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The impact of social media on businesses
The impact of social media on businesses
The role of technology in leadership
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Introduction
Today’s leader is faced with many challenges, and one is the generational divide that exists in the workplace today. With four different generations working together it is clear that each group has their own preference for communication. Throughout the context of this paper I will explore the generational differences, and describe the characteristics of my generation with regard to leadership and communication styles. I will also describe how technology and the information age play a role in how leaders communicate. Finally, I will identify basic communication skills that are needed and used in generational leadership.
Do leaders communicate differently due to their age or generation?
According to Huggins (2008), “it is critical to understand the communication preferences of each generation and take them into consideration when conducting business” (para. 1). In order to conclude if this is true; one must first understand the differences between the generations.
Traditionalists were born between 1927 and 1945. This generation is at or near retirement age, and was raised in an era that taught the importance of hard work and respect for people in authority. Of the four generations discussed here, the traditionalists are the least technologically savvy, preferring verbal or formal written communication (Huggins, 2008).
Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. This generation has watched technology evolve and have grown accustom to using it, however this generation is disheartened that technology is slowly replacing personal interactions. This generation is less formal, and tends to balance electronic communication with verbal communication (Huggins, 2008).
The generation X group was born bet...
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...aging the gap requires leaders to understand how their employees are different, and working with the team collaboratively to bridge the generations. The information age is here to stay and technology will continue to grow. As leaders it is important for us to do what we can to help our older generations adopt the changes, building on their own successes. It is equally as important to engage the younger generations to share their understanding of technology and how they use it in business.
Works Cited
Huggins, K. (2008). Communicating across generations. Ezinearticles. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Communicating-Across-Generations&id=1733210
Sugars, B. (2007). Today's Global leader in the information age. Articlesbase. Retrieved from http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/today039s-global-leader-in-the-information-age-1917195.html
The issue at hand constitutes that companies are not willing to look beyond their aging workforce, choosing instead to push them out of the technological loop rather than attempting to incorporate them as valuable assets. "There is enough research that says older workers are dependable, they can change, they can learn. What we haven' t come to grips with is that research and management practice are not always related" (Capowski, 1994, p. 10).
Being an effective communicator is the key to success for a leader. Communication is defined by the authors in the text Organizations: Behavior, Structure, and Processes as transmitting information and understanding, usi...
Microgeneration’s are already rising and horrifying the group right before them, an example needs to be set to show them that it is possible to work through the generational differences (Stein). People have power in numbers and currently the separation between age and features of generations are preventing them from being one workforce, working together to achieve a common goal—the wellbeing of an entire society. All groups can make an effort to close the gap by being more accepting and open minded to change. As Millennials run into setbacks in their advanced methods, previous generations can help and explain the foundational way of operation. While previous generations fall behind in technological advancements, Millennials can share their expertise on technology. Every generation has its flaws and together the holes can be filled, simply with a little optimism and collaborative work. The key to closing this gap is education – knowledge of the past and present. Programs such like Pollak’s initiative to work with companies and help train directors how to manage and market to the Millennial generation of young adults will contribute to a better understanding on how to handle workplace confrontations (qtd. in Dowdy). Lastly, Millennials too have some contributions they can make to close the gap. As understanding as they are, they
The purpose of this report is to identify the 4 generational groups present in the workplace and their choices of communication media they would be most comfortable with. In addition, I will provide my suggestions on how I would introduce communication technology such as social media channels into the workplace in an efficient and effective manner. In any given working environment, there are bound to have employees from different generational groups; Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X and The Millennials. Each of these employees have their own personal characteristics and patterns, including influences from the generation group they belong to. The resulting effect of the differences include difficulty in coordination, integration as
The modern workplace presents many challenges to effective communication and as companies work towards greater diversity difficulties and misunderstandings are bound to arise. Most of the time when we think of diversity we envision ethnicity, cultural and gender based differences. However, now that there are four generations in the workplace generational differences in leadership communication styles and preferences are becoming more obvious and consequently more of an issue (Birkman, 2009). While the generation to which we belong does not define us or our communication style it can influence the way we communicate, what communication technologies and medias we are comfortable using and how we prefer to be communicated with.
Gesell, I.. (2010). How to Lead When the Generation Gap Becomes Your Everyday Reality. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 32(4), 21-24. Retrieved October 23, 2013 from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1961218601).
Smola, Karen Wey, and Charlotte D. Sutton. "Generational Difference: Revisiting Generational Work Values for the New Millennium." Journal of Organizational Behavior 23 (2002): 363-82. JSTOR. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. .
...The importance of the generational mix within an organisation is that it brings about inclusivity and helps generate new innovative ideas that could bring the organisation to its sustained competitive advantage. With each age group with its expectations by interacting with one another, there is knowledge and experience exchange.
Another issue that an IT professional should take into account is the generations in the workplace. (Klobucher 2011) talks about how Generation 2020 is approaching, how these professionals will be connected, concerned, careful and collaborative. Generation 2020 is the time when there will be five generations in the workplace. The IT professional will face challenges such as communication and collaboration thus he/she should be able take into account these issues, be able to work effectively with the generation and become part of their network.
I was born in the mid-eighties, making me a member of Generation Y, also known as the millennial generation. According to Ng, Schweitzer, and Lyons (2010) members of this generation tend to put focus on individualistic aspects of a job, rapid career development, interpersonal relationships and balancing their personal and work lives. A strong leader from the millennial generation is likely to value individuality and acceptance, personal development and hands-on interaction with their team. Studies also show that they are stronger than the previous generation at adaptability and customer orientation, while they are not as well organized (Sinar, 2013).
Needles C., & Knapp, K. (2004). Communication Strategies in a Technical Age. Boston. Little, Brown.
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