TRAINING MAGAZINE ARTICLE

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Generation Gaps
in the Company Classroom

by Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak

This article appeared in Training magazine, November 1999 issue
Adapted and excerpted from Generations at Work (AMACOM, 2000)
For more information, contact ClaireRaines@aol.com, one of the authors.

There's a new challenge in your training room -- a challenge derived not from downsizing, rightsizing, "change," new technology, foreign competition, pointy-haired bosses, bad breath, cubicle envy or greed. It's a problem created by a clash of generational values, ambitions, views, mindsets and demographics. The workplace today is awash with the conflicting voices, views, and learning styles of the most age- and values-diverse workforce this country has known since our great-great-grandparents abandoned field and farm for factory and office.

Different Ways to Acquire, Digest, Organize and Distill the Skills

In today's post-industrial, information-centered work world, social and physical separation by age group are no longer as powerful a barrier to generational mixing. Frequently, senior employees are older today than senior employees were "back then," and these older employees are inhabiting positions once staffed by younger employees. The new, more horizontal, more spatially compact, workplace has stirred the generations into a mix of much different proportions.

Graphic by Douglas Oudekerk

According to Walker Smith and Ann Clurman, authors of Rocking the Ages, "New generational differences are causing business upheavals, bringing new categories and ways [of work] into being at warp speed and causing old ones to shrink or disappear." The pecking order, hierarchy and short lifespans that had de facto kept one generational cohort together and isolated from other generational cohorts, no longer exist -- or they exist in a much less rigid, more permeable manner. Merit is quickly overcoming time in grade (or any other variable) as the deciding factor in advancement.

So it is that your next seminar will very likely include members of four distinct generations, generations that are only learning to work and learn -- together.

Look for George, for example -- a former career military sixtysomething who is a newcomer to your senior management. The most visible participants will likely be Tom, 45, and Linda, 52, experienced veterans of your organization. They have recently realized that, unless they upgrade and update their skills, they'll lose their jobs to Devon, 34, and Li, 26, who've been around just long enough to show how competent and savvy they are and scare a couple of Boomers. And then there's Crystal, the bright-faced summer intern whose boss told her the only way to really understand the organization was to attend one of your sessions.

Each of these four generations has a unique perspective on the world, particularly the world of work -- its own views about what an attractive work environment looks like; its own thoughts on the nature of the team they would actually choose to be a part of; and, perhaps most confounding to trainers, its own unique preferences for acquiring, digesting, organizing, and distilling information and skills. Understanding these generational differences is critical to trainers who would enroll their participants in working for the organization and not against it...who must deliver the values, philosophy, knowledge and skills upon which the smooth running of the business depends.

Birthyear Boundaries According to Generations at Work

The four generations of trainees -- as we define them -- cover nearly 80 birthyears -- from 1922 through 1999: They are the Veterans, 1922-43; the Baby Boomers, 1943-60; the Generation Xers, 1960-80; and the Nexters, born after 1980.

The Veterans (1922-1943) came of age before and during the Great Depression and World War Two. They are the classic "keepers of the grail" and an irreplaceable repository of lore and wisdom, practical wiliness, and more than a few critical extra-organizational contacts.

The Baby Boomers (1943-1960), the post-war babies, are graying, and they'd really rather not be seen as the "problem" in the workplace -- though they frequently are. After all, they've been defining everyone else as "the problem" since "Don't trust anyone over 30." They invented "Thank God, it's Monday!" and the 60-hour work week. Boomers are passionately concerned about participation and spirit in the workplace, about bringing heart and humanity to the office, and about creating a fair and level playing field for all.

The Xers (1960-1980) grew up in the post-'60s era of Watergate, lathchkey kids, and energy crisis. Their need for feedback and flexibility, coupled with their hatred of close supervision, is but one of the many conundrums they present employers. At the same time, they are personally adept and comfortable with change -- after all, they changed cities, homes and parents all their lives. They are, indeed, the new change masters. And they are much more inclined to keep their own counsel than are their Boomer predecessors. Xers are very clear about the meaning of the word "balance" in their lives: Work is work. And they work to live, not live to work.

