4 Colliding Generations in Our Work Place - How to Fix the Clashes for Profit

Our current business flight plans are being interrupted with generational turbulence. The flights of the people in our organizations are being jostled by inaccurate messages, deeply rooted ideas and thought processes that are not consistent with the current four generational inhabitants of our companies.

These 4 generations are into our workplaces and we must be focused to create profit and harmony form this mix. They are not used to or hearing communication and strategy in equal ways. Each generation views the business world differently. These differences impact our ability to drive forward the strategy that current business approaches need.

Our goals and objectives here are to:

• Understand what is causing this turbulence- learning the key components of the generations
• Who are they
• What do they stand for
• What is important to each
• How do they differ
• Understand how to attract and manage them differently
• How to recruit these four different generations
• How to orient
• How to train
• How to motivate
• Further it is important to understand the concept of “clash” points. These clash points cause retention challenges, training challenges, productivity challenges and above all performance challenges

There is a new diversity --- it is about generations. Where as in the recent generational past the diversity issues have been about minorities, women, cultural and lifestyle issues; there is change. No longer are these the only diversity to face---to these generational groups it is now also focused on the generational diversity how they inter- relate.

In brief the four generations are Traditionalist, Boomers, Gen X / Y, and then a newly emerging group the Millennial.

Tradionalists

Traditionalists reflect ageless thinking– generations dating back to 1900-45. These are Children of the new deal and the 20’s who are uniformly loyal hardworking patriotic, and believe deeply in situations and the legacies the represent.

This group also is characterized by makes that had military experiences and learned a top down management style that has impacted organizational growth for many decades.

There are frequent organizational clash points because Boomers have challenged and shaken the status quo for the most recent 30 year period and Tradionalists have struggled with the up hill battle to maintain the status quo yet, at the same time make room for the boomers they have had to accommodate. It has not been an easy adjustment.

• Tradionalists have defining moments,
• World War II
• Seeing home life change to the suburbs- moving away form traditional family locales •
• The change in media focus from movies and radio to TV
• The death of FDR
• Their generational personality
• A desire for consistency and uniformity
• The desire for things on a grand scale (government to the rescue)
• They like to conform
• A willingness to focus on appropriate topics which are more comfortable

The Tradionalists personality demonstrates that they are past oriented and history focused. This group by and large has had a definite “moral” sense of what is right and wrong, has led conservative spending styles and focuses their lives ion a pot of gold at the end pf the rainbow existence.

Traditionalist markings are affirmed by a widely conservative dressy style of clothing in business; they save and prefer cash, and read “Readers Digest” “Time” and the “Wall Street Journal”. These are publications that have had multi decades of wide acceptance and are the bastions of Tradionalists thinking. These traditionalists base their business judgments on the trusted “Bibles”

As a leader of this group you must select the correct motivating messages. First it is critical to support that you value the experiences they have shared and can provide. Allowing others to hear the respect provided to this generation is critical. They truly respond to the fact that perseverance has been respected rewarded. Their long term results are their proudest accomplishments they have struggled and paid dues to get where they are. They in fact struggle with the fact that other generations do not have the fortitude to sit and wait for the results this generation has worked so long to achieve.

Boomers

Boomers– born 1946-1964 are the largest generation ever born and are now approaching 60. It is a generation focused on status, visible achievement and the willingness to “let it all Hang out’ It is the very first generation to outwardly rebel and upset the status quos. This generation has pride in the fact that it has bucked the establishment and has achieved over the misguided embarrassments of it’s’ traditionalist fathers, they fought the bad decisions that were the resulting Vietnam era and Watergate.

This generation has driven consumerism to the point where status and attainment drove their mission. This generation has been the focus of every major product for the past 25 years, now causing many companies to think how to appeal to the product demands of the aging baby boomers.

The Boomer characteristics are led by unbridled optimism coupled with the vivid unrealistic belief they are not going to age. They have had a fiercely competitive spirit with a challenged drive to unseat their Tradionalist leaders in business. Boomers fought for the corner offices these Tradionalists cherished. To get there they have challenged the chain of command continually, and based upon their anti establishment nature worked in overdrive to change authority and challenge traditional organization strategies. This potential clash of why fix what is not broken, is presented in the in the books, Good to Great and Built to Last. The companies that could not respond to reactive and creative challenges in their thinking have languished under the top down management styles of many traditionalists, while the organizations that could accept internal redirected challenges have thrived.

