Stereotypes. You try to ignore them and they pop up again. They work for you, especially when faced with a team of players that you do not have the time to get to know individually. Collectively, you lump all Baby Boomers together – and at the opposite end of the spectrum from Millennials. Yet, with a focused review of the keys to working on a team, along with laughter (with others and at yourself), the future can reveal new truths for everyone. Only then can prodigious results be seen. ~ David M. Reile, Ph.D.
Photos by Victoria Heath and Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash
FOCUS ON: Collaboration is Key
Any team project will require good communication and respect, particularly a team of mixed generations. Avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach while fostering mentoring and new workplace benefits may be the keys to achieving collaboration. Read more from the Career Pivot blog.
FOR PRACTITIONERS: Applying Generational Theory
Four generations in the workforce today can offer both challenges and opportunities. What does this mean to career counselors and coaches? Here are some action items for knowing and using Generational Theory when working with clients.
ENCORE CAREERS: Who is the New Intern?
“Experience never gets old” is the tag line for the 2015 movie “The Intern” (DeNiro & Hathaway). When a 70 year-old man interns at a fashion start-up, the intergenerational issues are blatant. From the obvious traditional business suit of the intern to the start-up’s founder being the intern’s first Facebook friend, the gap is wide, but well-appreciated by the end of the movie. Read the synopsis on imbd.com or better yet, show the movie at work and begin a great conversation with your team.
JOB SEARCHING: What Will the Next Generation Do?
Generational differences do not merely refer to age. The opt-out generation refers to the women who chose to take a work hiatus to focus on family. The opt-in or opt-out question has been highly covered since 2003, although looking-back may not be the best. What will the coming generation of potential leaders do in the future? Read more about opt-in/out.
TOP TEN: Truths About Gen-Y Workers
Are Millennials, or Gen-Y workers too self-centered to work in teams? They will need to face the hiring manager and all eyes need to be opened. The perceptions that Millennials are lazy or lacking a work ethic can be faced by all generations in terms of learning new ways to get the job done. Read ten misconceptions along with advice for working together.
QUOTES
“Remember, teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.” - Patrick Lencioni
“Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.” - George Orwell
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