The Downtown Women's Club blog

6 Guidelines for Resolving Intergenerational Conflict Guest Post by Larry and Meagan Johnson

For the first time in history, there are five generations working side by side: the Traditional Generation (born pre-1945), Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), Generation X (born 1965-1980), Generation Y (1981-1995), and the Linkster Generation (born after 1995). Since conflicts often arise in a multi-generational environment, it's helpful to have some understanding of the differences between employees of distinct generations.
 
Each generation has been influenced by the major historical events, social trends, and cultural phenomena of their time, shaping their ideas about everything from expectations and perceptions about what the working environment will provide and how they should behave as employees, to company loyalty and work ethic.
 
Here are some guidelines for resolving intergenerational conflict:
 
1.      Look at the generational factor. Is this conflict generational, or is there something else going on? For example, Traditionals and Baby Boomers don't like to be micromanaged, while Gen Yers and Linksters crave specific, detailed instructions about how to do things and are used to hovering authorities. There is almost always a generational component to conflict; recognizing this offers new ways to resolve it.
 
2.      Consider the generational values at stake. Each generation is protecting a distinct set of values, and conflict may threaten these values. For example, Baby Boomers value teamwork, cooperation, and buy-in, while Gen Xers prefer to make a unilateral decision and move on--preferably solo.
 
3.      Air different generations' perceptions. When employees of two or more generations are involved in a workplace conflict, they can learn a great deal by sharing their perceptions. For instance, a Traditional may find a Gen Yer's lack of formality and manners offensive, while a Gen Yer may feel dissed when this older employee fails to respect her opinions and input. Have each party use "I" statements to avoid potentially negative confrontations.
 
4.      Find a generationally appropriate fix. You can't change people's life experience. But you can work with the set of workplace attitudes and expectations that come from it. So, for instance, if you have a knowledgeable Boomer who is frustrated by a Gen Yer's lack of experience coupled with his sense of entitlement, turn the Boomer into a mentor. Or you may have a Gen Xer who is slacking off and phoning it in. Instead of punishing him, give him a challenging assignment, the fulfillment of which is linked to a tangible reward.
 
5.      Find commonality and complements. When we study generations, some common and complementary characteristics emerge--and these can be exploited when dealing with conflict between them. For instance, Traditionals and Generation Y employees both tend to value security and stability. Traditionals and Boomers tend to resist change--but both crave training and development. Gen X and Gen Y employees place a high value on workplace flexibility and work-life balance. Boomers and Linksters are most comfortable with diversity and alternative lifestyles. Gen Y and Linksters are technologically adept and committed to socially responsible policies.
 
6.      Learn from each other. Each generation has valuable lessons to teach the next. For example, Traditionals and Boomers have a wealth of knowledge and tricks of the trade that younger workers need. Generation X employees are widely known for their fairness and mediation abilities. Generation Y workers are technology wizards. And Linksters hold clues to future workplace, marketing, and business trends. 
 
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Larry and Meagan Johnson, a father-daughter team, are the Johnson Training Group (www.johnsontraininggroup.com), whose clients include several government agencies, American Express, Harley-Davidson, Nordstrom, Dairy Queen, and many others. They are leading experts on managing multi-generational workplaces, and are coauthors of Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters--Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work (Amacom, 2010).

Is Generation Y too quiet for their own good?

I really like Thomas L. Friedman's columns in the New York Times, and this one was of interest as he labeled the nation's twentysomethings as Generation Q (for quiet).

I am impressed because they are so much more optimistic and idealistic than they should be. I am baffled because they are so much less radical and politically engaged than they need to be.

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But Generation Q may be too quiet, too online, for its own good, and for the country’s own good. When I think of the huge budget deficit, Social Security deficit and ecological deficit that our generation is leaving this generation, if they are not spitting mad, well, then they’re just not paying attention. And we’ll just keep piling it on them.

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America needs a jolt of the idealism, activism and outrage (it must be in there) of Generation Q. That’s what twentysomethings are for — to light a fire under the country. But they can’t e-mail it in, and an online petition or a mouse click for carbon neutrality won’t cut it. They have to get organized in a way that will force politicians to pay attention rather than just patronize them.

Click here to read the full article.  Yes, it seems that my generation (X) and the one that follows (Y) do not participate in activism as the Boomers did (with protests and rallies, etc.)  Friedman acknowledges at the beginning of the article how the younger generations seem to just go out in the world and do things like build homes in third world countries, volunteer in AIDs clinics, etc.  And, I agree with him that this is terrific.  But, the point he is making is that unless you behave in a way that the people in power recognize, you cannot make changes.

My first reaction was "here we go, once again, the Boomers want us all to act exactly like they do."  But, giving it a little more thought I realized that Friedman is right.  Sometimes that's what we have to do to get their attention.  The majority of Boomers don't understand the power of email campaigns and other online endeavors and therefore it doesn't register as a protest. 

This reminded me of a dilemma I always face when I teach networking and suggest to women that even if you don't like sports, at least follow the status of the home teams.  Or, if the men go golfing, learn to golf.  Invariably, someone always challenges me with statements like:  "isn't that selling out?" and "I'm not a man, why should I do something I don't want to do."  My answer:  Who has the power?  If it's you, then fine, don't talk about or do anything you don't want to.  You've earned that right.  But, if you're trying to get the attention of someone in power (who has earned that right), then you have to approach them in a manner that they would recognize.  In other words: You need to get their attention before you can change or influence their opinion.

