Managing professionals presents many challenges and rewards, but cross-generational differences present a unique management situation. The panel experts are providing tips, tools and resources to help manage expectations and create a work environment that is supportive, productive and satisfying for employees across all generations.
Alicia Agnew – Small Business Development Consultant, African American Chamber of Commerce
Jennifer Gleeson Blue – Founder, GenEdge
Ken Haycook – Owner, Kendel Group
Nicole Lipkin – Co-Author, Y in the Workplace, Managing the “Me First” Generation
Jennifer Gleeson Blue - The generation gap boils down to 2 things – prejudice and power. When we do not work from the position of an open mind, we are unable reconcile our differences. The solution is results based collaboration. Stay focused on the end results. Collaboration is based in two things – ownership & alignment.
Ken Haycook – Age defines a demographic not a person. We have to remember that generalizations about the generations are just generalizations. We have to pay attention to personalities not age. We have to understand the different way each generation thinks and what their expectations are.
Nicole Lipkin – Every generation does great things & every generation messes things up. We just have to learn to understand and manage the differences in each generation. We have to remember that each generation only reacts and acts based on how they were raised. The attitudes and expectations that we complain about with Gen Y were the attitudes and expectations that we instilled in them through our cultural, societal and education shifts. Every generation has comparable experiences, it is how we learn to react to it and how it is relayed to us (think instant news due to technology) that form how our generational attitudes. We need to bring management & leadership back – Hands off does not equal Empowerment.
Alicia Agnew – We have to learn the norms, attitudes, culture and language of Gen Y if we want to attract and retain the best talent. We have to be willing to be flexible. We have to be creative and innovative in how we attract this generation and their talent.
Each generation is negatively viewed by the generations before it – if we fail to remember that, we will fail to lead them.
Bottom line – Manage to the individual – not the group, not the age. The way to bring all generations to the table is drop the egos & communicate! Get out of the struggle for power. Find or create a common ground to bring all your generations together.
