The workplace is forever changing, and the staff at some companies includes multi-generations. Inclusion is a popular topic today as it applies on multiple levels and can encourage repetitive quitting or loyalty.
How you handle tradition versus the new in business on all levels will affect your bottom line. New tech, including AI, is undoubtedly more challenging for seniors to adapt to, while younger generations will likely have the knowledge to assist with the updates.
My Story
Today, two questions suggest the importance of combining traditional communications with the latest strategies. The workplace has dramatically changed on many levels, including:
– Multi-generational
– Greater diversity
– Remote work vs. corporate
It’s apparent that management needs to embrace the fact that differences exist more than ever and that ignoring them will not help any one person or the business. Moreover, diversity exists in many ways, including race, heritage, disabilities, work preferences, and communication styles.
No matter the topic for discussion, you can count on receiving diverse opinions and insights. Wise leaders are inclusive and welcome varying thoughts for sharing, learning, and deeper conversations to benefit everyone involved.
Questions Propel Open Conversations
Today, the first question I read concerns the individual’s preference for communication. With varying generations in your employ and working globally at home or in the office, it’s more essential than ever to ask for the individual’s preference for communication.
While adhering to everyone’s communication preferences may sound time-consuming, the payoff will be timely and quality responses. With a large staff, creating a reminder to review everyone’s choice will be best should you experience a forgetful state of mind.
Once your system is in place, track the changes to determine:
– The response time, individually and collectively.
– The percentage of responses and the statistical increase vs. decrease.
– The average length of employment.
One more tracking option is vital to consider. How does all the above affect your bottom line? When people feel their insights are welcome, they respond quicker and more insightfully to questions and issues, and longer-term employment occurs.
Mindset Encompasses Sales Strategy
Every conversation outcome, whether with friends, associates, staff, prospects, or clients, depends upon our frame of mind, which affects business considerations. While the old age expression is ‘curiosity killed a cat,’ the more modern thought is ‘curiosity opens doors.’ And know that ‘When one door closes, another can open.’
Each Generation Can Provide Value
Today’s second question came from a younger person who wanted to know how I got into story-sharing. Many of us fear sharing poor experiences due to past ridicule and no more of it. However, seniors have many experiences and insights that can empower younger people by sharing them.
The sharing requires bravery to reveal errors or mistreatment so that younger people can learn about the worst to improve and achieve the best. I owe my story-sharing efforts to a Dale Carnegie public speaking class long ago and his book How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Bridging the Divide
It’s essential to accept that disagreement arrives on all levels. Our first job is to figure out where the disconnect may be and to strive to find a solution. But it’s best to save time and move on if it isn’t workable. Sales taught me to welcome either a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer, as it invites trust and the realization of what should occur next.
My evergreen question for when I didn’t understand a situation or a statement is ‘Why?’ or ‘What has been your experience coming to that conclusion?’ Moreover, a calm tone of voice behind the questions invites deeper insights for better understanding and approach to the suggestions awaiting.
In Conclusion: Tradition versus the New in Business
Bridging the divide between generations is a fabulous learning curve for all willing. The underlying factor is inclusion among all you meet and with whom you work. By being as accommodating as possible, like Carnegie, we can all win more friends and influence more people to enjoy a robust career and business.
