Entitled.
Lazy.
Ungrateful.
Disloyal.
Wants rewards immediately.
These are words often published to describe the newest members of the workforce: Millennials. But these words were actually published in a 1968 issue of Life magazine describing Boomers. So why is it so hard for different generations of leaders to work well together (and how do you close the generational gap in leadership)?
Addressing the Generational Gap in Leadership
Josh explains why cross-generational leadership is imperative to business success
In our research and work it’s increasingly clear that there is a growing gap between incumbent and emerging leaders. This failure of relationship is furthered by a well-intended, yet misguided belief that labels such as Boomer, Gen-X, Millennial, and the like will help us bridge the divide. These labels do increase our understanding of “them,” but fail to move us beyond individual camps and actually build the relationships that realize unique cross-generational value.
Generational Gap and Leadership: It’s More Common Than Ever
More so than any other point in history, generational differences in the workplace are rampant. Tenured executives do not share “how to get things done” with next-generation emerging leaders; newly minted MBAs have multi-decade experienced leaders as direct reports; and driven Boomers make quick decisions without including Millennials, all of which results in a perceived lack of collaboration. You can probably surface many examples of your own.
At the core of this divide is the war between legacy and potential. Emerging leaders fear missing out and fight for their potential by disregarding the efficacy of more tenured leaders’ experience. Incumbents fear obsolescence and fight for their value at the expense of emerging leaders’ idealism.
Generational Gap in Leadership Doesn’t Have to Mean Division in Leadership
Yet we know, and research shows us, that when the generations are effectively working together, marketplace value exponentially increases. The bottom line is this: We’re better together.
Bridging the generational leadership divide will happen when a truce is declared between legacy and potential and we begin fighting on the same team, for the same cause. Here are a few ways to begin bridging the divide at your workplace.
Closing the Generational Gap in Leadership
Shed demographic labels and assumptions. Labels increase understanding, but they also entrench a way of thinking. They make us lazy, particularly when it comes to relationships. Getting to know someone who is different from us is hard work. It feels easier and safer to label a colleague’s behavior than it is actually to get to know him or her. Yet these types of assumptions stifle the need to cross over, test assumptions, and build a relationship. If you want to make an assumption, assume you don’t know what makes “them” tick and it’s your responsibility to find out.
Know who you are when: I can be both emerging and incumbent. There’s a little bit of “them” in each of us and sometimes we’d rather not be associated with “them.” Try as we might to understand every individual, every leader is unique. We fail to cross over when we hold fast to the group we’ve been labeled into and reject the ways we land in other groups. So, if you’re an incumbent leader who is a closet Facebooker, it’s time to come out. Generational labels aside, sometimes we’re emerging and sometimes we’re incumbent: it depends on the situation.
So How Do You Close the Generational Gap in Leadership?
Get to know your neighbors and ask them for a cup of sugar. We spend most of our waking hours at work, yet very little time interacting with our workplace neighbors. Cross the generational divide by asking for help from a leader who isn’t a part of the group you’ve been labeled into. If you’re new to an organization, regardless of your tenure in the industry, reach out to leaders who grew up in the company. Take them to lunch and ask them about their proudest moments in the business.
Start with your similarities. You may have to do a little homework, but find out how you’re similar. Your research may surprise you. Maybe you have the same alma mater? Maybe you work in the Midwest and both love sushi? Maybe you both love overcoming a great customer challenge? Frankly, it doesn’t matter. Align on some common ground and go from there.
Get involved in a project or initiative that requires you to cross over. Stretch assignments are often given to develop a leader’s technical or functional competence. Why not use one to bolster your cross-generation network? Regardless of where you sit, at some point you will need to help bring organizational change to life. Guaranteed, increased connection across the generations will decrease foot-draggers and speed adoption.
Legacy and potential must unite in the workplace; the relevance of our businesses depends on it. You have the power to unite the generations. Have you already begun? How? If not, where will you start?