Transcript Leading Diverse Workplace Generations Effectively

Leading Diverse
Workplace Generations
Effectively
Ontario Council for University
Lifelong Learning
October 17, 2008
Stephen H. Smith
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Goals of the Workshop
• Provide an updated view of workplace
generations (Knowledge);
• Highlight some implications for leaders
(Appreciation and Understanding);
• Opportunity to transfer the understanding
into practical action planning (Application).
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Agenda
• Concept of Generational Differences;
• Basic Premises of the Presentation/Workshop;
• Some Cautions on Studying Generations;
• Descriptions of Generational Differences;
• Overview of Generational Commonalities;
• Considerations for Managing Generational Diversity;
• Scenario Action Planning.
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What’s the Big Deal?
“If
the workplace feels like a battle zone and
colleagues sometimes act like adversaries you
are not alone. Today’s four generations glare
at one another across the conference table and
potential for conflict and confusion has never
been greater.”
(Lancaster & Stillman)
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What’s the Big Deal?
“There is a growing realization
that the gulf of misunderstanding and
resentment between older, not so old
and younger employees in the workplace
is growing and problematic.”
Gensler Group – Kirkpatrick/Martin/Warneke
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So What’s New?
“Young people today are tyrants. They
contradict their parents, they eat like
slobs and tyrannize their teachers”
Socrates (470-399 BC)
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So What’s New?
“They’re rude. They’re slackers. They
dress unprofessionally. They love loud
music. They don’t respect people who are
older. They’re… Generation Y?”
Wrong – they are you!
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So What’s New?
The term generation gap came into vogue
in the 1960’s as way of describing the
apparent wide gulf in values, beliefs and
lifestyles between baby boomers and
their parents.
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So What’s New?
“The reason people blame things on
previous generations is that there is no
other choice”
Doug Larson
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Differences Really?
“ Their leadership behaviors, and what
they want from work, from today’s
generation compare with other
generations and find that age doesn’t
really make all that much difference.”
Barry Posner
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Differences Really?
“There’s this “mythology” built up
about relationships between the oldest
and youngest generations, and for the
most part it’s just not true.”
Terry West
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So Why Does this Really
Matter?
• There really is a labour shortage;
• There really is a “War for Talent”;
• You really need to retain all the employees you
can;
• Many baby boomers are not retiring;
• Workplace Diversity is really here to stay. 12
And Furthermore…
“Regardless of the emphasis the fact of the
matter is that we have 3-4 different groups
of different ages, at different stages in their
careers, functioning in a very fast paced
changing and increasing diverse world”.
13
So Why Am I Here?
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So Why Am I Here?
• Major Careers Job & the Need to Survive –
have been part of teams with diversity of
generations;
• College Teaching – primarily Generation X and
Y’s (Kate)
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Some Basic Premises
• Generations have differences;
• These differences often result in conflicts;
• Most intergenerational conflicts have a
common cause or issue;
• It is the issue of power – who has it and
wants it.
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Some Basic Premises-2
• All generations share several commonalities:
• E.g. They all want the same basic things –
but how they get them is different;
• E.g. They have the same basic core values they just express the differently;
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Some Good News
“We as leaders can work with or manage
people from all generations effectively
without becoming magicians, selling our
souls or more importantly losing our
sanity”
Jennifer Deal
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Some Cautions
Lots of sources & information about
descriptions of the differences of
generations is available, but there is a
limited number of research studies or
documented sources (Discernment).
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Some Cautions-2
• We need to guard against lumping individuals
into a whole group – risk of stereotyping or
psycho-analyzing whole generation of
individuals.
• Some of the differences – well who really
cares?
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Some Cautions-3
• All characteristics do not apply to all
individuals within the group;
• Personalities, ethnicity, gender, sexual
orientation and environment are also the
causes of differences not just age;
• Exceptions to the rule do not invalidate the
general rule description on generations;
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Some Cautions-4
• Do not key only on differences – also focus
on commonalities.
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Story to Illustrate
Difference
• Key recruitment situation;
• Diverse cast of characters;
• Three sets of different needs & interests;
• One big potential problem;
• Sources of creativity and productivity.
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What Happened?
• HR Recruitment Coordinator successfully persuaded
the manager to flex and support the hire/leave;
• Six months later the manager was singing the
praises of the HR Coordinator and how she save
his “hide”
• HR was successful in its only mission – facilitating
the line department to achieve their business
goals.
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So what should we do?
Lots of situations are not generational in
nature – but again lots are, so it is valuable
to have “generational lenses” handy.
