generation matters! collaborating effectively across generations gsa 2010 conflict management &...

Generation Matters!Collaborating Effectively Across Generations

GSA 2010 Conflict Management & Collaboration Summit

Mary Abbajay & Karen Bedell

©2010 Careerstone Group, LLC

About Careerstone Group Small, Woman-Owned Business/Available on

the GSA MOBIS Schedule & through GSA U4P (BPA)

Organization Development Consultants & Facilitators

Professional Development & Training

Focus/Expertise: Leveraging Generational Diversity

About Us

Mary Abbajay Gen X; Entrepreneur (started and owned three successful

businesses); George Mason adjunct faculty, Radio show host; Local T.V. work-life commentator

Karen Bedell Baby Boomer; Corporate career now entrepreneur; Mother of

two Gen Ys; Runner; Cyclist; YMCA Spin Instructor


21st Century Agencies Must ADAPT!

Anticipate/Accept Change

Develop a Network

Advance Diversity

Play Well with Others

Take Responsibility



Generational Intelligence in the Workplace

Objectives: Identify the four generations in the workplace today Appreciate the differences in generational perspectives Understand how generational perspectives impact the

way we prefer to work Discuss Generational “clash points” and how to mitigate

them Have fun!


Generation Matters

“Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize

their teachers...” Socrates 469-399 BC


What's New In This Generation Gap?

First time four generations are working side by side in the American workplace

The American workplace has changed Increased global competition The Millennials will hit the workplace in huge

numbers Rapid rise of and shifts in technology


Federal Workforce Challenges

60% of the Federal workforce will be eligible to retire in the next decade--an estimated 40% will actually retire

64% of SES eligible to retire by 2012 (Average age of actual

retirement is 58)

Tenure for Federal employees is decreasing

By 2010, number of overall American prime age workers

(aged 35 to 45) will decrease by 10%


Why is this important NOW at GSA?

Meeting the challenges and goals of of the 21st Century (and the new Administration) will require everybody’s participation and collaboration

Understanding generational differences is necessary to understand GSA internal and external stakeholders

The ability to communicate and build relationship across generations will give GSA the “edge”


Who are the Four Generations?Veterans, Matures or Traditionalists

• Born: 1922-45• 50 to 52 Million• 5% - 6% of workforce

Baby Boomers

• Born: 1946-60• 76 Million• 43% to 46% of workforce

Generation X

• Born: 1961-80• 46 to 52 Million• 30% to 40% of workforce

Millennials, Nexters or Gen Y

• Born: 1981-2000• 75+ Million• 15% to 20% of workforce

Neil Howe & William Strauss, “Generations”


Let’s See What This Looks Like!

Clash Points & Projections


Projections and “stories” we often hear about older generations: Stuck in their ways, resistant to change, technophobes, reluctant

to give up power, retired in place, clogging the system, etc.

Projections and “stories” we often hear about about younger generations: Impatient, disrespectful, entitled, spoiled, technically advanced,

book smart—not street smart, poor work ethic, no loyalty. etc.


Generational Commonalities

We may be from different generations, but we have common needs and frustrations with our workplace.

We often articulate these needs and frustrations differently.

Awareness & appreciation of different perspectives is key to building on commonalities!


“All generalizations are dangerous, even this one.” Alexander Dumas 1824-1895


What Influences a Generation?

Core values are programmed into us during the first 15 years of life through four major influences:

Parents/Family Structure Economic Status, Ethnicity, Religion, etc.

Events Technology Shifts Cultural Norms

TraditionalistsBorn 1922-1945

•52 Million

•5% of Workforce

•Rapidly disappearing from full time work

•Loyal to employer

•Their work world beliefs and models still have strong influence



Parents/Family Structure

Immigrants Extended families Depression era–economically deprived Traditional roles


Traditionalist Seminal Events 1920’s… Segregation 1927 Lindbergh completes first transatlantic flight 1929 Stock market crashes 1930 Depression deepens 1931 Star spangled banner--national anthem 1932 Lindbergh baby kidnapped; FDR elected 1933 Dustbowl 1934 New Deal 1936 Jesse Owens wins gold medal at Olympics 1937 Hindenburg Tragedy; Hitler invades Austria 1941 Pearl Harbor--US enters WW2 1944 D-Day in Normandy; Congress passes GI Bill 1945 FDR dies; Victory in Europe and Japan 1946 Dr. Spock publishes Common Sense Book of Baby and Child

Care 1950 Korean War


Technology Shifts

Assembly Line Radio - Early Television Cars Household Appliances


Cultural Norms

Radio, Newspapers Work first, play later Patriotism Post-WW2 Boom and Shifts Segregated communities Separated communities