As Boomers are a political heard they too often were willing to accept the teaching of the Tradionalists at the risk of re-inventing their industry. The Real estate industry is certainly indicative of that thinking. This industry operates more on the way we have always done it than almost any other.

Boomers to drive their place in business have created the largest scandals in corporate history, and were so driven by the symbols of success that they lost a moral and ethical focus on business reality. The symbols of achievement have become so powerful that the Boomers has almost become secretive and fearful of passing the reigns down as it would (based upon their experiences of overcoming Tradionalists) not allow them to continue. Critical to understand, this is the generation that does not believe it will ever retire. They are not going anywhere at least in their minds.

Boomer thinking was led by defining moments that changed societal thinking. The continual assassinations of Presidents and other leaders in the 60’s led Boomers to question far more deeply the values they were being raised with.

Never before had a population of people seen violence broadcast nightly in a living room and then see unedited the horrors the world could create live as they happened. Seeing riots over race and new ways of thought were for the first time broadcast live. As a result, the boomer believes in being anti establishment at it’s’ core. They must break the rules they were raised by.

The Boomers then no longer accepted the peaceful outlook of the Tradionalists generation, This very status quo Tradionalist thinking in business, lead to the first true generational clash.

In the work force this is the first generation of women that were raised to go to work and contribute equally as men. Tradionalists found this to be a clash point and in fact was significant struggle for two decades. This has now only shifted as the issue as women in the workforce has become so acceptable.

The Real Estate Industry was one of the first to recognize in dramatic ways that the women in the population often out performed their male counterparts. In the traditionalist era this was an eye opener. To the Boomer it was a common place reality. As diversity issue challenged the work place Boomers were the first to recognize diversity as real, challenged acceptance of lifestyle options and relationship alternatives to be okay and broke down the Tradionalist vision of what was correct. Too many Tradionalist broker owners even used to request husband/ wife interviews to validate that a candidate had the support of the spouse. Today that is an out of place icon of the 1950’s June and Ward Cleaver thinking. That model is not the ideal of the boomers. Boomers were the first generation to accept divorce and relationships out side of marriage as a valid alternative.

Boomers have distinct traits. They first of all see themselves as the stars of their own show. They are highly focused on teamwork and being recognized as achieving by the symbols of success they bestow upon themselves. Boomers worked so hard to be anti establishment they created an establishment more political than the one they were raised in. They are after personal gratification at a very high cost, often driving questionable practices at the cost of achieving. This group also is one to search for truth and inner meaning; does deep soul searching, and will not tolerate unhappy relationships. They shed that which makes them unhappy. This group put career above family and personal lives to achieve. The reality is this group drinks juice daily to tell themselves how cool they really believe they are.

Comparing Boomers and Tradionalists

Tradionalists

• Followed expected roles
• Were loyal to their companies
• Were willing to be disciplined, patient and wait for rewards
• Played by the rules
• Redefined roles and promoted equality
• Kept unfulfilling relationships

Boomers

• Sought immediate gratification
• Manipulated their roles to meet their own needs
• Shed the relationships that had no meaning
• Broke the rules
• Worked to create sexual equality in the workplace

Motivating a Boomer

In the workplace how does one then motivate a Boomer?

First, while focusing on the “star” mentality needs of this group focus on the how important they are to the business. Reinforce the constant value they bring to the organization, focus on the unique accomplishments they bring and focus on how needed they are. In the Real estate industry this could send chills to the bones of Tradionalist office managers. This is an extremely needy approval oriented group. They need constant stroking.

Boomers bring terrific assets to the work environment. They readily are service oriented. Primarily as they as so consumption focused they recognized the need for service. They are willing to provide it as well as give it. They are frustrated by organizations that do not truly provide a service model as they respect it. This group is truly driven and will go the extra mile as they expect hat in return. As they are good team players they like to see results, but at the same time they are not going to typically tune into number based realities.

Boomer liabilities arise around accountability and the ability to direct to a disciplined strategy typically that are numbers focused. This group is spending minded not budget minded. This caused Tradionalist clash points. They are a judgmental group, self centered and truly examine results in terms of their needs first.

Boomers are motivated by being involved with “in” things; consumerism and a buy now pay later mentality. This cause severs clashes with traditionalist thinking.