Claire Raines
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Overview of Descriptions of
Generation Differences
• Review Chart
Comparison of Characteristics of
Main Generations in the Workplace
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Key Differences in
Workplace
• Differences that can cause conflict:
Boomers
Work Ethic
View of
Authority
Leadership By
Relationships
Turnoffs
Generation X
Generation Y
Driven
Balanced
Determined
Love/Hate
Unimpressed
Polite
Consensus
Competence
Working Together
Personal
Gratification
Reluctant to
Commit
Inclusive
Political
Incorrectness
Cliché, Hype
Promiscuity
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Key Differences in the
Workplace-2
• Differences that can cause conflict:
Boomers
Generation X
Generation Y
Work-life
Balance
“I already have
balance – it’s a 50
hour week”
“ I want balance
now not once I
get settled”
Work isn’t
everything, I need
flexibility to
balance my other
interests”
Use of
Technology
If I have too, but
don’t make it too
complex”
“ I must stay
current , but lets
slow down on
advances”
“Have you seen
the latest…?”
Job/Position
Changing
“Puts you behind
– you need
stability”
“Is necessary to
develop my
career”
“Thinking about
it is part of my
daily routine”
Decisionmaking
“I need a bit more
info and time”
I would like to
meet to discuss”
“ Lets get on with
it”
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Key Differences in the
Workplace-3
• Differences that can cause conflict;
Boomers
Generation X
Rewards
“Money, title ,
recognition, the
corner office”
“Freedom is the
ultimate reward”
“My work has to
give me meaning
in life”
Feedback
“Feedback with
lots of
documentation”
“Sorry to
interrupt, but how
I am I doing”
“Feedback when I
want it, at the
push of a button”
Layout of
Workplace
See Next Slide
See Slide 30
Generation Y
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Boomer Workplace
30
Generation X Workplace
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Perceptions are Important
• How each generation sees the other is
important to managing the diversity:
Boomers
Boomers
On…
Generation X
“Live for today, don’t
have the burning
ambition to get
ahead and always
want exceptions.”
Generation X
On…
“Dated and out of
touch with change
and new
technology.”
Generation Y
On…
“Need to let the
cork out a bit and
listen to other’
people’s
viewpoints.”
Generation Y
“Not interested in
the future, vision is
limited, rude, and
think they know it
all.”
“Always changing
their minds, another
self-absorbed
generation.”
“9 to 5’ers who
clutter their
workstations with
pictures of their
kids… enough
already.”
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Differences on Technology:
Generation Y
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Generations Have Things in
Common
• There are differences how they view their
worlds because their worlds are different;
• How the generations articulate their values
are different;
• But it appears that each generation’s core
values are not much different.
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Research by Center of Creative
Leadership & Posner/Kouzes
• Center of Creative Leadership:
• (5,800 people participated in survey research)
• Posner/Kouzes- The Leadership Challenge
• (over 10,000 respondents)
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Top Five Values, by
Generation
• Source: Jennifer Deal – Center for Creative
Leadership
Late Boomers
Late Xers
Yers
Family 64%
Family 67%
Family 73%
Integrity 46%
Love 32%
Love 49%
Love 29%
Integrity 24%
Spirituality 28%
Spirituality 23%
Happiness 20%
Happiness 25%
Happiness 18%
Spirituality 17%
Friendship 25%
36
All Generations Want
Respect
• Source: Center of Creative Leadership
• What people mean by respect is:
• Listen to me, pay attention to what I
say;
• Give my opinions some weight in your
decisions;
• Do what I tell you to do;
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All Generations Want
Respect-2
• People in authority want their decisions to be
respected;
• Boomers want their experiences and wisdom to be
respected and deferred to:
• Generation X & Y would like their fresh ideas and
suggestions to be respected;
• Questions or questioning does not necessarily
demonstrate disrespect.
38
All Generations Want Leaders
who Are Trustworthy & Credible
• People from every generation and at every
level that employees, managers and leaders
don’t trust each other as much any more;
• And most people are tired of covering their
butts and want co-workers and leaders they
can trust;
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All Generations Want Leaders
Who Are Trustworthy & Credible
• People of all generations and at all levels are
more likely to trust people they work with
directly (bosses, peers, and direct reports);
• People trust their organizations less than they
do people they work with directly;
• People trust upper management less they trust
their organization;
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All Generations Want Leaders who
Are Trustworthy & Credible
• What generation you are from or how old you
are does not affect how much you trust other
people or your organization;
• The less people trust, the more likely they are
to leave, especially Xers and Yers.
