Thought for the Week - 5/5/08

"If you don’t understand that you work for your mislabeled subordinates, then you know nothing of leadership. You know only tyranny." - Dee Hock

As we have stated many times, the world of the 21st Century leader is a very different world than that in which many of us grew and developed into our leadership roles. According to most experts, for the first time in history, we are seeing members of four distinct “generations” (“Traditionalists” – born between 1925 and 194;, “Baby Boomers” – born between 1946 and 1963; “Generation X” – born between 1963 and 1981; and “Generation Why” – born between 1981 and 2000) working together, and often experiencing clashes in both attitudes and values. Unfortunately, many of today’s leaders are unaware of, or simply choose to ignore these important generational differences. However, research over the past 20 years on employee engagement has clearly shown that in order to reduce conflict and get the most out of your staff, you have to treat your employees the way they want to be treated. This appreciation of diversity allows each generation to contribute to, as well as become part of the long-term growth of the organization.

Which generation are you? Which generation do you find most difficult to lead? Why?