EDMOND — Age and personality differences can make for a “wild and crazy” workplace. Say the sentence, “We are two wild and crazy guys,” and most baby boomers picture nearly identical scenes from “Saturday Night Live.” Employees from other generations, however, are in the dark.

Jennifer Howard spoke on valuing age and personality differences at the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce Women’s Conference on Friday at the University of Central Oklahoma. A total of 90 women attended the half-day conference titled “Women Helping Women,” which featured keynote speaker Cindi Broaddus, who is Dr. Phil McGraw’s sister-in-law.

Howard, who is an Edmond small business development coach and president of Positive Business Solutions, said co-workers in the workplace can “irritate the stew” out of one another as their generational differences cause them to ask, “Why isn’t everyone like me?”

One answer she discussed is that members of each generation have different life experiences. Consequently, working successfully with a range of generations takes an understanding of generation-specific characteristics.

The Traditionalists, born prior to 1946, were impacted by the Depression, rationing and World War II. Because of their experiences, Howard suggested, they place an emphasis on security and “the personal touch.” They respect age and equate age with authority. Traditionalists expect everyone to get to work on time. For Traditionalists, gentle, slow change works best. They also like tangible rewards, such as a gold watch.

The Baby Boomers, born from 1946-64, were impacted by the civil rights and feminist movements, landing on the moon, Vietnam and the assassination of their president. In the workplace, Howard suggested, Baby Boomers frequently ask for input. It’s important to them to be “politically correct,” and they try to operate as “friendly equals” in the workplace. “The very best reward for a Baby Boomer is recognition,” Howard said. “Tell us. We want to know how we’re doing.”

Members of Generation X, born from 1964-78, were the first latch-key generation, with two working parents. Sesame Street served as their babysitter and early educator. The Challenger disaster also impacted this generation.

Members of Generation X want to develop marketable, portable skills while having fun on the job. To do their jobs, they want to use up-to-date tools, such as the latest computer software and hardware. They don’t want to be micromanaged and they don’t want to watch the clock. On their own, they are deadline- and goal-oriented. They expect to be trusted. For Traditionalists and Baby Boomers, Howard said, life came after work. Generation X wants more balance. “Their reward is time off,” she said.

The Millennials, born from 1978 to 2000, Howard said, have been affected by the Oklahoma City bombing, Sept. 11, Y2K and the death of Princess Diana.

They emphasize developing new skills that will allow them to do meaningful, challenging work based on their personal interests. Preferring to work with mentors and in teams, they expect others to be flexible. They want clear expectations and immediate feedback.

“They want to work in a safe environment; safety is big,” Howard said. Like Generation X, they also want up-to-date tools for information on demand.

The one characteristic common to all four generation groups in the workplace is they want to be shown respect.

“Value the people you work with because they are different from you,” Howard said. The best plan for dealing with the different generations is to find ways to involve business associates in ways that will work for them.

“Be patient,” Howard said, “and respect everybody you work with, as well.”

Cheri Fuller, an Edmond author and speaker, said, “I found Jennifer’s explanation about the contrast in generations so interesting because my daughter and I just finished a book coming out in February called ‘Mother Daughter Duet: Getting to the Relationship You Want with Your Daughter.’”

She said the two had interviewed many young women and their mothers.

“There’s such a vast difference in the generations, and that’s often why there’s tension,” she said.

Following their study of generational differences in the families, Fuller said, “It was very fascinating to hear how the generational and personality differences affect you in the workplace.”



ktoppins@edmondsun.com |

341-2121, ext. 112.