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Top Five Leadership
Attributes, by Generation
Source: Center of Creative Leadership, Posner/Kouzes
Late Boomers
Xers
Yers
Credible 75%
Credible 71%
Listens Well 68%
Trusted 60%
Trusted 58%
Dependable 66%
Farsighted 59%
Farsighted 54%
Dedicated 63%
Listens Well 53%
Listens Well 51%
Focused 59%
Encouraging 53%
Encouraging 46%
Trusted 56%
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Top Five Leadership Attributes,
by Organizational Level
• Source : Center for Creative Leadership, Posner/Kouzes
Top/Executive
Upper Management
Management
Professional
Credible 68%
Credible 74%
Credible 75%
Credible 77%
Farsighted 66%
Farsighted 58%
Trusted 61%
Listens Well 58%
Trusted 58%
Trusted 55%
Listens Well 51%
Trusted 57%
Listens Well 53%
Listens Well 48%
Encouraging 51%
Farsighted 57%
Focused 51%
Encouraging 48%
Dependable 51%
Encouraging 48%
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All Generations Want Leaders who
Are Trustworthy & Credible
• People of all generations and at all levels want their
leaders to be credible, trustworthy, dependable,
farsighted, encouraging and good listeners;
• People would rather leaders say that they cannot talk
about something than for them to mislead intentionally.
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All Generations Can Be Loyal: But
It Depends on Context
• Different generations have about the same levels of
loyalty;
• The objects of their loyalty is different:
– Boomer – Loyal to the organization
– Gen X – Loyal to the team
– Gen Y – Loyal to themselves, then team
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All Generations Can Be Loyal: But
It Depends on Context
• Younger generations are not more likely to job-hop
than older generations were at the same age;
• People who are closer to retirement are more likely to
want to stay with the same organization for the rest
of their working life;
• People higher in an organization work more hours than
do people lower in the organization; working more hours
isn’t a matter of what generation an employee is from.
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All Generations Can be Recruited &
Retained If You Do It Differently
• First, more and more - if you cannot articulate vision,
and values to a Gen X or Y you won’t get them in your
door, the good ones anyway;
• Employees of all generations are more likely to remain
with an organization if they receive:
» Good compensation
» Learning & development
» Opportunities for advancement
» Respect & recognition
» Good quality of life outside work
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All Generations Can be Recruited &
Retained If You Do It Differently
• However, employers must realize that each individual
wants a different combination;
• Just about everyone feels underpaid, overworked and
under appreciated – including you and me.
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All Generations Want to Learn the
Same Things
• Employees in all generations identified the same things
they want to learn in their workplaces;
• Employees in different levels in the organization
wanted to learn the same things;
• What employees want to learn is related to what they
need for their job, not their generation;
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Top Five Developmental
Areas, by Generation
Source: Center for Creative Leadership
Late Boomers
Xers
Yrs
Leadership
Leadership
Leadership
Skills training in my field
of expertise
Skills training in my field
of expertise
Problem solving, decision
making
Team building
Team building
Skills training in my field
of expertise
Problem solving, decision
making
Problem solving, decision
making
Communication skills
Strategic planning
Strategic planning
Self-awareness
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Top Five Developmental Areas,
by Organizational Level
Top and
Executive
Upper
Management
Management
Professional
First Level
Leadership
Leadership
Leadership
Leadership
Skills training in
my field of
expertise
Strategic
planning
Team building
Skills training in
my field of
expertise
Leadership
Computer
training
Team building
Skills training in
my field of
expertise
Team building
Problem solving,
decision making
Problem solving,
decision making
Managing
change
Strategic
planning
Problem solving,
decision making
Computer
training
Communication
skills
Vision
Vision
Strategic
planning
Team building
Leadership
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All Generations Want to
Learn the Same Things
• The ways/modalities employees learn may differ;
• Everyone wants to learn on the job;
• Everyone thinks coaching is a good idea;
• People are savvy about what they need to learn, what
they want to learn and how they want to learn. Listen
to them!
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So What is a Leader to Do?
Some General Considerations
• Minimize the emphasis on differences – informally
educate team members on understanding of the
diversity in workplaces (ethnicity, age, etc);
• Learn to accommodate employees (there are very
slippery slopes (Tsunami LOA);
• Create workplace choices, allow the workplace to shape
itself around the work being done as long as customers
needs are met (flex hours, dress code etc.);
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So What is a Leader to Do?
Some General Considerations-2
• Do not put your supervisory style on a fixed spot –
control & autonomy are on a continuum;
• Make your leadership style based on the situation and
people involved;
• Depend less on positional power and more on personal
influence;
• Take your time when matching individuals to a team or
a team or individual to an assignment;
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So What is a Leader to Do?
Some General Considerations-3
• Tailor your recruitment messages to the generation,
but always tell the truth;
• Place emphasis on retention, it is your best
recruitment tool;
• Take the time to communicate with your employees
about their workplace (surveys, focus groups).
Remember you pay now or later, but you will pay.
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So What is a Leader to Do?
Some General Considerations-4
• Give your leaders diversity training and not just on
generation diversity (cultural, religious etc.);
• Above all give your employees what they want!!
• Honesty, fairness, respect, genuine recognition &
appreciation;
• Invitation to give meaningful input, some risky
assignments, customer service, undivided
attention, collaboration & a vision to attain.
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That’s all Folks!
• Thank your for the opportunity to serve you
today!
[email protected]
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