Traditionalists perceive Boomers to be to loose “lipped” about things they shouldn’t, self absorbed and resentful of older leadership in their work place. Xers on the other hand see Boomers to be workaholics that are political vultures that get sidetracked by the fad of the week without purpose. They then create lower generational clash because they will not willingly relinquish their roles to the next group. They fought too hard to get to where they are.

Perceptually of boomers Tradionalists believe

• They talk about things they shouldn’t
• They are self absorbed
• They resent me (the Tradionalist who has been there)

Xers on the other hand believe of Boomers that:

• They are self righteous
• They are workaholics
• They are too political
• Into the fad of the week

Generation X

Gen X (and y cuspers) is a poorly defined generation. These are the media babies who were latch key kids, left on their own and never remember having to wait for anything. They played Atari for hours, relied on VCR’s for entertainment, and learned to eat on demand because of the use of microwaves.

This generation was raised by working mothers who often delegated parenting responsibilities to day care providers, friends and family. This generation was raised by a group of parent’s that made the decision to have it all. The children were often shuttled off to activities by others and had their parents drop in showing support.

Yet this generation who had so much provided for them is socially challenged as their time were occupied by using toys, watching TV and other similar media that became the baby sitter. Their ability to interact socially is not as comfortable as their previous generations have demonstrated. They are peer focused but do not develop social skills to use upwardly- especially in the work place.

This generation had few heroes. In many ways they had the innocence of childhood taken from them because they had to face adult issues early on. The rise of AIDS in the 1980’s created the need to have mature discussions with children. These children were often not prepared for these discussions.

As this generation also was involved in homes of divorce they often became confidants of their parent which has impacted the long term focus on Gen X relationships. They are by and large marrying later; the average age now for marriage is exceeding 27.

The gulf war--- America victorious— lead the generation into a sense of false security; there was a sense that America could be undefeated forever. The reality is they are adrift because they have no real defining moments, yet culturally they have technology on their side and address doing common task in ways older generation have not widely felt comfortable accepting.

This generation is also facing an implosion of the American dream. They often still live at home with Mom and Dad as they can not afford the luxury of homes as they are building careers. Their parents even like having them. A new generational event! Mom and Dad have even enabled a financial dependency by providing the luxuries that are craved and not yet earned.

Gen X core values are vastly different form their predecessors. They were raised to accept diversity at all costs. They do not see racial and ethnic challenges the ways their parents have. They see a global community demonstrated by the ways in which they communicate. Chatting on the internet is a worldwide experience so they see a far broader community. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article on this issue, this generation cares more about quality of life than pay checks. Quality of life is number 1 above all else.

As their parents worked and toiled, putting career first, this group truly seeks balance in life. They do not see value in dated corporate values. The fact that they see techno literacy as a requirement of life redefines the expectation of what the work day can look like. This generation is bent on a fun life experience, focusing on a self reliance that their parents have required them to have. The challenge is many of this generation have not had to face the same accountabilities as their parents.

To motivate a GEN X you must make them feel self reliant. Your organization can not be so top down that they feel micro managed. They want balance. They see their peers as a group to depend on as they often feels their parents have been too busy and self absorbed with achievement to really tune them in. Their idea of time and space is very irregular as compared to the Tradionalist/ Boomer model. They do not see the need for strict 9-5 discipline yet need focus and goals to define their progress.

Gen X does not recognize the value of authority for authority’s historical presence. They are truly skeptical of institutions. The companies they have been told to trust are no longer trustworthy. They have witnessed friends parents toil in a job to be downsized, they see companies fail, see retirement dreams become improbable and have found the biggest companies come out of the internet. Google is a hero company to this generation.

They like the informality that flexibility can provide. At the same time discipline and creative structure are critical. They also believe quite specifically this is just a job period.

Defining moments for X’ers are far more sociological than in past generations. They have been defined by a group that has felt that “Sex and the City” and Friends was mainstream Television. No adults were ever portrayed positively in those series. They were raised
in an era of “well the President did it” and this has set a moral tone that there is nothing in the world that is not okay.

The fate of 9/11 brought reality back to a group that never felt insecure; the vulnerability they feel is penetrating. The real estate appreciation of the recent three years has now set them into a belief that there is not real future of the American dream for them. This is a by and large very disillusioned generation.

