Leadership and Communication: How Each Generation Communicates

898 Words2 Pages

Leadership and Communication
A leader’s age and generation plays a significant role in the way they communicate. When different generations come together they bring with them their own worldviews and expectations. An effective leader is able to step out of their generational preferences and customize the way they communicate to the other generations. By effectively addressing and taking advantage of those unique generational differences they can bridge the generations together to create a collaborative, innovative and exciting work environment resulting in a highly productive and performing workforce.
Generation Communication
The way a leader communicates is dependent upon their generation “Research indicates that people communicate based on their generational backgrounds”. (Maxon 2005, p. 2). For the first time in history there are four generations of workers working side by side in the workplace. A dynamic leader will acknowledge generational diversity and learn how to effectively communicate with each of the different generations, by doing so this can eliminate many major conflicts and confusion amongst the generations. Generational disputes are becoming common in the workplace; misunderstandings may be enhanced by the use of technology, attitudes and work patterns of the different aged workers. “Different generational groups working closely together can be challenging at times. As both products of our chronological age and the time in which we grew up, people from different generations and age groups have rather different attitudes, values, beliefs and motivations from one another.” (Warner & Sandberg, 2010 p. 1). If a leader does not address the generational differences within their workforce it could have tremendous implica...

... middle of paper ...

...s for today’s leaders would begin with strong oral and written communication skills; the most effective way a leader communicates with the employees is by e-mail, since employees check their e-mail often they can communicate with them quickly but the employees also feel that the leaders are directly addressing them which can be motivating.

Works Cited

Maxon, R. (2005) Mixing and Managing Four Generations of Employees. Retrieved from http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm
Mayhew, B. (2010) Multigenerational Characteristics. Retrieved from http://www.brucemayhewconsulting.com/index.cfm?PAGEPATH=&ID=20209
Mutiso, P. (2013) Communication and Leadership. Retrieved from http://mybusinesstricks.com/communication-and-leadership.html
Warner, J., & Sandberg, A. (2010). Ready to Manage. Retrieved from http://w.kiwata.com/pdf/Generational-Leadership.pdf

Show More
Related

  • Traditionalist And Millennials: Preferred Methods Of Communication

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    Most baby boomers do prefer similar avenues of communication as traditionalists, but they are more willing to integrate new methods to stay current with the newer generations (Tolbize, 2008). Generation X and millennials rely more on digital communication, such as social media and texting, to convey a message. That does not mean both generations are not skilled for direct style conservation, but more so they are prone to use digital approaches for communication. According to a survey in the article, Generations in the workplace: Similarities and Difference, it found that traditionalists and surprisingly, generation X had are the best communicators as employers. Baby boomers came in third, and millennials scored nothing for managers that will successfully communicate to employees (Harber,

    Read More

  • Geek And Geezers Summary

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    Warren G. Bennis and Robert J. Thomas’ book Geek and Geezers (2002), provide a unique look at cross-generation of leadership, the ability to succeed, and how a leader defines their success through the crucible. They originally started the study on young and old leaders to show the influences of era on leadership, but it became obvious that there was more. They interviewed a total of 43 leaders of which one group was over 70 years of age and they were called the “geezers”. The second group was called the “geeks” which consisted of leaders under the age of 35. From their study, Bennis and Thomas believe that they have identified the “process an individual makes meaning out of often difficult events which is called the crucible (W. Bennis; R. Thomas, pg. 4).” Bennis and Thomas were able to create a model that reflected the development of leadership within the crucible. They were able to show through their leadership crucible model that all leaders no matter their age through their experience/and or organization of meaning have the competencies of a leader through adaptive captivity, engaging other by shared meaning, having a

    Read More

  • Interview With a Human Resources Manger

    1933 Words  | 4 Pages

    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).

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Millennials

    1140 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Baby Boomers Vs. Millennials

    1148 Words  | 3 Pages

    Workers are often pitted against each other in the work place as a form of competition. One division that is commonly seen is gender and race, but there is also a divide concerning age that isn’t discussed as frequently. Baby Boomers are those who was born between 1946-1964, when WWII soldiers came back home, settled down and started the “Baby Boom”. While Millennials are those born around 1981-2000, and have a similar population size as Baby Boomers. In the workplace, Millennials are categorized as being bad workers due to how they were raised in sheltered lifestyles and require a different environment than the previous generation, but that is not accurate. Even though the two generations view work different, sometimes to the point of conflict,

    Read More

  • Difference Between Baby Boomers And Millennials

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    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. .

