Career Development And Management By Dr. Robert Morris

Every generation is influenced by its period 's economic, political and social events. From the Great Depression to the civil rights and women 's movements to the advent of television and advanced computer technologies. Thus generational background/situation may also affect the way they work. The key is to be able to effectively address and take advantage of the differences in values and expectations of each generation in the workplace. The current work place consists of four different generations; The Baby Boomers (1946-1964) who are slowly retiring and existing the workforce, The Generation X (1965-1976), The Generation Y or millennia (1977-1997), and the Generation Z who are about to or are just entering the work force. Although these different generations tend to want similar things in a workplace their environment/background has shaped their character, values, and expectations (Hahn 2011).

For centuries leaders have been analyzed in order to determine what the traits and characteristics of a successful leader are. Leadership, as defined by Koontz and Weihrich (2008) is “the art or a process of influencing people so that they will strive willingly and enthusiastically toward the achievement of group goals” (p. 311). Leadership plays an important role in employee’s participation, creativity, recruitment to an organization, their commitment to the organization, and productivity levels. Over the years, there have been a number of theories surrounding leadership such as the “Great Man” theory, which, according to Riaz and Haider (2010), “assumes that leaders are born and have innate qualities, therefore, leaders

There are five different generations working together on any given work day in the world. These generations are the Traditionalists (veterans), the Baby

The generational span is exceedingly larger today than in the prior history of our nation. The multiple generations consist of the veterans 1922-1945, the baby boomers 1946-1964, the generation X 1965-1981, and, the generation Y 1982-1999, in addition, upcoming millennial generation born 2000-2016 (Murray, 2013). There frequently are misconceptions and misunderstandings based on the differing perspectives of each generation. Moreover, as an effective leader, one must comprehend and acknowledge the characteristics of each generation and utilize these individualities to mentor and motivate the staff they are leading (Hendricks & Cope, 2012). In addition to considering the impact of the generational

A generation can be defined as the period, cohort or age of a group of people. Age is seen as the age that the persons were when particular transitions or events in life take place. Period can be defined as the overall experience of a person’s lifetime. Lastly, cohort can be seen as the overall grouping of people who have shared events during their formative years that more than likely contribute to like-minded behavior throughout the duration of their lives. There are currently four generations in United States society: Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X and The Millennials. The silent generation was born between the years of 1930 and 1945. Significant events during this time period include but are not limited to World War II and the Great Depression. The baby boomer generation was born between the years of 1946 and 1964. Significant events for this generation include the substantial growth of the middle class as well as economic prosperity. Generation X is born in the time period of 1965-1979, this generation was brought together by the big energy issue as well as the Vietnam War. Lastly the final generation that is currently in the workforce are the Millennials. This generation was born between the years 1980 and 2001, this group is brought together by the 9/11 terrorist attacks as well as the internet

Currently, there are five main generations. Traditionalists are the oldest generation, being born between 1900 and 1945. They only constitute 5% of the current workforce, as most have retired (Wiedmer 2015, 51). The baby boomers are the oldest and largest generation currently in the workforce (Wong et al. 2008, 878). This generation was born following World War II between 1945 and 1964, with approximately 76 million individuals (Wiedmer 2015, 52). Generation X was born from 1965 to 1981 and is also known as the baby busters because their birth rates are vastly lower than the baby boomers (Wiedmer 2015, 53). Generation Y, or the millennials, was born between 1982 and 1995 and grew up in a very different time compared to their predecessors, with

While there is less information available about the behaviours of this generation yet, we do know a lot about the environment they are growing up in. This future generation will be the most diverse ever, and it could be predicted that diversity in the workplace will be the norm.

Majority of the veterans that remain in the workforce today have diminished to the point where they barely hold any positions in companies. You would typically see the veterans in positions that hold high merit within the company such as Presidents of corporations or board members within prominent companies. Due to their lengthy tenure (65+ years) therefore, their approach often views experience the wiser choice when making decisions impacting a company. Their decision to remain amongst the multigenerational workforce, is due to their choice not to retire, and their contribution which has had a significant effect on the organization and they might feel like someone wouldn’t be competent enough to complete the work in their position. Having this mindset will eventually lead to having a 5th generation entering the workforce which is unheard of. A strategy to communicate could be to use the realities of a work place and what advantages they could contribute towards furthering the company even further. Some things can only be learned through experience, rather than being taught through a book or classroom. Purely speaking from my own personal observation, I wouldn’t say veterans need training and would be the ones to train the younger generations preparing them to enter the next step

This mixture of generations creates many issues in the modern workforce, as many differences in culture, norms, behaviors, values and perceptions of the workplace exist across these generations. Also, for perhaps the first time in history, four distinct generations are working alongside each other in the business world. As noted by Sam in his email, the coexistence of different generations can have many influences on the workplace. One of the biggest influences is the different attitude and acceptance of technology, as the millennial generation was the first one to

The experiences and information each generation has can be used as a tool for building rapport and presents an opportunity to learn something new. However, the approach to managing all five generations requires managers to assign tasks based on the actual work behaviors and performance shown by each person, regardless of age and in a manner that uses each person’s strengths. Managers should pair older or younger employees that have limited knowledge about technologically demanding tasks with younger employees (Gen X and Y) who are able to offer assistance or helpful information (to simplify the task). Individuals who favor teamwork (Boomers, Silenters and Nexters) and are interested in advanced technical processes, should collaborate with Nexters. The partnership will potentially provide mentorship for Nexters to improve their interpersonal communication skills and creates learning opportunities for Boomers and Silenters to improve their work performance, skills and show leadership abilities.

I believe that all four of the generations in the work place can work together without having any conflicts. Many professional facilities and companies have people of different age groups working together in the same field. There are many articles written by different people who say that studies show that there are many conflicts between the generations, while working together. The four different types of generations are the veterans, the baby boomers, the generation X, and the generation Y. I will talk of all their important characteristics and compare and contrast their qualities based on work ethics, education, and multi-tasking.

There are currently five generations however four of them are in the workplace. a. The oldest generation is called Traditionalists or Silents. Their age group is between 1925 to 1945 making them about 70 to 90 years old.

Though a generally overlooked and unappreciated field of work, career counseling has made significant impact in the field of psychology. Frank Parsons’ 1906 lecture, “The Ideal City,” emphasizes the need for young people to receive assistance in choosing a vocation (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2013). Further, Parsons was one of the pioneers in linking personality traits to vocational success, thus coining him as the father of vocational guidance (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2013).

GEN Y ( Also called as Millenials):Millennial have grown up with technology and are comfortable with change. They value skill development and enjoy the challenge of new opportunities. Millennial are able to multi task, they want the flexibility to work where and when they want so that they can pursue their outside interests.

Research on management and leadership in organizations over the past century shows there are still no clear definitions or answers about what counts as effective and successful leadership; the field remains varied and argued. Actual studies of leadership began in the early twentieth century. The research and studies on leadership have resulted in defining what characters, traits and attitudes are considered to be significant for leaders to possess. The early studies of leadership theories focused on the person and their behaviors, currently known as leadership trait theories and behavioral theories. It is important for organizational leaders and managers to understand what characteristics, traits and actions of an individual mark a great leader when forming a strong diverse workforce.