You can hardly go a day without hearing reference to the labels we have conferred upon the generations around us – the Baby Boomers, who grew up during the Cold War, Gen X who witnessed the rise of technology, Millennials who were shaped in the post-9/11 era, and Gen Z, who have only known a world immersed in digital connectivity. Never before have we named, characterized, studied, and even judged generations as we do now.
Leading these groups, each with unique and sometimes vastly different perspectives, can be challenging for those who manage them. This challenge inspired the VIPAR Heavy Duty Family of Companies to offer a Distributor Educational Session entitled “Leading Across Generations: Creating a Collaborative, Future Ready Workforce” at their IMPACT Conference held Oct. 20-25 in Marco Island, Fla. The annual Distributor Educational Session addresses timely and relevant issues for business leaders who strive to be proactive on current workforce challenges and solutions.
The session was presented by Bill Fournet, CEO of The Persimmon Group, a business consulting firm that guides organizations in building competitive strategy, executing projects with purpose and precision, and developing the top talent needed to support growth.
Setting the Stage
Fournet began the session by helping attendees understand what makes Generation Z tick, and how to leverage the strengths of all generations on their staff. Each generation, he said, made career choices based on different desired outcomes and have goals and motivations based on their life experiences.
Baby Boomers often followed in their parents’ footsteps, especially in the trades. They are task-oriented and don’t need to understand the big picture to perform. “Boomers think ‘Give me my task and let me get it done and then I'm moving to the next thing,’” explained Fournet. They are motivated by promotions and having their expertise acknowledged.
GenX focused on the best-paying job. GenX remembers their grandparents telling them to find something they're good at that pays well, even though they may not love it. They were influenced by movies and television in which the common theme was that the kids were in charge and the parents and adults were either villains or impediments. They are motivated by recognition, experiential rewards like the corner office, and flexible schedules.
Millennials wanted jobs that followed their passion. They are looking for personal development opportunities and purpose-driven work. They were influenced by their Boomer parents, whose lives revolved around their work and who advised them to make space in their lives to enjoy the fruits of their labor. “This generation is not about being perfect; they're about being unique and this plays into their desire for you to want to understand their strengths and their motivators,” Fournet said. They are motivated by mentoring, feedback, and workplace culture.
GenZ wants to change the world through their career. They are looking for financial stability, environmental activism, and have an entrepreneurial spirit. They're a very resourceful generation that came of age in the digital space, where you can make a living online and no one even needs to know how old you are. Fournet said leaders need to keep in mind that this generation measures and judges leaders based on whether they are backing up their words with actions. They want honesty, fairness, and kindness. “They're very good at sniffing out the BS,” he added. They are motivated by responsible, meaningful work.
Three Key Strategies to Get Your Team Focused
Fournet highlighted a powerful approach to aligning teams: always start by answering, “Success to me looks like…”
“Filling in the blank on that phrase can result in game-changing performance and productivity in your organization. It's the most profound of all the techniques I've done over the last 25 years,” said Fournet. “Communicate what success looks like so everyone is on the same page.”
Leaders should focus on the meaning of what should be done to provide context, and not just provide the desired result. Fournet then presented three key strategies for leading a multigenerational workforce:
- Increase Performance and Accountability: Traditional hierarchical structures, where leaders give orders and expect results, are no longer effective. Today’s fast-paced environment requires a more flexible, outcome-based approach. Leaders should ensure that team members clearly understand what success looks like and the boundaries within which they can make decisions. By defining clear goals and offering the autonomy to achieve them, teams are more empowered, accountable, and motivated.
It is today’s fast pace of change and constantly evolving answers and solutions that require this approach. “When that frontline person walks into a situation they were not expecting, they don't know what do – they’ve got to call their boss. They need to understand what you’re trying to do and what success looks like. Leaders provide boundaries but allow workers to use their judgment in making decisions and accomplishing tasks. Provide clear instructions on what level of authority they have, communicate when they should involve you (and any other rules), and validate what they are responsible for,” said Fournet.
- Develop Talent Through Coaching: The focus on technical skills and experience is shifting toward adaptability, resilience, and judgment. Great leaders foster these traits by coaching team members to learn from situations and adjust as needed. Coaching shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all process; rather, it should be tailored to the strengths and needs of individuals. Providing personalized guidance helps develop employees who can think independently and handle challenges effectively.
Fournet suggests asking coaching questions that identify the reality of the situation by using “what” or “how” instead of “why.” “Instead asking ‘why did you make that decision’ ask what was behind that decision. Questions like ‘what barriers or obstacles have you faced’ or ‘what factors led to that decision.’ It puts you into a coaching mindset.”
- Engage Across Generations: In today’s workforce, understanding generational differences is crucial for team cohesion. While older generations value recognition and upward mobility, younger employees, especially Millennials and Gen Z, seek personal development, growth, and meaningful work. Leaders should engage their teams by offering opportunities for continuous learning, setting clear expectations, and providing real-time feedback. By understanding and addressing the unique motivators of different generations, you can foster a more harmonious and productive team.
Somehow, Fournet said, managers became more focused on clients and processes than on talent acquisition and development. Leaders must challenge managers to focus more on building great teams and delegating work. “This is a real risk to an organization because you see a key person leave who is doing the work at night or behind the scenes or on the weekends, and suddenly the team doesn't know how to operate.”
“It's different than when a lot of us came into the workplace. There were primarily three things that people looked for: salary, title, and the location of their office. That's not what drives people anymore. It's where can I go for vacation, what am I going to learn, what is going to be the effect or impact,” Fournet said.
These strategies, when integrated into your leadership approach, will help maintain focus and encourage ongoing development within your team.
Bill Fournet offers a free collection of downloadable Powerplays™ on his website, billfournet.com, providing strategies for executives and leadership teams to navigate complex challenges. He can be reached at (888) 392-7101, billfournet@thepersimmongroup.com, or on LinkedIn.
