The Multigenerational Workplace

Communicate, Collaborate, and Create Community

Jennifer Abrams, Valerie von Frank

• Publisher: Corwin
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN:
  9781452218823
• eBook ISBN:
  9781483332888
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Professional Development

Bridge the generation gap and achieve outstanding results!

You might expect the occasional age-related misunderstanding to find its way into the classroom—after all, if today's kids aren't exactly from another planet, they're definitely from another generation. At least you and your colleagues are all on the same page…right? Not necessarily. In some schools, as many as four generations work side by side, and that means countless chances for crossed wires, miscommunication, and perhaps even mistrust.

Authors Jennifer Abrams and Valerie von Frank are attuned to these generational differences.  In this book, based on Abrams' popular workshop, the authors demonstrate how educators can look past their own generational filters to reap the benefits of seeing through a new lens. Focusing on the major contexts in which generational differences play out—including recruitment, coaching, professional learning, and succession planning—this book offers

• Tools, checklists, and recommendations for collaborating, evaluating, and engaging in professional learning that meets multigenerational needs
• Professional development activities that cultivate an understanding of generational differences and strengthen workplace culture
• Real-life stories and case studies that bring the topic to life

With this honest, practical, and often amusing look at generations at work, you'll learn to improve communication, retain staff, and look toward succession—a multigenerational plan for school success.

"Few people today are taking on this topic, particularly in the U.S. One of the greatest leadership challenges of this age is how to work across generations. Newer generations are not flawed versions of previous generations—each has its own compelling perspective to contribute. This is the best book to add to an issue that affects all educators and will open up many people's thinking about leadership."
— Andy Hargreaves, Thomas More Brennan Chair
Lynch School of Education
Boston College, MA

1	Defining the Generations

Now that we have the background on the historic fact of having four generations at work together, let’s take a look at the characteristics of each.

First we have to ask, What is a generation?

Our best definition is that a generation is “an identifiable group that shares birth years, age, location, and significant life events at critical developmental stages” (Tolbize, 2008). Members of a generation share experiences that influence their thoughts, values, behaviors, and reactions. Individuals, of course, bring their own personalities, influences, and particular backgrounds from their race, class, gender, region, family, religion and more, but some broad generalizations are possible about those born in approximately the same years.

One important caveat in using a generational lens is that a precise definition of each generation does not exist. There is no single authority that says that Baby Boomers were born in the years 1946 to 1964. In fact, for example, some break the generation at 1960 and others even earlier, defining those born in a span of late 1950s to early 1960s as the “Jones Generation,” with its own unique set of characteristics.

Although sources vary the exact start and end years, and at times overlap a few years to allow those on the cusp of a generation to decide for themselves which they feel a greater affinity for, we have gone with a general consensus of the time span for each generation and chosen not to overlap.

In general, we believe, each of us shares a history and common experiences with members of a generation, and that collective consciousness creates our worldview.

The four generations are outlined in the following sections.

TRADITIONALISTS 1922–1943

These elder statesmen and women who work in our schools have been with us in the profession the longest. And given their inclination to stay with one profession, you might find them retiring with 35 or more years in the field—dedication that might shock the Millennials. This generation has seen world wars, an economic depression, and a slew of technological changes in their lifetime.

Traditionalists are:

Loyal

If you attend retirement parties and hear the number of years a Traditionalist has been with the same district or school, or has taught the same grade level, you will likely hear decades. Given an upbringing that had the specter of the Great Depression hanging over them, Traditionalists are content to stay put and soldier through the hard times. They may have not had the economic capacity or the will to move far from home, and they transfer that loyalty to their workplace and profession.

Respectful of Authority

They came of age in an era of traditional authority, and they welcome the recognition they feel they have earned; they may want to be called “Ma’am” or “Sir.” They have always respected hierarchy and feel that, regardless of the individual, position has its due. They honor the roles others play and acknowledge them with formal language and gestures: handshakes and thank-you notes, punctuality and salutations all have an important place in their view. This emphasis on formal manners and traditions is not just generated by age. Boomers, when they arrive at a later life stage, may not expect to be addressed with a Mr. or Mrs. and be more open to being on a first-name basis with everyone from the grocery clerk to the doctor.

