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Lacamas Life Magazine
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Influences On Our Lives Last week I was selected to be the Keynote Speaker at the Texas District Retirement System in Austin, Texas in October. They had “Googled” and found me with the words “Intergenerational Communication in the Workplace.” They had many young people working with Traditionalist (Veterans) and Baby boomers and communications have not been going well. No question communications is the issue; yet, my personal belief is that we are giving way too much weight to the fact that it is generational differences alone causing the breakdown. Through my coaching, I have yet to run into two people that are exactly alike. We have different filters because of the following: Country we were born or lived for an extended period of time My grandmother came directly from Germany. Not only am I proud that my middle name, Louise, was hers I know many of the things she did were directly related to her culture in Germany. Many of the signature traditions practiced in Germany became part of my families’ holidays. Grandma moved here to the United States when she was 16 years-old and lived to 92. She was American in the truest sense of the word, yet she brought values/beliefs from Germany. Most of you reading this article, most likely, were born and raised in the United States. Those of you who have lived in another country for a period of time know how much you learned while taking residence in another country. My daughters have, without question, gained many values/beliefs as a result of living for four years in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. They know what it’s like to be a minority. I am proud to say they are flourishing for they look at each person as an individual, not a group. Parents have a strong influence One of the biggest surprises of my life was when I went off to college. I had supportive parents, who loved us and taught all three of us kids the importance of a good work ethic. Upon arrival to my dorm, I heard the young women talking about how glad they were to get away from their awful parents. Influences On Our Lives They were thrilled to get away from parents who berated them, left them to figure things out on their own and, generally appeared to be glad the kids were out of the house. That first night I went to bed and realized that, perhaps, living in the country on an apple orchard was pretty good after all – even though I missed many of the “city kids” activities. I knew my parents had been there in the past for me and they would be there again when I needed them. In addition, the work on the apple orchard helped me become a woman in my fifties that understands teamwork for that is how we functioned as a family. Diversity/Culture Regularly, I get together with an African-American man, from California, who teaches Diversity and Leadership. He came here to discover if his life in California was forming an opinion about Diversity that was inaccurate. Once he got here and we started talking on a regular basis we realized how much we did not know about each other’s culture. For example, he thought it was only part of the black culture to have huge family reunions on a regular basis. I smiled and told him about the reunions with more than 100 people I experienced in Wisconsin (my home state) for my mom had 11 brothers and sisters. We have such a wonderful opportunity to learn all kinds of things from the diversity that surrounds us. There is no way, your way, is always the best way. Keep asking questions so you understand. Class you were born into Recently, I was training a class when a young man from Chile spoke up and said “In the United States you label people by color. In Chile we have no idea and we don’t care what color your skin is -- you are people. You have to look at the class of the person.” He had no idea how he was still labeling an individual. Yet, he is correct; the class you were born into and remain has an effect on your life. Your belief/values are forged by what you saw and lived within your daily life. My experience is that a mentor often comes along that propels one into a new economic situation. Frankly, I believe that is why coaching has become a part of our culture for people who want to grow and learn. Often with new information, values and beliefs change and that might facilitate moving into a different class. Gender Finally, people are understanding that men and women truly are different. There has been enough research on the brain now to confirm it scientifically. Yet, these differences need to be understood in order for the frustrations at home and the office to be reduced to a minimum. It is interesting people seem reluctant to bring up this topic or attend seminars on the differences. I know this is a niche that needs to be revealed in a more tangible way, so we can “hear” better at the office and home what the other person is saying. (Stay tuned—I plan to develop such a seminar soon).
So when I go to Austin to deliver the Keynote, I will,
indeed, point out the differences in the values/beliefs of each
generation. I will even tell them that “cool” is the only word
that crosses all four generations currently in the workplace.
Yet, I want to leave them with the message -- “Pay attention to
the individual – there are no two of us alike.”
Photo by Eyes N Hart Photography |
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