Then come The Nexters (born 1980 to now), who may be the smartest, cleverest, most-wanted small humans to have walked the face of the planet. Their moms and dads see themselves as devoted parents sacrificing to bring this new generation to adulthood. Think soccer moms and little-league dads. They're an optimistic bunch who express doubt over the wisdom of traditional racial and sexual categorizing, and they have Internet pen pals in Asia who they can, and do, contact at any hour of the day or night. The ones now in the workforce -- think fast food, movie theaters, grocery-store carryout, yardwork, babysitting, web-page building, and internships -- seem destined to become what historians Bill Strauss and Neil Howe, authors of Generations, call "good scouts."

Training this melange of ages, faces, values, and views can be difficult duty. But knowing a bit about such things as how the generations prefer information to be organized, the type of trainer that appeals, activities they respond to, and the learning formats towards which they gravitate will put you in good stead as a cross-generational trainer.

Warning! Overgeneralizations ahead! A note of caution is needed. Generationally diversity, like gender, racial and ability diversity, is a factor to consider in training – but it's not the whole show. Humans share a lot of similarities and are, if anything, adaptable. You can ignore those differences and follow your tried and true training formulas – and still succeed. We believe, however, that by acknowledging and accommodating subtle individual differences – whatever their origin – will make your training work better for you and your trainees.

The Veterans

Their preferred learning environment is stable, orderly, consistent, and risk-free. The Veterans tend to be conformers; they appreciate consistency, logic and discipline; and they are past-oriented. This generation, more than any other, appreciates a traditional training room, set classroom-style. Establish the ground rules for your session early -- and stick to them.

They respond best to trainers with a conservative style, who serve and support their learning needs. Veterans are respectful of authority and will likely view, their trainer, as such. They are the least likely of all participants to take you on face-to-face if they disagree. As a result, you may not know you didn't have "buy in" until you receive your end-of-session evaluation forms. Approach your older participants -- respectfully -- possibly on a break, to find out what they think about the course precepts. Avoid "calling on" your oldest participants or doing anything which might make them feel they're being put on the spot in front of their peers and younger colleagues.

They are motivated to learn when the trainer makes connections to the overall good of the company -- its mission, long-term objectives, and history. Training activities that are most effective with this generation are the straightforward presentation of information -- and opportunities to build skills privately. When the trainer is in front of the room, this generation tends to "turn off" to anecdotes, examples and stories that are "too personal"; they prefer more "left-brained," logical material. And watch your language -- poor grammar or profanity will get between your message and recipients of this generation.

Training materials that suit them are organized in summary form -- think Reader's Digest and Executive Book Summaries, two formats very popular with older Americans. Avoid 9- and even 10-point type -- small type tests the vision of not only the Veterans but their fiftysomething Boomer colleagues as well!

Here are some specifics to keep in mind when training members of the Veteran Generation:

Don't rush the training itself; take your time. Train in an atmosphere as free of stress as possible.
Some Veterans are uncomfortable learning from a "wired 20-year-old." Teach your younger trainers how to build rapport with this generation.
Don't stereotype all Veterans as technophobes. Lots of retired people relish the long hours they spend on the Internet and many of your older employees are doing just fine with technology – it’s just not their preferred meleu.
Ask permission to coach. Coach tactfully. Be respectful.
Establish rapport by acknowledging the employee's background and experience.

The Boomers

Linda and Tom and the 76 million other Baby Boomers comprise the biggest chunk of today's workforce. Their need to prove their worthiness has created a work ethic that can be called "dedicated" -- even "driven." They often have good people skills and prefer work environments where there is a lot of room for relationship. Boomers tend to be optimistic; they are attracted to the concept of team; and they are fascinated by the role of "spirit" in their lives, even their professional lives.

Their preferred learning environment is interactive and non-authoritarian. They respond well to the traditional classroom as long as there are opportunities for interaction, networking, and teamwork. They also like to learn from books -- the Boomers have been the major market for self-help books for the last two decades -- and they like audiotapes they can learn from on their morning and afternoon commutes.

One caution: Boomers have a tendency to know things intellectually -- and not be aware that they've not translated knowledge into skills. Skill practice is crucial for Boomers, although it's challenging to find skill-building activities they actually like and will participate in.

They respond best to trainers who come across "as equals." Lots of Boomers have authority issues -- they didn't like the military-style directions they sometimes received in childhood, and they still resent shows of power -- so friendly, collegial trainers who give personal examples and share their own vulnerability play well to them. They are motivated to learn if they believe the knowledge and skills they are acquiring will give them new ways to win -- to be a star -- on the job.

