The crown of the
elderly, wide experience; their glory, the fear of the Lord.
We use to say in the
military to the younger troops fresh out of high school that joined the
military that beyond showing us normal military courtesy they really should
listen and follow what we do because “We survived youth”. The fact is
experience is the best teacher and experience teaches us that God is real and
the older ones have learned that fear of the Lord is more than a crown of glory
it is the key to reaching old age.
One of the most curious phenomenons
of our modern society is that by the year 2020 we will have five generations
working together: Each with difference values and views of life.
The Johnsons report[1]
that each generation has been influenced by the major historical events, social
trends, and cultural phenomena of its time. These forces shape ideas about
everything from expectations and perceptions about what the workplace will
provide and how employees should behave, to company loyalty and work ethic.
Generational characteristics identified After
studying generational characteristics of the five major working generations,
the Johnsons identified distinct generational characteristics that impact work
styles, team behavior, and communication styles. By understanding the
differences between generational groups, conflicts can be avoided, they say. The
father-daughter team explains generational differences as follows:
Traditionals: Born
before 1945, “The Depression Babies.” Influenced by the Great Depression and
World War II. Traits: Loyal,
respectful of authority, stubbornly independent, excellent work ethic, dependable,
and have advanced communication and interpersonal skills.
Baby Boomers: Born 1946-1964, “The
Woodstock Generation.” Influenced by the Vietnam War, the ’60s, and postwar
social change. Traits: Well-educated, question
authority, excellent teamwork skills, and thrive on adrenaline-charged
assignments.
Generation X: Born 1965-1980, “The
Latchkey Generation.” Products of divorced parents. Traits:
Independent, family-focused, intolerant of bureaucracy, critical, hardworking,
and socially responsible.
Generation Y: Born 1981-1995. “The
Entitled Generation.” Influenced by technology and doting parents. Traits:
Highly socialized, loyal, technologically savvy, socially responsible,
and require work-life balance.
Linksters: Born after 1995. “The
Facebook Crowd.” Influenced by a media-saturated world. Traits:
Technologically dependent, closely tied to parents,
tolerant of alternative lifestyles, involved in green causes and social
activism.
How to resolve intergenerational conflicts How
do you work with or manage the different generational group? The Johnsons offer
the following six tips:
1.
Understand work styles. Traditionals
and baby boomers don’t like to be micromanaged, while Gen Y’ers and linksters
crave specific, detailed instructions about how to do things and are used to
hovering authorities.
2.
Consider generational values. Each
generation is protecting a distinct set of values, and conflict may threaten
these values. For example, baby boomers value teamwork, cooperation, and
buy-in, while Gen X’ers prefer to make a unilateral decision and move
on—preferably solo.
3.
Share perceptions. When employees of
two or more generations are involved in a workplace conflict, they can learn a
great deal by sharing their perceptions. A traditional may find the lack of
formality and manners of a Gen Y’er offensive, while a Gen Y’er may feel
“dissed” when this older employee fails to respect his or her opinions
and input.
4.
Find a generationally appropriate fix.
You can’t change people’s life experiences, but you can work with the set of
workplace attitudes and expectations that result. If there is a
knowledgeable boomer who is frustrated by the lack of experience of a Gen Y’er,
coupled with his or her sense of entitlement, turn the boomer into a mentor.
5.
Find commonality. Traditionals and Gen
Y employees tend to value security and stability. Traditionals and boomers
resist change. But both crave training and development. Gen X and Gen Y
employees place a high value on workplace flexibility and work-life balance. Boomers
and linksters are most comfortable with diversity and alternative lifestyles.
Gen Y and linksters are technologically adept and committed to socially
responsible policies.
6.
Learn from each other. Each generation
has valuable lessons to teach the next. Traditionals and boomers have a wealth
of knowledge and tricks of the trade that younger workers need. Generation X
employees are widely known for their fairness and mediation abilities.
Generation Y workers are technology wizards. And Linksters hold clues to future
workplace, marketing, and business trends.[2]
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