Send to KindleThings have changed. When I was young, the new generation was expected to conform to the wishes of the older generation. Although not quite at the “seen and not heard” level, we were still expected to listen and wait. Wait until it was our turn, though we were never sure when that would be. Of course some waited better than others. These days, that’s all changed. The younger generation doesn’t want to wait for anyone and the older generations seem more willing to accommodate the impatience of youth. But that isn’t to say there isn’t conflict. There most certainly is conflict; conflict that disrupts the workplace and for which today’s leaders seem ill equipped.
There’s a common tendency among us humans to put things in categories. That’s not always a bad thing as it helps us organize information. The problem comes when we categorize people and forget we’re dealing with individuals who have unique histories, experiences, and influences. People may share the same generational category, but still be distinctly different. A good leader needs to have some knowledge about each generation’s common features while also striving to understand each person’s individuality.
There are many generalizations about the characteristics of each generation, sometimes caused by observations of a small group, sometimes by popularization of minor events. Whatever the reason, these generalizations can often be wrong. For instance, it is sometimes said that members of Generation X don’t make very good leaders. My own experience tells me that’s ridiculous. I’ve supervised and observed many Xers who have been very good leaders.
That’s why I’ve written my new book, Leading the Generations: A Leader’s Guide to the Complex, Multi-Generational, 21st Century Workplace. The book is in two parts. The first part is a comprehensive review of the five generations that impact the 21st century workplace. It looks at the events that shaped each generation, how they are different and yet sometimes very similar, and how each generation influences the others. I dispel some myths and provide a little information about each generation you might not have known.
The second part is a set of proven tools to help leaders bring the generations together and diffuse the conflict. This part looks at such things as communication, leading change, the role and effects of technology, and why it is so important to understand the individual and not just their generation.
Balancing the Generations is for anyone who is in the workplace of today! You can find the book at http://bit.ly/ilLn2f.