Training activities that are most effective with Boomers are interactive: Icebreakers, team activities, discussion, and even self-reflection. But, for some reason, most Boomers cringe at the very thought of role play. Steer clear of it when designing training that will be delivered primarily to Boomers.

Training materials that suit them are organized and scannable with accessible information and details. The Internet is actually organized in perfect Boomer style -- you can find an overview of information in a friendly, scannable format; then, if interested, you can click on a topic to access more detailed information. Business Week and USA Today are both good examples of the format we're referring to -- and each is very popular with this generation.

Some specifics:

Watch for the Boomer with an "I know all that" chip on the shoulder. Many do, in fact, know a lot -- in a textbookish way. The problem is that they're often not doing it. You may be forced to quote (anonymous) complaints from the people they manage in order to get their buy-in to changing something about their management style.
Focus on personal challenges. Boomers want to solve problems and turn things around: "We really need your talent here, Linda."
Provide Boomers with developmental experiences -- assignments where they can "earn gold stars" while you help them through and develop their skills.
Approaches like Harrison Owens' open-space technology -- founded on the principle that all the expertise necessary lies within the group, and in which participants plan and implement every aspect of a conference agenda themselves -- are in keeping with the Boomers' preference for non-authoritarian learning.

The Xers

Devon, Li and other Generation Xers are beginning to find themselves working side-by-side with the Boomers who have complained so vociferously about them for the past dozen years. But they've got a survivor mentality, and they're not intimidated by older colleagues. Gen Xers tend to be self-reliant, skeptical and informal; they are seeking work/life balance; they are technologically savvy; and they believe their resume is their ticket to career security.

Their preferred learning environment is not face-to-face instruction. They're not nearly as attracted to classroom interaction as the generations before them, and they have a non-traditional orientation to time and space. They don't think much of work hours, believing, instead, that as long as the job gets done, it's not so important where or when. They don't like "line of sight" managing -- and may view a trainer who requires them to show up for days on end at precisely the same time each morning as a jailer. If there's no other way, the trainer needs to explain the rationale for timeliness and get their buy-in -- contractually -- early on. If the training is targeted primarily at Xers, though, consider other formats -- CD-ROM, videos and EPSS programs that answer employees' questions as they work.

They respond best to trainers who are competent. The trainer who spends lots of time trying to establish rapport with Gen X learners by being "warm and friendly" will have wasted that time. Instead, get right into the material -- and demonstrate your expertise. They are motivated to learn when it's fun -- this generation puts "fun" right near the top of their list of work priorities. These are highly motivated learners -- many think of themselves as free agents, and they know that better knowledge and skills will increase their marketability.

Training activities that are most effective with Gen Xers give them an opportunity to sample and learn by doing. Trainers we've surveyed have told us they can't put enough role-play into training programs geared to Xers. They want to get involved with what they're learning, experiment with it, and get feedback. They aren't as worried as older generations about "putting their ego on the line" -- they'll jump in and try something even at the cost of looking less than perfect in front of others.

Training materials that suit them have fewer words than those designed with Boomers in mind. Statistically Xers don't read as much as their older colleagues (or younger ones, either, as it turns out) -- they like white space, headlines, subheads, quotes, graphics, and lists they can scan through quickly. They are attracted to printed pages that are multi-focussed -- that supply the reader with lots of visual stimulation. Take a look at magazines like Spin and Fast Company to see what we mean.

Some specifics:

Gen Xers tend to be forthright with questions, so allot plenty of time for questions and answers -- and give them a list of who to call for more information on a wide variety of subjects.
Err on the side of freedom. Plenty of "elbow room" appeals to this generation. Be there when they need help -- but also know when to back off and let them figure things out for themselves.
Add games and fun activities to training programs that include a sizeable number of Xers.
Don't expect Gen Xers to respect you just because you're the trainer. Expect to earn any respect you receive -- through your knowledge of the subject.

Generation Next

Crystal and the oldest Nexters are just taking their first jobs, and prognosticators believe they will influence the 21st-century workplace every bit as much -- and probably more -- than the Boomers did the 20th. The size of their cohort, the education system that developed them, their technological sophistication, positive expectations, and apparent bent for collective action just might prove a formula for greatness. This new wave of workers is both optimistic about the future and realistic about the present. They combine the teamwork ethic of the Boomers with the can-do attitude of the Veterans and the technological savvy of the Xers. Although they are still a work in progress, we can make some predictions about the type of adult learners they will be.

