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Gen Who?

Why Generations Matter

By Kenneth M. Macur, CPA, Ph.D.

Only those who have been visiting distant planets might be unaware of the terms Baby Boomer, Generation X and Generation Y. Our awareness of generational differences has been rising. We might see differences in attitudes, values and ethics in the people we work with, work for, and who work for us, but perhaps it is difficult to articulate those differences. Perhaps we just shake our heads and mutter. Perhaps it wouldn’t be surprising to learn that this is universal.

Researchers have come to understand that generation is an important feature of what makes any person tick. They emphasize, however, that generation is only one component. Understanding generational effects on personality and the workforce are good starting points for understanding workplace psychology, starting with ourselves.

What is a generation?

A generation is a group of individuals born within a defined number of years. A generation is between 18 and 22 years long.

This length of time corresponds roughly to the eras within the aging of any one generation. That is, from age 0 through 22 a generation is being born and coming of age. The generation is the youth of the era. From age 22 to 44, the generation is entering the workforce and rising to power. From 44 to 66, the group is in midlife. For example, John F. Kennedy was 44 when he took office as president of the United States. From 66 to 88 and beyond, the group comprises the elders.

Generations are punctuated by significant events, such as Sept. 11, 2001; Vietnam; Brown v. Board of Education; Roe v. Wade, etc.

Generations have a unique character and style. It is this character and style that can create beautiful color and diversity in the workplace and can also result in struggles to communicate and achieve a common aim.

Who and where are we now?

Who are we? The current workforce comprises four unique generations. "Where are we?" refers to the order of the generation types: the elders, those in midlife, the rising stars, and the youth. As of this writing, we are here:

• The Elder Adaptive, silent generation, born 1925-1942 (and ‘super-elder’ from the G.I. generation, born 1901-1924)

• The Midlife Idealist, Baby Boomers: born 1943-1960

• The Rising Reactive, Generation-X: born 1961-1980

• The Youth Civic, Millenials: born 1981-2000 (from Strauss and Howe’s Generations: The History of America’s Future)

We are beginning to transition. The silent generation will be the last of what Strauss and Howe term "The Great Power Cycle" that saw the United States come into its role as a superpower. The "Millennial Cycle" began with the Boomers and has three of the four generational cohorts in place.

Further, Boomers are moving into their elder years. The older Gen-X members are in midlife. And Millennials have been in the workplace for about five years and are beginning their rise.

generation types
In their research for Generations: The History of America’s Future, Bill Strauss and Neil Howe identified four generation types:	1 Dominant, inner-fixated idealist generation 2 Recessive reactive generation 3 Dominant, outer-fixated civic generation 4 Recessive adaptive generation	Additionally, and perhaps, most intriguingly, Strauss and Howe observed that generations repeat: "Each generation has its own unique story, of course, but when we strip away gradual secular trends (rising living standards, improving technology, expanding population, shifting geography), we see similar human dramas, repeating again and again."

Who are we, part two

So who are these generations and how do they act? How do they interact in the workplace? And how can we build an environment where we all work together to accomplish the common aim of the organization?

The book, Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers and Nexters in your Workplace, gives us these snapshots of the generations that exist today.

What’s next?

Combining different generations presents a frightening potential for conflict and an amazing potential for synergy. The challenge of the ages has been managing this delicate balance. Again, the current situation is new only to us. Civilization has been here before and will visit again in the not too distant future.

Kenneth M. Macur, CPA, Ph.D. is a professor of accounting and information systems at Edgewood College. He has a B.S. in accountancy, an MBA in finance, and a Ph.D. in accountancy, all from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. His research has included the behavioral aspects and issues within business, accounting and technology. He can be reached at kmacur@edgewood.edu or (608) 663-4216.

References

Briggs Myers, Isabel and Peter B. Myers. Gifts Differing. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc., 1980

Howe, Neil and Bill Strauss. 13th Gen: Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail? New York: Random House, 1993.

Howe, Neil and Bill Strauss. Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation. New York: Random House, 2000.

Kiersey, David and Marilyn Bates. Please Understand Me: Character & Temperament Types. Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Press, 1984.

Keirsey, David. Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence. Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Press, 1998.

Strauss, Bill and Neil Howe. Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069. New York: Quill, 1991.

Zemke, Ron, Claire Raines and Bob Filipcazk. Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers and Nexters in Your Workplace. New York: AMACOM, 2000.