There are often very real disconnects across generations in the workplace. People don’t see the mission the same way, they have radically different approaches to doing the work, they don’t even know how to speak to each other in ways that communicate respect to the other. It’s not going away, and ignoring these differences is potentially a recipe for misalignment, disengagement, and outright conflict. So, what to do?
I believe we do best when we take the time to directly discuss our similarities, differences and desires. We naturally fall into parochial mindsets that lead us to believe that everyone else experiences the world the way that we do. When we learn otherwise, it’s an “aha” moment that can lead to very productive conversations, cross-coaching, and deepened relationships.
An exercise to bridge the gaps can be as simple as having people separate by generation and answer, then report out on, questions like “What are the special skills and perspectives that my group brings to the workplace? How can others best draw out the gifts of my group? What I’d love people to do to best engage me or my group at work is… What we know about or see in the workplace that could help others includes…” Of course, each of these can be standalone icebreaker questions. The real key is facilitating a healthy discussion of the answers–giving time and really helping people listen, learn, and deepen relationships. There is enormous potential for multigenerational synergy. It’s a tragedy to waste it.
