e-Tips

The challenge of working with the communications styles of the different generations is what comes up most often in my programs and discussions. It’s important to recognize that it’s not just about technology. The medium is only part of the message and is a useful, but sometimes distracting and ineffective tool. These tips will help multi-generational communication to achieve desired results.

In her New York Times magazine article “Let the Kid Be” (May 31, 2009), Lisa Belkin traces the history of parenting trends and says we are now beginning to see a shift from “overly enmeshed parenting” which sometimes led to micro-managing children (and, I will add, sometimes attempting to micro-manage teachers and employers)) to “free-range parenting.” Book writers and bloggers are confessing their lack of perfection and proclaiming that a good parent doesn’t worry so much.

Here are some insights on use of social media viewed through a generational lens.

Social networking is the perfect tool for getting young professionals to do what marketing professionals have been asking of them for years: keep in touch with classmates and other peers.

While Generation Y/Millennials appear confident and sure of their “quick study” abilities and diligence, they want a precise guidebook for their activities so they won’t fail to be “right,” a status they have been brought up to think they will always achieve. They don’t deal well with ambiguity; used to being given help from parents, coaches, teachers, mentors, tutors and the fact that they most often work in teams, they are less adept at figuring things out on their own than Gen Xers, who were often left to their own resources, and the Boomers.

Ever since computers became standard operating equipment on each person’s desk in the workplace, we have been hearing that the older generations are technophobes who resist working in the way the younger generations do and will not bridge the gap technologically. As time went on and Boomers became more accustomed to technology, the tech gap has become less of an impediment...

As I speak to many groups, firm managements, owners, partners and consultants in diverse knowledge/professional services industries, not surprisingly a number of newer questions have arisen repeatedly in the last 6-9 months related to the current economic crisis and its impact on generational attitudes. [Please see the end of this article for definition of generational cohorts.*] Following are some of those questions and my thoughts based on generational patterns and studies of behavioral style.

As a diligent trendwatcher of generational attitudes and work/life flexibility over the past 10 years, I was thrilled to see the results of the 2008 study just released conducted by IBM for the Families & Work Institute. Attitudes and behaviors I’ve observed anecdotally about Gen Y/Millennial men sharing home and family concerns and responsibilities and Gen Y women’s ambition in the workplace have been documented. In fact attitudes have been changing among men of all ages. The gaps are shrinking.

After JobFox.com announced the results of its poll of recruiters finding that Millennials were judged to be the least effective performers of the four generations in the workplace, CEO Rob McGovern stated what he believes are the four “major motivators” of Gen Y/Millennials at work. They are: