Clash of the Generations

Clash of the Generations

by Valerie M. Grubb
Released October 2016
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9781119212348

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Book description

Case studies and strategies for more effective multi-generational management

Clash of the Generations explores this new and increasingly common workplace phenomenon, and provides strategies to help managers navigate this ever more complex maze. Traditionally, older workers would retire and make room for the next generation; instead, Baby Boomers are now prolonging their time in the workplace, yet the successive generations are still coming in. Senior leaders are now left to manage a blended workplace comprised of up to four generations—each with their own ideas of work ethic, work/life balance, long-term career goals, and much more. Management is challenging at the best of times, but the new prevalence of generation gaps—sometimes even layered—add an entirely new dimension to an already complex responsibility. This book presents case studies and interviews with representatives of companies with age-diverse workforces, detailing innovative strategies for smoothing out the bumps and helping everyone work together.

Managers have long wished that their positions came with an instruction manual, and this book delivers with a host of effective inter-generational management strategies illustrated by real-world companies.

  • Manage the multi-generation workplace more effectively
  • Navigate the generational culture clash
  • Adopt proven strategies for helping everyone get along
  • Promote a more positive culture amidst clashing expectations

Every generation in the workplace has value, each has their own strengths, their own weaknesses, and their own unique talents. Each is indispensable, and when they come together as a synergistic force, they can be unstoppable. Effective management means bringing out the best in your workforce, and the strategies presented in Clash of the Generations help you streamline your varied workforce into a team more valuable than the sum of its parts.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Preface
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Chapter 1: The New Workplace Reality
    1. The Changing Nature of Leadership
    2. The Changing Role of the Manager
    3. The Changing Role of Hr
    4. The Changing Role of the Employee
    5. Building on These Changes
    6. Notes
  7. Chapter 2: Defining the Generations
    1. What the Experts Say
    2. The Big Three—And A Newcomer
    3. Generational Characteristics
    4. The More Things Change
    5. Notes
  8. Chapter 3: Fostering a Culture of Inclusion
    1. The Business Case for Diversity
    2. The Role of Company Culture
    3. Overcoming a Negative Culture
    4. Creating an Age‐Diverse Culture
    5. Notes
  9. Chapter 4: Setting the Stage for Great Performance
    1. Goal Setting
    2. Evaluating Employee Performance
    3. You Get What You Reward
    4. Senior Leadership versus Peer‐to‐Peer Recognition
    5. The Basics of Recognition
    6. Intrinsic Motivators
    7. Career and Development Recognition
    8. Notes
  10. Chapter 5: Being an Inclusive Manager
    1. The Benefits of Inclusion
    2. Breaking Bad Habits
    3. False Thinking of New Managers
    4. Lead by Example
    5. Don't Emulate Bad Managers
    6. Promoting Respect
    7. Innovation at Both Ends of the Spectrum
    8. Managing Workers Older Than You
    9. The Consequences of Not Being Inclusive
    10. Notes
  11. Chapter 6: Promoting Growth Opportunities
    1. The Power of Effective Delegation
    2. Empower Your Employees
    3. Accommodating Different Learning Styles
    4. Experiential Training
    5. Establish a Mentoring Program
    6. Notes
  12. Chapter 7: Managing Differences in Work Ethic
    1. Defining Work Ethic
    2. The Importance of Mission to Millennials
    3. Connecting Company Mission to Social Goals
    4. What Managers Can Do
    5. What Companies Can Do
    6. Notes
  13. Chapter 8: Managing Different Work‐Life Balance Expectations
    1. The Birth of Work‐Life Balance
    2. Work‐Life Blending Versus Balancing
    3. Performance Versus Face Time
    4. Managing Flexibility
    5. Managing Virtual Teams
    6. Notes
  14. Chapter 9: Managing Differences in Career Development Planning
    1. Expectations of Career Development by Generation
    2. Using Career Development for Succession Planning at All Levels
    3. Five Easy Steps to Creating a Career Plan
    4. Creating a Company‐Wide Development Program Specific to Leadership
    5. Creating Your Own Career Development Plan
    6. Notes
  15. Chapter 10: Generational Give and Take
    1. Communication Is Key
    2. The How and When of Communication
    3. Appreciating the Contributions of Youth
    4. Valuing the Wisdom of Age
    5. Promoting Positive Interactions
    6. The Challenge of the Young Leading the Wise
    7. Notes
  16. Chapter 11: You as the Motivating Force
    1. Expectations of Today's Manager
    2. Focusing on You
    3. Finding a Mentor
    4. Moving from Tactical Doer to Strategic Thinker
    5. Notes
  17. Appendix A: Case Study ‐ Chegg
    1. Background
    2. Benefits
    3. Company Culture
    4. Physical Work Environment
    5. Recruiting
    6. Summary
  18. Appendix B: Case Study ‐ Consultants: Leadership Development Services, LLC, and RGP
    1. Interviewees
    2. Leadership
    3. Flexibility
    4. Work Ethic and Style
    5. Benefits
  19. Appendix C: Case Study ‐ Electronic Arts
    1. Background
    2. Company Culture
    3. Career Development
    4. Recruiting
    5. Summary
  20. Appendix D: Case Study ‐ Hy‐Ko Products
    1. Background
    2. Benefits and Recruitment
    3. Career Development
    4. Summary
  21. Appendix E: Case Study ‐ TECT Corporation
    1. Background
    2. Recruitment
    3. Company Culture
    4. Career Development
    5. Summary
  22. Appendix F: Case Study ‐ The Andersons
    1. Background
    2. Company Culture
    3. Physical Work Environment
    4. Career Development
    5. Benefits
    6. Summary
  23. About the Author
  24. Index

Product information

  • Title: Clash of the Generations
  • Author(s): Valerie M. Grubb
  • Release date: October 2016
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119212348