In the past, I've defended my generation's lack of cohesiveness in the struggle to advance women in the workplace with the notion that we are doing it all individually on our own case-by-case basis.  Based on Friedman's article, this might not be the best approach for future generations.  While individuals among us may have success stories of getting flexible workhours, or snagging equal pay or that great promotion. But, are we focusing on the trees, while the people in power are looking at the whole forest?  This individual approach may not be the best approach.  After all, when a tree falls in the forest, if no one is around to notice, did it really even fall? 

A generational conversation

The Seattle Times had an interesting article by Michelle Goodman entitled "Talking across the gap; Generations chat about stereotypes, cluelessness and cleavage."  Great to see women who can gather together around the table and talk about their differences. 

"Generation slap" for working women

Cynthia Good, the editor of PINK magazine spoke with ABC News about the article I wrote for next month's issue which focused on the growing divide between the different generations of working women.  The article was based on  research done by the Downtown Women's Club which demonstrated that despite the fact that almost all women from all generations agree on a lot of the hot button women's issues (i.e., opting out, gender wage gap, discrimination, mommy wars), the generations are clashing on styles and attitude in a way that's move divisive than their male counterparts.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3328228

Here's a link to the complete DowntownWomensClub.com "Generationally Speaking" survey: Download GenerationallySpeaking.pdf.

New Generational Survey Released

Today, the Downtown Women's Club is releasing it's latest survey on the generations.  The following are some of the key findings and conclusions. 

Download GenerationallySpeaking.pdf (full survey).

Introduction

In March 2007, DowntownWomensClub.com, a women’s network and career website, surveyed 650+ businesswomen across three generations about some of the issues facing women in the workplace.  We then compared the responses from the three generations – Generation Y, Generation X and Baby Boomers.

Key Findings

• Less than 2% of women in our survey are contemplating opting out permanently from the workplace.  Moreover, less than 10% even plan to opt out for a few years. All three generations are in agreement in their top three responses:
  • Women earned the right to choose
  • Most women don’t opt “out;” they opt “differently”
  • Corporations are too inflexible.
• The idea of “Mommy Wars” does not fit the reality that most working moms do not have schedules that allow them to even meet stay at home moms. 
  • Only 2% of working moms feel inadequate when compared to stay at home moms.
  • But, we are seeing an emerging trend that women without kids are disgruntled over having to pick up the slack for working parents.
• Despite recent studies that the gender gap starts in the first year of college, and increases for college graduates, many women still do not recognize this.
• The majority of all generations believe that overt discrimination has been reduced, yet subtle discrimination still persists, and it’s more evident at the higher levels.
• When asked to give advice to the other generations:
  • The Generation X and Y women’s advice centered around having the Boomers change their attitudes (i.e. stop labeling them as slackers, expecting them to fight their same battles, or resenting them for making different choices), as well as building bridges, mentoring and learning technology.
  • Interestingly, nearly 40% of the Boomers would not recommend that the younger women follow their path.  Despite their reluctance to mentor, they also gave much of the practical advice that the younger women are seeking from mentors.

Conclusions

1. When it comes to the top women’s issues, the generations are mostly in agreement.
2. The majority of all generations feel that the media-driven “trends” like opting out and mommy wars do not reflect reality.
3. The majority of women, especially in the younger generations, do not recognize that there is a gender gap.
4. There is a clear communication problem across the generations.

Gen X and Y say buh-bye to law firms

Partnership, shmartnership.  That's what Generation X and Y is saying to large law firms as they wave "buh-bye" to them in the rear view mirror.  Julie Hilden at Findlaw writes about the latest trend.

This month, "California Lawyer" magazine featured a provocative cover story entitled "We're Outta Here." The story, by Malaika Costello-Dougherty, cited notable findings by the NALP Foundation for Law Career Research and Education: On average, almost a fifth of associates (male and female) leave their law firms each year -- a record high. Within five years of entering a firm, over three-quarters of associates will depart. The associates who are leaving are disproportionately female. No wonder, then, that while nearly one in every two associates at large firms is female, it remains the case that only one in every five or so partners is female.

Costello-Dougherty offers an explanation for the statistics based not only on gender, but also on a generation gap: Unlike the Baby Boomers who preceded them, Generation X and Generation Y women, she says, are less willing to sacrifice the rest of their lives for their careers. (Lawyers belong to Generation X and Y if they are between roughly the ages of 25 and 41.) Her interviews with women attorneys substantiate the point. While Generation X and Y men weren't interviewed, I'd bet many feel the same way.

Generation X turns 40 and no one cares

Peter Carson of the Washington Post writes about Generation X's image problem:

Gordinier tries to defend Gen X, but without much enthusiasm. "Generation X is still defined more by lasts than firsts. We're the last generation to produce and hold on to albums on vinyl, the last generation to read newspapers . . . the last generation to express any sort of resistance to corporate servitude, the last generation to produce old-fashioned movie stars (Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt) as opposed to manufactured aristocretins and reality-TV clowns."

Aristocretins! I love that. Finally, the perfect word for Paris Hilton.