Cracking The Generational Codes

We all know this is a big issue; understanding it is critical to managing a club well.

At a conference of the largest management companies, we recently heard a brilliant and entertaining speaker, Anna Liotta, masterfully illuminate the differences in each generation and how to work better with each. She should be an expert - Liotta is one of 19 children.

What did we learn?

FIRST, THE COMMON GROUND

All generations have two essential things in common:

1. Each One Believes The Way They See The World Is Right! And each wants to be respected for what they believe.

2. The Desire To Be Appreciated. The number one reason every generation reported leaving an organization is that they don’t feel appreciated. “I didn’t feel like my contribution was recognized or appreciated” is the common lament. ‍

THE KEY IS UNDERSTANDING EACH GENERATION’S FORMATIVE EXPERIENCES

Anna states, “You must know what drives each generation's code. That makes them follow you. If you don’t, they get the hell out of Dodge.” She continued, “We have to understand as a group that we think is awesome and forward-thinking may be getting on the very last nerve of the person we are trying to close the deal with or recruit. What must know what makes them tick - or is ticking them off!”

Liotta expounded on how formative experiences shape each generation. The pivotal ages for everyone are the ages 8 to 18, when we watch the world, the events, and the icons that shape our beliefs. When an event is paired with an emotion, it creates an imprint. WW2  and the Depression shaped the Traditionalists. Pop psychology and the radicalism of the 1960s created the Boomers. And now, the Pandemic, Black Lives Matter, political division, and social media, for example, are shaping Generation X’s and the Millennials' view of the world.

Once you understand the formative experiences that made each generational imprint, you have the key to cracking the generational code and the tools to work with, sell, and recruit them.

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT A PAYCHECK ANYMORE

Finally, Liotta stated, "Today, working for just a paycheck is not an equal trade for all generations. Employees want to be considered team members and partners. This mantra is true for even the Traditionalists, who once thought, “If no one is yelling at me, everything is okay.

If you want to learn more about this important subject as we did, visit https://annaliotta.com. Her speeches are fascinating, and her book, Unlocking Generational Codes, is available on Amazon.