Monday, July 2, 2012

Tips to Improve Your Management Skills in a Multi-Generational Workforce



There are four incredibly diverse groups in today’s workforce. Traditionalists (born before 1945), Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964), Gen X-ers (born between 1965-1980), and Milennials (born between 1981-2000) access news differently, use different tech gadgets, and communicate differently. So, how can everyone work together harmoniously?

While there is no doubt that working for a supervisor who is younger and less knowledgeable is becoming the norm, there are universal behaviors for leaders and managers. In Holly G. Green’s book, “More Than a Minute – How to Be an Effective Leader and Manager in Today’s Changing World,” readers learn how to develop their skills to work cohesively and successfully in all situations.

As a leader or manager, you must set goals for your employees. Once employees know what is expected of them, they can work toward those goals. Also, with established goals, employees’ work can be evaluated. Employees can be held accountable. Despite an employee’s generation and/or characteristics (for example, tendency to text instead of email), with stated goals, the work becomes the focus – not generational differences.

As a leader or manager, Green states, “Define your own goals, linked to the companys strategic framework. Share them with your team. Display them. Talk about them often…Employees today want to understand the bigger picture…Employees are often motivated and find their work much more interesting if they know how their job fits into the overall scheme of things.”

In order to become the best leader or manager you can be, review your experiences and accomplishments on a quarterly basis. What worked well? What can you improve? How did you overcome barriers? What was on your plate and what should fall off? And above all, which employees helped your team to succeed, and how were they recognized?

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1 comment:

  1. To be an effective leader or manager, you need to have the right skills and attitude. It’s not easy to lead and inspire others. An effective leader is not just good in handling tasks or solving problems, but can also influence people and bring out the best in them.

    -Jeremiah Hicks

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