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Bridging the Communication Gap How to Listen and Be Heard,
From Facebook to Face-to-Face
IEDA FALL CONFERENCESEPTEMBER 25, 2009ANTHONY JULIANO
In 1987, I had Duran Duran hair
A few definitions
Boomers Gen X Gen Y
Formative Years
1950s 1960s 1970s 2000s 2010s1980s 1990s
Baby Boomers
Born 1946 -1964 Population: 80 Million
Defining Moments
Icons
Generation X
Born 1965 - 1980 Population: 46 Million
Defining Moments
Icons
Generation Y/Millenials
Born 1980 - 2002 Population: 76 Million
Defining Moments
Icons
How do you feel when communicating outside
your generation?
Stranded?
We’ve always had intergenerational conflict
Kids! I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!Kids!Who can understand anything they say?Kids!They’re a disobedient, disrespectful oafs!Noisy, crazy, dirty, lazy, loafers!
-- “What’s the Matter with Kids Today?” 1960
“42 percent of all employees say they have experienced
intergenerational conflict in the workplace”
--Kelly Services, Inc. study, 2008
“Relations among the generations seem to be at a low point. Gen Y thinks
Gen X is a bunch of whiners. Gen X sees Gen Y as arrogant and entitled.
And everyone thinks the Baby Boomers are self-absorbed workaholics.”
--“Gen Y, Gen X and the Baby Boomers: Workplace Generation Wars,” CIO Magazine, Jan. 30, 2008
What causes this conflict?
• Communication is never easy– Different interests, media preferences, taboos
• Different attitudes about loyalty– Boomers: a constant career with one or few
employers– Gen X: few if any career changes but multiple
employers– Gen Y: self-employed and career mobile
• Different attitudes about technology– Example: social media in the workplace
"You can have Gen Y-ers…busy looking at their BlackBerrys. They've got their laptops flipped open, they're engaging in social networking right during the course of a meeting, and you have a boomer rolling their eyes, not understanding it."
--Michael Walsh, CEO, LexisNexis U.S. Legal Markets
What causes this conflict?
• Different needs/attitudes about work/life balance
• Different priorities/stages of life
• Different communication styles
How do we build bridges…instead of burning them?
Keys to success
1. Be responsive
BUT
Be responsive
How fast do you expect someone to respond to… An email? A phone call? An instant message?
Do those responses differ among different age groups? Why?
How do you encourage others to respond in a timely fashion?
SET CLEAR DEADLINES!
2. Be flexible
“It feels normal for Gen Y employees to check in by BlackBerry all weekend
as long as they have flexibility during the week.”
--Time, Jul. 2007, “What Gen Y Really Wants”
“Everyone including Baby Boomers wants flexibility in their lives…To a Baby Boomer partner/principal/
director, flexibility may mean the occasional day working from home to catch up on personal
matters or a work related project.”
--Deloitte Human Resources, “Flexibility and Choice”
I respect your right to flexibility as long as it does not interfere with me getting
my job done.
Be flexible
How does this extend to communication?
What effect would instant messaging have on communication in your workplace?
Do those responses differ among different age groups? Why?
What if your company took away your desk phone?
Do those responses differ among different age groups? Why?
3. Be authentic
Be yourself.
If you expect that BS will fly with your audience,
expect BS in response.
Be a human being.
4. Understand the pros and cons of social media
THIS IS A TEST
Number of minutes per day spent on
?
A. 1 millionB. 1 billionC. 5 billionD. I’m sorry, could you repeat the question? I was just
updating my status.
Number of minutes per day spent on
?
C. 5 billion
That’s > 3 million days, EVERY DAY
Social media is for real
and it’s changing communication—and your business
Social Networking - Pros
• Helps you build relationships
• Makes you “more human”
• Gives you insight into your audience members’ lives
• Scale
• Speed
Social Networking - Cons
• Demands time and attention
• Blurs the line between personal and professional
• Scale
• Speed
• NOT ALWAYS THE AUDIENCE’S PREFERRED WAY TO COMMUNICATE
Does social networking inhibit productivity in your workplace?
A recent University of Melbourne study showed that
people who use the internet for personal reasons at work are
about 9% more productive than those who do not.
5. Listen intently
Listening is an ACTIVE pursuit.
Essential listening skills
Active listening = no multitasking
Barriers: be aware of these
- Inattention: not listening because you’re distracted
- Prejudgment: already have your mind made up
- Frame of reference: don’t understand approach
- Closed-mindedness: don’t want new information
- Drafting your response: focusing on your message instead of the
speaker’s
6. Don’t forget the basics
Always consider
• Who’s the audience (and how are they different than you)?
• What’s your purpose?
• What’s your audience’s perspective? In other words…
WIIFM?
Questions?