How they differ from boomers

Boomers

• Fight Authority
• Believe in media
• Workaholics
• Political at work
• Nostalgic for the 60”s

Xers

• Go around authority
• Avoid the media limelight
• Don’t want to be labeled
• Corporate Politics wastes time
• Hate the past

Gen X on the job is not all fun and games. They bring a wide variety of assets

Assets

• Adaptable
• Techno savvy
• Independent
• Unintimidated by authority
• Creative

They do however have a unique set of liabilities.

Liabilities

• Impatient
• Poor people skills
• Inexperienced
• cynical

Because of their unique approaches they can have true dialogue Clash Points to Traditionalists and Boomers

Clash

• They have no work ethic they are a bunch of slackers

This group is not focused on a 9-5 life style. In the real estate industry this group may be content to work at home on their computes at 9:00 PM and present their contracts at a Starbucks. This is not the traditional approaches of Boomer and Tradionalist peers therefore the misrepresentation that they are slackers. They just get work done in different times and space.

Clash

• So I told my boss “if you are looking for loyalty buy a dog”

By and large this generation is seeking portable careers and solid résumé growth. They are not looking to career anywhere as they have seen form previous generations the reality of what that does not bring. This group will move quickly upon their perception of a better growth opportunity. This is not a group to focus on loyalty.

Clash

• “A hiring bonus you are too wet behind the ears for a hiring bonus"

Remember, that this group was reared in the age of stock options for performance. Many became Wealthy off of the options they chose, however that bubble has burst yet they still believe that the bonus is a trade of for wages!

Clash

• "I have a new rule no meetings after 5:00 PM I have a life”

The Xers group also does not see structured meetings as a real value. They prefer teleconference, email, and no traditional meting formats. They truly crave their personal time as they have seen their parents sacrifice and then be down sized. They do not want to work for the career at all costs.

Clash

• She wants a career map- how do I know?

The Gen X group truly is looking for the line of travel--- if I do this here will that get me ! They truly are looking for a feature –benefit career path. They want to see a strategy to the journey they are talking. They do not believe in paying dues. They want the focus on wherever they will go, how they will get there and what tasks are valuable to visit they can reach their next station in career building.

Clash

• " If I hear we tried that in 87 one more time….".

The X’er is not at all history focused. They want to understand they can make a contribute to the organization with new ideas. The focus on history is an instant turn off.

Clash

• The new concepts of career pathing are critical to this

“I want to be”……the most important message is a focus on career path. They turn off on the realities of stalled stand still careers will not make this group linger in a waiting mode. They want a real partner who is going to move them forward.

Clash Avoidance

…Motivating messages for xers.

• “Do it your way and lets see the results”

The Xers needs to hear that they can certainly try it in a way that can get a result that they have created. The boomer / Tradionalist is often not equipped to do something in a new way that Xers can achieve.

• “The hardware and software is the newest to get it done”

If you are not technologically focused and advanced, you will just not motivate the Xer. The more up to date you are the better they will achieve.

• “There aren’t any rules here”

The more creative the organization is about getting a result the better the Xers results will be.

• “We’re not very corporate”

This is a powerful asset. The route to decision making is critical. If it is complex and challenging Xers will turn off instantly. They want a quick clear cut path to answers and decisions.

• “Just get the job done”

The Xers wants freedom and flexibility to get a result on their terms.

Clash Points

Reward me for productivity- not tenure
Xers want to know clearly that they are valued for what they add, not how long they have been there. This goes in the face of the boomer and traditionalist who believe you need to pay your dues and earn the right

Clash point comparison-

• Tradionalists- seek long term reward
• Boomers- want to retool continually adjusting as they go to the dismay of the tradionalist
• Gen X - renew by being flexible
• Millenials-recycle through out all the old “stuff”

What others think of Xers’

Tradionalists

• They don’t know enough
• They don’t respect experience
• They don’t follow the rules
• They don’t know what hard work is

Boomers Think

• They are slackers
• They are rude and have no social skills
• They want to do it their way
• They think the internet is the solution
• They need to wait their turn

Truly this thinking is not what an Xers wants to be a part of.

How Recruiting has Changed

If you are trying to reach people fewer than 40 they clearly go to the web first. Yes, they are aware of your company, yet they look for blogs and chat rooms about the real world of your company first. If there are people out there chatting about you, you should know that. Candidates are connected to what is being said in the global community.

There are non valuable traditional messages that just no longer are effective for an Xers. The size of your organization has little value on its’ own unless it is repositioned to provide a myriad of opportunities.

