MINDING THE GAP:
Appreciating Generational Differences

Introduction
The 'Minding the Gap' workshop challenges individual leaders and employees to take personal responsibility to bridge the generation gap at work. This program will teach participants how to better understand and appreciate people from other age groups and to adjust their own style of relating and communicating to connect more successfully with members of all four generations.

Different History & Social Conditioning
If we are going to value individuals from different generations we must learn something about the different historical events and cultural forces that shaped each generation and the resulting norms, values, priorities, and perspectives that are unique to each cohort group.

Different Strengths
Due to the unique cultural surroundings and group norms that each of us grew up with we all tend to have certain characteristics hard-wired into us depending on our generation. These characteristics can be strengths when balanced by the prevailing traits of other generations.

Different Stereotypes
When generational traits are not balanced by other generations; and when they are taken to the extreme they can have a negative effect just like personality types. Consequently, each generation gets stereotyped. It is important for us (whichever generation we are a part of) to be aware of how our tendencies can create negative perceptions.

Different Needs
It is critical for organizations to understand and accommodate the different needs of each generation if they expect to have success recruiting and retaining talent from all cohort groups. Here are some specific concerns that must be addressed.

Generations & Corporate Practices
Participants are asked to work in generationally mixed breakout groups to discuss how the following corporate practices need to be tailored to appeal to each generation: