1. Building a Generationally- Friendly Workplace Learning Forward Conference December 6, 2010 Presented by: Suzette Lovely & Jim Rickabaugh

2. Today’s Learning Goals Recognize the generational personality of schools Identify ways to point cross-age arrows in same direction Discuss strategies to boost Millennial teacher retention Understand the forces that drive parent expectations Assess the generational friendliness of our workplace

3. What Makes Up a Generation? Moving through time together Born every 18-25 years Bound by common experiences and beliefs: –Starting school –Graduation –Headlines, politics –Music, movies –College, work –Marriage, family

4. Generational Identity How we see our age group Pro-typical traits inferred Similarities in other groups exaggerated Stereotyping – need to understand and anticipate others’ behavior

5. Generational Snapshot Veterans 1922-1943 Age 67+ Baby Boomers 1944-1960Age 50-66 Gen Xers 1961-1981Age 29-49 Millennials 1982-2000Age 10-28 Generation Z 2001+ Age 9 and under

6. Veterans Outlook: practical Work ethic: dedicated Authority: respect it Leadership: top-down Personal sacrifice Serve the greater good

7. Baby Boomers Outlook: optimistic Work ethic: driven Authority: love/hate Leadership: by consensus Personal gratification Serve the organization

8. Generation X Outlook: skeptical Work ethic: balanced Authority: unimpressed Leadership: competent Reluctant to commit Serve thyself

9. Millennials Outlook: hopeful Work ethic: ambitious Authority: relaxed, polite Leadership: Achievement-driven Loyal to others Serve the community

10. On Deck…Generation Z Never known world without cellphones, Google, Web 2.0 Expect information to be dynamic Active consumers Global travelers More indulged than Millennials Creators, producers, connectors

11. Flashing Back… 1.Share some of the defining moments that helped shape your attitudes and ambitions while growing up. 2.What connections do you see from your formidable years to your perspectives now?

12. Schooling Then and Now

13. For Veterans Seen, not heard Learn it the hard way Discipline, order Book smart, industrialists Diploma badge of honor - not critical to land a good job

14. For Boomers Challenged status quo Be anything you want to be Cooperate, share materials Duck and cover Inner driven, idealists Diploma no longer good enough – we must go to college

15. For Gen X Remember – heroes – aren’t Pragmatic Ask why The Breakfast Club Street smart, free agents Diploma not critical for getting ahead – let’s take the GED

16. For Millennials We’re special Zero tolerance Leave no one behind Rule following, team players How many colleges can I get accepted to?

17. The killer application for today’s students isn’t Facebook, You Tube or Twitter. The killer application is SPEED.

18. Looking Ahead… Do I accept the reality that my school looks different today than it did yesterday? Do I bridge ‘old ways’ with the new? Do I give each employee a tangible way to contribute? Do I keep the tempo fast enough so younger teachers don’t lose interest, but slow enough so older teachers aren’t overwhelmed?

19. Pointing Arrows in the Same Direction

20. Veterans come from a mold of honor and dedication. If they commit to something, you can take their word to the bank. Generations at School

21. How do we value Veterans? Respect their experience Don’t overwhelm them with information Rely on structure, policies, procedures Tell them exactly where they stand and what’s expected Keep your word Use the personal touch

22. Millennials don’t know a life without a computer. Yet policies are being set by Baby Boomers like me who feel a responsibility to protect property and keep students safe. Joan, Chief Technology Officer

23. How can we bridge the Boomer divide? Be tactful Be punctual – time is money Prove need for change in terms of months and years, not weeks Don’t knock the past Go light on technology Let them feel like they’ve won

24. Be brave, even when you get rejections. Stephenie Meyer, born 1973 author ofTwilight novels

25. How can we be genuine an Xer? Be direct, not rigid Create functional systems Avoid acronyms, eduspeak Use technology Respect individuality Minimize seniority’s impact Give them space

26. Every generation has a chance at greatness. Let this one take its shot. Newsweek

27. How do we manage Millennials? Explain why Challenge them Mentor them Put them on teams Swiss cheese scheduling Don’t toss wet blanket on their ideas

28. Most intergenerational conflicts share a common point of origin: the issue of clout – who has it, who wants it. Jennifer Deal, Retiring the Generation Gap (2007)

29. Points to Ponder 1.Think of a recent clash in your workplace where intergenerational differences may have been at play. How did you handle it? 2.Review the Generational Footprint to see if there may have been a better way to approach the situation.

30. Different Ages, Same Desires 1.We all have similar values; we just express them differently. 2.Everyone wants respect; we just don’t define it the same way. 3.No one really likes change. 4.People want leaders who are credible and trustworthy. 5.It’s easy to point cross-age arrows in the same direction if we do the right things.

31. New Rules for the Sandbox

32. I love this job, but I think after four or five years of it, I’d be bored. Adam, Age 25 - Elementary Teacher

33. What’s Different? 1.More career choices available 2.Public expects different outcomes 3.Retention tied to career ideals and day to day experiences.

34. High Expectations In 1999, USA Today asked teens what they expected to earn by age 30…. –Answer: $75,000 –Average earnings: $27,000 Average earnings in 2009… $43,460

35. New Rules Train Retain Sustain

36. Train Collaborative Versatile Tech-driven Retool Reflective Validate

37. Retain Hire early No hazing! Neighborhood watch Provide core essentials Conduct weekly check ups

38. Sustain Effective evaluations In depth feedback Flexibility Recognize and reward Yin and yang

39. If Millennials view education as a profession that lags behind other industries, they will likely invest their energies elsewhere.

40. Meet the Parents

41. While Ward and June Cleaver considered it taboo to question authority, Boomer Dads and Gen X moms see their obligation to offspring as all-encompassing.

42. Helicopter Parents (Boomers) Hover constantly Can’t let go Strategic planners Pioneers of 2 nd and 3 rd chances

44. Stealth Bombers (Xers) I want it now. I don’t trust you. I can penetrate thick defensive shields.

45. Generational Recycling Solve problems from previous generation’s youth Correct excesses in current midlife generation Expect new generation to fill role being vacated by elders

46. Recycling at Work

47. Getting Mom and Dad to Chill Working with Boomers Democratic Compassionate Acknowledge family needs & struggles Put worry in its place Don’t let childhood be an impossible act to follow Working with Xers Assume no trust Market to them Rules of reciprocity Personal accountability Start relationships early Fed Ex philosophy Drop down menus

48. Assessing Workplace Friendliness

49. What makes us generationally friendly? Everyone is successful here Form teams Employees as customers Different viewpoints Minimum bureaucracy Relaxed, informal Straightforward

50. Synergy Audit

51. Connecting the Dots Don’t paint every generation with same brush Let people argue with you Wait your turn Be wise with words Step away from the confusion Swallow your pride

52. The Bottom Line… The leader who can get the maximum effort out of everyone in the organization is always a cut above the rest. Robert Ramsey, 2003

53. Generations At School Building an Age-Friendly Learning Community –Available @ www.corwinpress.comwww.corwinpress.com –slovely@pylusd.org To Learn More……