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Successful medical field in America gives Americans'
longer and healthier lives. Thus,
now, in an enterprise, we usually have 3 or 4 generations working
together. They are:
1.
Traditionalist – born before 1946 (62 years or
older)
2.
Baby Boomers – born between 1946 – 1964 (44
years – 62 years)
3.
Generation X – born between 1965 – 1980 (28
years – 43 years)
4.
Generation Y – born since 1981 (oldest is 27
years old)
The traditionalist went through economically
hardship and believed in saving for rainy days. There are not many traditionalists left
in the workforce. The company is
their life and loyalty is an important moral. They are not easily adapted to
change. Traditionalists wanted
their children to have the best, as a result, the "me"
generation arrived.
Baby Boomers didn't go through the economically
hardship as their parents did.
This is the generation where women first entered and stayed in the
workforce. With women in the workplace,
it created a warm, personal, and balance relationships.
Generation X grew up with massive corporate
downsizing and massive layoff in America. Enterprises switched to non-micro
management strategy. This creates
informal, flexible, and multitask opportunities.
Generation Y is also known as the echo boomers
because they are the children of the baby boomers. They know the world with technologies
such as ATM, video games, and Internet.
The parents nurture this generation more than prior generations
and try to make them confident, optimistic, and democratic.
With different characteristics raised in each
distinctive generation, how should an enterprise communicate and send
messages to baby boomers, generation X, and generation Y? Research have shown
their communication styles:
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Baby Boomers
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Generation X
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Generation Y
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Communication
styles:
·
Boomers are the “show me”
generation, so your body language is important when communicating
·
Speak in an open, direct style but
avoid controlling language
·
Answers questions thoroughly and
expect to be pressed for the details
·
Present options to demonstrate
flexibility in your thinking
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Communication
styles:
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Use email as a primary communication tool
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Talk in short sound bites to keep their attention
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Ask them for their feedback
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Share information with them on a regular basis and strive to keep
them in the loop
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Use an information communication style
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Communication
styles:
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Use action words and challenge them at every opportunity
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Don’t talk down to them
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They prefer email communication
•
Seek their feedback
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Use humor and create a fun learning environment.
•
Encourage them to take risks and break he rules so that they can
explore new ways of learning
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Motivation
messages:
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You are important to our success.
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You are valued here.
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Your contribution is unique and important.
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We need your talents.
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Motivation
messages:
•
Do it your way
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We are flexible in how we do things here
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We’ve got the latest in technology
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We are not corporate here
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Motivation
messages:
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Don’t hesitate to share your ideas
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We provide equal opportunities here
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You will work with other bright, creative people
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You can help to turn things around
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As leader in the company, it is not an easy task
when a team composes of team members from different generations. But there is one thing we must
recognize that it is the core of the company, communications. The diversify ages and experience
levels provide fresh new ideas, and contribute unique opinions to the
team. Ages gap and communication
styles may have changes over times; however, it is still how people
convey messages with each other in the workforce as a team and strive for
goal.
Regardless where we are, work or home, we
continue using our communication skills with our parents (traditionalist
or baby boomer), and with our children (Generation Y, and the
“millennium”, born since 2001).
This leaves us a question of our millennium children and their
next generations. Text messages
will be considered an "old" style. What will be next? Virtual images and
touch screen? We all understand
that technologies in the future may change communication techniques; but
no matter how technologies change in times; it cannot change the concept
of communication and that is the core of our life at work and at home.
Ung Suy Phan 潘翠膺
California, U.S.A., September 2008
Sitting down in
a team meeting, I realized that I am working with different generations and
it triggered the writing of this article.
This article is based on some research materials. You don't have to agree with the
contents in this article. Thank
you.
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