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Right now, we’re hearing a lot of noise about the “generational clash”, and especially in the workplace. “Millennials moan about this. Gen Z demand that. Boomers won’t change.” But crucially, we need to start looking at our own perceptions rather than how other people are described.
That’s where it starts. Not with labels, not with age, but with a mirror. What assumptions are you carrying with you when you walk into the room? Are you really seeing the person in front of you, or the generation they’re meant to represent?
Admittedly for me, and something maybe we’ve all felt; it can be quite difficult to sit down with someone 20-25 years younger than you in the workplace and, beyond the work you’ve got to do, find some common ground. Looking at the research that shows us what does connect us, we look for similarities in working styles, where we’re at in life, and our motivators. It’s less about when you were born, and more about how you show up.
We all want to find our tribe. Finding those people that you get along with and truly enrich your life. And that doesn’t mean people of the same age as you. A lot of my friends all have the same life and experience, married with kids and all of that. And that’s not my life. So, for me to find my tribe, the people I really gain from, it’s how we all think. For me, it’s people that really jump into innovation and creativity. Now that could be my nephew (7) who’s fantastically creative, right up to my uncle (77) who I have fascinating conversations with.
When I look back to running an accelerator hub with a cohort of entrepreneurs, all the way from age 17 right up to mid-60s, the thing that made the difference wasn’t their age… it was their values and behaviours. Then watching them all learn from each other, across multiple generations was fascinating. It showed me the importance of mindset towards learning and growth, and really had nothing to do with age.
You can be ambitious when you’re 20, or when you’re 60. And those values, behaviours and mindset are the things which unite people and create the great teams. What’s dangerous is how quickly we fall back into stereotypes. We’re missing the chance to think about differences like that rather than labelling an entire generation as buzzwords like lazy, entitled, stubborn.
At the end of the day, it’s not about whether someone is a Gen Z, a Millennial, Gen X, or a Boomer. It’s about whether they’re curious, creative, ambitious, willing to take risks, or generous with their knowledge. Those are the qualities that cut through generations and make teams great.
If you want to build teams that thrive, start by looking for values. That’s where you’ll find your tribe. If your teams want to enrich their entrepreneurial spirit we can help with that too, so please get in touch.
To find out more about latest research into generational differences, download our free eBook!
