Bridging the Generation Gap
By Jayjay Viray

“I'm not trying to cause a big sensation, I'm just talkin' 'bout my generation”
-The Who, “My Generation”

Part of the work experience is meeting different people from backgrounds, which causes different opinions, which leads to dynamic results.  This makes work interesting.  You learn from other people, they will learn from you, and you will learn as a group.  If things were the same all the time, nothing will change, nothing will grow.  There are adjustments that must be made along the way, compromises and sometimes, sacrifices to get things done. 

For older generations, the battle of the sexes raged on in the office, with women slowly carving out their places next to men and indeed, in some situations, above them.  We are still in that mindset in some areas of society but the traditional views of men being the only breadwinner has been broken down and women are now taking charge in most industries.

It follows that the barriers also are broken down the other way.  Men, too, are now known as respected leaders of these stereotypically woman-dominated fields.  In this we see different approaches to campaigns, ideas, demeanor and attitude.  The fact that men and women approach things differently is an advantage rather than a hindrance because the dynamic of these differences make for interesting and varied results.  It has now become a choice for which approach ones likes better. 

In this generation, more younger are  people coming into the workforce.  There are now more self-made millionaires under the age of 40 than ever before, due to the boom of the Internet and other new media.  These young ‘whippersnappers’ are becoming the up-and coming bosses of the industry.  Sometimes, because of the fast pace of technology and the market, the more senior members of the company refuse to change and adopt – and there go their chances of promotion.

The movie, “In Good Company” starring Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace, puts this all in perspective.   Topher Grace’s young executive prodigy buys out Dennis Quaid’s publication.  The movie showed the two gentlemen’s approach: Quaid’s older character uses  ‘handshake’ deal and builds relationships through good old fashioned personal time, while young Grace is all about deals and crossovers using  different products under their corporate umbrella to maximize the company’s yearly profit.  In the end, the older guy, who gets passed over, now returns to his old job and the younger one realizes that there is more to life than corporate accounts in Starbucks and that his youth is still his best asset.

The movie’s principle is sound: respect is key to make these age-gap working relationships work to both parties’ benefits.  If you feel that there is tension regarding the change in position, you must face it with respect. 

To the younger whiz kids, I say this: Make the senior members feel that they are part of what will make your job a success, like asking their advice.  If you disagree with them about a project, keep in mind that they may have been doing this longer than you have and probably worked hard for that position that they were passed over.

To the seniors, my advice is:  These Young Turks appreciate help from you, so long as you do not patronize and or condescend to them. And yes there is a polite way to point out that their execution of an idea is plain wrong.  Diplomacy can get you places where stubbornness may not.

At the end of the day, work is what brings these differences together and in fact sometimes it highlights these changes in our society.  It is up to us to practice respect, both to the older generation (they are the wiser after all) and the younger one (they are the ones that will rule the world, better they get their training from you).  Through working together, you will be able to learn something new either way, so keep those options and minds open.  Work can be a place where these generation gaps can finally be bridged.