Collaborative Multigenerational Meetings

𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬. For years, I believed effective decision-making meant alignment. That everyone needed to process choices the same way. But during last month’s quarterly planning session, I realized something profound. We weren’t disagreeing about solutions. We were speaking different decision dialects. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅. 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆, 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕, 𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔. 🔹 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐩𝐫𝐞-1946): Authority through experience. “We tried this in 1987. Here’s what worked.” 🔹 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 (1946–1964): Consensus-builders who value process. “Let’s align the team first.” 🔹 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐗 (1965–1980): Pragmatic executors who cut through complexity. “ROI projections are clear. Execute.” 🔹 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 (1981–1996): Purpose-driven collaborators. “How does this serve our values?” 🔹 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐙 (1997–2012): Data-native authenticators. “Customer signals say move now.” 🔹 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 (𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭-2012): Emerging innovators who question premises. “Why solve this problem this way?” These aren’t competing approaches. They’re complementary languages shaped by the formative worlds that forged each generation. 𝑴𝒄𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒚 highlights that decision deadlocks often stem not from outcome disagreements, but from process misalignments. 𝑯𝑩𝑹 emphasizes that leading multigenerational teams requires fluency in these diverse decision-making approaches. From uniformity → to synthesis From one process → to decision fluency From one-size-fits-all → to living adaptation Today, I don’t just ask: “𝑰𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏?” I ask: “𝑨𝒎 𝑰 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎?” 🔹 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦: Anchor Silent Gen insights to ground innovation. 🔹 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠: Leverage Boomer process discipline for durable commitment. 🔹 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Channel Gen X clarity to move from decision to delivery. 🔹 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Embed Millennial values to ensure meaning and trust. 🔹 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐕𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲: Harness Gen Z transparency for speed with credibility. 🔹 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐲: Invite Gen Alpha questions to unlock breakthrough possibilities. Great decisions today aren’t about choosing one approach. They’re about synthesizing six generations into unstoppable momentum. What decision language do you need to master to unlock your team’s full potential? #HarveysLeadershipRhythms #TheLeadershipSignal #GenerationalLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership #DecisionMaking #LeadWithIntention #MultigenerationalWorkforce #LeadershipReflections

Recently I found myself in one of those meetings that lingers in your mind long after it ends. Three generations sat around the table - a grandfather who had built the business from scratch, his daughter who now leads it, and his grandson, fresh out of university, already asking the right questions and clearly preparing to one day step into their shoes. What struck me was the contrast in language, rhythm and worldview. They spoke differently. They thought differently. And yet, they cared about exactly the same thing: the legacy, the values, the future of the business. It was a vivid reminder of how important it is to bridge the generational divide - not only in wealth management, where we often see this firsthand, but in every part of our business lives. Whether it’s welcoming younger professionals into industries historically dominated by older leadership, or understanding what the next generation of clients and investors are looking for, one thing is clear: we need to meet each other where we are. I’ve seen this shift in the room. Today’s younger investors aren’t waiting in the wings - they’re already decision-makers. They want transparency, purpose and technology that keeps pace with their lives. Many are more interested in sustainable investments than traditional portfolios. They’ll choose brands that feel authentic over those that feel established. And if we, as advisors, don’t take the time to build trust early on, it’s unlikely they’ll stay when wealth changes hands. That old stat still holds: more than 80% of heirs will switch advisors. I’m determined we won’t be one of them. That’s why we bring the next generation into the room early so they’re not inheriting money, but also a relationship. Inside our business, we’ve started something I’ve come to really enjoy: reverse mentorship. Pairing younger team members with more experienced ones to create genuine, two-way learning. I watched a senior director recently ask a junior analyst for insight on a digital campaign, and you could see the mutual respect being built in real time. It’s those moments that create resilience in a business. Not titles or tenure. But connection. Listening. Willingness to learn both ways. Are you adapting your communication style, leveraging new technology, or perhaps rethinking workplace policies like flexibility to meet generational needs? Because legacy only works when you move forward together. #NextGenerationLeadership #LegacyInMotion #BridgingGenerations

Leading a Multi-Generational Cybersecurity & IT Team, 25+ Year Perspective. Managing a cybersecurity and IT team with Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z is like conducting a diverse orchestra. Each generation brings strengths—Boomers’ experience, Millennials’ innovation, Gen Z’s tech fluency—but blending them takes work. **Listen and Adapt** Understand what drives each person. Boomers value process; Gen Z craves flexibility. I’ve seen debates spark over documentation versus quick fixes. Listen to bridge gaps and build trust. Leverage Strengths Pair Boomers’ strategic insight with Gen Z’s knack for new threats. Mixed teams on projects like cloud security blend perspectives. Everyone’s a puzzle piece. Unify Communication Boomers prefer email; Gen Z loves Slack. Set clear norms and train on tools to avoid missteps. Clarity keeps projects on track. Encourage Learning Cyber threats evolve fast. Foster two-way mentorship—veterans share wisdom, younger folks teach tools. A Gen Z intern teaching container security can inspire everyone. Build Unity A shared mission—protecting the organization—bonds the team. Celebrate wins, like stopping a phishing attack, to foster connection. Final Note Embrace differences to create a resilient team. *What’s your trick for multi-generational teams? Share below please.

Assuming Boomers hate change and Gen Z can’t handle pressure? That’s how leaders lose talent.   Multigenerational teams require more than managing tasks, they need connection, understanding, and trust.   Here’s how I approach it:   Different generations connect differently: → Boomers prefer calls or face-to-face chats. → Millennials love fast feedback (think Slack). → Gen Z responds best to visuals—charts, videos, and infographics.   Motivations vary too: → Senior employees value purpose and legacy. → Junior team members want growth and learning. → Autonomy and flexibility? They’re essential for everyone.   Reverse mentoring works wonders: → Gen Z shares digital tools. → Boomers share leadership wisdom. → Together, they break silos and build trust.   Age stereotypes get teams stuck. It’s time we focus on strengths, not labels.   Read my latest newsletter below for more on this topic.   How do you create deeper collaboration in your own multigenerational teams?   ____   I’m Sharon. I partner with organizations to unlock leadership potential and solve real business challenges from the inside out.   Curious what that could look like for you?
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