Unleashing the Power of the Multi-Generational Workforce
I’ll admit it. I have met individuals before who were half my age, were incredibly intelligent, articulate, and who possessed such an impressive acumen as well as mental and physical tenacity, they left me envious.
I have also sat in the presence of know-how and wisdom of someone more than twice my age and felt almost awed at the magnitude of their insight, perspective, and calibrated calculations stemming from all those years of experience and significant lessons learned.
Maybe as I get older this topic means more to me, but I think many organizations don't take full advantage and foster better collaboration in harnessing the power of a multi-generational workforce.
This missed opportunity is akin to having a team with all the knowledge, experience and capability to cure a disease, but for some reason, all the key components of success don’t get mixed properly and the cure never materializes.
Terms like “experience, lessons learned, objectivity, respect, wisdom and knowledge, inclusion, and optimism” are not just examples of virtues in a multi-generational workforce, they are the core ingredients to new ideas and success.
Of course, this topic is in no way new and I’m aware that it has been around for quite some time, but we’ve never really seen it in action as much as we do today. In part, I believe this change has come about because we are living (and working) longer, and younger generations are more skilled at an earlier age. There are many examples of companies that acknowledge and celebrate the benefits of a multi-generational workforce and have shown they have a major edge over those who don’t.
With so many individuals choosing (or needing) to work longer, what is new is today is that we now have five generations working together in many professional environments:
The Silent Generation - born before 1946
Baby Boomers - born between 1946 and 1964
Gen-X - born between 1965 and 1980
Millennials - born between 1981 and 1996
Gen-Z - born after 1996
After 9/11, I recall being at the CIA and suddenly seeing a lot of retired intelligence officers in the halls again. At times, they would attend meetings on the 7th floor, where their experience and knowledge would be combined with that of their younger counterparts in the training of the latest tradecraft. The younger generations’ understanding of newer technology combined with their intellect and confidence and the wisdom and experience of the older ones created a powerful combination of resourcefulness.
Some of these retired officers had operated in certain geographical areas for many years and still had valuable contacts and a deep understanding of other cultures. And, while a younger officer might be highly trained and have graduated at the top of their class, they had never actually traveled to some of these geographical locations. One could consider that there were slight deficiencies on both sides, but when they collaborated, the magic happened.
When I was a young airman, I was keenly aware that I wanted and needed to absorb all I could from those around me with more stripes and brass, and actually took written and mental notes of those I wanted to emulate in my life and career, and why.
However, this synergy doesn’t always come easy, and it must be supported and embraced. If leaders don’t establish the right conditions to promote this powerful collaboration with challenges, establishing mutual goals, and then publicly acknowledging their collective achievements, it might be likened to owning a Ferrari Spider but driving it like a VW Bug. (No offense to the Bug.)
Typical challenges in working with a multi-generational group can often consist of:
Differences in communication styles
Cultural expectations
Negative stereotyping of one another
Lack of mutual respect
Management must find effective ways to lessen the gap with these differences in order to achieve success. Often it can come down to the basic understanding that everyone wants to be heard and respected for what they bring to the table.
There are many examples of this powerful approach, and one of mine is when I was given a personal tour of the SpaceX manufacturing plant a few years ago in Hawthorne, CA. I couldn’t help but think about how this company has reinvented space travel due to the efforts of many generations of participants working together on a common goal larger than themselves. Their imagination is what has led to what probably was considered impossible at one time to becoming routine today.
It has also been my personal experience that if a quick decision or calculated plan to tackle a short-term goal is required, gathering like-minded individuals around the table to develop a hasty resolution might be the right approach. But if a well-thought-out strategy requiring a multifaceted approach with all possible options and outcomes being considered is necessary or critical, the likeminded approach would often fail to produce better solutions than a multi-generational approach with a diverse group of perspectives and ideas.
I’m a firm believer that all the education in the world at the best institutions will never replace a lifetime of relevant and deep professional experience, along with education. When new perspectives, approaches, and diversity are introduced to the mix to solve a problem, the outcome can be inspiring and immensely successful – and should be celebrated.
If knowledge is power and information is the new gold, how much power is your company or department possibly losing from the ineffective use of or lack of meaningful collaboration of a multi-generational workforce?
Don’t ignore it, capture it.
— Mike