The history of the organization has no value unless it is tied to constant growth and redirection of business strategy. The traditions of the business are invaluable unless your organization is recognized for re-inventing.

Your reputation has even less value as they regard venerable organizations as dinosaurs that too often go out of business. What was missing in these traditional messages is:

• Innovation
• New business dynamics
• Fast paced learning
• Coaching
• The ability to impact the way the business is being done

Why would these generations want to work for me is a critical question that needs examination.

• What is the attraction to my company?

When examining the value package of the organization there are real how to work clash points. First of all the value that someone perceived needs to be clear. Xers and millennials spot phony value propositions a mile off--- they are cynical about traditional messages.

Value Package Clash Points

• You say you are the biggest- 150+ offices everywhere The Xers response---”man this must be the most bureaucratic place outside of the IRS! Reposition the challenge—size alone is not an asset. The asset is more creatively that there are multiple working environments with a myriad networking and learning opportunities; an intranet, internal blogging with a message that says if you are working here and have interest you can learn and achieve.
  
  
• You say you have “we have great tools”, but how do the uses of the specific tools passionately enhance the business model. Then tools art empty unless there is a truly dynamic point of view on how they enhance the strategies of doing business in the organization and create vivid differentiation.
  
  
• Position the realities of what it is like to work there. Discussions of the rapid successes peers have achieved are truly exciting to the Xers. This presents the reality of what it is like to achieve in your business model and enhances the relationship they are considering. Xers want to believe your business arena is geared to give them success.
  
  
• If your company is just another version of what exists already they will not buy into your positioning. Talk about peers that have succeeded. An Xer needs to believe they are among a group of peers that have achieved. And changed traditional business models. If they believe they will be the only ones they will have a difficult time picturing themselves in your environment.
  
  
• Be open to questions about long range strategy. An Xer agent recently asked a regional VP in a large organization what the strategy was for the next year in their business model. The regional responded “our strategy is to do business period”. The Xer was turned off as he wanted an answer about how the company was going to gain momentum in several key markets where they were lagging, use techno strategy to attract business and create tech driven marketing tools. They answer given made it seem they did not understand how they were going to attract Xers buyers and sellers. The Boomer regional found the question to be far too unimportant to the interview to answer and clash occurred.
  
  
• Managers need to reposition the typical response that they are available -24/7”. The Xers will ask by intranet, blackberry how? But they are really thinking the manager does not value their time? They may even answer “well I’m not!”

Interview Errors

As the generations now face new dialogue needs there are typical missteps

• Interviewers do too much talkingInterviewers do too much talking
• They fail to position relevant messages
• The interviewer needs to stop a focus on the past- focus on future
• Learn where the candidate wants to go-

In brief there are strategies to interview these four unique groups.

When Interviewing Traditionalists

• Create respect by asking open ended future focused questions
• Value time in work force, but they respect authority and will not jump in. It is critical to leave door open them to talk

When Interviewing Boomers

• Recognize complex life responsibilities (kids in college, aging parents) this is often called the sandwich generation and they do feel it!
• Boomers want to appear polished
• Boomers want to appear polishedBoomers want to appear polished
• Boomers are always positioning- remember that they are political by nature.

When Interviewing Xers

• Talk about the future
• Career pathing that is achievement based must be a focus
• Focus on experiences that will help them to their next step
• Appreciate varied job / career changes- they are proud of this

When Interviewing Millenials

• Future focus for sure as they do not have much past
• Idea sharing
• They have dreams and realities that do not always seem anchored

Where to Look

Getting an interview is only half of the challenge, Finding the new generations is bigger. You need to go where they go. Do you go to Craigslist, Monster careers.com to name a few? Most candidates in the younger age groups do not use the classifieds in newspapers to locate opportunities. YOU need to be where they are.

Orientation

Another unique challenge in the multiple generation arenas is “How do we orient?”

Have we defined the expectations that the organizations seeks. Is the format of the orientation a lecture format, or a parade of those that think the new hire is ready to hear hours not to mention days on end of company hype? Are we boring new affiliates with details about our ancillary services ? Better yet we should be teaching business strategy from the start. How do we insure your productivity is a new direction to take, the ancillary services provide no value if the candidate can not understand how these impact their personal growth. Are we presenting the recipe for career success; or just telling history? Are you creating excitement on the first day? The sparks leadership creates on the first day last forever on the job. The tone set day One is the tone the that lingers.

