THE FUTURE BELONGS TO ALL OF US: POSSIBILITIES FOR INTERGENERATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

CHHSM Annual MeetingFebruary 28, 2014

“IN MY ORGANIZATION, THERE ARE REAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OLDER AND YOUNGER GENERATIONS AND HOW THEY APPROACH WORK.” YES, AND THOSE DIFFERENCES SOMETIMES OR OFTEN POSED CHALLENGES:72%

WHO KNOWS ONLY HIS/HER OWN GENERATION REMAINS ALWAYS A CHILD. –CICERO (ADAPTED BY GEORGE NORLIN)

GENERATIONAL COHORT = COMMON TASTES,

ATTITUDES AND EXPERIENCES

FOUR GENERATIONSGeneration Traditionalist

s (4%)Baby

Boomers (40%)

Gen Xers (34%)

Millennials (22%)

Other Names

• Depression Babies

• The Greatest Generation

• GIs• Silent

Generation• WWII

Generation

• Boomers• The “Me”

Generation

• Xers• Postboomers• Twenty-

somethings• Thirteeners• Baby Busters

• Generation Y• The Net

Generation• The Digital

Generation

Birth Years Pre-1943 1943-1960 1960-1980 1980-2000Defining Events and Trends

• Patriotism• Families• Great

Depression• WWII • New Deal• Korean War• Golden Age of

Radio• Silver Screen• Rise of Labor

Unions

• Prosperity• Children in the

Spotlight• TV• Vietnam• Suburbia• Civil Rights• Cold War• Women’s

Liberation• The Space Race

• Watergate• Latchkey Kids• Single Parent

Homes• MTV• AIDS• Internet• Challenger

Disaster• Fall of Berlin

Wall• Persian Gulf

War

• Social Media and Facebook

• Mobile Computing

• 9/11• End of

Apartheid• It Takes A

Village• Reality TV• Multiculturalism• Tea Party• Occupy Wall

Street• Tsunami in SE

AsiaZemke, Raines, and Filipczak (2013), Generations at Work.

FOUR GENERATIONSGeneration Traditionalist

sBaby Boomers

Gen Xers Millennials

Other Names

• Depression Babies

• The Greatest Generation

• GIs• Silent

Generation• WWII

Generation

• Boomers• The “Me”

Generation

• Xers• Postboomers• Twenty-

somethings• Thirteeners• Baby Busters

• Generation Y• The Net

Generation• The Digital

Generation

Birth Years Pre-1943 1943-1960 1960-1980 1980-2000Defining Events and Trends

• Patriotism• Families• Great

Depression• WWII • New Deal• Korean War• Golden Age of

Radio• Silver Screen• Rise of Labor

Unions

• Prosperity• Children in the

Spotlight• TV• Vietnam• Suburbia• Civil Rights• Cold War• Women’s

Liberation• The Space

Race

• Watergate• Latchkey Kids• Single Parent

Homes• MTV• AIDS• Internet• Challenger

Disaster• Fall of Berlin

Wall• Persian Gulf

War

• Social Media and Facebook

• Mobile Computing

• 9/11• End of

Apartheid• It Takes A

Village• Reality TV• Multiculturalis

m• Tea Party• Occupy Wall

Street• Tsunami in SE

AsiaZemke, Raines, and Filipczak (2013), Generations at Work.

THE TRADITIONALIST PERSONALITY

Likes consistency and uniformity

Likes things on a grand scale Conformers Believes in logic, not magic Disciplined Past-oriented and history

absorbed Believes in law and order Spending style is

conservative

TRADITIONALISTS AT WORK

Assets Stable Detail-oriented Thorough Loyal Hard-working

Liabilities Struggles with

ambiguity and change

Reluctant to buck the system

Uncomfort-able with conflict

Reticent when they disagree

FOUR GENERATIONSGeneration Traditionalist

sBaby Boomers

Gen Xers Millennials

Other Names

• Depression Babies

• The Greatest Generation

• GIs• Silent

Generation• WWII

Generation

• Boomers• The “Me”

Generation

• Xers• Postboomers• Twenty-

somethings• Thirteeners• Baby Busters

• Generation Y• The Net

Generation• The Digital

Generation

Birth Years Pre-1943 1943-1960 1960-1980 1980-2000Defining Events and Trends

• Patriotism• Families• Great

Depression• WWII • New Deal• Korean War• Golden Age of

Radio• Silver Screen• Rise of Labor

Unions

• Prosperity• Children in the

Spotlight• TV• Vietnam• Suburbia• Civil Rights• Cold War• Women’s

Liberation• The Space

Race

• Watergate• Latchkey Kids• Single Parent

Homes• MTV• AIDS• Internet• Challenger

Disaster• Fall of Berlin

Wall• Persian Gulf

War

• Social Media and Facebook

• Mobile Computing

• 9/11• End of

Apartheid• It Takes A

Village• Reality TV• Multiculturalis

m• Tea Party• Occupy Wall

Street• Tsunami in SE

AsiaZemke, Raines, and Filipczak (2013), Generations at Work.

