Jeff Strickland

As a Gen X’er I definitely use other styles of communication.  Working at a University sometimes it’s better to phone or even walk across campus and talk with someone other than craft an email that may be misconstrued.  Working at an multigenerational organization it is important to use different style to accommodate different individuals to keep projects on task and on time.

I think understanding the generational differences is a great place to start, but then allow the student to dictate the style of communication they prefer.  If they don’t respond to phone, calls, or emails, try setting up a face to face appointment. Try different options until you find the one that fits the student best.

I agree with Monique as we work on the same team. In addition to what she mentioned I believe that our leadership has done a great job "setting the stage" for our team. I think that we have a shared goal and everyone has a commitment to that goal. The team that has been assembled works hard to maintain the 4 areas required for group trust. This can be difficult with a large team and there is always room for improvement, but it can work.

I was intrigued by the tips for improving communication with different Generations.  My thoughts on how each generation communicated changed throughout the process.  I would have thought Gen X’ers were more technology adopters since many of us didn’t have computer access growing up.  I remember getting our first computer and I was completely lost as to how I was supposed to use it. I didn’t even have an email address until a few years after I graduated from college. I know that these are more like guidelines then rules. It is good to be able to break this down so… >>>

I really enjoyed learning about Belbin's 9 Team Roles. This is definately something I would like to learn more about.  Thank you for making me aware of this resource.  Being able to build a balanced team is important, but difficult task to undertake.  This resource is a great addition to what I have learned over the years.

I agree with many in this forum that each generation adds to our knowledge base in ways the previous generation were unable to do.  I think the point we often miss is that each generation go through a Maturation process.  As a Gen X'er I know that I didn't value the knowledge of Baby Boomers at much when I was younger than I do now.  Many of us would like to criticize the generation before or after us instead of striving to integrate their learnings into new and different situations we face today.

I would say that I tend toward the Monitor Evaluator.  I always want to analyse everything before making a decision.  I like to do my research.  However,in my professional roles I would say that I strive to be more of a Team Worker focused on the getting what it needs to succeed.  I am sure that at different times I have had many roles on teams that I have been apart of. It was really good to recognize the different roles and how they work together to build an effective team.

I think that it is important to recognize and be able to identify the characteristics of the different generational styles. This will help us address individual needs of the group more effectively.  However, I also think that most of us probably have a lot of experience dealing with people from different generations over our lifetime.  It could be through your family, at school, or simply within your community.  We should remember to use what we have learned outside of the workplace to address these generational needs.

I definately have a Generation X learning style. I prefer the sound bite and often find myself deleting additional words in my head while I am reading. I will admit I can miss things this way but I prefer things to be short and to the point. I prefer bullet points to long written descriptions. I have to constantly tell myself to slow down and try and take it all in.

My style is definitely Generation X, I believe that is because of how and when I grew up.  However, I have traits that tend to be associated w/ Baby Boomers and Traditionalists.  I think that is probably due to being raised by those Generations.  While I don't share many of the characteristics of the Millennials I feel like I value their contributions and understand their strengths having worked w/ them through different developmental stages in their lives throughout my career. Millennials and Generation Z are growing up in a radically different time than their predecessors. It will be interesting to… >>>