The Generation Gap In Business - How To Communicate With Different Age Groups

Do you know how to communicate with different age groups? You might not think it’s that important, but the generation gap in business is something you’ll have to deal with sooner or later. There are five generations active in business right now – from highly-experienced people in their late 80s to successful entrepreneurs as young as 16. Every generation’s expectations will be different, from how you’re supposed to communicate to how things need to be done. For instance, the older generations might want to meet you face-to-face instead of emailing or video calling. Maybe they would enjoy being called “sir” or “ma’am.” They might have a certain degree of expertise when it comes to human nature, but much less knowledge with regards to technology. You’d expect people who are millennials and younger to have the opposite skill sets – but people can surprise you. When you’re learning how to communicate with different age groups the first lesson is to talk to the person in front of you, not their generation. Until you get to know that person as an individual you can’t build a real relationship with them. Once you’ve been able to bridge the generation gap in business, it can be a huge source of creativity and opportunity. Imagine it – all the different perspectives that can be brought to bear on a problem; all the diverse solutions the different generations will be able to come up with. Every generation has value in the workplace. One person might be great at thinking up ways to use the latest technology to enhance your business. Another might be the peacekeeper who keeps everyone working together in harmony. If you treat everyone with respect and dignity, the generation gap can be an advantage instead of an obstacle.