Today’s workforce spans a whopping five generations, and while that brings an enriching diversity of perspectives and experiences, it can also be a barrier to effective communication.
Jessie Wilson, VP of client engagement at Dale Carnegie Training Mid-South, explored these generational differences in her Leading Ladies session at the 2024 Soirée Women’s Leadership Symposium.
The key? Understanding and gaining buy-in from each generation.
“For the veteran/traditionalist generation, they are all about respect,” Wilson said. “They didn’t grow up with technology, and they believe in the art of human connection. They worked hard for what they have. They believe that history is important, so we need to get to know them and show respect for what they have done for our generation.”
Baby boomers respond well when their creativity and accomplishments are honored, Wilson explained.
“They just want appreciation,” Wilson said. “We must give appreciation to them because they are the ones who are super loyal. They are the ones who tend to be in the C suite now or they started businesses. They are giving back. Part of their identity is their work, so we need to appreciate that.”
“Gen X was really the first generation to focus on work-life balance,” Wilson said. “They want to be able to work, but also spend time with their family and see their kids after school.”
Because millennials are having to step up and fill more of the positions that once belonged to baby boomers, Wilson noted, they are now in the spotlight and receive a lot of pressure and criticism.
“The millennials are now having to communicate with the board, with the veterans, with Gen X-ers and baby boomers,” Wilson said. “They must be chameleons, and so I think we must be very mindful with them. They love feedback. They want to know how they can do their job better, and they want their work to stand for something.”
According to Wilson, Generation Z is the most connected generation, but they also value having independence.
“They want development,” Wilson said. “Generation Z is the one bringing mental health into the conversation and making that more common for us.”
While Wilson gave some helpful generalities about each generation, she stressed that it’s important not to put people in a box.
“We have to get to know them individually,” Wilson said. “Meet them. Get to know the things that they’ve faced, the things that are important to them. We believe more than anything that if we are leading people and we’re influencing people, we must lead them by their values.”
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