7 Lessons From 4 Generations on Working Together (Blog Post)

Multigenerational teams can be sources of innovation and inspiration.

It’s nothing new when generational differences create tension. Long before the first “Okay, Boomer” memes erupted across the internet, those same Baby Boomers were being misunderstood by their parents’ and grandparents’ generations. But as an aspect of identity, our generations situate us in history and help craft our perspectives, a diversity of which ensure innovation and creativity in our teams and workplaces.

At the 2024 Catalyst Awards conference, a Baby Boomer, a Gen Xer, a Millennial, and a Gen Zer discussed how their generations can leverage their differences to work better together. Giovanni Lucas, SVP, Chief Diversity and Talent Acquisition Officer, Nationwide, moderated “Beyond the Buzzword: Navigating DEI Through the Generations.” The panelists were Mike Boyd, SVP, Marketing Content & Delivery, Nationwide, a Baby Boomer; Lisa Kirk, VP, Talent Acquisition, Nationwide, a Gen Xer; Ingrid Harb, CEO, NOTA Inclusion, a Millennial; and Na’Kia Channey, Partnerships and Impact Manager, Google, a Gen Zer.

Here are their key insights:

1. Focus on differences, not divisiveness.“It’s nothing new, that we’ve complained about the newer generations,” said Harb. “But what is new is that we have social media.” She shared some research she did about generational stereotypes. Baby Boomers are described online as “selfish” and “workaholics.” Gen X was called “the Karen Generation.” Millennials were described as “lazy” and “entitled.” And Gen Z were described as “lazy” and “unaware.”“These are preconceived notions,” Harb continued. “These are complaints. And so, […] this is a hype and we need to put it to the side. So, when you’re working with someone, you need to really judge them based on your own life experiences.”

2. Center the individual and their superpowers. Channey said, “We have to make sure that we are thinking about who are we as unique individuals with all of our other intersecting identities and how those each inform our unique lived experiences. And even though I do think we can all agree that ageism and generations are not a monolith, I think each generation still has these unique superpowers that we bring to the world and of course, then to the workplace. And the organizations that take the time to actually understand, strengthen, and grow those unique superpowers are the ones that truly stand the test of time and then see the best growth and strength.”

3. You’re never too old to reflect, learn, and grow.
   Boyd spoke about his experience joining Nationwide. “It was 30-some-odd years into my career. It was the first time that I had the opportunity to work for a person of color. And on my first interview, with the hiring manager, it quickly moved from, ‘This is interesting’, to ‘How do I work for that man?’ I was so impressed by his leadership, his presence. And […]you’re thinking, ‘Oh, I’ve seen it all. I’ve done it all.’ And it was, ‘Child, you don’t know anything about the world out there.’”  “On self-reflection,” he continued, “and this can be on diversity, it can be generational, is then, what do you do when you experience that moment, right? For me, it was a lot of self-reflection. The first thing I said [to myself] was, ‘You have a lot of catching up to do. You have to make up for lost time.’ And so I really tried to double down on, ‘Who am I mentoring? Who am I working with? What is my presence? What is my leadership voice? What am I doing in this organization?’ And I would not have had that outlook, unless I had this opportunity. […] Start on day one and don’t look back.”
4. It’s never too soon to refresh your hiring practices. Kirk said, “Think about the decision that a hiring leader makes every time they hire. It is hugely impactful to your organization’s results. And it is hugely impactful to the experience of that candidate across the table. And so, one of the things that we’ve done at Nationwide is create an inclusive hiring toolkit. Really helping leaders see: why is this important? Why does it matter? Not assuming that every leader knows why it matters, kind of outlining that. Secondly, walking them through specific practices that we want them to follow, behaviors and mindsets that we want them to embody when they are interviewing. To have an inclusive hiring panel that is welcoming, that is embracing that that candidate can see themselves and what it would look like to be successful in your organization. It matters.”
5. Being a good role model starts with being good to yourself. Harb didn’t mince words, calling out the leaders who, intentionally or not, set the precedent for professionalism at their workplaces. One generation’s hard work can be another generation’s burnout. “One of the problems with cross-generational workplaces is that we all think our point of view is right,” she said. “And we’re seeing that newer generations are struggling with mental health. But I need every single leader in this room to learn how to deal with their emotions. I need every single leader in this room to be aware of their work habits that can lead their teams and themselves to burnout. Self-awareness is the new intelligence, and we, we need to go within because we’re creating unsustainable workplaces that are burning everyone out and yourself. So, I really need for our leaders of today to deal with their emotions.”

6. Sometimes leadership means letting others pass you by. Boyd knows the value of putting the right people in the right place and letting them soar. “I want to build the very best team. I want to have very successful results. Full stop. I want the very best talent on the team. And that comes from a very diverse team. And when I work with people, I will express it to myself, going, ‘You’re five years ahead of where I was at your age.’ ‘You’re 10 years ahead of where I was at your age.’ So, why would I want to slow that down?”“I’m [Gen] X and a lot of us had to go through some of the twists and turns of corporate culture, right? We had to go through… some of us might have been hazed a little bit,” Lucas contributed. “My job is to be an accelerator. I don’t want those who are coming behind me to have to go through the same thing I went through. My job is to make sure that I’m mitigating speed bumps along the way so the journey can be faster. That should be all of our job, right? To think about pulling folks up in a very meaningful way that allows them to experience opportunities in a way they never would have if it had not been for you investing in them.”

7. Connecting across differences is where the magic happens. Channey reminded attendees that collaboration can be a rewarding experience. “I think cross-generational connections also can be fun. I think it’s so important that we bring the fun back into these type of conversations and into the workplace. And at the end of the day, I try to live a life of joy. And I find joy when I get connected to people and help me get to where I want to go, and [I help them get to where they want to go]. We also can just bond together on our shared humanity together.”

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