    Read More

  • Multigenerational Case Study

    802 Words  | 2 Pages

    These can include building opportunities to discuss and interact with each other through customized training programs, providing each generation an opportunity to provide inputs into company system and policy creation. All employees want to work in an environment that supports employee growth through continuous learning and a business organization is responsible to inculcate this into their work culture. As the perception of what ‘learning’ means changes generation by generation, a company needs to constantly change and adapt to accommodate the change, through creating advisory groups consisting of employees from different generations, a company can also gain experiential knowledge on the variegated tools and methods required to inculcate

    Read More

  • Philosophy of Management

    1158 Words  | 3 Pages

    A manager needs to be in constant communication with his staff. The lack of communication can lead to misunderstandings and dissatisfied employees. “Communication is the single most important skill of any manager.” (About.com) I believe this is statement from about.com is absolutely right. In order to lead, a leader must communicate his orders to his followers.

    Read More

  • Multigenerational Workforce: A Qualitative Analysis

    753 Words  | 2 Pages

    This qualitative research will contribute to the field of multigenerational workforce management by providing an insight into successful policies managing a multigenerational workforce. The research is to illustrate if good governance adds to a successful multigenerational workforce (Abdullah et al., 2016). Employees perform satisfactorily in a well-organized environment. Cornelis, Van Hiel, De Cremer, and Mayer (2013) illustrated that leaders should understand employee feelings concerning current situations and the need for employees to at least express their feelings concerning the situation at

    Read More

  • Evolution Of Leadership Paper

    1766 Words  | 4 Pages

    Are Millennials ready to replace retiring Baby Boomers in leading organizations worldwide or is the perception of competency holding them back. I believe it is now the time of transition in the workplace and this next generation has the ability and traits to fill leadership roles more effectively than estimated, generation differences may be creating biases directly undermining the performance of this latter generation. Furthermore, certain skills should be and can be learned through proper and frequent trainings to accommodate the needs of a changing

    Read More

  • Woolworth Performance Management

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...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.

    Read More

  • Age Differences In The Workplace

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    For the first time in history, there are four generations of people working side by side in the workplace. Think about your place employment and the different people who work there. It is sometimes hard to get your point across to someone in a different age generation. This especially becomes a problem in the supervisor – employee relationship. In order to effectively communicate with your peers, you have to understand the context in which they view the world. This problem is a real concern for managers. There has even been a Center for Generational Studies created.

    Read More

  • Revitalization Essay

    1741 Words  | 4 Pages

    Leaders are those who have a great influence on the lives of many people. This is especially relevant in today’s organizations, which face extreme time changes and an increasingly growing complexity (Yukl, 1998).

    Read More

  • Importance of Leadership in an Organization

    1833 Words  | 4 Pages

    Communication is a very important aspect in leadership. It involves the ability of managers and other leaders in an organization to engage employees through effective listening and understanding of any issues that may be making it difficult for them to realize their full potential. The need for good communication capabilities in the workplace is to make sure that leaders give employees enough time to air their opinions before any binding directions are made. It is always necessary for leaders to remain mindful of the manner in wh...

    Read More

  • Essay On Effective Communication

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    As in all aspects of personal and professional life, having effective communication is a key element of success. Effective communication can benefit your relationships with people. By conveying your message and integrating them as a member of the team and not just a subordinate leads to better production. By effectively communicating you can clearly define job responsibilities and expectations. The better you are able to communicate the less likely organizational turnover of personnel will occur. Supervisors and leaders in the professional workplace find that the most important factor in advancement and retain ability is effective communication. Senior level executives and human resources managers are stressing the importance of communication and providing more training for mid-level management. Emphasis is placed on communication being clear by being transmitted strongly.

    Read More

More about Leadership and Communication: How Each Generation Communicates

Open Document