How to FOCUS On Engaging the Generations
By Karen Schmidt
I believe that the key to getting the most out of each generation comes down to have a bit of F.O.C.U.S…. flexibility, open communication, creativity, understanding and working to their strengths. It doesn’t matter which generation you are dealing with, they all appreciate leaders who are able to provide them with the following in a way that is tailored to their specific needs.
Flexibility: How can you provide an environment that is flexible enough to meet the needs of all generations?
Workplace flexibility is a term that has been around for a while now but I don’t think most organisations are that flexible.
The reality is that if you fit neatly into a little category like ‘working mother’ they will offer you flexible hours, as long as you don’t mind feeling like you are on the career track to nowhere.
Senior management in many industries still believe that people who are serious about their careers do not take up workplace flexibility options and there is certainly anecdotal evidence of this.
So if you recognise that your organisation could be more flexible, you might be starting to think what you could do differently. Here are 4 key areas where I would start:
• Hours
• Location
• Environment
• Leave provisions
Open communication: What style of communication works to get the best out of these generations?
Communication has changed significantly over the generations. This change in communication style is most obviously reflected in the different generation’s views on feedback.
The days of the Builders’ ‘No news is good news’ method of only communicating when there is a problem was first replaced by the Baby Boomers’ annual review with lots of paperwork.
This has now been augmented by the Generation Xers’ need for more regular feedback along the way and the Gen Y desire for constant and encouraging communication.
The result can be a clash of communication styles which is best explained by giving you an example of the two ends of the spectrum.
Traditionally, organisational communication was all top-down and very structured. Senior managers would communicate information to their direct reports, who would pass it down the chain of command until it reached the frontline workers.
There was very little communication the other way around and it was generally frowned upon to talk to someone above your manager. The result was an organisation where communication was minimal and openness almost non-existent.
The latest thinking is that communication should flow in multiple directions: top-down, bottom-up and across the organisation.
The goal is to get everyone communicating and to ensure that there are no negative repercussions from telling a more senior person what you really think.
Another goal is to get different departments or divisions communicating with each other in order to remove the “silo mentality” of the past. The result should be that there is free-flowing, open communication. The reality is that it doesn’t always happen.
Creativity: When and how can you use creative methods to retain and develop them?
Whilst some managers believe that creativity relates only to managing younger, Gen Y types the truth is that people of all ages are looking for creative solutions to the issues they face in the modern workplace.
Also gone are the days of the “one size fits all” style of people management.
Today, you need to be far more creative when it comes to retaining and developing people. Each generation appreciates a personalised approach at work, something that is tailored to meet their needs.
If creativity can be defined as imaginatively using limited resources, and most organisations today are operating with minimal staffing, then it makes sense to think creatively about all the generations.
Unfortunately, not enough organisations are getting creative. They seem to stick with the same old methods regardless of the fact that they are becoming less relevant in the modern work environment. Those organisations that are getting the message are looking at creativity in relation to:
• Attracting
• Recruiting
• Relating
• Rewarding
• Retaining
• Developing
Understanding: How can people of all generations better understand each other?
The key to understanding is knowledge. The more each generation can learn about the experiences of the others, the more chance they have of understanding what people act the way they do.
We are all the product of the circumstances that were around when we were growing up. Even though times changes, our beliefs and value systems remain constant.
Our early experiences continue to impact on our interpretation of events throughout our life. In addition to this, our life stage plays a part in what matters to us.
What concerns a young person just starting out in their career will be quite different from someone in their child rearing years or a person contemplating retirement.
I suggest you start talking to people of different generations to get their insights into what matters for them. Here are some questions to get you started:
• Which generation do you identify with?
• What do you think are the defining features of your generation?
• What do you see as the strengths of your generation?
• What do you think is misunderstand about your generation?
• What are the key issues facing your generation?
• What can management do to get the best out of your generation?
• What would your generation like to learn from other generations?
Strengths: What can you do to work to their strengths and downplay their weaknesses?
I see too many managers focusing on the perceived weaknesses of each generation, trying to ‘fix them’ as though there is one ideal style of employee. It never works and the result can be a frustrated manager and a de-motivated employee.
Despite what some people believe, each generation does have strengths. Go back to the questions set in the previous point and start doing some research on what members of each generation believe they have to offer.
Whether you are young or old, having someone only focus on your perceived weakness is bound to be disengaging. So look past the stereotypes and find the strengths in each of your employees.
Karen Schmidt from Let’s Grow! describes herself as a workplace gardener who is on a mission to grow managers into engaging leaders.
She works with corporates, government departments, not for profits, associations and small business in the areas of employee engagement, leadership development and generational management. To access her wide range of free information resources visit http://www.letsgrow.com.au.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6715543
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This is a fine article. It ties right in with what I’ve mentioned in other comments about playing to strengths most of the time instead of weaknesses. Like she mentioned, you usually do not “fix” people. Focus on what they do well and grow that instead of what they don’t do well. The things they don’t do well will likely never get much better because they are weaknesses. Manage around weaknesses and play to strengths! And with generations, it’s true we are different because of different environments – there are differences obviously on the individual level and also with groups such as those from different generations.