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GFOA-WMA Quarterly Luncheon: Bridging the Generational Gap!
Presented by:
Shira HarringtonManaging Director,
Armstrong Franklin
The Multitasking Generation
What Ever Happened to a Good Book?
Kids These Days!
“Children today are tyrants.
They contradict their parents, gobble their food and tyrannize their teachers.”
Socrates (470-399 B.C.)
Disclaimers About the Generations
Generational diversity vs. age diversity People are individuals Use to gain understanding, not to stereotype!
Who are the 4 Generations?
Label Born Between
Veteran 1925 – 1945
Baby Boomers 1946 – 1964
Generation X 1965 – 1981
Millennials 1982 - 2002
Who are YOU loyal to?
Older generations loyal to employer 1990s recession broke loyalty contract Millennials tuned to station WIIFM Employees are paid volunteers Focused on career advancement
Decline of Employer Loyalty
Succession Planning / Mentoring
Where is your next generation of employees?
600,000 federal govt Boomers eligible to retire in 2012
Shortage of Gen-Xers to backfill leadership Mentoring is motivator for Millennials Ensures talent pipeline
Authority / Leadership
How does a leader get respect?
Veterans: respect for authority based on military model (age, tenure, rank)
Younger workers: respect for authority not assumed…it’s earned
What Happened to Work Ethic?
Face time… or get the job done?
Older workers: putting in face time must mean I have a good work ethic
Younger workers: I’m paid to get the job done. It shouldn’t matter when…or where I do it
Every generation needs it!
Veterans are transitioning out of the workforce Baby Boomers are “sandwiched” Gen-X “works to live” Millennials don’t know any other way! Helps with stress / burnout
Desire for Work-life Balance
Process Management
Measure twice…or cut fast?
Older workers: structure, process and institutional knowledge
Younger workers: goal oriented, speed of delivery
TECHNOLOGY
Older workers: Forced to learn it after being successful with “paper” Often resistant and less proficient with technology
Younger workers: Don’t know a world without computers See it as a productivity tool, not a perk Prefer text-ing over email and face-to-face Receptive to training older workers
(reverse mentoring)
Case study #1
A department has been assigned a quick turnaround initiative by the Mayor. The CFO of the department, an older Baby Boomer, is frustrated because the Mayor, a Gen-Xer, is very focused on fast results and less concerned about following a structured process.
How would you advise both the Mayor and the CFO to come to a meaningful resolution?
Case study #2
Your department has acquired a new software tool that will improve certain office efficiencies. Some older staff push back because they prefer the former paper system and are resistant to change. In addition, they are less comfortable manipulating the technology which is slowing down their learning curve.
At the other end, some younger employees want to switch to using technology for ALL processes, not realizing that in certain cases, NOT using technology might be more efficient for some older workers who are faster with their tried and true methods.
How can you reconcile these differences?
Case study #3
Rather use email, phone or face-to-face communication, many of your younger staff choose to send text messages at all times of day or night. The problem: not all employees have a government issued cell phone AND not everyone wants to be reached 24-7. To compound the issue, the “shorthand” nature of their texts sometimes affect other forms of written communication.
How can you appreciate this next generation’s desire to use texting as a mode of communication while still emphasizing your communication standards?
Thank you!
Shira Harrington
Managing Director
Armstrong Franklin
202-659-9270
www.shiraharrington.com
