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Business, Nonfiction, Self Help, Leadership, Audiobook
Book
Kindle Edition
2019
Harper Business
English
B07CL3WHKS
0062880233
9780062880239
PDF | EPUB
The day I first noticed the generational gap in my workplace was when our quarterly team meeting turned into an unexpected culture clash. Our senior VP, a seasoned Baby Boomer, had just announced a new company-wide initiative requiring everyone to be in the office five days a week. The room temperature seemed to drop as the younger team members exchanged glances. Later that day, my Millennial colleague Sophia approached me with frustration in her eyes: "They just don't get it. I'm more productive at home two days a week. Why change what's working?" Meanwhile, our Gen X manager seemed caught in the middle, understanding both perspectives but unsure how to bridge the divide. This scenario plays out in workplaces across the world every day. For the first time in history, five distinct generations are working side by side, each bringing different values, communication styles, and expectations to the table. Rather than seeing these differences as obstacles, what if we viewed them as opportunities? The workplace doesn't need to be a battleground of competing generational values but can instead become a rich tapestry where diverse perspectives create stronger outcomes for everyone. This book explores how organizations can foster environments where Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Z can not only coexist but thrive together through mutual understanding, respect, and innovative approaches to collaboration that blend the best of all worlds.
When Jack Welch was CEO of General Electric in 1999, he did something revolutionary. He required five hundred of his top executives to pair up with junior employees for the purpose of learning how to use the Internet. Lloyd Trotter, then 54 and head of GE's industrial systems operation, admitted that before receiving his reverse mentor, his knowledge of the Internet was limited to knowing "it was there." His mentor, 27-year-old Rachel Dorman, found teaching her boss about technology empowering: "I can teach him things. I know things he doesn't know." At the same time, she was learning valuable leadership skills from Trotter about running a large operation and communicating with different people. This story from two decades ago marks one of the first formal recognitions that generational knowledge could flow in multiple directions. Today, with five generations in the workplace, this insight is more crucial than ever. Traditionalists (born 1928-1945) often value loyalty, formality, and hierarchical respect. Baby Boomers (1946-1964) tend to be competitive, optimistic, and embrace a "forever young" mentality. Generation X (1965-1980) typically values independence and maintains healthy skepticism. Millennials (1981-1996) frequently seek purpose, frequent feedback, and work-life integration. The newest workplace entrants, Generation Z (born after 1997), bring technological prowess, diversity awareness, and pragmatism. Understanding these general tendencies isn't about stereotyping – it's about recognizing different formative experiences. Baby Boomers witnessed unprecedented economic growth and social change. Gen Xers were the "latchkey kids" during rising divorce rates. Millennials came of age with the internet and experienced economic uncertainty. Gen Z has never known a world without smartphones. These experiences shape how people view authority, communication, feedback, and work itself. Yet statistics remind us that generational understanding should be one tool among many. For example, when asked about workplace priorities, 65% of Millennials said personal development was their top priority (versus 21% who prioritized salary). However, across all generations, employees who find their work meaningful are 69% less likely to quit within six months. The data suggests we are far more alike in our fundamental desires for purpose and respect than we are different in how we express those needs. What we need isn't a one-size-fits-all approach but a "remix" that takes the best practices from each generation's experience and blends them into something better suited for today's diverse workplace. Just as a music remix maintains the recognizable elements of an original song while adding contemporary elements, workplace leaders must preserve valuable traditions while embracing new perspectives. This approach doesn't erase the past but builds upon it, creating something both familiar and fresh that appeals across generational lines.
