Different Communication Languages

There was an interesting article in the New York Times a few weeks ago, that discussed the findings of some research studies and the amount of time that young people spend using electronic devices to communicate with their friends and family. Increasingly, the use of technology is replacing face-to-face contact with other human beings.

The concern of psychologists is that individuals that primarily use electronic communication are not learning basic face-to-face human contact skills. They are unable to see facial expressions and body language and must rely wholly on the written word. Are these individuals missing out on developing empathy, listening skills and the ability to read non-verbal social cues?

Experts tell us that as much as 70% of communication is non-verbal, what happens when what individuals have primarily experienced is written communication such as abbreviated snatches of cell phone texts and instant messages. What happens when those individuals that have been immersed in electronic communication intersect in the workplace with individuals whose primary form of communication has been face-to-face?

How successful can knowledge transfer be with individuals that prefer such different communication languages?

The answer is that both sides have to give a little in their preferred communication methods. The digital natives while possessing excellent technology skills may have underdeveloped social skills.

New York Times Article - Antisocial Networking

Communication styles of each generation

The differences in communication preferences is not surprising when you consider the different technology that each generation has grown up with. Technology has determined for each generation, the speed and ease with which each generation has been able to communication. The faster and easier the technology the more frequent the communication.

Traditionalists – also called the silent generation due to their preference for privacy and respect for authority. Prefer face to face or written communication. Words are powerful to this generation. This generation grew up with regular snail mail as the primary form of business correspondence. The telephone was also used to communicate with customers and fellow employees.

Baby Boomers – body language is important, speak in a clear, and direct manner. Be prepared to be asked a lot of questions and have details to backup your position. Snail mail was augmented with FexEd allowing overnight communication. Personal computers and word processors allowed baby boomers to more swiftly send and receive messages.

Gen Xers – prefer informal communication style, use email as a primary means of communication. Ask them for feedback and provide regular feedback. Keep them informed and updated on a regular basis. Have grown up with a high level of immediacy. From microwaves to ATM machines Gen Xers are not accustom to having to wait very long for anything.

Gen Y – likes action words and opportunities to take risks. Ask for their feedback and regularly provide them feedback. Don’t let them feel that you are talking down to them. Have grown up with real time information available and updated minute by minute.

In When Generations Collide, the authors describe the generational clashpoint around the preferences for feedback which further illustrates the need for varying communication strategies.

Traditionalist      “No news is good news”

Baby Boomer      “Feedback once a year, with lots of documentation”

Generation Xers   “Sorry to interrupt, but how am I doing?”

Gen Y             “Feedback whenever I want it at the push of a button”

Technology has shaped the way and speed with which generations prefer to receive information and feedback. However, the only completely safe and accurate way of finding out an individual’s preferred communication style is to ask them.

Generational Communication

In Generations at Work, Zemke, Raines & Filipczak propose that organizations that have successfully managed generational differences “overcommunicate”. The best and brightest intergenerational organizations encourage frequent and open discussions about the differences between the cohorts and the differences among members of the same generational cohort. According to the authors “generational differences are based primarily on unarticulated assumptions and unconscious criteria therefore, surfacing them takes a giant step toward resolving them”.

The authors identified similarities among cross-generational friendly organizations. They found five common themes and labeled them using the acronym ACORN.

A – Accommodate employee differences

This can take many forms including accommodating different scheduling needs, work-life balance, generational icons, language, and precepts.

C – Create workplace choices

Generation friendly workplaces are relaxed, informal, change is a part of the culture, and the workplace evolves around the work being performed, the employees, and the customer.

O – Operate from a sophisticated management style

Generationally friendly managers give employees the big picture, specific goals and measures, and then turn their people loose providing them with feedback, reward and recognition as appropriate. They utilize situational leadership and work to gain the trust of their employees.

R – Respect competence and initiative

Best practice organizations assume the best of their employees. Every employee regardless of age or experience is treated as a valuable contributor

N – Nourish retention

Generationally friendly organizations are focused on employee retention and making their workplace a magnet for excellence. They provide excellent training and coaching, and promote regular lateral movement within the organization. They also offer broadened assignments giving employees the opportunity to develop a greater range of skills.

In addition to practicing the ACORN principles, generationally friendly companies market internally. They made a conscious effort to remind employees of all the good things the company has to offer.

Multigenerational Workplace

The concept of generations, first introduced in sociological theory in the 1950s by Karl Mannheim, illuminated and dissected U.S. culture. Kupperschmidt defined a generation as “an identifiable group (cohorts) that shares birth years, age location, and significant life events at critical developmental stages” and generational characteristics as “worldview, values, and attitudes commonly shared by or descriptive of cohorts”. As a result of the era in which they grew up, each generation brings a unique set of values, behaviors, and attitudes into the workplace.

Social scientists differ with respect to naming and segmenting the generations, with some dividing the generations into three groups and others dividing generations into as many as six groups. The most common categorization includes four generational cohorts represented in the business community. The oldest group, known as the matures, veterans, or the traditional generation, was born before 1946. The second generation is the baby boomers, a name given to the cohort because of its unprecedented size of 78 million. The cohort following the baby boomers is the baby bust population, Generation X, or Generation Xers. Generation X employees were born between 1965 and 1976 and, at 51 million, are a much smaller population than the baby boomers. The youngest cohort, born between 1977 and 2000, is the Nexters, Millennials, Generation Y, or the baby boom echo cohort and is just entering the workforce.

A review of the literature addressing generational differences reveals conflicting perspectives by theorists regarding the impact generations have on leadership style and work motivation. Zemke, Raines, and Filipczak cautioned the generational diversity of the U.S. workforce creates tension and resentment between older and younger employees. Although cognizant of the dangers of stereotyping, Zemke suggested, “The specific affections of a generation’s formative years do bind them together in exclusive ways” perpetuating a them versus us attitude. Harris postulated understanding the differences between each generation requires an analysis of each cohort’s value imprints from the formative years.

Kyles cautioned although each of the four generations of working employees manifests different values, expectations, and attitudes, “not every person fits all of the characteristics of his/her generation’s description”. Kupperschmidt indicated although generations share experiences and develop a peer personality, “these characteristics are generalizations, thus individual differences within generations do exist.”

Generational differences in values, attitudes, expectations, learning styles, and needs present unique challenges for leaders responsible for intergenerational knowledge transfer within organizations.


Harris, P. (2005, May). Boomer vs. Echo boomer. Training + Development, 59(5), 44-49.

Kupperschmidt, B. R. (2000). Multigeneration employees: Strategies for effective management. Health Care Manager, 19, 65-76.

Kyles, D. (2005). Managing your multigenerational workforce. Strategic Finance, 87(6), 53-55.

Zemke, R., Raines, C., & Filipczak, B. (2000). Generations at work. New York: AMA Publications.

There is nothing new under the sun

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. Socrates (470-399 B.C.)

As this quote of Socrates reminds us, generational differences are nothing new in our personal lives or in our workplace relationships. When our children are driving us crazy, we can take comfort in the hope that someday when they are parents their kids will drive them crazy. There is danger in generational stereotyping because the person sitting across the desk from you may share little or no characteristics with their generational stereotype. You may actually have a baby boomer that is as technologically savvy as a Gen X or Gen Y employee. Alternatively, you might find yourself with a Gen Y employee who loves their job and does not mind working 60 hours a week. On the other hand, you could have a Gen X employee that is an eternal optimist. Stereotypes are dangerous and counterproductive in the workplace. However, having generalizations based on an understanding of the common experiences and shared values of a generational cohort can give you a starting point with which to begin a dialogue with your employees and co-workers.