Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in Your Workplace

Charlie, for example, is 61 and desperate for some clear, straightforward guidance from his 43-year-old boss Mary, who, in turn, is using her trademark heartfelt, buzzword-laden management style in an attempt to radically alter Charlie's work processes. Jane, meanwhile, the 29-year-old technical wizard of the team, sits sullenly in her cubicle, unimpressed with either of them, and they with her.

None of them understands the other. None of them knows how to communicate with the other. And it's causing headaches and havoc for managers trying to mold this hodgepodge of ages, faces, values, and views into a productive, collaborative group.

Now, with GENERATIONS AT WORK, there's clear, concrete help. Written by a team of distinguished cross-generational authors, this groundbreaking book supplies fresh, provocative insights and practical solutions for understanding differences, resolving conflicts, and managing effectively in today's age-diverse workplace. Both sweeping in scope and highly specific, the book gives you:

* Astute profiles of four distinct generations: Learn about the Veterans (b. 1922-1943), Baby Boomers (b. 1943-1960), Gen Xers (b.1960-1980), and the Nexters (b.1980-), including their demographics, the events that shaped their lives and times, predominant traits, work styles, and key messages to keep in mind when recruiting, developing, and motivating these members of your workforce. * Illuminating case studies in generational peace: Go behind the scenes of five major companies that treat generational mixing as an asset. * A powerful practice exercise: Solve the plight of Charlie Roth, a fictionalized manager facing a cross-generational crisis--then read how 7 outside experts tackled the problem. * Hardhitting answers to the 21 most frequently asked questions about managing in a multigenerational workplace--plus much more!

For anyone struggling to manage people who just don't see work (or life) the same way, GENERATIONS AT WORK helps you understand the gulf that separates the generations--and offers practical guidelines for building a harmonious workforce where people rally together for the organization, not against each other.

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Generations Work, 2008-10-26
Over the last 15 years, a few books have genuinely captured the attention and admiration from people across the business community. Such successes tend to reflect the contemporary tide in economic thought while still provide some insight into a narrow aspect of business. Among the better known of these works are Don Tapscott's Paradigm Shift --focusing on technology's affects on society, Peter Senge's Fifth Discipline -- explaining organizations' internal operations, David Foot's Boom, Bust and Echo- revealing society's shaping by waves in demographics and Walid Mougayar's Opening Digital Markets -- discussing ways businesses can take advantage of the Internet.

Now, with the growth of e-commerce, more business and economic models are being developed and published faster than ever before. The result: it seems impossible to place into perspective the vast amount of genuinely good business insight. This is where Generations at Work is an invaluable resource. Penned by three members of the American Management Association, Generations does what many writings aspire to, but fail to accomplish -- clearly and concisely suggest a linkage between widespread social and economic trends, organizational behaviour and people's behaviours on the job.

The premise of Generations is neither new nor complicated: people resemble their times more than their parents. However, in demonstrating their point, the authors extend the work done by other social demographic specialists, such as David Foot, and combine considerable research into fairly digestible chunks. In so doing, they provide a reference from which anyone can gain a meaningful glimpse into the generations that have shaped and will continue to influence our homes, workplaces and social institutions.

The authors begin by ordering our society into widely recognized groupings based on dates of birth. Their careful attempts to guard against making stereotypes while providing some typical demographic profiles more than makes up for their reliance on terms that we are all too familiar with, including Veterans, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Nexters (Gen Y).

After `sizing-up' each segment, the authors go into painstaking detail to help us better understand the mind-set of each of these groups at home, at work and with one another. For each segment the authors describe the following:

Work ethic, Core values, Preferred work environments, Seminal events
Messages that motivate, Cultural memorabilia, Leadership style, Heroes
Team member style, Sense of humour, preferred readings, spending style, Follower style, What other generations think of them, Principles for recruiting and orienting, An average Day in the Life, Guidelines for developing careers, Common myths

Because Generations appreciates that most people's lives consist of work and non-work, their analyses are particularly relevant. So, whether you're mission in life is to supply or to demand, this text will add value. It is worthwhile if you need to make a prediction about or understand the individuals, organizations or social institutions of our society. Generations provides insight into the heart and personality of your colleagues and teammates, your clients, your business partners and yourself.