Orienting Tradionalists

• Focus on Why this population segment is important
• Talk about how they can get beyond feeling behind the times
• Expect that They are polite respectful and appreciative
• They need “pathfinders”

Orienting Boomers

• Usually boomers were not oriented(after college) – they just plunged in
• They are focused on the evolution of the company and its’ impact on current business not the history alone
• They want to hear corporate strategy- what is the corporate direction
• How does this segment fit in to the strategy? They are jaded by buzzwords and fads- they want vision of a business difference
• They want frequent interaction with leadership- not hours in classrooms
• On going touch base points on progress

Orienting Xers

• Be aware that this segment is into experience building to change jobs---
• Present cutting edge workplace advantages
• They need reaffirmation that the choice is solid--- they believe the jury is out until they see the results
• Instant information access– they do not want sound bites; they want access to information (intranet for example)
• They want a real time feel for the organization--- they want interactive training
• Peer access path finders
• Career path vision

Orienting Millenials

• Clear strategy to work related processes are critical
• Highly interactive resources
• Opportunities to interact with high levels of leadership
• Desire engagement not lecturing
• Want to learn what to do but why it is critical for success

The way we recruit is the way in which we retain. The revolving door turns far too often far too early- can we retain those we need? Too many companies have retention deficit disorder. The fact we can not get those we hire quickly productive is a major industry disorder.

The Retention Clash Points

• Tradionalists –job changing has a stigma
• Boomers-job changing puts you behind the curve
• Generation Xers – job changing is a required career need
• Millenials– job changing is a daily routine

Upon examination; these clash points will impact the way those you hire will stay.

To focus on Retaining traditionalists, this is almost too easy. They will not leave too quickly as it is against their nature.

• If you are losing this group check the barometer of your company as there might be something wrong.
• If the loyal leave there is a challenge

Retaining Boomers

• They believe in several years in one place is a norm
• They Seek high profile options– if these are not provided then you have a challenge
• They seek high potential

Retaining Gen Xers

• These are job hoppers
• They are looking for skills that can motivate them to stay
• They want coached autonomy

Retaining Millenials

• Want multi task options

Examine the turnover. What is really causing it? Usually it is a management related issue based upon what is not being provided. To finds out for sure have meaningful exit interviews– not lip service. Explore the reasons for leaving; better yet explore the reasons that might have kept them there. A result can be tremendous discovery. Where there is a glitch there is a niche .What glitches have you noticed in the business arena that could be prime for Xers?

Retention and Coaching

Retention is also a feedback/coaching based issue. Giving and providing feedback(or coaching) is not necessarily an easy thing to manage.

The ability to provide feedback that is meaningful enables the associate the ability to benchmark their performance to both theirs and the corporate reality.

The four generations view receiving feedback quite differently as well.

• Tradionalists- no news is good news – shuns feedback they just prefer to not have it.Tradionalists- no news is good news – shuns feedback they just prefer to not have it.
• Baby boomers– annually with documentation—”let it all hang out”. Remember they see themselves as very tuned in and do like sharing.
  Gen X—”sorry to interrupt but how am I doing”. They are the continual feedback group
• Millenials- I want it instantly

Feedback for Tradionalists is difficult. Tradionalists do not give it easily nor do they wish to have it. For the Tradionalist in your midst they would rather hear nothing as they feel that no news is good news. They will avoid feedback at all costs.

Feedback for boomers is easy as they were the first as a generation to seek feedback aggressively... they operated with a “hey man let it all hang out” attitude- their mantra is that they were the first true generation to self discover and explore openly and vividly. Being “uptight” is bad to this group. For one not to share openly is a very uncomfortable place to be for a boomer.

Yet they are used to pushing Tradionalists to communicate with them and they were also used to being shunned in their attempts.

Boomers deeply seek a relaxed communication style yet at the same time they do not practice totally what they seek or preach. Boomers make a lot of noise about providing feedback yet hide as well. Because Boomers often push Tradionalists for the feedback they hate to give. Boomers are used to receiving form feedback as well.

Feedback/Coaching for Xers is a more dynamic challenge. First of all they expect a rapid continual feedback style . They think fed ex is regular mail- so this has to be really a fast rack comment. Once a day for 10 minutes for example is a suitable feedback approach for a Xers. They communicate by email constantly so managing Xers the supervisor must be prepared to meet this sort of IM approach. They want feedback daily with Instant updates. It is not being too needy it is just they find a rapid comment to be part of their daily life expectation.