Jennifer had a superintendent from this generation that had a very Traditionalist way of handling issues that arose in meetings. When she noticed something occurring on the other side of the room that she disliked, she would quietly move to the individual and have a hushed moment of conversation rather than calling attention to the problem from the front of the room. As a Gen Xer, Jennifer might think nothing of just calling over, not uncomfortable in the least to speak up more loudly and address the issue from another side of the room.

Expect Delayed Rewards

This group paid its dues, worked hard, understood what it meant to move up on the salary schedule, sit in all the chairs before expecting a promotion, and do what they call “The Right Thing.” This isn’t a group that imagined stepping over rungs of the career ladder was possible, never mind jumping to the next ladder. Experience matters to them. In their view, you wait your turn and you are rewarded.

Uncomfortable With Conflict

Traditionalists deal with conflict behind closed doors. When someone asks a pointed question of a Traditionalist in an open, town hall-style meeting, we can imagine the Traditionalist answering, “Why don’t we set up an appointment to talk about that?” Traditionalists don’t tend to share openly in large groups and are more conservative in their style. They look at the information some younger generations share so freely on Facebook and shake their heads at the perceived immodesty of it all.

Thorough and Hardworking

Traditionalists often comment on what they see as a change in the younger generations’ “integrity” and “responsibility.” Traditionalists are concerned about giving the right impression and putting effort into getting a job done well. They might say, “If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right,” as well as “Waste not, want not.” They lived the expression, “Use it up, wear it out. Make it do, or do without.” They are all about punctuality and penmanship.

BABY BOOMERS 1944–1964

This generation is represented by teachers with the most seniority who are anchors of the school, holding together their grade levels and providing institutional knowledge. They may be experienced principals or have moved to the district office, where they have been leading for the last decade or more. They are the most celebrated generation, largely because the generation is so large.

Baby Boomers are:

Optimistic

This group remembers when Kennedy was elected and Martin Luther King brought his message of social justice to the world. In a critical developmental stage, they saw a man land on the moon. They saw that individuals could bring about change as they witnessed the era of Civil Rights, women’s rights, and peaceful war protests. Their idea of what the world is and can be was cemented by a sense of optimism and the idea that they could make a difference. They were there for “I have a dream.”

Team-Oriented

With 80 million peers in their group, more or less, Boomers cut their teeth on the idea of “team.” Coming together as activists and community members, they created the Key Club and Parent Teacher Association, Little Leagues and block parties, happy hours, and Secret Santa. They marched, they wrote editorials, and they pushed for change for the whole. They cheered each other on as they learned to use consensus as a tool. Boomers remember the teachers union in its heyday.

Here’s what one Boomer said, seeing Gen-X teachers in his school making demands he wouldn’t dream of and Millennials asking for promotions with minimal experience: “We just trudge along following and enforcing the rules and regulations. Our out-of-school lives are quite limited. We put in the extra hours and give stability to the department. We’re the first to arrive and the last to leave. We’re cynical, yet we’re the most loyal to the school” (Martin & Tulgan, 2006, p. 27).

Service-Oriented

Boomers are willing to go the extra mile—to supervise the group on a Saturday, drive up to the state capital on a Sunday evening, go on the Washington trip, or get soaked at the school car wash fundraiser. They staff the booth and give directions in the parking lot. In addition to doing the job, they volunteer at home in their communities and in national organizations like the International Reading Association or the National Council of Teachers of English. They give back. A quote that defined their day was, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”

All About Process and Relationship

Boomers are interested in preserving relationship and getting results. They check in and network. They understand icebr...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Praise
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• About the Authors
• Introduction: Lost in Translation
• 1 Defining the Generations
• 2 Working With Multiple Generations
• 3 School Savvy Etiquette
• 4 Communicate to Collaborate
• 5 Recruiting and Retaining the Generations
• 6 Differentiating Professional Learning for the Generations
• 7 Succession Planning
• Epilogue
• Bibliography and References
• Index
• Advertisement