US Army: Korea%20%20-%20Generational%20Differences

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8/14/2019 US Army: Korea%20%20-%20Generational%20Differences

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GenerationalDifferences

Dr. Tracy RussoUniversity of Kansas

Generational Differences TRusso 2008

Anchored in time

Beloit’s Mindset 2007

What Berlin Wall?

Linked to history and society

Four Generations Defining events

Heroes

Memories and memorabilia

Especially Gen Y, the Millennials

Workplace challenges

Managing multiple generations

Veterans/Builders

Born before 1946 6% of the national workforce

Defining events Pearl Harbor and World War II

The Dust Bowl

The New Deal

Stock Market crashes Social security system established

Korean War

Icons: people, places, things

Superman and Babe Ruth

Roosevelt and Churchill

Generals Douglas MacArthur and GeorgePatton

The Lone Ranger and Flash Gordon

JukeboxesWet pepper sandwiches

Baby Boomers

Born 1946 – 1964 45% of the national workforce

Defining events Backyard bomb shelters, McCarthyism Salk vaccine and birth control pills Civil Rights movement

Lunar landings Kennedy, King assassinations Vietnam

Ghandi and Martin Luther King

John F. Kennedy and John Glenn

The Ed Sullivan Show Elvis and the Beatles

Slinkies, hula hoops

Leave it to Beaver; Father Knows Best;Dobie Gillis

Generation X

Born 1964 – 1977 30% of the U.S. workforce

Defining events Watergate

Three Mile Island, energy crises, Exxon Valdez

Outsourcing, offshoring, downsizing

Women’s liberation movement; gay rights

Berlin Wall torn down

No heroes

The Brady Bunch and The Simpsons

Miami Vice; The Cosby Show Pet rocks and Cabbage Patch dolls

Punk and heavy metal music; MTV

Compact disks, Walkman, personalcomputers, Windows

Rubics Cube; Smurfs

Generation Y -- Millennials

Born 1978 – 2000 10% of the U.S. workforce

Defining events 9/11 attacks and Oklahoma City bombing;

Columbine High School massacre

Development of the Internet; dot.com bust

Hubble Space Telescope Spread of AIDS

Michael Jordan, Mia Hamm, Sammy Sosa

Princess Diana, Christopher Reeves, Bill

GatesBarney, Beanie Babies, virtual pets

The Spice Girls, Britney Spears

The X GamesRock and hip-hop music

Generalized characteristics

PromiscuityHype, clichéPC-nessVulgarityTurnoffs

EqualityCompetenceConsensusHierarchyLeadership

InclusionCommitmentGratificationSacrificeRelations

SavvyProficientChallengedFascinatedTechnology

PoliteUnimpressedLove/hateRespectfulAuthority

Career Career Employer Employer Loyalty

DeterminedBalancedDrivenDedicatedWork ethic

HopefulSkepticalOptimisticPracticalOutlook

Gen YGen XBoomersVeterans

Earn to

Cautious,

save, save

Buy now,

pay later

Put it awayMoney

Internet

Picture

phones

Cell phones;

call only at

Touch-tone

phones; call

anytime

Rotary

phones

One-on-one

An incredibleexperience

Way to getthere

BirthrightDreamEducation

Merged

families

Latch-key

DisintegratingTraditional

nuclear Family

Realism,confidence

Skepticism,fun

Optimism,Involvement

Respect for authority

Values

Gen YGen XBoomersVeterans

Millennials

Wanted; protected; worthy

Sheltered

Confident Team-oriented

Pressured

ConventionalWired

Challenges for Millennials

Growing up coddled

Expectation of regular rewards

Some rewards just for being Parents as safety nets/helicopter parents

Anchored by electronic connection Real-time contact with family and friends

Contact confirms identity, provides emotional

support

Electronic connection

One foot in the Army, one at home Real-time interaction or short delay

Conflicting identities Response from home about Army role

Changing traditional family and gender sex roles

The pull of the familiar culture Missing contact and support

Feeling left out

Organizational Challenges

It’s easy to argue that: The generations are inherently different

These differences mean trouble

Easy accusations: Veterans are fossilized

Boomers are narcissistic

Gen X-ers are slackers

Gen Y-ers are even more narcissistic than the

boomers

Organizational priorities

On the other hand, stereotypically, Veterans – value hard work

Boomers – value loyalty

Gen X – value work-life balance

Gen Y – value innovation and change

These are not necessarily contradictory

Research shows

Birth year and generation’s place in history

influences worldview

HOWEVER --

The generations value essentially the same

things in the workplace

Differences reflect life stages and experience

more than generations

Individual differences are equally important

What the generations want

To trust their supervisors

To have balanced autonomy and support

To avoid threatening changes

To receive feedback

To feel valued To have an opportunity to learn

Managing the generations:

Focus on the work

Focus on meaning and purpose

Define group mission, tasks, deadlinesDefine individual missions

Maximize uniqueness

Support workplace teaching and learning

Managing the generations:

Communicate

Make opportunities to communicate

Specify, don’t imply

Choose channel thoughtfully

Draw on expertise and creativity

Provide feedback

Acknowledge individuality

Focusing on individuals

Are you and all the other members of your

generation just alike?

Effects of individual background and experiences

Treat others as you would like to be treated

QUESTIONS

COMMENTS

US Army: Korea%20%20-%20Generational%20Differences

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