7 Keys Multi-Generational Teams Need for Succeeding
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford
The workforce has never seen such a diverse group of professionals. We are currently witnessing five different generations in the workforce. What makes this even more unique is the generational difference in each professional level. We have millennials as CEOs, mid-level managers, and interns. Boomers are occupying the C-suite, working as sub-contractors, and managing teams. Gen Xers are everywhere across the board.
Mix and match a workplace however you want, you probably can’t name every different generational formula. But one factor is dominantly true. We have a multi-generational workforce not only in America, but globally.
We are working in a very diverse workplace and we need to see multi-generational teams working together as a unit.
With all the conversations happening online in regards to millennials (I write about them too), we might need to implement one conversation even more. Workplaces need to know how to build successful multi-generational teams. From that conversation, I have pulled seven key elements to being crucial to multi-generational teams succeeding.
When these seven keys are implemented correctly, multi-generational teams will succeed. Here they are:
Keys Multi-Generational Teams Need to Succeed
- Strengthen the identity. The identity of the team must continually be built up and strengthened. Teams who become individualized, lose the true identity of the team. The identity is not age specific, but team specific. Strengthen the team identity and it will lose age complexity.
- Push the mission. Every team must have a purpose. No matter how big or small, all teams need a defined mission to pursue. Move forward to accomplish the mission and the team will unite, no matter the age.
- Unify communication. Everyone has a communication preference, but a strong multi-generational team communicates in unison using similar modes of communication. Establish the team’s lines of communication and protect those lines of communication.
- Elevate each member. Your team is only as good as it’s weakest member. A strong diverse team is elevating one another for the best of the team. Install a culture of elevating one another and celebrating one another’s successes.
- Leverage the diversity. Diversity can be a great element to your team dynamic. Be aware of the differences your team brings to the table to explore ways to leverage each members’ gifts, abilities, and strengths. Yes, you can leverage people’s age here too. As long as it makes your team stronger.
- Capitalize on the strengths. This goes one step deeper than leveraging diversity. Hone in on the teams strengths as a whole. Every team has a strength dynamic. Use the strengths of the team as a whole to further the development.
- Accountability is collective. Keep the team accountable as a whole rather than just individualized. We tend to keep individuals accountable, but I challenge you to focus on the accountability of the team as whole. Also do not just use reviews as your accountability tool. There are more options.
If this has wet your appetite and you still want more, grab your seat on the free webinar Tuesday September 20th. Seats are limited.