For decades, the most common metaphor for long-term employment was the career ladder—employees would join a company, climb steadily upward through promotions, and eventually retire with a gold watch. But this model is rapidly disappearing. When Tiffany Kuck, a Millennial, graduated from the University of Kentucky, she took what many would consider a dream job as a youth activities manager for Disney Cruise Line and lived onboard ships for three years. When her grandfather became sick, she looked for jobs that required less travel. She received offers from five different organizations in five different cities, including a position at a resort in Hawaii. Which did she choose? McGohan Brabender, a health insurance company in Dayton, Ohio. Her reason was simple but profound: "The second I stepped into this office for my interview, employees came up to say hello and welcome. The CEO toured me around the building and introduced me. For my interview, I met with six different leaders who told me about themselves, the company, and what they believe in. I felt welcomed and like I belonged. I would have said yes to taking this job no matter the product or industry or location because of the leaders." This experience highlights how talent acquisition is changing. Today's most successful recruiters understand that geography matters less than culture, that skills can be taught but values alignment cannot, and that candidates are evaluating companies as much as companies are evaluating them. The most innovative companies are remixing their recruiting strategies accordingly. Some are expanding their definition of "qualified candidates"—for instance, recognizing that engineering majors might excel in roles traditionally reserved for business majors. Others are making their application processes mobile-friendly, resulting in significant increases in application rates. Perhaps the most dramatic talent remix is happening around age diversity. When lifeguarding pools across America struggled to hire enough teenagers, they started thinking creatively. "We're starting to think outside the box: Baby Boomers, seniors, retired lawyers, and accountants," said one industry spokesperson. "Employers are looking internally, too: maybe that custodian who swims laps after work can get certified." The result? A workforce that spans generations, with the added bonus that older lifeguards can drive themselves to work. Organizations are also remixing retention strategies. Texas Capital Bank offers a two-tiered approach: promoting Millennial employees to lead campus recruiting at their alma maters while also embracing "employee boomeranging"—actively recruiting former employees who had previously left. This recognizes both younger employees' desire for responsibility and the value of experienced professionals who bring outside perspective back to the company. The most significant talent remix may be in how organizations view employment duration. Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, proposed a "tours of duty" model—incremental employment alliances mutually agreed upon for set periods. "The company gets an engaged employee who's striving to produce tangible achievements," Hoffman explains. "The employee may not get lifetime employment, but takes a significant step toward lifetime employability." This approach acknowledges reality while fostering trust through honest expectations. In today's environment, what matters isn't whether someone stays forever, but whether their contribution is meaningful while they're there.
A college football coach once led his team to the NCAA Championship game with an approach that challenged traditional leadership norms. His players, mostly younger Millennials, didn't respond well to the yelling and punishment that had motivated previous generations. When the coach noticed their performance declining after being shouted at, he made a profound decision to change his leadership style while keeping his standards intact. The fundamental requirements didn't change—the hard work, stamina, physical conditioning, ethical play—but his approach did. He assigned every player a mentor, shortened meetings to improve attention, and implemented a no-yelling rule with his staff. When criticized by others in the football community for "coddling" his players, the coach had a simple response: "It works. We're winning." This wasn't about lowering standards—it was about finding more effective ways to achieve the same high standards with a new generation of players. This story exemplifies the leadership remix happening across industries. Traditional command-and-control leadership—a style that evolved from military models where 47% of Traditionalist men served—is giving way to a coaching approach better suited for today's diverse workforce. This transition isn't about abandoning authority but about exercising it differently to achieve superior results. The shift makes sense when we consider how leadership expectations form. Many Baby Boomers were raised by Traditionalist parents with an authoritarian parenting style—"Because I said so!" was a common refrain. When Boomers became parents to Millennials, many adopted a more collaborative approach, functioning more as mentors and guides. Similarly, educational environments changed. The average public school classroom in the 1950s had forty students; by the 1980s, just twenty. College professors became more like cheerleaders than stern authorities. Technology has further leveled hierarchies by democratizing information access. The internet, social media, and mobile devices have removed leaders' monopoly on information. In the past, leaders doled out knowledge on a "need-to-know" basis. Today, everyone can access vast information independently, changing the power dynamic fundamentally. The most effective contemporary leaders embrace what leadership expert Daniel Goleman calls a coaching style—guiding and supporting each person to their greatest potential rather than commanding and controlling them. This approach works with employees raised in hierarchical structures and those expecting more democratic organizations. Most importantly, coaches maintain the belief that improvement is always possible, embodying what psychologist Carol Dweck defines as a "growth mindset." When facing challenges, they might say, "I'm not good at managing Millennials yet" rather than "I'm not good at managing Millennials," recognizing that skills can be developed with effort and experience. The leadership remix ultimately isn't about generational preferences—it's about effectiveness. Leaders across generations who adopt a coaching approach find they can maintain high standards while inspiring greater engagement, innovation, and performance from their diverse teams.
