THE CROSS-GENERATIONAL APPLE STORE EXPERIENCE
I wrote the piece below 3 weeks before Steve Jobs’ passing as a script for one of my Cross-Generational Conversation videos (others of which can be found on YouTube). So it is not really related, but it’s a tribute on an aspect of Apple that I haven’t seen in the tons of articles on Jobs I have been soaking up like a sponge. After one of my Apple One-to-One training sessions, it occurred to me what a truly vibrant example of cross-generational conversation the Apple Stores present.
24/7 you can see people of all ages shopping and playing together. And my favorite part is the superb training. I’ve been coming to the Fifth Avenue/NY store for my Apple one-to-one training for some time. I say it’s superb because the mostly Gen Y and younger Gen Xer trainers are not only savvy but also fun to spend time with. Even with my sometime tech frustrations, I always leave in a good mood. I find them to be courteous, eager for us to learn and helpful beyond what is required of them. I’ve had situations where they literally just won’t let me go and won’t let go of a problem they’ve never come across before, seeking extra help from whatever “genius” they can grab.
But back to the cross-generational aspect. It is not so unusual to see Traditionalists in their 70s and even 80s enthusiastically learning from 20 and 30-somethings exhibiting patience, pleasantries and professional demeanor. And there are plenty of Boomers like me – now learning moviemaking so I can build up my YouTube channel and other video exposure for my business. As a workplace generational challenges expert, this warms my heart!
And there’s more: My young trainers have really resonated with the content off my video podcasts on professionalism through generational lenses and participated in my survey. I’m thrilled!
Apple has created a great example of how cross-generational conversation enables all parties to learn from each other in a fun and non-threatening environment. Steve Jobs has been hailed as a brilliant innovator and game-changer in many ways. I want to add the Apple in-person one-to-one training to the list. It not only helps to sell product – Apple’s business objective – but also facilitates the cross-generational conversation and inter-generational rapport that I believe is crucial for us to thrive in this unpredictable world.
Phyllis Weiss Haserot www.pdcounsel.com


