Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Strong Roots, Strong Branches Nurturing Generational Diversity in the Advising Unit Dawn Huckelberry Academic Advisor Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

What is a Generation? Age Historical events Span of roughly 20 years Individuals share similar developmental stage and location in history Share similar experiences of “When I was a kid. . .“ or “When I was in high school. . .” Common perceived membership in that generation Age Historical events

Perception Values are shaped by experiences Experiences differ in time

Who remembers?

Who remembers?

So why is this important? There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team, family, orgainzation, nation, economy, and civilization throughout the world—one thing which, if removed, will destroy the most successful business, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship , the strongest character, the deepest love.

On the other hand, if developed and leveraged, that one thing has the potential to create unparalleled success and prosperity in every dimension of life. Yet, it is the least understood, most neglected, and most underestimated possibility of our time. That one thing is trust.

Trust impacts us 24/7, 365 days a year Trust impacts us 24/7, 365 days a year. It undergirds and affects the quality of every relationship, every communication, every work project, every business venture, every effort in which we are engaged. It changes the quality of every present moment and alters the trajectory and outcome of every future moment of our lives, both personally and professionally. --Stephen M. R. Covey (2006)

The more we understand each other, the more we can trust each other

An effective work environment cohesive teams, across a multitude of diverse boundaries supportive and respectful relationships shared goals and vision understanding and trust

Baby Boomers Civil Rights Activists Women’s liberation Vietnam war protests “It’s 1-2-3…” Woodstock Often well liked and inspirational as leaders Often take a back seat to energy/new ideas of Gen X and Millennial colleagues

Generation X Latchkey kids High divorce rate, AIDS, economic hardship Raised on Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers “Here we are now, entertain us.” Often need praise and positive feedback Aversion to status quo

Millennials Seek work/life balance Interdependency with parents Multi-taskers, achievement oriented, team oriented 1st gen. digital natives- social media, info access “I was born this way” Need ample communication and feedback-- grew up in the “everybody plays, everybody wins” environment.

Generations in the workforce Matures 2% Baby Boomers 29% Generation X 34% Millennials 35% Fitch and Van Brunt, 2016

Millennials As leaders May have good ideas and passion, but often lack the experience and gravitas to inspire others to follow their steps As managers Not always known for their detailed oriented approach to daily work. Often demand buy-in.

Generation X As leaders- Often have big dreams and big hearts, mixed with practicality. Work well and inspire others. As managers- Need buy-in, resist the status quo and simply doing things because they are told

Baby Boomers As leaders- Often well liked and inspirational, as much for their experience/loyalty as their leadership ability As managers- Have longer history of experience working for the company and monitoring performance

Perceptions we hold. . . About Baby Boomers? About Gen Xers? About Millennials?

So, let’s get this conversation started Cesar is a Boomer and the director of an advising unit. He has been with the University for 25 years and is looking forward to retirement. He worked his way up through the ranks and is concerned about who will take his place.

Lisa is a Gen Xer who returned to school a few years ago to pursue her passion for higher education. She has been an advisor in Cesar’s unit for two years in addition to being an intern during her Master’s program.

Generational distribution in sample Baby Boomers 18% Generation X 43% Millennials 39%

How involved do you feel in your work?

On most days, how often does time seem to drag for you?

How often do you do extra work for your job that really isn’t required of you?

How often do you do work outside of regular work hours for which you are not compensated?

Relative to others in your unit/position-

How do you view your sick time?

How do you use your vacation time?

Which statement would you most like to receive as positive feedback from your supervisor?

Sources Cited Covey, Stephen M.F. The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything. Free Press, 2006. Fitch, Poppy and Brian Van Brunt. A Guide to Leadership and Management in Higher Education: Managing Across Generations. Routledge, 2016.