Bridging the Boomer Xer Gap

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Bridging the Boomer/Xer Gap

• Creating Authentic Teams
• for High Performance at Work
• Connie Fuller, Ph.D.

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THE TEAM
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Boomers Xers Together in the Workplace For the
next 25 years!
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21st Century World of Work
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Where, and how, do we start?

• Understand and accept.
• Identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Talk, collaborate, listen.
• Learn
• Teach
• Touch all the bases!

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Generational Facts of LifeBoomers 1945-1962

• 75 million Americans born 1945-1962
• Between now and 2015, one American will turn 50
  every 8 seconds
• By 2010, est. 96 million people over 50
• Boomers generation twice as large as their
  parents generation, twice as large as Xer
  generation
• Boomers moving into positions of power
• 68 of workers between the ages of 50 and 70
• plan to work during their retirement
• or never retire at all!

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What will Boomers want?
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Generational Facts of LifeXers 1963 - 1982

• Between 1998 and 2008, employment is projected to
  increase by 14
• Labor force aged 25 to 34 will decline by 2.7
  million members
• Fastest job growth expected in computers,
  high-tech
• Employee tenure in 1998 was 3.6 years
• Two incomes is a necessity

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What will Xers want?
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What are YOUR perceptions?

• Boomers (1945-1962)
• What do you expect to be the key challenges in
  managing a workforce of Gen-Xers

• Xers (1963-1982)
• What do you expect to be the key challenges in
  working for and/or with Baby Boomers?

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PERCEPTIONS!
The Kids Wont Work, and The Old Timers Wont
Change!

• Are based on limited information.
• Are rarely checked or changed!
• Drive our behavior.
• Can be - Wrong!

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Assumptions Baby Boomers are making key
decisions Baby Boomers
are Team-Oriented Baby
Boomers will Create Teams, and
Gen-Xers will hate working on a team!
Study 1 Six Companies 400 Participants Measured
Team Values and Team Skills
Study 2 300 Participants Students Individualism
vs. Collectivism
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Generation X is significantly more
individualistic AND significantly more team
oriented than the Baby Boom generation.
FINDINGS

• While Xers value teamwork significantly more than
  Boomers, they are also more self-reliant and see
  a positive relationship between supporting
  personal goals and those of the group.

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Why?

• Boomers had VietNam and the draft
• Xers did not.
• Working moms were not the norm for Boomers.
• Xers were this countrys first true latch-key
  generation.
• Boomers were loyal to company.
• Xers watched parents get down-sized and
  right-sized out of a job.

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• Boomers learned to respect legitimate authority,
  but found a paradox legitimate authority was not
  always worthy of respect.
• Xers respect those who walk their talk.
• Boomers live to work.
• Xers work to live.
• Boomers put family first by working hard and
  providing nice things.
• Xers put family first by being there. Period.

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Consider the Implications

• Boomers expect to be respected because they are
  the boss. Xers will not give respect for
  position alone.
• Boomers put work first long hours and time away
  from family. Xers put family first, and friends
  will change jobs to get more leisure time if
  necessary.
• Boomers followed their parents cradle to grave
  approach to work. Xers begin to panic after
  three years in a company.
• Boomers want Xers to pay their dues. Xers want
  to be rewarded for their capabilities NOW!
• Boomers want to work forever. Xers want to work
  only whatever time is necessary to get the job
  done, to their own standards.

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New Question?

• What kind of organizational structure
• can support the needs of these two
• very different groups of employees?
• How do we ensure a winning team?

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AUTHENTIC TEAMS

• Traditional Model
• Community based holds that effective teams are
  based on common ground and similar interests.
• Authentic Model
• Based on personal growth holds that cohesion is
  a by-product of individual identity and openness,
  and that trust is strengthened by honest
  differences of opinion. Collective
  individualism is the means by which teams
  achieve high performance.

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Nine Distinctions

• (1) Traditional
• Interdependence is the key value.
• Authentic
• Individual autonomy is the key value.
• (2) Traditional
• Experimenting with new processes is preferred
• Authentic
• Increasing awareness of existing behaviors is
  preferred.

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• (3) Traditional
• Good work is a result of good working
  relationships.
• Authentic
• Good working relationships are the result of
  doing good work together.
• (4) Traditional
• Appropriate behavior is determined by
  conformance to team norms.
• Authentic
• Appropriate behavior is determined by
  individual choice within each situation.

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• 5. Traditional
• Responsibility and rewards are best viewed in
  terms of team effort.
• Authentic
• Responsibility and rewards are best viewed in
  terms of individual effort.
• 6. Traditional
• Values conflict RESOLUTION.
• Authentic
• Values conflict MANAGEMENT.

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• 7. Traditional
• Attempts to empower others.
• Authentic
• Recognizes only self-empowerment.
• 8. Traditional
• Values being open.
• Authentic
• Values being up-front.

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9. Traditional The effective team leader/coach
puts the welfare of the group before his or her
own welfare. Authentic The effective team
leader/coach looks to his or her own welfare
first.
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Sports Analogy

• Boomers 1945-1962
• NFL
• Players almost anonymous, dressed alike, wearing
  masks
• Each knows his role
• Sacrifice for the good of the team
• CollaborationScoring

• Xers 1963 1982
• NBA
• Spirit of rebelliousness
• Dennis Rodman
• Supports its superstars
• Self-sacrifice not a norm
• Recognizes and celebrates individual
  contributions
• Do what it takes to win

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AUTHENTIC TEAMS

• SIMPLE
• NOT EASY

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RETAINING GENERATION X(Factors supported by
teams)

• Collaborative work environment.
• Interesting work content.
• Opportunities to develop skills.
• Compensation and rewards based on effort.
• Egalitarian organizational culture.
• Positive working relationships with managers and
  co-workers.

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FORTUNE MagazineTuesday, November 5, 2002

• BLS 13 of American workers are over 55, and
  that number will increase by 20 by 2015.
• Percentage of workers aged 25-35 continues to
  decline.
• 60 of Boomers say they expect never to retire
  completely.
• 76 cited flexible work schedules as absolutely
  essential

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Found 15 Best Places for Older People to Work

• Flextime
• Job Sharing
• Telecommuting
• Compressed Work Schedules
• Who else will value these things?

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Make sure, as you move forward
into today, tomorrow, and the
21st Century,
That you touch all the bases, give credit
where credit is due, turn our
differences into strengths, and
make yours a Winning Team!
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Connie Fuller, Ph.D., SPHR Manager, Human
Resources AG Communication Systems (815)
784-7235 fullerc_at_agcs.com Bridging the Boomer
Xer Gap Creating Authentic Teams for High
Performance at Work Hank Karp, Connie Fuller,
Danilo Sirias Available from Amazon.com
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