Generations does however suffer from some flaws. First, you can quickly detect an American bias. For example the authors did not address the different demographic segments in other areas of the World that have seen more drastic inter-generational schisms and considerably more growth. Second, the parallel structure of the book's core is terrific for comparison purposes across chapters but often makes you feel like you're reading a textbook. Finally, the authors, no doubt recognizing how static their structure, realigned some of the information in a question and answer format. This might have been their attempt to make much of the information more palatable for popular business journals. However, the questions and answers alike come across as forced.

Combine Generations with the works of Tapscott, Senge, Foot and Mougayar along with a model of how people process information and you'll have a strong foundation of how our workforces, businesses and institutions are currently evolving.

Andrew Brown and Robert Gold, co-hosts of the BusinessCast Podcast (Insights and Practical Tools for Entrepreneurs). [...]


1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Owners Manual For Managing the Muti-generational Workplace, 2006-08-04
The Year 2006 represents a unique place in time in the history of our workplaces in the United States. We now have four different generations in the same workplace and that has presented many challenges to business owners and managers. This book could be called an "Owner's Manual" in the sense that it provides some practical advice on how to deal with this age-diverse workforce. If you are looking for some help to "muffle" the loud sounds of colliding generations, or to bring those loud sounds into harmony, then this is a book for you. The book is a must read for business owners and managers to help understand the differences in the workforce; how to resolve conflicts and how to fully utilitze the diversity of ages to achieve success in business.
Reviewed by: J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Founder & Chief Executive, J. G. EBERSOLE ASSOCIATES and THE RENAISSANCE GROUP (tm), Lancaster, PA. and Author of "Glenn's Guiding Lines - Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Coach" newsletter www.renaissanceman4u.com


10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

For managers, with a grain of salt, please, 2006-03-03
Never before has there been such diversity in the workforce. This is particularly true of the range of ages that co-exist on the job. In Generations At Work, the authors identify the four generations, the particular problems you may encounter managing them, and potential solutions. As the employee pool matures, this is knowledge every manager of a cross-generational workforce will need. These categories are, of course, cut rather broad. This book is probably better used as an idea toolbox than gospel writ.

The Generations:
1. Veterans (1922-1943): The World War II generation's dedication to the values of civic pride, loyalty and respect for authority have become a continuing influence in the following generations.
· Veterans tend to be more directive in leadership roles.
· Veterans are used to working in teams under strong leadership.
· Veterans can be prone to the "we've never done it that way before" mentality.
· Veterans often find technology intimidating and confusing.
2. Boomers (1943-1960): This generation tends to be idealistic and driven.
· Find out how they want to be managed.
· Expect a reaction if things don't go well.
· Motivate them with lots of public recognition, and involvement in decision-making.
· When mentoring them be tactful, let them tell you how they're doing, and think of yourself as a friendly equal.
3. Xers (1960-1980): The Xers are deeply cynical about management and the driven attitudes of the Veterans and Boomers. It is, however, possible to motivate Xers.
· Make your work environment as flexible as possible.
· Provide them with up-to-date technology.
· Give them lots of simultaneous projects and let them prioritize.
· Give them constructive feedback on their job performance.
4. Nexters (1980-2000): The most studied generation in history, Nexters are likely to be more like the veterans than any other group. When recruiting Nexters, keep the following principles in mind:
· Forget gender roles.
· Focus on teams.
· Mind the gap: there is likely to be a large generational gap between the Xers and the Nexters.
· Grow your training department.
· Establish mentor programs.



2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Very good read, 2006-02-27
I liked this book since it gave me an insight into the different components of each generation and how to deal with them at work as well as in general. I manage early boomers to nexters and am a Gen Xer and this book will help a great deal with that challenging task.


0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Real Generations, 2005-08-23
I enjoyed this book, even though I orignially got it for a class of mine on diversity. It is a great book, but as a Nexter I wish it was a little more updated on things about my generation, but it is understandable. I found that the generational stereotypes are very much in tune with my personal experiences.

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