Tim Elmore’s A New Kind of Diversity is an awesome resource to guide some really valuable conversations in the workplace, in education, and in a variety of areas where people of multiple generations have an opportunity to lead and be led. I’ve enjoyed a lot of what Elmore has written over the years and have been privileged to hear him speak a few times as well. This book is another reminder that the best leaders recognize that they have a lot to learn.
I highlighted several things while reading and posted those notes below…
- The generation gap is more distinct because new technology creates subcultures. p. 23
- “Old School” v. “New Wave” thinking:
- When we’re comfortable, we default to, “It’s not the way we did it before.”
- When we’re scared, we become more concerned with protocol than progress.
- When we’re experienced, we assume the young don’t know much. p. 32
- Interactions among people from different generations can resemble a cross-cultural relationship. Generations can possess different values, customs, and language. The generation gap is wider today, and leaders must commit to work harder at these relationships than, perhaps, ones from within their own generation. p. 43
- The elements that make up a generation include:
- Their time in history
- Shared economies
- Technology
- Entertainment
- Tragedies, Heroes, and Villains
- Shared Culture
- Family Environments p. 52
- The rapid growth of technology has created a greater distinction between how generations connect, what they value, and how they prefer to work. p. 58
- With each new generation…
- time becomes more valuable.
- expectations of convenience and service rise.
- the demand for work to have meaning intensifies.
- the hunger for options grows.
- the sense of entitlement increases.
- the need for speed and space goes up.
- the desire for customization expands. p. 59
- If we can understand each generation’s story, we can likely connect with them better. We must read them before we lead them. p. 61
- Why is the Gap Widening?
- Rapid changes in culture
- Increased life expectancy
- The mobility of society
- Shifting economies
- New Technologies and Media p. 69
- Bridging the Gap
- Find ways to group up and put multigenerational events on the calendar.
- When in debate, start by acknowledging where both generations agree.
- Explain your temperament and style when you offer feedback.
- Express the “story you are telling yourself.” p. 76
- How would young professionals describe your relationship to them? p. 109
- If Baby Boomers are in a prime life station to mentor, Generation X is in a prime spot to model the way. p. 123
- Millennial Terms of Engagement: Four Rules that Govern the Workplace
- Autonomy Increases with Productivity
- Promotions Always Follow Testing
- Rules Decrease as Results Increase
- Influence Rises by Providing the Scarcest Resource p. 141
- Leading Millennials
- Lead with empathy and understanding.
- Launch conversations called “The Elephant in the Room.”
- Create safe spaces for them to ask “dumb questions.”
- Provide training in areas in which they may lack experience.
- Communicate that you see their strengths and value to the team. p. 143
- My advice to employers is this: don’t assume they trust you just because you have a title and a position. Even though you are paying them a salary, imagine they are a volunteer and work to earn their trust. p. 160
- Preferences, Expectations, and Requirements = Tensions
- Different experiences lead to unique expectations.
- Unique expectations lead to ongoing tensions.
- Tensions are something to manage, not solve. p. 168
- The fact is, each person, depending on who they are and what generation they’re from, brings with them varying preferences (personal opinions), varying expectations (personal assumptions), and varying requirements (personal demands), which can produce tensions on a team. p. 169
- Patrick Lencioni’s personal history activity (one slide)
- Where did you grow up?
- How many siblings do you have, and where do you fall in that order?
- Describe a unique or interesting challenge or experience that shaped who you are. p. 178
- Let’s reach our goals by being flexible and convictional. p. 217
- “When you are young, you have raw smarts. When you are old, you have wisdom. When you are young, you can generate lots of facts. When you are old, you know what they mean and how to use them.” -Arthur Brooks, social scientist at Harvard Business School p. 259
- I had a mentor who used to ask me, “When was the last time you did something for the first time?” p. 262