Generational Leadership Introduction In the 21st Century, workplace environments are ever-changing. Generational differences are becoming more prevalent and understanding generational differences in the workplace allows for more collaboration and productivity. Employees who are self-aware are more likely to foster an environment of teamwork and innovation where generation differences exist. Objective To provide awareness and understanding of generational differences that exist in the workplace and how to effectively blend them together for the betterment of the organization’s goals.

From High Maintenance to High Productivity 1 Provided are different strategies managers can use to change the “High Maintenance” Generation Y employees into “Highly Productive.” Below is a brief summary of the messages to managers:  Take the time to get to know each Gen Yer. Listen to them. Show them you genuinely care about their success in your organization as well as care about them as persons. Make building those relationships as much a managerial imperative as accomplishing results. Go for a walk, take them to lunch, have coffee: Yers feel more comfortable in informal settings than in formal meetings.  Establish a coaching relationship with them. Yers want managers who are teachers who can help them grow and improve. Since they’re the ‘‘education is cool’’ generation, position yourself as a dynamic source of their learning. Provide the resources, tools, and the learning goals they need to progress ‘‘just-in-time.’’ Gen Yers learn best, as most people do, when they know they will need the knowledge or skill to succeed.  Treat Yers as colleagues, not as interns or ‘‘teenagers.’’ They can’t stand condescending managers who yell and scream, and who are not approachable when they need their questions answered.  Be flexible enough to customize schedules, work assignments, projects and career paths. One-size-fits all is out; customization is in. Since many Yers are still in school, they appreciate a manager’s attempts to balance work requirements with their other commitments  Consistently provide constructive feedback. Don’t wait for performance evaluations to tell Yers what they’re doing wrong. Do it daily. Tell them how to improve today. That’s what the best coaches do: They observe and give immediate feedback. Avoid harping on the negative, accentuate the positive, and, most importantly, get them back on track immediately.  Consistently let Yers know when they’ve done a good job. Give them immediate praise, recognition and rewards for great performance. Tie rewards and incentives to one thing only: performance. And make sure to deliver them in close proximity to the event. Generational Leadership 1 Martin, Carolyn A. "From High Maintenance to High Productivity." Industrial And Commercial Training 37.1 (2005): 39-44

Boomer-Millennial Workplace Clash 1 Generations are described as having different mental maps for the workplace and how it is the responsibility of the manager to understand these different maps and make engaged in their work. Outlined are messages to managers summarized from the survey results  Make Training & Mentoring a Priorty - This kind of support is crucial when you’re dealing with a group used to receiving plenty of feedback and one-on-one attention.  Set Clear (Culture Norm) Objectives - Millennials, being newish to the workplace, don’t have the same depth of norms to compare things to, so setting clear objectives for culture norms up front is important.  Consider the Medium - Focus on how Millennials access new knowledge in their personal lives and  incorporate that into on-the-job training.  Provide Feedback Early & Often - Millennials are accustomed to frequent feedback, and have only recently left the academic environment where that feedback is built right in to the “job.” So build feedback into this job, too.  Pause Before Reacting - Generational resentment does not lead to the behavior change you are looking for in the workplace Along with these messages to managers were messages to Millennials:  Hold Off on Friending in Social Media  Social Media Lasts Forever  Keep Texting at Bay  Position Yourself as a Subject Matter Expert of Your Generation  Follow the Lead of Your Manager Generational Leadership 1 Meister, Jeanne. "The Boomer-Millennial Workplace Clash: Is it real?" Forbes.com. N.p., 4 June Web. 11 Nov. 2013

Exercise Select the category that best fits describing you for each row. Total your score. If you scored near 20, you think like the Mature Generation; points like a Baby Boomer; points as Generation X; and 5-9points like the Millennial (Generation Y). What do you find surprising about the other options for each question? Generational Leadership 4321 Attitude toward work assignments If they say “jump”, I say “how high”. If they say “jump”, I think about doing it a better way, then I jump. If they say “jump”, I want to know what’s in it for me. If they say “jump”, I say “Why?” Role of working women Women should stay home and raise the children. Women have come a long way. Some women are even capable of holding high level positions within an organization. Women should have the same opportunities as men in the workplace. Is there a difference between men and women? Perception of work lifeI’ll work at the same company from cradle to grave. I’ll work at a company well into my 60’s, and then maybe do something else. I’ll work at a job until something better comes along – more money is always better but opportunity for quick advancement is best. I don’t want to jump through endless hoops to get promoted. Work? I thought we were supposed to have fun and experience all we could. If it feels like work, I don’t want any part of it! Attitudes toward working hours Working long hours every day shows your commitment to the organization. Your family will always be there, but the company may fail if I don’t work hard. It’s hard to balance work and family, but work should come before family if a choice needs to be made. I’ll work from 8-5, unless something very important comes up. Flexibility on the job is really important to me. Standard working hours? If there’s nothing interesting to do at work I should be able to go home. Getting in early is also a problem. Note to Markham: This slide is written from an administrator’s perspective as I will use it with my employees immediately.