THE BABY BOOMER PERSONALITY

Believes in growth and expansion Tends to be optimistic Learned about teamwork in school

and at home Has pursued personal gratification,

often at a high price to themselves and others

Has searched their soul—repeatedly, obsessively, recreationally

Has always been cool

BABY BOOMERS AT WORK

Assets Service-oriented Driven Willing to go the

“extra mile” Good at

relationships Want to please Good team players

Liabilities Not naturally

“budget minded” Uncomfortable

with conflict Reluctant to go

against peers May put process

ahead of result Defensive in the

face of feedback Judgmental of

those who see things differently

Self-centered

FOUR GENERATIONSGeneration Traditionalist

sBaby Boomers

Gen Xers Millennials

Other Names

• Depression Babies

• The Greatest Generation

• GIs• Silent

Generation• WWII

Generation

• Boomers• The “Me”

Generation

• Xers• Postboomers• Twenty-

somethings• Thirteeners• Baby Busters

• Generation Y• The Net

Generation• The Digital

Generation

Birth Years Pre-1943 1943-1960 1960-1980 1980-2000Defining Events and Trends

• Patriotism• Families• Great

Depression• WWII • New Deal• Korean War• Golden Age of

Radio• Silver Screen• Rise of Labor

Unions

• Prosperity• Children in the

Spotlight• TV• Vietnam• Suburbia• Civil Rights• Cold War• Women’s

Liberation• The Space

Race

• Watergate• Latchkey Kids• Single Parent

Homes• MTV• AIDS• Internet• Challenger

Disaster• Fall of Berlin

Wall• Persian Gulf

War

• Social Media and Facebook

• Mobile Computing

• 9/11• End of

Apartheid• It Takes A

Village• Reality TV• Multiculturalis

m• Tea Party• Occupy Wall

Street• Tsunami in SE

AsiaZemke, Raines, and Filipczak (2013), Generations at Work.

THE GENERATION X PERSONALITY

Self-reliant Wants balance Has a nontraditional orientation about

time and space Likes informality Approach to authority is casual Cynical Continues to be technologically savvy Attracted to the edge

GENERATION X AT WORK

Assets Adaptability Technoliteracy Independence Creativity Willingness to

buck the system

Liabilities Skeptical Impatient Distrustful of

authority Inept at office

politics Less attracted

to leadership

FOUR GENERATIONSGeneration Traditionalist

sBaby Boomers

Gen Xers Millennials

Other Names

• Depression Babies

• The Greatest Generation

• GIs• Silent

Generation• WWII

Generation

• Boomers• The “Me”

Generation

• Xers• Postboomers• Twenty-

somethings• Thirteeners• Baby Busters

• Generation Y• The Net

Generation• The Digital

Generation

Birth Years Pre-1943 1943-1960 1960-1980 1980-2000Defining Events and Trends

• Patriotism• Families• Great

Depression• WWII • New Deal• Korean War• Golden Age of

Radio• Silver Screen• Rise of Labor

Unions

• Prosperity• Children in the

Spotlight• TV• Vietnam• Suburbia• Civil Rights• Cold War• Women’s

Liberation• The Space

Race

• Watergate• Latchkey Kids• Single Parent

Homes• MTV• AIDS• Internet• Challenger

Disaster• Fall of Berlin

Wall• Persian Gulf

War

• Social Media and Facebook

• Mobile Computing

• 9/11• End of

Apartheid• It Takes A

Village• Reality TV• Multiculturalis

m• Tea Party• Occupy Wall

Street• Tsunami in SE

AsiaZemke, Raines, and Filipczak (2013), Generations at Work.

THE MILLENNIAL PERSONALITY

Resiliently optimistic Digital native Collaborative Goal and achievement

oriented Diverse Confident

MILLENNIALS AT WORK

Assets Collective action Optimism Tenacity Heroic spirit Multitasking

capabilities Technological

savvy Adept at change

Liabilities Need for

supervision and structure

Demand for constant feedback

Helicopter parents Family events

trump work

POSSIBILITIES FOR INTERGENERATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Traditionalists

Baby Boomers

Gen Xers Millennials

Outlook Practical Optimistic Skeptical HopefulWork Ethic Dedicated Driven Balanced DeterminedView of Authority

Respectful Love / Hate Unimpressed Polite

Leadership by

Hierarchy Consensus Competence Pulling together

Relationships Personal sacrifice

Personal gratification

Reluctant to commit

Inclusive

Turn-offs Vulgarity Political incorrectness

Cliché, hype Promiscuity

Zemke, Raines, and Filipczak (2013), Generations at Work.

POSSIBILITIES FOR INTERGENERATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Recognizing and leveraging what is

already present

POSSIBILITIES FOR INTERGENERATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Strategic plans to include specific, measurable goals for equipping younger generations to carry the mission into the future (but it may not look the way you want it to)

Hiring and retaining generationally diverse employees to include training, celebration, and inclusive policies / benefits

Governance and leadership to include boards with younger generations having a significant voice and active role in decision making