How to Speak So Each Generation Will Listen

When people learn that I work with the different generations in the workplace, I often hear “I can’t talk to THEM. THEY are the problem.” It doesn’t matter if it’s a Baby Boomer talking about a Gen Y, or a Traditionalist talking about a Gen X. They all say the same thing about the other.

Why is it so difficult for so many people? Because for first time in American history, four generations are working side by side in the workplace. Each generation has a distinctly separate view on work, life and society. There is no right or wrong generational viewpoint. However, there is a right and wrong approach. Each generation must be approached using certain key words, tailor-made to fit that generation’s traits.

Imagine working in Japan, Argentina, Norway and the South Africa. In order to work effectively in each location, you would likely take the time to learn some of the language, habits and history of each country. This better prepares you to work with each culture.

The same applies for the four generations in today’s workplace. You must be prepared to speak four languages and learn four sets of habits if you want to be effective with each generation. If you speak Japanese in Argentina, you will fail in effectively communicating with the Argentine. If you speak Gen Y to a Traditionalist, you will also fail in making your point with the Traditionalist.

So who are the four generations?

Traditionalists: Born between 1924-1945
Baby Boomers: Born between 1946-1964
Generation X: Born between 1965-1980
Generation Y: Born between 1981-2000

Each of these generations was influenced by certain events that shaped their psyche during their formative years. The formative years tend to take place 10-20 years after a person was born, so let’s look at the events that shaped each generation during their formative years.

Traditionalists
Born between 1924-1945
Formative years between approx. 1935-1955

The dominant events that shaped this generation were WWII, the Great Depression and FDR. Consequently, this generation was taught to be frugal and ‘make do’ with what they had. They were taught to avoid risks and be safe while ‘dad was at war’. They also learned to live with extended family and take responsibility for their siblings. This is a generation that depended on the government to help them through difficult times, so they learned to be patriotic and civic-minded.

Consequently, they tend to be conservative, disciplined, loyal, patriotic and risk-averse. They also tend to respect authority and trust the system.

Now that you understand which events shaped this generation, and how Traditionalist view the world, how can you best connect with them? You use key words that resonate with them.  When you do this, they then feel understood and are willing to listen to you. You build rapport, so they will engage with you more willingly. If you continue to use their key words, you will have an effective conversation with them, simply by using their own language.

Key Words for Traditionalists

• Reliable
• Responsibility/duty
• Patriotic
• Value
• Loyalty

So if you’re trying to convince a Traditionalist to launch a new website, you would say something like “It’s our responsibility to give our clients what they want, and the studies show they want an updated website. This website will bring greater value to our shareholders because our customers will become even more loyal and buy more. And the web designer I have in mind is reliable and trustworthy.“

You wouldn’t use the same language when trying to convince a Gen Y, Gen X or Baby Boomer to launch a new website. They have their own key words that resonate best with them. Yet using the Traditionalist key words, and understanding the Traditionalist psyche will help you bridge the cultural gap.

You will not succeed when trying to change a generational perspective. You will only succeed when tailoring your pitch to each generation. In other words, speak their language. When you do this, they feel more connected to you and more willing to answer your questions. This then helps you overcome their objections and move forward.

My next three blogs will cover the key words to use for the Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y. Until then, practice your Traditionalist language and let me know how it goes!

Gen Y: Fighting for What They Believe In

In a recent study by Chip Walker, the No. 1 attitude unifying Gen Y was: “I would fight for a cause I believe in.” According to Walker, it’s clear that Gen Y has “an activist bent”, but what exactly are they fighting for? Here is Walker’s theory:  “Belief in institutions like government and big business crumbled long ago. Rather, in a world of almost infinite lifestyle choices, Gen Y activism is about young people knowing their own inner priorities and making a vow to live by them — even in the face of adversity. It’s “self-activism…treating themselves and their dreams like causes.”

