If there is anything that reveals the chasm between the generations these days, I think it has got to be technology. When sharing the stories of acquiring the first cell phone (it was in a bag), I realized that was just before our middle daughter was born. In 1994.
Sociologists studying human behaviour and interaction will often group people according to the era they were born into.
Traditionalists were born between 1900 and 1945. When they think of famous people they think of Elizabeth Taylor. They were young during the Great Depression and raised by parents that were significantly affected by the hardships of that time.
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Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. They represent a large, influential demographic. Many came of age in the ’60s and ’70s, or the time of the hippies.
Generation X was born between 1965 and 1980. They went through Watergate, the energy crisis, the end of the Cold War and Y2K. This was the time of both parents working. They are considered the first generation that will not do as well financially as their parents did. In agriculture, the ’70s were the time of the introduction of the European cattle breeds. And the early ’80s, as some readers will recall, was the time of 20 per cent interest rates.
The millennials were born between 1981 and 2000. They came of age in a time of economic expansion and were the first group of children to be very scheduled.
Generation Z, born from 2000 and on, are generally even more adept at technology. It is commonplace for them.
The core values differ between the generations. Traditionalists value discipline, hard work and loyalty. Baby boomers are more focused on personal growth and optimism, with a belief that anything is possible. They spend now, worry later. Those from generation X seek balance and are entrepreneurial. They tend to think globally, be techno-literate and suspicious of boomers.
Millennials tend to be even more tech-savvy. They value fun and are highly competitive, self-confident and sociable.
From a work ethic perspective, the traditionalists are hard-working and respect authority. Age equals seniority in their minds. The boomers are very driven and are sometimes referred to as being workaholics. They place importance on quality. The generation Xers want balance and want to work smarter, not harder. Structure and direction are important to them. The millennials are ambitious, entrepreneurial and adept at multi-tasking. Watching our kids study with the TV on, music playing in the background and texts coming in was beyond my comprehension.
The preferred work environment of traditionalists is conservative, with a top-down hierarchy. Boomers prefer a flatter, more democratic situation that is warm and friendly, with equal opportunities. The Xers thrive when it is fast-paced, flexible and fun. They prefer an informal environment with access to leadership and information. Millennials are collaborative and achievement-oriented. They are creative and also value fun. Feedback is very important to them.
For traditionalists, communication is best one-on-one and through the written word. Remember, they grew up on a rotary phone. Baby boomers had access to Touch-Tone phones in their youth. They say you can call them anytime. For generation Xers, it was about the cell phone, and they only want to be called at work. For millennials, it is smart phones, emails and the internet.
Heather Tinsley-Fix of AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons), says there are 10 principles to consider with multi-generational work teams, which the majority of us on farms and ranches are:
1. Value. Concentrate on the value each member brings with their unique skill set and interests. Having a session to explore that value is a great idea.
2. Experience. Emphasize the experience each brings, regardless of how old they are.
3. Bias. Throw out the stereotypes and don’t always assume that the younger members are more tech-savvy.
4. Professional development. Encourage and support training opportunities that not only apply to the operation but will also lead to personal growth.
5. Communication. Accommodate differing preferences on communication styles and adapt to those preferences.
6. Life stage is important and won’t necessarily be reflective of age. Allow for that.
7. Mixed-age teams. Research shows that teams with a wide age range are more productive.
8. New skills. As with professional development, anyone can learn new skills, but they may do it differently.
9. Compensation. Think creatively about what career success means to different people and develop unique strategies.
10. Knowledge transfer. This is one of the key pieces of a successful transition plan. What is the important knowledge, who does it need to be transferred to, by whom and how? In many cases, an outside mentor may be the way to go. My dad used to say that it is best for grandparents to teach grandkids as they will go through similar economic cycles.
I think it is also important to recognize the continually changing climate we are operating in and for us in the senior generation to exercise caution and let go of things that did or did not work in the past. The situation is likely vastly different.
I often hear people say, when asked why they do certain things, “Oh, that is the way we have always done it. Dad calved the cows in that field and so did Grandpa before him.” Tradition can bring many benefits, but we should also question some of our practices to make sure they are still relevant. By the same token, the younger generations can recognize that there has been a great deal of life experience that has brought us to where we are today — older and, hopefully, wiser.
