Sounds of the Generations Not understanding the sounds of the generations, and the perspectives that are based on life-changing events, can produce stressful, confusing, and frustrating situations in all aspects of our lives, but particularly in group situations. This is so much more true today when workplaces are diversified along age, race, gender, ethnicity, and culture-at all levels of the organization. Computerization of our lives has drastically changed the make-up of the work place, especially for our youth.

DEFINING EVENTS 1930s Great Depression Election of FDR1940s Pearl Harbor D-Day VE Day and VI Day Hiroshima/Nagasaki1950s Korean War TV in every home McCarthy HCUAA Hearings Rock n Roll Salk Polio vaccine introduced1960s Vietnam Kennedy elected Civil Rights Movement Kennedy and King assassinations Moon landing Woodstock1970s Oil Embargo Nixon Resigns First PCs Women’s Rights Movement1980s Challenger Explosion Fall of Berlin Wall John Lennon shot Reagan elected Savings and Loan Debacle California: Loma Prieta earthquake1990s Desert Storm Oklahoma City bombing Death of Princess Diana Clinton Scandals Internet/PC boom California: Northridge earthquake 2000s Y2K Dot Com rise and fall 911 War on Terrorism War with Iraq

Sounds of the Generations “They have no work ethic. They’re just a bunch of slackers.” “A hiring bonus! Wet behind the ears and he wants a hiring bonus! At his age, I was just grateful to have a job.” “I have a new role. I will not attend meetings that start after 5 p.m. I have a life.” “He asks me, ‘Do you have an address?’ I felt like telling him, ‘since you were in diapers, buddy.’” “She wants a ‘career map.’ I don’t even know if there will be a customer relations department this time next year.” If I hear, ‘We tried that in ’87’ one more time, I will scream!”

The Veterans: Popular namesGeorge and Dorothy AKA Traditionalists; WWII Generation; The Silent Generation; Seniors Defining events The Great Depression; Pearl Harbor; WWII; New Deal; Korean War; Golden Age of Radio; Silver Screen; Rise of Labor Unions Visible members Harry Belafonte; George Bush Sr.; Jimmy Carter; Phil Donohue; John Glenn; Gloria Steinem Music of their early years Swing; Big Band; Glenn Miller; Duke Ellington; Benny Goodman; Tommy Dorsey; Frank Sinatra

The Baby Boomers: Popular namesTom and Linda AKABoomers Defining events Prosperity; Children in the spotlight; Television (color); Suburbia; Assassinations; Vietnam; Civil Rights Movement; Flower Children; Woodstock; The Cold War; Women’s Liberation: The Space Race Visible members Bill & Hilary Clinton; David Letterman; Oprah Winfrey; Jane Pauley; Bill Gates; Rush Limbaugh; Mick Jagger Music of their early years Rock n Roll; Acid Rock; Elvis; The Beatles; Rolling Stones; Grateful Dead; Beach Boys; Jimi Hendrix; Janis Joplin; Bob Dylan; Supremes; Temptations

The Generation Xers: Popular namesDevon and Li AKA Xers; Twenty-somethings; Thirteeners; Baby busters; Post-boomers Defining events Watergate/Nixon resigns; Latchkey kids; Stagflation; Single-parent homes; MTV; AIDS; Computerized games/emergence of PCs; Challenger disaster; Wall Street/S&L; Fall of Berlin Wall; Persian Gulf; Glasnost & Perestroika Visible members George Stephanopoulis; Kurt Cobain; Jewel; Brad Pitt; Michael Jordan; Matt Groening; Neil Stephenson; Michael Dell Music of their early years Disco; Rap; Raggae; Elton John; Bruce Springstein; Tina Turner; Bon Jovi; Michael Jackson; Guns n Roses; U2; Prince

The Nexters: Popular namesBrandon and Crystal AKA Millennials; Generation Y; Generation 2001; Nintendo Generation; Generation Net; Internet Generation Defining events Computers; Schoolyard violence; Oklahoma City bombings; It takes a village; TV talk shows; Multiculturalism; Girl’s movement; McGuire and Sosa; 911; War on Terrorism Visible members Kerri Strug; Macauley Culkin; Tara Lipinski; Chelsea Clinton; LeAnn Rimes Music of their early years Alternative Rap; SKA; Remix; Jewel; Puff Daddy; ALanis Morrisette; Toni Braxton; Will Smith; Savage Garden; Spice Girls; Hanson; Garth Brooks; Backstreet Boys; Brintney

Cross-Generational Success To work well with those who have different life experiences from your own, you must understand what motivates them: Money Power Training and experience with influential people Leisure time Alternative schedules Tradition vs. “breaking the mold” Technology/newest hard and software