When I envision workplace communication of previous decades, I picture Walter Cronkite delivering his authoritative "And that's the way it is" sign-off. Today's image is radically different: billions of people tapping their own versions of reality into phones, exchanging perspectives in real-time across social platforms. This shift from one-way proclamation to multi-directional conversation has profound implications for workplace communication. Michael Bloomberg exemplified this transition during his tenure as New York City mayor from 2002 to 2013. Despite being born in 1942 (technically a Traditionalist), Bloomberg recreated City Hall as an entirely open workspace, sitting at a desk identical to those of his staff and holding meetings in plain view. One city employee noted: "As a workspace, it is something you do not think you can ever get used to. But when you see the mayor hosting high-level meetings in clear sight of everyone else, you start to understand that this open-communication model is not bullshit. And that it works." This transparency extends beyond physical spaces. At Netflix, nearly every employee can access sensitive information like subscriber numbers or contract terms. Their former chief talent officer Patty McCord emphasized: "If you can teach everybody in the company how to read a profit-and-loss statement, you have a capability that serves you and them for the rest of their careers." Some organizations are even embracing salary transparency, with research showing that sharing information about workers' pay relative to others can boost effort equivalent to a 33% pay increase. Yet cross-generational communication remains challenging. According to research, 81% of workers say the primary difference between generations is communication styles, and 38% find it difficult to communicate with coworkers outside their age group. The solution isn't standardization but what communications experts call COPE: Create Once, Publish Everywhere. This approach acknowledges that different generations may prefer receiving information in different formats—some through email, others via text or in-person meetings—but the content remains consistent. One marketing executive applied this principle by shortening all email messages to fit on an early iPhone screen, knowing most people would read them on mobile devices. A summer camp director, noticing Gen Z counselors weren't reading the 45-page staff manual, added a "TL;DR" (Too Long; Didn't Read) box at the bottom of each page with tweet-length takeaways. These adaptations preserved essential information while making it accessible across generational preferences. Perhaps most importantly, effective cross-generational communication requires becoming what one law firm partner calls a "communication chameleon"—adapting your style to the person you're communicating with rather than expecting others to adapt to you. This doesn't mean changing your message, just its delivery. As Henrik Edberg wisely noted: "Ask instead of guessing... This will help you minimize unnecessary conflicts, misunderstandings, negativity, and wastes of time and energy." The most successful leaders in multigenerational workplaces practice both increased transparency and adaptive communication. They share more information across organizational levels while tailoring how that information is delivered to suit diverse preferences. The result is greater alignment, engagement, and collaboration across generational lines—proving that in today's workplace, communication isn't just about what we say, but how we ensure everyone truly hears it.
The day I first started at a digital media company, my desk was in a windowless former conference room where they had removed the large table and crammed in as many desks as possible. I sat approximately eighteen inches from my boss. I remember being terrified when negotiating on the phone that she would overhear me saying something wrong. I remember hiding in the stairwell to make personal calls, which backfired when everyone would ask, "Ooh, who were you calling out there?" upon my return. Meanwhile, employees with longer tenure enjoyed private offices or spacious cubicles, occasionally walking by our cramped room saying, "That must be so much fun in there!" We were told this arrangement would encourage "collaboration and innovation and synergy"—buzzwords that masked the economic reality that open offices are significantly cheaper because they fit more people into less space. By 2015, approximately 70% of offices had converted to open plans, often justified as appealing to younger workers who supposedly preferred collaborative environments. The problem? A 2018 Harvard study found that switching to an open-plan office actually decreased face-to-face interactions by over 70% while increasing email and messaging by nearly the same amount. Rather than fostering collaboration, open architecture often made people socially withdraw. This disconnect between workspace design and actual human needs exemplifies why workspace requires a thoughtful remix. Capital One has pioneered this approach in their corporate locations. Walking through their New York office feels more like entering a dynamic hotel lobby than a traditional bank. Some employees work alone on high stools, others gather in glass-walled "phone booths" for video calls, and small teams huddle in private diner-style booths built into walls. Sliding partitions allow quick reconfiguration of spaces for different meeting sizes. Plants and natural light abound. "Six years ago, we looked around our organization and saw a fundamental shift in how people were doing work," explains Stefanie Spurlin, Capital One's vice president of workplace solutions. "We needed to create an environment to fuel innovation and collaboration that would allow our people to ultimately support our customers, and also to be inclusive of different people's work styles." The workspace remix isn't just about physical environments—it's increasingly about location flexibility. When Sara Sutton, founder of FlexJobs, spoke at a technology conference about remote work, she asked the audience how many considered themselves remote workers. About 30% raised their hands. Then she asked how many worked from home on weekends, during commutes, or on vacation. Every single hand went up. "There's a really big misconception about what is happening with remote work," she noted. "In order to be a competitive, forward-thinking, evolving company, you have to understand this trend is already happening." Research confirms remote work appeals across generational lines. While younger workers expect flexibility due to their technological fluency, half of telecommuters are 45 or older. The ability to work remotely helps employees economically by reducing commuting costs, benefits the environment, supports caretaking responsibilities, and maintains productivity during extreme weather events. The most successful workspace remix combines variety with intention—providing different environments for different types of work while establishing clear guidelines around their use. This might include quiet zones for deep focus, collaborative areas for team projects, and flexibility to work remotely when appropriate. When asked what feature employees most desire in a workplace, the top answer across generations was natural light—a simple yet powerful reminder that human needs often transcend generational differences.