So how do you reach a generation who is treating themselves and their dreams like a cause? You speak their language. They believe in diverse communities, environmental causes and socially responsible companies. So give them something to believe in. When you hire a new employee, don’t just sell a job in your company~sell a vision. A vision of using their voice and ideas to make a difference in your company. It’s not about the money for Gen Y; it’s about something much bigger.

They’re thinking big and bold. That’s not such a bad thing. In today’s economy, every organization needs to think out of the box and create new business models. So take a cue from Gen Y; believe in your own vision and allow this tech-savvy and media-savvy generation help you fight for it. Together, you just might just change the world.

Get a Grip on Employee Conflict

A client recently asked me to help him resolve some staff conflicts within his marketing team. At the surface, it looked like the staff were insubordinate, reactive and uncooperative. However, after some discussions with all of the staff, it became clear that the real issue was GRPI (pronounced grip-i), not insubordination. Is GRPI a rare disease from Africa? No. However, it is a common disease amongst many organizations. A disease that can cause low morale, frustration, poor productivity and reduced sales. So what is GRPI and how can it be cured?

GRPI stands for Goals, Roles, Procedures and Interpersonal. Often interpersonal issues, such as low morale or poor teamwork, are symptoms of a bigger issue. Managers often see the interpersonal issues and assume that coaching or team building exercises are needed. This may be the case. However, looking at the organization as a whole, especially relating to Goals, Roles and Procedures, may often be the case as well.

What do Goals, Roles and Procedures have to do about interpersonal staff issues? Everything. Think about it. Imagine Mary is a new employee, excited to make a difference in her work. She asks questions, listens well and performs her tasks in record time. However, she has no idea what her departmental goals are, or the overall goals of the organization. In addition, she is not clear on her role in her team, and how her role helps the organization move forward. Finally, she doesn’t understand the procedures for working effectively in the organization. As you can imagine, after awhile, she’ll start to wonder what she’s doing, and why. She’ll question if her efforts are truly making a difference. And more importantly, she won’t understand the roles of the others in the organization, so she won’t know who to speak with about her concerns. After awhile she’ll pay less attention in meetings and be less willing to engage with a team. Even if a manager sees this and attempts to revive her interest with team building retreats, she still will be unsure of the organization’s Goals, Roles and Procedures. Eventually, she will leave, and it will cost 2-3 times her salary to replace her.

So what can you do to prevent this from happening to your organization?

1. Goals
Be sure that your top team knows the organization’s mission and major goals. Then ensure that your team is constantly focusing on the those goals with all of the employees. Remember the ’6X’ rule; people need to hear something six times, in different ways, before they absorb it. So don’t just send an email about the goals. Hold meetings, send emails, post signs, do a video, create a postcard…do whatever you need to do so that everyone knows the organizational goals, and how their departmental goals contribute to the overall organizational goals.

2. Roles
There are formal, and informal, roles in every organizations. Formal roles are those seen on an organizational chart; informal roles are often those of “influencers”, those people that do not hold official positions, yet hold sway over an organization. Both are vitally important. So help all employees know the formal and informal roles of the senior team, and more importantly, what each employee’s role is in the organization.

3. Procedures
Although creating standard operating procedures (SOP’s) can be time consuming at first, it will save you vast amounts of time later. Every new employee will benefit from SOP’s, whether a new hires, or a current employee who is new to a certain department. Having updated SOP’s which are easily accessible for all employees to reference will not only ensure a consistent product and service, it will also help employees perform their jobs better.

Once the Goals, Roles and Procedures are in place, the Interpersonal issues often resolve themselves. Knowledge is power. If an employee understands these three things, they often see the big picture and how they fit in the organization, which leads to a more confident and secure employee.

So next time you see some conflicts amongst your staff, step back and assess the situation. Is it about those particular individuals? Or is more systemic, with similar conflicts occurring throughout the organization? If it’s the latter, then check your GRPI. You may need to improve your grip to remove this disease from your organization.