect from his much older direct reportees – six so-called “experienced old hands” at the job, and at dealing with the company. Daily comments about what he, the youngster, could possibly know about anything, dampen his enthusiasm about his new, high-profile position.
“Listen, I have been in this place since I was 15 – believe me, I know how this company and the people in it function – there is NO WAY they’ll even CONSIDER changing the process – I’ve tried and it doesn’t work. And besides, better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know. Let’s just keep the good system that we’ve been able to rely on for years. It’s always been good enough, so why change a winning formula?”
Examples like the one above are common-place in today’s business world, and one hears more and more about “them” and “us”. Time no longer MOVES along – it FLIES and within this context, there is little time to comprehend all the new developments and thought processes going on. When things seems complex and too new, they are all too often fobbed off as “well, it’s the new way you know…” And so it is – there is indeed a new way, but there is also an old way and a way that has been tried and tested, a way that has worked over many generations. It is when these two worlds cross paths that there needs to be understanding and tolerance – even for that which appears to be incomprehensible at first.
Across generations, personality traits and values and behaviours are often similar, but priorities are different. People of different age groups have life and business experiences, and understanding those differences can offer an important perspective about why they act and react the way they do. When younger and older generations work together, they become aware of these differences and automatically judge them because they are unfamiliar. All too often, however, it is merely a simply case of misunderstanding. Understanding each generation’s key formative environments and values, as well as their workplace strengths and struggles is the first step in building more efficient and productive organisational teams. Here a brief outline of the four main generational groups:
• Traditionals (born before 1945) grew up in a time of crisis in the aftermath of the Great Depression and during World War II. Dealing with economic hardships made them disciplined and self-sacrificing, and their reward was living the American Dream and enjoying a lifetime of steadily rising affluence.
• Baby Boomers (born 1945 to 1964) are a large generation in the United States and typically grew up amid economic prosperity, suburban affluence and strong nuclear families with stay-at home moms.
• Generation X (born 1965 to 1980) grew up as “latchkey” kids in a world of divorce and working moms. This led to independence, resilience, adaptability and a “I don’t need someone looking over my shoulder” attitude.
• Generation Y (born since 1981) were raised at the most child-centric time in our history. Due to the great deal of attention and high expectations from parents, they are confident and may seem precocious and over-confident.
The challenge with any older and younger generation in the work place is adjusting to change and looking at it as a career cycle change rather than a generational difference. Managers and teams need to be trained to effectively deal with these differences though teambuilding activities and mentoring programs.
“A few generations ago, people didn’t have a way to share information and express their opinions efficiently to a lot of people. But now they do. Right now, with social networks and other tools on the Internet, all of these 500 million people have a way to say what they’re thinking and have their voice be heard”. (Mark Zuckerberg)
Older generations, with more limited social networks, took more time to develop trust because they had to rely on their sources. Social engagement was a much more personal experience. “Many in older generations have not adapted to that change and don’t understand communicating in the that way — whether we are talking email, texting or social media. Because younger generations have grown up with that, they see it as a primary communication channel. Creating a more thorough understanding of different communication mentalities help people stop and think before making misguided assumptions. Mankind doesn’t see things as THEY are – we rather see things as WE are.
Years of change management research shows that mankind is generally resistant or at least skeptical of change. People can adapt to a situation easily if they learn to look at it from a position of reason and logic and it is from this perspective that one needs to introduce changes present in different generations.
Authority is also viewed differently within different generations. Older generations see teams and organizations operating in a much more vertical environment with formal authority and accountability linked directly to hierarchy. Younger generations prefer flatter structures with competence and expertise defining the formal authority structure – hence the confusion with Robert in his new role. Increasing awareness of generational differences on teams can close the gap if both sides understand each other’s perspective. As people get older, they become more set in their ways, which is fine, but they need to open to ideas.
Although generational issues in the workplace can seem difficult, they are not insurmountable. Raising awareness of generational issues on teams and focusing on productive behaviors can bring teams together and enable them to function more efficiently. Organizations that understand how to address generational conflicts successfully and optimally benefit from each generation’s strengths keep employees motivated and productive. And in doing so they would do well to remember Gloria Steinem’s words: “We need to remember across generations that there is as much to learn as there is to teach”. Different generations are not a threat to each other – rather a wonderful field of cross pollination, a concept that has produced some very exciting things.
—————————–
Über Marinda Seisenberger:
Marinda Seisenberger ist Speaker, Trainer und Coach und gilt als führende Expertin zum Thema „Diversity“. Der rote Faden „Vielfalt“ zieht sich auch durch ihren Karriereweg. In ihrer Heimat Südafrika leitete sie drei Institute für Erwachsenenbildung und führte die Abteilung Corporate Communications eines global tätigen afrikanischen Entwicklungskonzerns. 1999 wurde sie Partner einer Sprachschule in Deutschland. Unter dem Slogan „Take Your Brand Abroad“ unterstützt sie heute als Speaker, Trainer und Business Coach zahlreiche Geschäftskunden, darunter auch DAX-Unternehmen, im Ausland erfolgreich zu arbeiten. Sie ist überzeugt: Vielfalt ist ein strategischer Erfolgsfaktor und Innovationstreiber für Unternehmen. In ihren praxisbezogenen Trainings bringt Marinda Seisenberger Mitarbeitern die Bedeutung interkultureller Unterschiedlichkeiten und Vielfalt nahe und zeigt, wie unbewusste geschäftsschädigende Verhaltensweisen im Ausland erfolgreich zu vermeiden sind. Ihre mitreißenden Keynotes zu den Themen „Vielfalt im Flow“ überzeugen durch ihr Know-How und ihre Leidenschaft zu ihrem Thema. Marinda Seisenberger ist GSA Certified Professional Speaker und Mitglied der German Speakers Association (GSA). Mehr Informationen auf http://www.marinda-seisenberger.de.
