Issue 41: Generations
Noun. All of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively.
“Generational Differences in the Workplace” graphic from: https://www.purdueglobal.edu/education-partnerships/generational-workforce-differences-infographic/
Check-In:
There are currently five generations in the workplace:
Traditionalists—born 1925 to 1945
Baby Boomers—born 1946 to 1964
Generation X—born 1965 to 1980
Millennials—born 1981 to 2000
Generation Z—born 2001 to 2020
There are Instagram accounts dedicated to poking fun at how this shows up in meetings and in giving feedback. I explored this phenomenon in a facilitated training with school district leaders a while ago. We asked everyone to identify how they listened to music as teenagers (record player, 8-track, cassette, CD, or streamed). Then we dove deeper into the learning, teaming, and beliefs about work that spring up when you were raised in different generations. It was fun and illuminating. One last thought for me after that conversation was that although each generation approaches work differently we are all struggling with fitting into the work norms set by those before (mainly the traditionalist generation) and the desire or refusal to assimilate shows up differently for all of us.
I’m a proud member of Generation X, we are often not the center of many articles like Baby Boomers or Millennials. What is said about us is that we are “bridge-builders.” We have a developed skill set to connect Boomers and Millenials. I see that in my work but more readily in my home as I navigate my Gen Z daughter who freely gives feedback to her Baby Boomer grandmother who is not interested in receiving it.
Although I love the pop culture that came out of my generation, I do recognize that today’s Generation Z has a level of critical consciousness that I admire. My daughter has taught me about fast fashion and expanded my knowledge of sexual orientation terms. I overhear conversations between her and her friends not just discussing current events but pushing each other’s thinking, which I admire.
It is always easy to admonish and punish the young for not knowing any better, for asking for too much, too soon. I’ve seen it happening in the commentary of the protests at colleges and universities across the country and some of it may be right on target but isn’t that what youth is for? To go all in on your beliefs despite the impact?
Although the next generation is not like us and didn’t experience what we experienced (good/bad/whatever), there is always something to learn.
How are you navigating the span of generations you interact with personally and professionally?
#mondaymotivation: Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation. -Coretta Scott King
Interview with a Leader of the Global Majority:
Stephen Pham is an independent consultant who formally worked at The Learning Accelerator. I highlighted another excerpt of my interview with Stephen in Issue 4: Comfort These comments are the personal reflections of Stephen and his experiences, they do not reflect the opinions of her employer.
Mary: How do you respond when somebody questions you leading DEI work?
Stephen: I think it depends. I want to respond with and ground the conversation or the response in the idea that we need leaders to take on this work who are passionate about it, and rooted in racial equity, justice, and liberation.
Stephen: I think about the quote from Aboriginal activists in Australia. It's, "If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come here because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."
Stephen: So, I think that embodies my why, right? I don't want to be here just to help. I am here because I believe that our liberation is bound together and we all need to be in this work. I think I do provide unique perspectives as someone who is, queer, second-generation American, from Vietnamese refugees, and a person of color.
Stephen: But, I think I also want to make clear to folks that I may not always be the right person for the job as well, and while I think right now we need more folks to be in the roles, I think once I see any opportunities where someone else may be better whether it's based on their identities and their lived experiences and skills, I'd be happy to step back.
** **HELP! HELP! Please let me know if you would like to be interviewed and/or recommend someone to be profiled in this section. I need new interviews! ****
What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To:
READING: What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo speaks about the impact of generational trauma specifically for immigrant Asian families. You can find a full list of my book recommendations here.
ALSO READING: Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange is a story told across multiple generations of a Native American family and shows the impact of colonialism on Natives. Please note that I am an affiliate with Bookshop.org and receive a small compensation for your purchase when you use the book links provided.
LISTENING TO: As I’ve said before, I’m a hip-hop girlie so I appreciate a quality diss track and Kendrick Lamar has dropped 4 Drake diss tracks in 5 days. The last one-Not Like Us even includes a history lesson.
Exciting News:
Leading Within is now an online course!!! You can access it on the ASCD Witsby platform. If you want to keep learning, head over there to engage in deeper learning focused on the ten competencies.
How to Continue to Support Leading-Within:
Go to Amazon and rate or review the book there! Reviews are a great way for others to see that this book is worth the time to read.
Post about the book on social media using the hashtag #leadingwithin. Even better if it includes a picture of you WITH the book!
Host a book club with your affinity/ERG group. Two study guides are also available on the ASCD website - one for leaders of color and one for white co-conspirators that are perfect for starting a group conversation. For book clubs with participants who have purchased and committed to reading the book, please reach out to me so I can support your journey!
Connect with me to speak to your organization or group about topics covered in the book, like ‘practicing love and rage’, ‘building a coalition’, and ‘taking a stand’.
If this is your first time reading, please go back and read my Introductions post.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. If you like it, please share it with your network!
I think social media use and brain has made it harder to bridge the gap between the generations. We grew up with different generations and disagreed with them or tried to school them, but we didn’t collectively believe we knew better. We made mistakes and learned. I feel like that’s the biggest difference between Gen Z and preceding generations, social media.