Traditionalists’ Values

Dedication Sacrifice Hard work Conformity Law & Order Honor

Patience Respect for authority–

know your place Duty before pleasure Adherence to rules

Traditionalists’ Key Word: Loyalty


Traditionalists at Work Military model: rank & status, structure & authority

Manufacturing Model: Division of labor & Assembly Line

Clear boundaries in work space

Believe promotions, raises, and recognition come from job tenure

Work ethic: timeliness, productivity, and not drawing attention

Loyal to their employer and expect the same in return

Many large organizations created with Traditionalist values! These work world beliefs and models still have strong influence in the Federal Sector.

Workplace Strategies: Traditionalists

Honor the chain of command Value their experience Appreciate their dedication Honor their experience Face to Face Communication Respect Adopt a mentoring mindset

with technology

“Your experience is respected here”

It’s important for us to hear what has and hasn’t worked in the past”

Your perseverance is valued and will be rewarded”

“Will you mentor me”


Baby Boomers Born 1946-1960

•76 million

•40 to 45% of workforce

•Mid to late career: entering traditional retirement age

•Large and in charge

•Career oriented–willing to work long hours

•Long period of economic prosperity

•Social change agents

•“Me Generation”

•Youth oriented




Traditionalist Parents Traditional roles--Mother at home, Father

knows best


Boomer Seminal Events 1954 McCarthy hearings begin 1955 Salk vaccine tested; Rosa Parks 1957 First nuclear power plant 1957 Civil Rights Act 1960 Birth control pill; Kennedy elected 1962 Cuban missile crisis; John Glenn circles the earth 1963 Martin Luther King leads march on DC; JFK assassinated 1964 Civil Rights Act 1965 Ground troops sent to Vietnam/Voting Rights Act 1966 NOW founded; Cultural revolution in China 1967 American Indian movement founded 1968 MLK and RFK assassinated 1969 First Lunar Landing; Woodstock 1970 Kent State University Shootings


Technology Shifts

Color T.V Medical Technology Advances Air Travel


Cultural Norms: The Boomer World

Free Love–Hippies Rock and Roll Vietnam Protests T.V. Families–still

traditional Suburbs Growing affluence

Questioning authority–invented “the generation gap”

Questioning social norms Changing institutions More access to

information (TV)


Boomers’ Values

Team orientation Question authority Personal gratification Involvement

Health and wellness Personal growth Youth Work

Boomers’ Key Word: Optimistic


Boomers’ Work World

Moving from manufacturing to services More educated workforce Equal Rights Laws (gender and race related) Teams and Matrixed Organizations


Baby Boomers at Work

Believe in, champion, and evaluate themselves and others based on their work ethic.

Work ethic for Boomers is measured in hours worked. Measuring productivity in those hours is less important.

Believe teamwork is critical to success.

Believe relationship building is very important.

Expect loyalty from those they work with.


Workplace Strategies: Boomers

Show respect Choose face-to-face

conversations Give them your full attention Play the game Learn the corporate history Demonstrate loyalty

“You are important to our success”

“We recognize your unique and important contribution to the team/organization”

“What is your vision?” “You are valued” “You’re a Senior EVP!”

Boomer Resentment!


Generation XBorn 1961-1981

•51 Million

•30% to 40% of Workforce

•Moving into leadership positions

•Entering mid-career

•Sandwiched between 2 huge generations

•Raising families

•Educated, entrepreneurial workforce

•Barack Obama!




Some Traditionalists Some Early Boomers Rising Divorce Rates Working Parents Non-indulgence


Gen X Seminal Events 1970 Women's Lib protests 1972 PLO terrorists at Munich Olympics 1973 Watergate; Energy crisis begins 1975 Fall of Saigon 1976 Tandy and Apple market PC’s 1978 Jonestown Suicide 1979 Three mile island; massive layoffs begin in US corps 1980 John Lennon shot; Ronald Reagan inaugurated; Aids hits 1986 Challenger disaster 1987 Stock market plummets 1988 Terrorist bomb--flight 103 1989 Valdez oil tanker spill; Berlin Wall falls 1991 Operation Desert Storm 1992 Rodney King Beating


Technology Shifts

Cable--MTV Personal Computers More airline travel


Cultural Norms: Gen X World

High Divorce Rate/Lower birth rate

Latch-key kids Even more TV (cable);

More information Economic uncertainty American uncertainty

Loss of faith in institutions:MarriageCorporationsGovernment

Beginning of “global marketplace”

“Yuppies”


Gen X Core Values

Diversity Global Thinking Balance Techno-literacy Initiative

Fun Informality Self-reliance/Independence Pragmatism

Gen X Key Word: Skeptical


Gen X Work World

More flexible arrangements More technology Layoffs: tech boom and crash Rise in small businesses Less hierarchy


Gen X at Work Eschew the hard-core, super-motivated, do or die

Boomer work ethic. Want open communication regardless of position, title, or

tenure. Respect production over tenure. Results over role. Value control of their time—get a life! Telecommuting, giddy-up! Look for a person to whom they can invest loyalty, not a

company.