Their preferred learning environment combines teamwork and technology. In a training room with lots of Nexters, give everyone a task. When a few have completed it, encourage them to walk around the room and help others -- they're used to working this way in school.

Generation Next is the first to be born into homes that, by enlarge, already had computers. These beeper-wearing cyberjunkies consider microwaves, CD players, VCRs and computers as basic to home furnishings as other generations did the kitchen table. They were weaned on video games, they troubleshoot the computer at home, and they teach their parents how to surf the Net. A caution from Alison Wellner in her February training article, "Get Ready for Generation Next," is spot on: "If the technology used in training isn't state-of-the-art, and if trainers don't know their stuff inside and out, the pupil may run circles around the master."

They respond best to trainers who engender respect. In a recent study by Northwestern Mutual Life and the Harris organization of the attitudes and behaviors of 2,001 college students at 101 colleges, respondents felt the most affinity to their World War II-era grandparents and great-grandparents. They subscribe to a stricter moral code, care about manners, and believe in civic action. Neil Howe suggests these new workers will need more supervision and structure than their Xer predecessors: "The younger new entrants to the workplace will be looking for more attention and structure from the authority figure."

They are motivated to learn skills and information that will help make their working lives less stressful and that will help them earn money. In foodservice and retail, where they primarily work today, there is evidence they are easily intimidated by difficult customers. Training that teaches them skills for overcoming objections and dealing with difficult people will make their everyday work lives easier. And there is a higher priority on making money with this generation than any before, so tie course objectives into economic improvement.

Training activities that are most effective incorporate elements of entertainment. This is the busiest generation of Americans yet -- they are used to activities and will become bored with training that isn't highly active and interactive. These young workers were raised on the Learning Channel. Take the best ideas from Dave & Buster's and Chuck E. Cheese and incorporate them into your design.

In the training room, limit stand-up talking as much as you can; instead, get creative with music, art and games. Training materials that suit them are lively and varied. Printed materials should have the same multi-focus that materials targeted at Xers have -- with one exception: Nexters are readers -- publishers report that annual sales of children's books has quadrupled since 1990 -- so you might want to include reprints and written backup information.

Some specifics:

Whereas Gen Xers have a preference for self-directed learning options, most Nexters enjoy training that incorporates interaction with their colleagues.
Be sensitive in the training room to potential conflict when Xers and Nexters work side-by-side. The gap between these two generations could end up making the one between the Boomers and Xers look tame.
Establish mentor programs. Hewlett Packard has developed a tremendously successful mentoring program with schoolchildren of this generation. Consider matching your young employees with your most seasoned people -- with whom they say they resonate. They particularly admire members of the Veteran generation.

They're All In One Room? Six Essential Principles

Wouldn't it be nice if, as a trainer, you were only called upon to work with one generation at a time? You could digest and incorporate all these ideas -- and life would be rosy. But that's not likely to happen, is it?

Let us take up the question we suspect you've been wanting to interrupt with for the past five minutes: What if you've got a menagerie of all these generations in one room -- what to do? Here are the essential principles of training intergenerational groups:

Think of trainees as customers -- learn all you can about them, work to meet their specific needs, and serve them according to their unique preferences. Make a real -- not hypothetical -- effort to accommodate personal scheduling needs, work-life balance issues, and learning styles. Think options, options, options.

Know the sociology of each of the four generations. For each generation in the room, acknowledge and use their icons, language, and precepts.

Use examples that include people from a variety of generations. Mix them up.

Use a variety of approaches and activities to meet the needs of diverse learning styles. Loosen up your picture of what "training looks like," and search for new, more effective ways to serve your customers.

Give trainees the big picture, specific goals and measures, creative options for meeting the requirements, then turn them loose -- giving them feedback, reward and recognition as appropriate. Avoid lock-step as much as possible.

Respect competence and initiative. The old "manufacturing mode" of business seemed to be based on the precept that people are inherently "sliders," meaning not all that interested in putting their best efforts forward without fairly close supervision and monitoring. Successful cross-generational trainers assume the best of people. They treat everyone -- from the youngest Nexter to the most veteran of Veterans -- as if they have great things to offer and are motivated to do their best. It is an attitude that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Ron Zemke was senior editor of Training magazine; he died in August 2004.
Claire Raines is a generational speaker/consultant based in Denver, Colorado.
Bob Filipczak does special projects for U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray in Minneapolis.