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Walk through the tightly packed, hierarchically flattened corridors
of America's businesses, and what do you hear? Not the sounds of harmony. Instead,
you'll probably hear the grumbles of irritation as people with wholly different
ways of working, talking and thinking have been tossed together side by side,
cubicle by cubicle. It's the teeth-gritting sound of generations in collision.
Charlie, for example, is 61 and desperate for some clear,
straightforward guidance from his 43 year old boss, Mary, who, in turn, is using
her trademark heartfelt, buzzword-laden management style in an attempt to radically
alter Charlie's work processes. Jane, meanwhile, the 29-year-old technical wizard
of the team, sits sullenly in her cubicle, unimpressed with either of them, nor
they with her. None of them understands the other.
None of them knows how to communicate with the other. And it's causing headaches
and havoc for managers trying to mold this hodgepodge of ages, faces, values,
and views into a productive, collaborative group. Now,
with Generations at Work, there's clear, concrete help. Written by a team
of distinguished cross-generational authors, this groundbreaking book supplies
fresh, provocative insights and practical solutions for understanding differences,
resolving conflicts, and managing effectively in today's age-diverse workplace.
Both sweeping in scope and highly specific, this book gives you: - Astute
profiles of four distinct generations. Learn about the Veterans (b.1922-1943),
Baby Boomers (b. 1943-1960), Gen Xers (b.1960-1980), and Nexters
(b.1980- ), including their demographics, the events that shaped their lives and
times, predominant traits, work styles, and key messages to keep in mind when
recruiting, developing, and motivating these members of your workforce.
- Illuminating
case studies in generational peace. Go behind the scenes of five major companies
that treat generational mixing as an asset.
- A powerful
practice exercise. Solve the plight of Charlie Roth, a fictionalized manager facing
a cross-generational crisis -- then read how 7 outside experts tackled the problem.
- Hardhitting
answers to the 21 most frequently asked questions about managing in a multigenerational
workplace -- plus much more!
For anyone struggling
to manage people who just don't see work (or life) the same way, Generations
at Work helps you understand the gulf that separates the generations -- and
offers practical guidelines for building a harmonious workforce where people rally
together for the organization, not against each other. Ron
Zemke is senior editor of Training magazine and author or co-author of 23 books,
including the bestselling Knock Your Socks Off Service series, Knock
Your Socks Off Selling,and Service America! His work with organizations
such as Ford Motor Company, Microsoft, and Wendy's International bring him face-to-face
with the pressures of the cross-generational workforce. He lives in Minneapolis. Claire
Raines, one of the nation's leading experts on generations, is the author of Twentysomething
and Beyond Generation X. In
addition, she is a dynamic speaker and organizational consultant whose clients
include McDonald's, Sprint, Mastercard, and Toyota. She lives in Denver. Bob
Filipczak was staff editor for Training
magazine and the author of the landmark article, "It's Just a Job: Generation
X in the Workplace." He now works in the communications department of U.S.
Bancorp Piper Jaffray. He lives in Minneapolis.
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