Workplace Strategies: Gen X

Get to the point

Use e-mail

Give them space

Get over notion of “paying

dues”

Lighten up

Open and direct

communication

“Do it your way” “You can work independently” “We’ve got the latest IT” “Pay for Performance, not

tenure” “There aren’t a lot of rules

here”


Xers and Boomers: 10 Delineators Xers think the “job”, Boomers think “career”

Xers are blunt, Boomers diplomatic

Xers unfazed by authority, Boomers are impressed

Xers feel indifferent about approval, Boomers seek it

Xers mistrust business practices, Boomers defend them

Xers are self reliant, Boomers team oriented

Xers task and result oriented, Boomers relationship and process oriented

Xers assimilate technology, Boomers accommodate it

Xers want to be viewed on merit, Boomers was experience to count

Xers want to survive, Boomers want to change the world

Generation YBorn 1982 to 2000

•75+ million

•15%-20% of workforce (and growing!)

•Will soon outnumber Gen X

•Launching careers

•Educated

•Competitive

•Looking to contribute now!




Boomers Some divorce More wealth Child-focus Seat at the table Parent as friend


Gen Y Seminal Events Oklahoma City Bombing Clinton/Lewinsky Columbine 2000 Election--hanging chads 9/11 Tsunami in Asia; Hurricane Katrina Darfur Iraq War on Terror (terror alerts) Virginia Tech Shooting Global Warming Rise of China & India Barack Obama, President of the United States Financial Institution Failures International Government Bail Outs


Technology Shifts

Internet/Web 2.0 Cell phone technology E-Social Networks Genome project Nano technology


Cultural Norms: Gen Y World

Child Focus: Baby on Board My Child is on the -----

Honor Roll Helicopter parents Democratic family systems Stranger fear Technology speeds up Wikki World

Reality TV Busy, over-planned lives Increased competition for

college--stress Long period of economic

growth and affluence Economic disparities growing Green Movement


Gen Y Values

Confidence Civic Duty Achievement Sociability

Morality Diversity Consumerism Participation

Gen Y Key Word: Realistic


Gen Y Work World

Traditionalist, Boomers and Xers still in charge Little or no manufacturing segment Gen Y have negative reputation Multiple careers Puzzle careers Social Entrepreneurship


Gen Y at Work Flexible, fun, interactive, & collaborative workplaces Relaxed definitions/standards of job duties, roles,

schedules and dress code Colleagues as friends/friends as colleagues Work with other young people Diversity Mentor/coaching relationship with supervisors Open lines of communication with supervisors Positive feedback–criticism should be "constructive" Wants to add value--NOW!


Gen X and Gen Y: Differences

Xers want to survive, Y’s want to have fun at work Xers are loyal to people, Y’s like to be hired with their friends Xers do not like hands-on management, Y’s demand and

expect it Xers are unfazed by authority, Y’s don’t even see it Xers feel indifferent about approval, Y’s expect it Xers assimilate technology, Y’s are “natives” Xers had to “wait their turn”, Y’s had a seat at the table


Workplace Strategies: Gen Y

Onboard Encourage cohort Manage the post-honeymoon

slump Provide rotation opportunities Demand your supervisors

supervise and give them the resources they need

Challenge them

Ask them their opinion

Find them a mentor

Provide timely feedback Provide leadership

development training Really leverage your new

talent Manage parent involvement


You Can’t Ignore It

Federal Leaders Must Engage: Boomers: Optimistic and Late-career Gen X: Skeptical and Mid-career Gen Y: Realistic and Early-careerWhen and How THEY Want To Be Engaged

TIP: Conduct a “Stay Interview”


Closing Thoughts Today’s organizations must learn to manage, develop

and lead a 21st Century workforce Align organizational needs/wants with workforce

needs/wants

Talent development must be flexible: One size does not

fit all! We have more in common than we think

Mentoring can play an important role in leveraging Generational Diversity

Thank You!

generation matters! collaborating effectively across generations gsa 2010 conflict management &...

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