In 2011, when Natalia Oberti Noguera was 27 years old, she founded Pipeline Angels, an organization changing the face of angel investing by creating capital for women and nonbinary femme social entrepreneurs. As a leader committed to inclusion, Natalia understands the power of knowledge flowing in all directions across generational lines. When she needed someone to teach a portion of the orientation program for her angel investing boot camp, she hired Riley, a young, nonbinary, half-Black, half-Indian engineer. By having Riley lead this conversation, Natalia explains, "The academic and theoretical become real." Natalia describes herself as a "huge believer" in intergenerational relationships. She doesn't mind being invited to certain events due to her young age, gender, orientation, or ethnicity. "I just think about how many rooms I haven't been invited into because of that identity, so I just say yes and then leverage that." But she's also transparent about her mistakes. After organizing a dinner in San Francisco for her remote team, she proudly asked her Deaf chief of staff Anisa how it went, only to learn the restaurant hadn't been Deaf-friendly—the dim lighting made it harder to lip-read and follow the interpreter, and the table shape wasn't conducive to inclusive conversation. "I was so crestfallen," Natalia admits. When she later shared this experience during an interview with Ellen Pao, the venture capitalist replied positively: "Anisa told you. You have created a culture at Pipeline Angels where Anisa felt comfortable telling you that it hadn't been a Deaf-friendly restaurant." Natalia quotes Maya Angelou's wisdom: "Now that I know better, I do better." This story exemplifies how mentoring has evolved from a one-way transfer of knowledge (senior to junior) into a multi-directional exchange. Traditional mentoring remains valuable—75% of executives point to mentoring as playing a key role in their careers, and recent university graduates rank "working with strong coaches and mentors" as their most valued development opportunity. But today's most innovative organizations supplement this with reverse mentoring (junior to senior) and co-mentoring (peer to peer). At The Estée Lauder Companies, three hundred senior leaders in twenty countries are matched with "Presidential Reverse Mentors"—junior employees who provide insights on digital trends, consumer behavior, and emerging technologies. The program began when CEO Fabrizio Freda organized a retail immersion day where young employees took executives shopping to help them understand how younger consumers integrate mobile phones into their shopping experiences. The executives observed their young colleagues reading online reviews, comparing prices, watching tutorials, taking selfies, and ordering coffee in advance through apps—insights that directly influenced company strategy. For organizations implementing cross-generational mentoring, best practices include securing support from top leadership, providing context about generational differences, encouraging diversity beyond age, and training participants on expectations. The most effective programs also connect mentors to each other and assign real business challenges to mentoring teams. Even without formal programs, individuals can practice "micro-mentoring"—brief exchanges of cross-generational wisdom. Simple questions like "What are your favorite apps and why?" or "What's the biggest misconception about your generation?" can spark valuable insights. As Chip Conley, who joined Airbnb at age 52, discovered: "My best tactic for being a Baby Boomer among Millennials was to reconceive my bewilderment as curiosity, and give free rein to it...Paradoxically, this curiosity keeps us feeling young." By redefining mentoring as knowledge flowing in all directions, organizations harness the unique perspectives of each generation—combining the wisdom of experience with the fresh insights of newer workers to create something more powerful than either could achieve alone.
