Three Strategies to Create a Culture That Aligns Different Generations at Work

Imagine you’ve been asked to visit China to discuss leadership with key business executives there. As your jet lands, you’re already psyched up to work harder than usual to connect with people in that country. Why? Because you know you’re about to interact with those who have different customs, who may embrace different values and who speak a different language. 

This same thing happens right here at home. 

When we interface with team members from a vastly different age group, it can feel like a cross-cultural interaction. Consider a 62-year-old manager who’s just hired a 22-year-old who recently graduated from college. The chances are high that they have different values, customs, and even vernacular. We grew up in different worlds, so communication requires different words. We’ve had different experiences, so connection requires a different effort.  

Turning a Disadvantage into an Advantage 

“Within every organization today, there is an untapped source of advantage, one we all possess but almost no one is using well: the potential of age diversity. Intergenerational collaborations tap into the different expertise that stems from growing up in different periods of history,” says Miami University professor Meghan Gerhardt. “To get away from the notion that teams made up of multiple generations will suffer from miscommunication and conflict, leaders must create organizational cultures where generational differences are reframed as a source of strength and opportunity.” 

It's how we must address this new kind of diversity.  

Case in point. My new book on this topic, “A New Kind of Diversity—Making the Different Generations on Your Team a Competitive Advantage,” was released on October 25, 2022. At first, our team disagreed on the best strategies to market the book. As the debate went on, it hit me. Perhaps everyone was right—but our ideas reflected our generational viewpoint. In other words, we tend to know how to reach our own kind. So, I identified team members from each of the four generations on our team and found great ideas from each one on how to communicate with their generation as customers, from Boomers to Gen Xers, to Millennials to Gen Z. It was marvelous. In our case, the answer wasn’t “either/or” it was “both/and.” We use unique platforms with unique messages to reach unique demographics.  

Three Strategies 

We’ve already discussed how each culture shares customs, values, and language. That’s what makes countries unique, and it’s also what makes organizations unique. Let’s take a look.  

Customs. To align the different generations on our team, we’ve established some routines that have become customs. We play a board game at Team Time called, “Mind the Gap.” It allows people to answer questions from theirs and others’ generations. It’s hilarious and enlightening each time we play it. We also have weekly updates and review our mission and vision, along with a story on how an older person connected with a younger one. We match “modern elders” and “young geniuses” as Chip Conley suggests. They both flourish. It’s been a game changer.  

Values. Like many organizations, we embrace six core values. One of them is: Make It Better. We believe growing together helps to align generations on our team. So, on Thursdays we stop for an hour and host TDT: Team Development Time. We’ll invite outside guest trainers, leaders, and counselors to help us learn together and apply our discoveries to each generation present. Another core value is: Always Add Value. While each team member may be from a unique generation, we put aside our differences and add value to each other from our “superpowers.”  

Language. We will talk about new terms that Generation Z has introduced into culture, then reminisce how older generations had their own terms back in the day. Then, we will use Habitudes® images to spark a unified language to communicate principles to teammates. “Drivers and passengers” is all about ownership. “Bit Market” is all about leading change. “Hosts and guests” is all about interpersonal skills. A common and unique taxonomy not only helps people communicate, but it separates a team (or organization) from everyone else.  

Left to their own devices, research shows teams with different generations won’t likely be aligned or wise. Instead, they’ll experience conflict, frustration, and miscommunication. I’ve found by using a proactive leadership strategy and a culture that supports these differences, those adverse effects can not only be neutralized but turned into a competitive advantage.  

Remember—each generation will reap what the previous ones have sown. 

Take the GQ Assessment for free to discover your generational fluency. Then, pick up your copy of the book, “A New Kind of Diversity.” Both can be found here: NewDiversityBook.com.