Next Generation Next Destination

GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES GLOBALLY

I am often asked if the typical generational patterns and attributes we observe in the U.S. apply globally. In the past, the answer is mostly no, except for parts of Western Europe and Canada, and even there are differences and variations based on factors other than geography. In more recent years looking at the Gen Y/Millennial generation and those younger, there are many more similarities around the world since communication is instantaneous so we have access to the same news at about the same time and are influenced by the information on the Internet. But this converging applies mostly to the educated top of the social pyramid.

Here are some notable differences, with thanks to Andreas Fried from Universal Consensus.

• Boomers and the older half of Gen X in China had two very formidable influences: The great Chinese Famine in the early 1960s in which an estimated 36 million people died from starvation; and the Chinese Cultural Revolution from 1966-1976 in which China’s education system was brought to a virtual halt.

• The generations before the fall of communism in the former Soviet republics, including Russia had few similar influences to the Western nations. Now the young people are trying to catch up in several ways.

• The Gen Xers in Japan had quite a different experience from their American peers in the years they were entering the workplace. Japan in the late 1980s and early 1990s experienced a “Bubble Generation,” relatively untroubled and free spending.

• As for Gen Y/Millennials, Fried thinks the global convergence of that generation is occurring mostly at a “visible” level, such as with tech usage, popular culture and fashion more than with values and behavior, which I imagine probably are still greatly influenced by parental and religious attitudes and national or ethnic culture

. • Chinese Gen Ys are often referred to as “little emperors” born under the one-child policy of the ruling communist party. They may get a lot of attention, but they may have the huge burden of having to support two parents and four grandparents. Fried says Western Gen Yers are more worried about their own pensions or lack thereof than about their parents’ economic well-being or retirement.

Given world conflicts and the ever-speeding pace of change it will be interesting to see how much convergence or divergence of generations develops. More multi-national, multi-cultural and cross-generational conversation is a clear necessity.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot   www.pdcounsel.com

2013 - THE YEAR OF CROSS-GENERATIONAL CONVERSATION

I’m declaring it, and I mean to see it spread as plans for our “big idea” unfold.

Why do we urgently need cross-generational conversation now in the world at work, in these times?  7 reasons.

*  Knowledge transfer is vital. We have more information to capture than ever, so there is more at stake to lose.

*  Businesses need to avoid losing clients and customers of other generations and obtain new ones

*  We need to transform information to knowledge to wisdom. That requires sharing perspectives and mutual mentoring.

*  We are connected to each other facing common problems that we can only solve for the long-term through multigenerational collaboration.

*  Over-emphasis on electronic communication means we are losing the personal touch and the full communication of non-verbal cues.

*  Looming inter-generational wealth transfers are challenged by family member emotional blocks and lack of effective communication

*  Young people are hungry for it. They want to know what older people know. That’s the feedback I get as I talk with and mentor students and young workers in my work.

This year and going forward build awareness and re-think the importance of cross-generational conversation at work.

As Gandhi urged us: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Wishing you all a healthy, joyful, fulfilling and successful new year and fun celebrations!

To learn more and get started, contact me.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot   www.pdcounsel.com pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com

 

INTERVIEW WITH PHYLLIS WEISS HASEROT on COACH WORLD TV

Enjoy and gain some insights on inter-generational challenges, including the need for knowledge transfer and leadership transfer between and across the generations.

Let me know what you think. I welcome comments, questions and all feedback.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot    www.pdcounsel.com 

 

 

 

Coach World TV with Terry Yoffe, Featuring Phyllis Weiss Haserot ... Coach World TV with Terry Yoffe (Phyllis Weiss Haserot - 09/10/12) www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfwYtuF10Zg

 

THE BUSINESS CASE: #GENERATIONAL DIVERSITY No.1

True diversity includes diversity of thought, style background and experience. We cannot have that in today world without age or generational diversity. Most organizations, media and forums only focus on dealing with gender, race/ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation differences, yet true diversity is much more, and generational worldviews influence many of the more traditional aspects of diversity.

Professor Martin Davidson of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and the school’s Diversity Director said in a talk to Darden alumni that he thinks generational diversity is the aspect of diversity that needs the most focus because of the critical need for knowledge transfer. I would add to the business case that: many institutions fear age discrimination lawsuits; and they need to enhance their ability to attract, retain, communicate with and work with clients and customers of different generations. Let’s be clear – generational diversity and inter-generational relations are a serious and critical business issue and shape our work and personal lives.

 

PERSPECTIVE: CHANGING DEMEANOR & WHY GENERATIONS BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY

At my recent presentation a Boomer member of the multi-generational audience expressed frustration (as they often do) that the Gen Y/Millennials don’t act properly in the workplace. Well, most of Gen Yers were educated and brought up in times of much looser standards of behavior than the older generations (Traditionalists and Boomers) were and many were not taught the typical expectations of workplace behavior. In college they could dress pretty much as they pleased, schedules were flexible, and advance clearances and permissions were not commonly required. So that’s what they are accustomed to.

By way of illustrating the differences, the special New York Times Education Life section (July 22, 2012) ran excerpts (courtesy of Catherine M. Allchin) from a Dorm Women’s Handbook from the early 1960s and a Resident Hall Contract from 2012. To quote from the 1961 Women’s Handbook:

Dorm Hours: Freshman are to be tucked into bed by 11p.m., and counselors will count noses at this time – upperclass noses too.