When giving Xers feedback they are truly non-political. Xers heard the quote in “THE GODFATHER”. Behind every great fortune is a great crime”--- they are a cynical bunch. There is a lack of trust in the establishment- therefore they want frequent communication with leadership or they form mistrust.

Feedback strategies for millennials are even faster than the expectation of their Xers peers. Have you heard of the nanosecond is their sped desire? They are looking for coaches to learn from and seek someone that can guide them by bringing them out. They need and expect constant feedback; silence equals disapproval.

Training

Training is another area that without examining the generations there can be serious missteps. Most training has been positioned to be classroom style where someone talks from a lecture vantage point and then “students “ are expected to listen. The learning styles are uniquely different, yet the clash points are obvious.

Clash points on training

Traditionalists believe “I learned it the hard way so should you.” They believe deeply in the age old concept of paying dues. They expect that someone will wait and listen and study all details to learn. This is a broken strategy that although this works ion the Tradionalist mentality it is not going to satisfy the younger work force generations at all. Tradionalists Like to be told exactly and will not challenge. This group was raised on the school of hard knocks- nothing comes easy. This is a distinct clash point.

For the Tradionalists…Provide confidence by recognizing experiences. Without Creating confidence to receive coaching messages the Tradionalist will shut down. For the Tradionalist spoon feeding is almost a requirement. Break up concepts into bite sized pieces bit focus on short term results

Boomers almost react to overtraining. They do not to be trained too much on non productive related concepts and they go elsewhere. these are the people that usually did not read the game board interactions and wanted to get stared right away- often loosing out of distinct options for success, but frankly made progress by forging ahead.
Boomers View training as a perk and reward for doing well. Yet they want the answers to the questions. This group greew up on Jeopardy--- They want “cliff notes” approaches
Boomers need the facts quickly presented in mixed media messages, and then want feedback create re-enforced positive messages about achievement

It is critical to train Xers. The more they learn, about beyond the job topics the more they stay Xers If you do no offer continual opportunities to grow they will leave. Continual opportunities mean a progressive dialogue about core career techniques, opportunities to learn about other business strategy that are enriching but not solidly career focused. They Prefer multi media experiences-lectures are not correct Problem solving based training is correct for this group with group interaction they want a challenge and a solution strategy worked on in a small group. This is a challenge to traditionalists as they do not like to share. Therefore the Tradionalist needs to be brought out in this sort of environment.. highly interactive Problem Solving with coached and debriefed results is the strategy

This group did not learn in a traditional class room so to motivate them they need to have multi task learning approaches.

Millenials-continuous learning is a way of life. Never want training to end. They Want constant retooling, news ways to do the same old thing are important to them.They do not want overheads– these date the training instantly. The single media approach does not translate well to this group. Project and case study learning based upon coached solutions are the approach needed here.

Clash point avoidance for trainers. Most trainers are not prepared to focus on how to reach the four groups and as results are used most traditionally on Tradionalist Boomer groups. The result is there is real potential to turn off one or more of the younger groups It is wise to Set rules early Provide credentials- and demonstrate their value.

It is also critical to recognize the generational success stories as an ongoing approach to the training” In many ways the typical experienced trainer feels Who knows more me or them? Believe it ir not although the training is new the approaches to how information can be achieved may actually demonstrate that there are some that do know more.

For Xers in training, They need to recognize the accountable factors They are moving faster than boomers are used to- not to mention the Tradionalists; they want to clarify your needs vs. the real wants. They may have a very different perception of what they are looking for vs. what is being provided. Teams are fine but not extra meetings and time infringement without results

From a style point of view it is critical to Be Positive. Doomsayer trainers and bosses impact Xers and Millenials. They are cynical already but if the trainers or leaders are doomsayer focused, ore downward spiral focused there will be continual clash.For example “no one does it that way” or It will take six months for you to make money” are typical doom conversations that create clash.

Language and Etiquette—

There is an internet, IM shorthand. LOL for example is common, among many many more. Is leadership tuned in?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I AM SCREAMING !!!!!! An email in caps is screaming, and suggests anger and rage.

In Summary

• There are new rules
• Flexibility is in
• Benefit of the doubt is critical at all levels
• Do not forget the little things-
• Don’t assume- but be clear about the tasks
• Provide continual feedback

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