“What’s the Matter With Kids These Days?“ How to Effectively Navigate Generational Differences

1. “What’s the Matter With Kids These Days?“ How to Effectively Navigate Generational Differences By Janeece Black Email: janeece.black@intermountainmail.org

2. What Generation Are You? • Technology is…. • Frightening and disconcerting! • Complicated • Part of life • My only link to the outside world

3. What Generation Are You? • As an adolescent, you watched the following on TV… A. TV…we didn’t have one yet! B. Ed Sullivan Show or Late Night with Johnny Carson C. Charlie’s Angels or the A-Team D. Friends or Reality TV (American Idol, Laguna Beach)

4. What Generation Are You? • Growing up you listened to… • Frank Sinatra or Billie Holliday • Elvis Presley or The Beatles • Michael Jackson or New Kids on the Block • Britney Spears or Kelly Clarkson

5. What Generation Are You? • What movie was a “must see” during your adolescence… • “Citizen Cane” or “Casablanca” • “Some Like it Hot” or “Psycho” • “Star Wars” or “E.T.” • “Titanic” or “Lord of the Rings”

6. What Generation are You? • A memorable adolescent historical event was… • Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima • President Kennedy was assassinated • Berlin Wall came down • Princess Diana was killed in a car crash

7. What Generation are You? • During high school, the President of the United States was… • Franklin Roosevelt or Harry Truman • Dwight Eisenhower or John F. Kennedy • Ronald Reagan or George Bush, Sr. • Bill Clinton or George W. Bush

8. What Generation Are You? • If you answered mostly: A’s – Veteran/Traditionalist/Silent B’s – Baby Boomer/Sandwich C’s – Generation X D’s – Generation Y/Millennial/Why

9. What Generation Do You Belong To?

10. Agenda • Review defining moments and resulting values of each generation • The impact of these values on the generations • Discuss effective management tools for each generation

11. Generations • Traditionalists: • Born 1925-1945 • Boomers/Sandwich Generation: • Born 1946-1964 • Gen X: • Born 1965-1980 • Gen Y: • Born 1981 to 2000

12. Retention Crunch • Ogden, Utah issues • In the last 15 months Ogden City Police have: • 7 Officers retire • 1 Medical retirement • 1 Death • Currently 22 Officers have enough time to retire • Total of 31 Officers who could be retired in a 15-month time period

13. Interview • Find Someone that is from a different generation in this room • Ask them these questions • Biggest news story from your childhood? • Favorite band/TV show? • Favorite childhood toy? • How did these things influence your childhood?

14. Why Bother? • 80% of Boomers intend to work past normal retirement • For the first time there are four to five generations working in the same workforce

15. What Gaps? • In the past, seldom more than 2 generations were in a workforce at the same time • In 1910, 22% never reached 1 year of age and only 3% made it past age 85 • In 2000 98% made it to age 1 and 22% made it past age 85

16. Employee DemandsAccording to Roper ASW survey • Virtually all employees, of all generations, view all jobs as temporary • Seven of ten Millennials say that being friends with co-workers is a priority • 40% of Gen-Xers and Millennials continue to be on the lookout for better job opportunities • The number of people of all generations who put “family” first increased dramatically over the last few years • Employees put personal satisfaction ahead of pay when they talk about the ideal job

17. Name The Show Green Acres

18. Traditionalists • Who are they? • Rudolph Giuliani, Colin Powell, Jimmy Carter • 32 million in the workforce • Built our infrastructure: 40,000 miles of interstate, dams, etc • Over half are military Veterans

19. Traditionalists • Defining Moments: • Great Depression, New Deal, Midwest Dustbowl • Crash of Wall Street • WWI, WWII, Korean War • Pearl Harbor • The Atomic Bomb was dropped

20. Traditionalists • Understanding them: • Outlook: practical • Work ethic: dedicated • View of authority: respectful • Leadership by: hierarchy • Relationships: personal sacrifice • Perspective: Civic

21. Type of Leadership Preferred by Traditionalists • Prefers to work for a manager who is: • Directive • Logical • Fair and consistent • Respectful • And who… • Identifies a clear direction • Sets long-term goals • Spells out clear job expectations

22. Name the Show The Golden Girls

23. How to Manage Traditionalists • Ask about the work itself – and offer learning experiences • Make it clear: No “coasting” allowed • Address the new standard of customization • Encourage “making the call” • Create knowledge transfer programs

24. Ask about the Work Itself • Have a one on one conversation • What work would you like to be doing more of? Less of? • Are there any talents you aren’t using right now that would benefit the team? The organization? How could you begin using them immediately? • If you could redefine your job to make it more satisfying, what would it look like?

