The Double G Force: The Generational and Gender Diversity Component 2010

            The American workforce is experiencing a historical double whammy. First, never before have so many different generations been working together.  We have the Silent 66 to 87 year olds (1922-1943), Boomer 49-66 year olds (1943-1960), Gen X 29-49 year olds (1960-1980) and Gen Y 9-29 year olds (1980-2000).
Have you listened to your water cooler conversations lately? You will probably hear grumbling and irritation as employees with wholly different ways of working, talking, dressing and thinking have been thrown together cubicle by cubicle! Here are some of the complaints my clients have shared with me:

• Only sailors had tattoos in my generation!
• Flip-flops at work, you are kidding me!
• Doesn’t anyone know what a collared shirt is anymore?
• I will never wear a tie.
• They are a bunch of slackers.
• Why isn’t their shirt tucked in?
• I will not be available for 5 pm meetings. I have a life.
• I will never wear panty hose ever!
• They practically expect us to wear a uniform at work.
• Working at home? You gotta be kidding me.

Can you guess what generation was criticizing what generation? If we have a better understanding of the different generations, we can minimize workplace conflict and enhance our workplace environment.
            The second G Force is gender. Women have been entering the workplace in record numbers for the last several decades. More women than men are graduating from college (they also have higher GPAs and consequently, are preferred in top talent recruitment). Even if a woman has three children, she will work an average of twenty-five years outside the home. Finally, with this current downturn in the economy, more women than men are employed; more men have been “downsized.” According to the Center for Work-Life Policy, from 2004 to 2009 there was a 28% increase in the number of professional women with nonworking spouses (unemployed and/or retired).
            The combined demographic Double G Force is one example of the ever changing and dynamic quality of the American workforce. Diversity and change is always present and constantly evolving.

Managing Conflict for a Positive Outcome – Farm Credit Council
Please provide examples of how you will apply the material from this workshop:
Comments are Stated Verbatim

• Use the strategies learned to diffuse conflict.
• Probably apply mine to customer interactions.
• Style approach to resolving conflict.
• Try to actively confront conflict as opposed to avoiding it.
• I will go back to my office and apologize to direct reports if I have offended them.
• Better understanding of the reason conflicts occur and how to handle them.
• I will use the skills I learned to help manage conflict with my staff.
• I will work on avoiding conflict.
• I'll be able to apply the various conflict resolution strategies in my day-to-day work environment.
• I will try to identify what style of conflict colleagues and customers use.
• I will use this weekly for my position.
• I will use the self-interest model to show employees they would benefit from teaching others rather
  than yelling at them for doing things wrong.