Multi-generational leadership: Get ready to be flexible!

This article was published as part of the Denver Business Journal Leadership Trust, an invitation-only network of influential business leaders, experts, executives and entrepreneurs.

You’ve likely read the articles about how, for the first time ever, our workforce spans five generations of professionals. That means you are leading baby boomers who grew up before email and mobile devices and Generation Z (zoomers) who don’t know what print newspapers or facsimile machines are — as well as Gen X and millennials.

To top it off, the first Gen Alphas are just graduating from college (or not) and entering the workforce. It’s mind-blowing when you think about it! As a business owner or company leader, you are likely running into hornet nests consistently in an effort to keep your teams moving forward smoothly. Let’s explore a few ideas for establishing some level of harmony within your team:

1. It’s not one size fits all.

Let’s face it: Applying one leadership style and work environment is not the easiest way to manage a team. The span of ages, cultures, lifestyles, and personal demands means you must look at each member of your team individually and design a work schedule that layers into their life as elegantly as possible.

Focus on measuring outcomes and results rather than tasks and activities in order to build ample flexibility into their schedules. Work is already stressful — trying to figure out how to make work possible shouldn’t be one of those stresses.

2. Discover your unconscious biases.

Do you opt for one team member over another because of their age? Do you subconsciously assign activities based on generational identities? These biases can be dangerous and may limit internal and external perceptions of your company.

If Gen Zers are always asked to post on social media and boomers are always assigned to research assignments, then you might only be seeing a thin slice of the possibilities. Why not mix it up?

3. Meet each team member where they are.

Invest time in getting to know your people. Gen X and millennial stressors will be different than boomer stressors. Gen Z may be looking for both social and professional development, while boomers might want a lot of discretion with their time and activities. By truly getting to know each person on your team personally, you’ll be able to help them navigate bad days and low productivity without creating angst within the organization.

4. Build flexibility into rules and routines.

Leading a multigenerational team might be akin to trying to make everyone in your family happy. Each individual has personal pressures on their time, and trying to “treat everyone the same” will, quite simply, fail. As a leader, you can build agility into your policies so that you are able to keep the team operating without being worried about breaking the rules or being treated unfairly.

Also, allow for meetings to take place where it makes the most sense. Sometimes a remote meeting is more effective than an in-person meeting. Take it offsite to reduce a potentially emotionally charged meeting. Use the right tools for the job. And finally, communicate the purpose of flexibility and expectations that the allowances won’t be abused.

5. Create bridges between generations.

Build your departments or working groups with representatives from multiple age groups. It’s easy to let individuals self-organize around people who are like-minded and have similar social needs; however, this reduces the effectiveness of the organization.

Consider a mentorship program. Create internal mentors to help each team member learn new skills, elevate their production, or prepare for a promotion. Be intentional about partnering people with varying perspectives to build processes and solve problems.

Building a multigenerational organization

Imagine blending the wisdom of boomers, the resourcefulness of Gen X, the social prowess and collaboration of millennials, and the technical skill of Gen Z — EUREKA! It takes courage and resolve to build a productive and engaged multigenerational organization, but the return on investment is well worth the time and effort.

Read the full article here.