Permissions: To go home, sign out with the housemother and pay her for a 2-cent postcard. She will send it to your parents to let them know you are on your way.

Social Standards:  To improve in poise and social ease, students should observe and practice good manners – for example, by standing when an older person enters the room or approaches to speak.

Personal Appearance: Shorts may not be worn on campus except to and from PE classes, and then only when covered by a long coat.

The rules and expectations were clear back then.

Jump to the 2012 Residence Hall Contract by way of contrast. It deals with weapons and alcohol possession and use, personal safety, fire safety and the Gender Equity Hall. “Residents can choose to room with a student of any gender or gender identity. Restrooms in this hall are gender neutral.”

Whether you laugh at the extraordinary differences or yearn for some of the prior standards (as some parents might), what exists now has shaped a lot of young people. Employers are left with the responsibility and task of clearly articulating expectations from day one to set the standards they want to see. Neglecting attention to this early will enable undesirable habits of demeanor, schedules and boundaries to take hold, which will make them difficult to undo. Like it or not, understanding of where the behavior originated and communicating expectations in orientation training is necessary.

Please share your thoughts here.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot     www.pdcounsel.com

 

 

Are Age and Wisdom Connected?

I received a very interesting article from The Economist sent by my friend Iris Wolinsky, a mediator and arbitrator. I love it and always say we need to challenge our assumptions about age - and all aspects of diversity and behavior.

Here is link to article. Age and wisdom  Older and wiser?

Americans get wiser with age. Japanese are wise from the start

What are your thoughts?   

 

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT ON INTERGENERATIONAL COLLABORATION

I received this note from my dynamo Cornell extern, Jaime Freilich, a junior at Cornell University and campus representative to the Clinton Global Initiative University:

“I was at the Clinton Global Initiative University Meeting, and I had the pleasure of hearing Madeleine Albright speak. She said something so relevant to everything you work towards. The gist of what she said is that in order for our country to be forward-moving, intergenerational conversation and collaboration is imperative because the younger generations have the creativity, energy, and idealism to think of creative solutions to problems while the older generations have the practical experience to ground the young ones and to work together in pursuit of a better tomorrow. I thought it was very interesting and I had to share with you!”

So true. Jaime knows my strategic purpose is to facilitate and foster intergenerational understanding, appreciation, cooperation, collaboration and action. This goes way beyond bridging the communications gaps, though that is integral to it. Our future strength depends on it – as businesses, institutions, families and the kind of world we want to live in.

Along these lines, one of my favorite aspects of my work is facilitating dialogues among people of different generations in business settings. My monthly newsletter is called Cross-Generational Conversation (sign up at www.pdcousel.com). And I’m vey excited to start a Linkedin group also called Cross-Generational Conversation, with a multi-generational group of committed contributors.

Jaime will be there. Will you? I invite you to join the conversation. Maybe we can even get Madeleine Albright to comment.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot    www.pdcounsel.com

 

GENERATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF “ACCORDION FAMILIES”

A new book, “The Accordion Family” by sociologist Katherine S. Newman of Johns Hopkins University, recently reviewed in the New York Times Sunday Book Review, tells us that a higher proportion of adult children now live with parents than at any other time since the 1950s. Why now? Obviously the debilitating economy’s affect on jobs for young workers – either unemployed or underemployed for their credentials – has something to do with it. And there is a socio-economic aspect too.  Newman writes that “working class kids do not boomerang back into the family home”…. “Like their Spanish or Italian counterparts,” it’s a part of their culture not to leave the family home until later in life.”  But those factors are not the whole story.

While young adults from the 1960s through the 1990s were eager to get out and live on their own, a significant number in the last decade or so see advantages to staying or returning to their parents’ home, and there is less of a stigma for doing so. This is a cultural change with implications for work, family and values in general.

Culturally, now Americans tend to see early adulthood as  “a process of self-discovery,” while Europeans see it as “a station defined by the way one relates to others.” In the U.S., parents and children of the Gen Y/Millennial generation and youngest Gen Xers have closer relationships than ever in past history. Newman cites a survey finding that 78% of American parents of 21 year olds say they feel close to their child; only about 25% of their own parents say the same.

And let’s not forget the financial pressure of student debt on young adults and parents.

Newman’s focus is not on implications for the workplace, but mine is. So what can we extrapolate for inter-generational relations at work?

• First the bad news. “Helicopter parenting” may not soon fade away like a bad dream. Some parents may continue to try to influence job offers and performance evaluations.
• Young adults will have greater latitude in working long hours and devoting time to professional development with parental support, so they can be continuing learners in their early careers.
• Young adults may actually listen to parents’ career advice and regard them as mentors and coaches. This can be helpful if not overdone.
• They may learn networking skills from parents who are active networkers.
• Gen Y workers are likely to have greater respect for older workers’ knowledge and experience and empathy for them as the “sandwich generation” as they face the need to care for elderly parents.

Please comment and share your thoughts on the impact Gen Y/Millennials’ living with parents longer will have on the world of work.  I’d love to hear from you.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot    www.pdcounsel.com

 

 

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 

 

 

ATHLETIC GENERATION GAP: HEADS-UP TO RECRUITERS

#generations. You know Gen Y Athletes are serious about social media when they only respond to scouts/college coaches by Facebook and Twitter, not phones. ”Coaches New Friends”