25. Ask about the Work Itself (con’t) • What new skills would you want to learn to enhance your job? • Are there any leadership opportunities you’d be interested in pursuing? If so, what would it take to get you up to speed to tackle them? • How can I recognize and reward you for the contributions you make to the team?

26. Make It Clear: No “Coasting” Allowed • Recent research shows that older workers are often more engaged with their work, and therefore more motivated to exceed expectations than are younger workers • Don’t allow them to coast once expectations are defined • Meet with these workers regularly to problem-solve, troubleshoot, and provide resources and coaching.

27. Traditionalists • At the top of their game: • Forty-six athletes, including two women in their 90’s competed in the US Tennis Association’s National Women’s 70-80-90 Indoor Championship in August 2005

28. Traditionalists • At the top of their game: • CVS, the drugstore chain, reports they currently have people in their 70’s lifting heavy boxes & those in their 90’s engaged in challenging management positions

29. Business Week Cover Story June 27, 2005 • “While confidence and risk-taking--traits of youth--are key, patience is what separates the winners from the losers, Renner says, and this quality doesn't blossom until after 45.” • John Renner, a psychologist with Hagberg Consulting Group in Foster City, Calif.

30. Name the Show • F-Troop

31. Address the New Standard of Customization • Step 1 – Ask them to make a list of all the tasks & responsibilities they are charged with accomplishing & have direct experience with • Step 2 – Have them prioritize their tasks & responsibilities according to importance and frequency

32. Address the New Standard of Customization • Step 3 – Ask them to create standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each task & responsibility, beginning with their top priority. • Step 4 – Review each SOP to ensure that processes are up-to-date, given new technology & latest policies & procedures.

33. Encourage “Making the Call” • Convince them to “make the call”, “use your judgment” & “I’ll stand behind you” • As a manager prove: • You have enough industry knowledge • Self confidence • People skills

34. Create Knowledge Transfer Program • One million Traditionalists are exiting the workplace each year • What is your knowledge transfer plan? • Create a “go-to” list who the younger employees can turn to when they need immediate information • Establish a team of long-tem employees who put together a list of frequently asked questions, and provide answers

35. Create Knowledge Transfer Program • Formalize job shadowing, cross training, and job-sharing opportunities so younger workers can learn from the experts • Engage Traditionalists to offer some trainings for the group • Set a precedence for recognizing, honoring & rewarding them for sharing their experience & wisdom

36. Name the Show • American Bandstand

37. Manager’s who Drive Traditionalist CRAZY • Seems too touchy feely • Are indecisive • Worry about making unpopular decisions

38. Activity • Case Study: • Work with a team of four • Read through the case study • Collaborate on how to handle this situation • Present to the other group

39. Baby Boom Population • Who are They… • Born 1946 to 1964 • Tom Hanks, George Bush Jr., & Oprah • 76 million in the workforce • Youth, Health & Wellness

40. Boomers: Who Are They? • Optimism • Team Orientation • Personal Gratification • Work • Community • Consumers

41. Name the Show • The Beverly Hillbillies

42. Boomer Quote • “Before long, the baby-boom generation – some of the ‘60’s crowd is now in its 60’s – will begin packing (nursing home) facilities. When old rock and rollers show up with their walkers – trendsetters to the end – the nursing homes might well become the hottest singles scene going.” • Dirk Johnson & Julie Scelfo • Newsweek, Dec. 15, 2003

43. Boomer Split • Boomers are made up of “Woodstockers” & “Young Boomers”

44. Woodstockers • Beginning of the “me generation” • Raised by doting, outer-focused WW II Veteran parents • Kids when it was cool to be a kid • Set out to create a more open, free society

45. Young Boomers • Too young to appreciate the “feel” of Woodstock • Experienced high disappointments of the 70’s: • Watergate • Gas lines • The Iranian hostage crisis • A faltering economy

46. Baby Boomers/Sandwich • Defining Moments: • The “Cold War” • Vietnam/the draft/Kent State • Woodstock • Kennedy Assassinations • Man on the Moon • Civil Rights Riots/Movement

47. Baby Boomers/Sandwich • Child born every 17 minutes for 20 years • So many of them competing in the workforce that they learned the value of “politically correct”

48. Name the Show • Cheers

49. Baby Boomers/Sandwich • Values • Love/Hate with authority • Competitive Workaholics • First of the generations to think of their work as a career

50. Baby Boomers/Sandwich • First Generation to be graded on “works well with others” • Encouraged to get in touch with their feelings • “I’d like to teach the world to sing” resonated with this generation