Intergenerational Communication | Spencer Brenneman, LL

Episode Summary

For organizations to thrive, they have to have intergenerational teams and constituents. With that, however, can come to some unexpected communication challenges. Understanding how to speak to everyone based on their specific needs is the hallmark of good communication. In this episode of Messaging on a Mission, we hear about ways to make intergenerational communication clear and effective.

Key Takeaways

Understand the Currency of Your Audience. You have to understand the currency of your audience to be an effective communicator; currency in this scenario refers to what the audience you are working with values the most, and it is what they prioritize over every other thing.

The Concept of the Phrase “Managing Upward and Sideways.” Managing upwards means understanding your employer’s currency; you have to know what they expect from you and what they actually care about. To manage sideways means understanding how to communicate effectively with your coworkers and get along with them. You have to understand your target audience in both cases to communicate successfully at your workplace.

Work-Life Balance. Recently, a lot of young people starting out their careers find it paramount to balance their work life and personal life. This necessity was not the case with the older generations, who were often more compliant with their bosses and did as they were told to avoid issues at the workplace. Still, a lot of people do not know how to speak up about certain issues s. The truth of the matter is that you can speak to your boss about things that do not work for you and also bring up solutions to make sure you get the job done. Always make sure you speak in a manner that clearly projects your thoughts without being rude in the process.

Communication Styles Differ Among Various Cultures. If you are moving from one country to work in another, you must understand that there will be a change in communication techniques. This is a commonly neglected factor; you must study the new environment and understand how the new people you find yourself working with think, act and behave in general.

Hybrid Workplace. The hybrid work environment is a relatively new concept that became more popular due to the pandemic. Junior workers can find it difficult to navigate this environment if there are no guidelines to help them. If you find yourself in this situation, speak up by being assertive without being rude. Written in the second edition of the book, Flip-Flops and Microwaved Fish: Navigating the Dos and Don’ts of Workplace Culture, is everything you need to know about the hybrid workplace, from zoom meeting etiquettes to workplace interactions in general.

Communication Channels Should be Well-Defined. Organizations frequently have too many communication channels, which tends to confuse employees. It is very important for workers in senior leadership positions to schedule meetings with junior workers to discuss precisely what their goals are and how they wish to attain them.

Organizations Should Create an Atmosphere Where Questions are Encouraged. Brainstorming ideas work better when people are not afraid to voice out their thoughts. Reprimanding workers when they speak up or when they are not clear on something can have a lasting detrimental effect on the confidence of a worker and dampen creative thinking.

The world is changing, and so should you. To grow as an organization, you must know what your target audience thinks and what they want. Organizations should try to truly understand the newer generation of customers through surveys or by directly asking people what they want. This process will help your organization make informed decisions.

The Importance of Effective Communication Cannot be Overemphasized. You have to communicate effectively with people to understand what they truly want and to have an insight into their thoughts. For instance, when sending out emails or writing articles, you should keep in mind that language evolves, and you should compose content in a way that catches the attention of intended readers.

About Our Guest

Peter Yawitz (peteryawitz.com) is the President of Clear Communication (clearcommunication.net) and founder, host, author, and advice columnist at Advice from Someone Else’s Dad (someoneelsesdad.com). He has been a communication coach, consultant, teacher, and facilitator for global organizations for over 30 years. For ten years before that, he was an eager young employee in fast-paced American workplaces wishing for advice on how to make smart work decisions and fit in. Today, he trains C-suite executives, managers, juniors, and teams around the world, helping them understand how to communicate, manage upward and sideways in a company, and navigate the personalities, priorities, and peculiarities of their workplaces.

The second edition of his award-winning book Flip-Flops and Microwaved Fish: Navigating the Dos and Don’ts of Workplace Culture (Greenleaf Book Group) was released and contained every piece of practical advice imaginable about how to communicate in a hybrid workplace. He won the Bronze Medal at the Axiom Book Awards and was a finalist at the Foreward Indies.

A native New Yorker, he received an undergraduate degree from Princeton University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Peter also won the 2005 Nightlight Award for Outstanding Musical Comedy Performance from the New York City cabaret, jazz, and comedy critics and the Backstage Magazine Bistro Award for comedy writing.