When Generations Collide

Based on reading the book When Generations Collide, I am going to write several posts on the differences among the four generations currently in the workplace.  Everyone in every workplace should be aware of these differences because we need to make adjustments in order to get along.  It is true that not everyone is like us and we need to be aware of the primary "clashpoints" and adjust our thinking and behavior accordingly.

These authors describe the four groups:

• Traditionalists
• Baby Boomers
• Generation X
• Millennials

In the book, they walk readers through the seven main clashpoints about which these generations think and behave differently:

• career goals
• balance
• retirement
• feedback
• training
• job changing and
• rewards

By examining this list of points where people can clash, it is easy to see how being aware and making adjustments would improve all kinds of relationships:  working, family, and friends.  While we can all learn from each other, we need to assume that people from different generations see things in a different way and we need to honor and respect that as much as possible. 

I will be sharing more about this since I believe this is an important topic.  Without this knowledge, conflicts emerge and we often don't know why.  This might provide some insight.  I know that I have used this information as I try to help my son who is a recent college graduate in his job search.  Things are different than they used to be and I need to get with the program.  This has also been a good reminder to me when I interact with my college students.