KPMG, one of the "big four" accounting firms, discovered something remarkable when reviewing employee engagement data. The factor most strongly driving retention was agreement with the statement: "I feel like my job has special meaning and is not just a job." This insight led them to launch the Higher Purpose Initiative, asking employees to create posters sharing stories about how their work makes a difference. Their goal was to collect 10,000 posters. They received 42,000—from a company with 27,000 employees. One employee wrote, "I keep jobs in the U.S.A.," describing how he helped clients obtain tax credits for maintaining American research positions. Another declared, "I combat terrorism," explaining her role helping financial institutions prevent money laundering. The faces on these posters reflected the company's generational, ethnic, and gender diversity. The result? Employee pride in working for KPMG jumped from 82% to 89% in just one year, and the firm rose seventeen positions on Fortune's Best Companies to Work For list. This story illustrates how creating an inclusive culture isn't just about acknowledging differences—it's about finding the shared values that unite diverse employees in meaningful work. In today's workplace, culture must grow organically through each employee's daily experience rather than being dictated from the top down. Laszlo Bock, former head of People Operations at Google, suggests a practical approach: "Pick an area where people are frustrated and let them fix it. If there are constraints, limited time or money, tell them what they are. Be transparent with your people and give them a voice in shaping your team or company. You'll be stunned by what they accomplish." One consumer goods manager applied this by engaging her team to identify workplace irritations in a project called "100 Paper Cuts." Employees noted they had nowhere in their crowded office to eat lunch together, so they designated the conference room as a lunchroom from noon to 1 p.m. daily—a zero-cost solution that boosted morale and gave employees ownership in their culture. Inclusive cultures also recognize that employees have diverse needs beyond the workplace. This explains the expansion of employee benefits from 60 tracked options in 1996 to 330 today. Life planning accounts are gaining popularity, allowing employees to choose how to spend employer-provided funds on personal priorities—whether student loan payments, childcare, professional memberships, or other needs. This acknowledges that a Traditionalist nearing retirement, a Gen Xer with college-age children, and a Millennial with student debt might value different forms of support. Perhaps most significantly, inclusive cultures are embracing a shift from "work/life balance" to "work/life integration." The term "balance" implies two separate realms requiring equal time, while "integration" recognizes that technology has blurred these boundaries. As one nonprofit employee working long hours with disabled children shared, it meant the world when her manager simply asked about her weekend or ensured she left on time when she had personal plans. These small gestures acknowledge employees as whole people with lives beyond work. Keith Ferrazzi wisely notes, "Little choices make big impressions." When people reflect on their careers, they remember moments that made them feel seen and valued: the CEO praising their work, a boss giving extra time off when a grandparent died, a note from a colleague saying your advocacy made a difference. Each such moment represents an opportunity to create a more inclusive culture where every person, regardless of generation, feels that their unique perspective is not merely tolerated but actively sought and valued.
Throughout this exploration of generational dynamics in the workplace, we've witnessed how the most successful organizations are creating a "remix"—a harmonious blend that preserves valuable traditions while embracing fresh perspectives. Like a skilled DJ who samples classic tracks while adding contemporary elements, these companies maintain what works while adapting to changing times. They recognize that the fundamental human desires for meaning, respect, and connection remain constant across generations, even as expressions of these needs evolve. The path forward isn't about choosing between generational preferences but about thoughtful integration. It means adopting coaching leadership styles that maintain high standards while providing the guidance today's employees seek. It requires communication that is both more transparent and more adaptable to diverse preferences. It demands workspaces that offer variety rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. Perhaps most importantly, it calls for the humility to recognize that wisdom flows in all directions—from experienced leaders sharing hard-earned insights to younger employees offering fresh perspectives on technology and social change. When we approach generational differences with curiosity rather than judgment, with empathy rather than stereotyping, we create environments where everyone can contribute their unique gifts to shared success. The workplace of tomorrow belongs not to any single generation but to those who can bridge divides and harness the collective wisdom of all.
Strengths: Pollak's clear writing style and practical advice stand out as major strengths. Her emphasis on flexibility and adaptability in leadership is crucial for managing multigenerational teams. Real-world examples and case studies enhance the relatability and applicability of her insights. The book's relevance in today's evolving workplace and its engaging approach to complex topics are particularly noteworthy.\nWeaknesses: Some readers note a lack of depth in exploring the nuances of each generation's unique characteristics. Occasionally, certain strategies are seen as not universally applicable across all industries or organizational sizes.\nOverall Sentiment: The book is generally well-received, with readers appreciating its practical guidance and engaging writing. It is considered a valuable resource for leaders aiming to improve their management skills in a multigenerational context.\nKey Takeaway: Effective leadership in a diverse workforce requires adapting traditional management strategies to bridge generational gaps, leveraging each age group's strengths, and fostering a collaborative environment.
Lindsey Pollak is a New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading career and workplace experts, with a special focus on early career success.She was named to the 2020 Thinkers50 Radar List, which honors 30 global management thinkers whose work is shaping the future of how organizations are managed and led. Lindsey’s next book, a response to the Covid crisis, "Recalculating: Navigate Your Career Through the Changing World of Work," will be published in March 2021. Her other books include "The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace," "Becoming the Boss" and "Getting from College to Career." Lindsey’s speaking audiences and consulting clients have included more than 250 corporations, law firms, conferences and universities.She has been featured in such media outlets as The TODAY Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and NPR.
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by Lindsey Pollak
By Lindsey Pollak
