bridging the generations among farmers, ranchers & associations (6 15 11)

Bridging the Generations: [From Minnie Pearl & Pearl Harbor

To Wiki & Wii]

June 15, 2011

Steve Drake

• Organizational success increasingly dependent on ability of employees and managers to deal with generational differences

Generational Challenges

Four Generations as: • Members/Customers/Prospects

• Colleagues

• Employees

Today’s Agenda

Defining the GenerationsGenerations as EmployeesGenerations as ConsumersGenerations and Media

“Stopping Points” after each section

Two surveys this spring:• 724 farmers & ranchers• 115 association staff/volunteers

Will share most results at end

Surveys

17.4%

59.6%

12.5%

10.5%

1945 or earlier 1946-1964 1965-1977 1978 or later

8.9%

42.9%

31.3%

17.0%

1945 or earlier 1946-1964 1965-1977 1978 or later

AssociationsFarmers & Ranchers

• 3/4ths of farmers are 47 or older • About half of associations are 47 or older

Birth Years in Surveys

Generations: You & the U.S.

Matures Boomers Gen X Gen Y0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

10%

44%

34%

12%

17%

60%

13%11%

9%

43%

31%

17%

US Population Farmers Assns

Disclosures

Yes, these are generalizations

Yes, there are exceptions

What follows is a compilation of research and literature from multiple sources

Plagiarism vs research

Generational Background

BabyBoome

rs77

million

Generation Y

76+ million

Generation X

50 million

Matures

24 million

Before 1946

1946-1964

1965 – 1977

1978 - 1995

Birth Years:

Generational Divides(Statistical Years)

Generational Divides(Shared Experiences)

Generation Born: Age in 2011:

Core Influence

Silents Mid-1920s to early 1940s

70-90 Depression, WWII

Boomers Early 1940s to early 1960s

50-70 Man-on-Moon, Vietnam

Xers Early 1960s to early 1980s

30-50 Latch key, Iran hostage

Millennials Early 1980s to early 2000s

0 - 30 9/11, Web 2.0, terrorism

Generational Words• 1970s: Long hair

• Today: Longing for hair

• 1970s: Long hair• Today: Longing for hair

• 1970s: Screw the system• Today: Upgrade the system

• 1970s: Acid rock• Today: Acid reflux

• 1970s: Rolling Stones• Today: Kidney Stones

• 1970s: KEG• Today: EKG

• 1970s: Going to a new, hip joint• Today: Receiving a new hip joint

• 1970s: Whatever• Today: Depends

Words of a Generation

Stand at Your Corner

Pearl HarborDepression1st Radio

GenerationImpactsHow You

Communicate

Kennedy Assassination Armstrong Moon Walk 1st TV set

Fall of Berlin WallAIDS1st PC

Monica/Gulf War I9/111st Email Address

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Nu

mb

er

Elig

ible

(m

illio

ns

)

Year

Boomer Peak

Boomer retirement will lead to an “all

out war for talent.”

Ready to Retire

Characteristics, Perspectives, Attitudes and Beliefs

Matures:DepressionBuildersSavers

GenerationImpactsHow You

Live

Boomers:Post WWIISpendersLive to Work

Xs:Latch-keyDivorceDownsizedIndependent

Ys:Digital revolutionInstantly connectedShort attention spanWork to Live

Generational Overview

Boomers:Work is a PLACE

Ys:Work whenever & wherever

Cultural Differences:Work-Life balanceFlextime

Generational Divide

Work

LifeFamily

Work Life

Family

#1 Issue between Generations

70% of American workers say they don’t have proper work-life balance … and blame companies for the problem.

Work-Life Balance

Generation Y90% say they are “very

close” to their parents.

44% of teens consider

parents as role models.

Quality and quantity time.

Raising a family is very

important – 75%.

Baby BoomersMore than 40% in 1974

said they would be better

off without their parents.

Quality time.

Raising a family is very

important – 59%.

Family-Parenting

Generation Y Loyalty(in order of importance to them)

1. Families2. Friends

3. Communities

4. Co-workers

5. Themselves

6. Their company

• More than 60% of students volunteer at least monthly

• More than 80% of college freshmen volunteered as high school seniors

• Focus: environment, poverty and community problems

• Top reasons for volunteering: • “feel I am helping others” • “good skills for the future”• “makes me feel proud”

Volunteering is Important

1. Who is Gen Y?2. How big is it?3. What “turns their crank?”4. How do they define success?

Stop & Review

Generations as Employees

10%

44%

34%

12%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Matures Boomers Gen X Gen Y

60% of employers report some “generational tension.”

Generations in Workforce

Silents

Assets• Stable• Details• Loyal• Hard working

Liabilities• Inept with change• Reluctant to buck system• Uncomfortable with

conflict• Reticent when disagree

Boomers

Assets• Driven• Service oriented• Want to please• Good at relations• Good team players• Invented 60-hour week

Liabilities• Not budget minded• Reluctant to oppose peers• Judgmental• Uncomfortable with

conflict

Xers

Assets• Adaptable• Technoliterate• Independent• Unintimidated by

authority

Liabilities• Impatient• Poor people skills• Cynical

Millennials

Assets• Collective action• Optimism• Tenacity• Heroic spirit• Multitaskers• Techno savvy

Liabilities• Need for supervision &

structure• Inexperience, particularly

with handling difficult people issues

• Most try to motivate based on what motivates us. Mistake!

• Ask them what motivates them … could be as simple as getting off 30 minutes early on Fridays.

• Get copy of DRiVE by Daniel Pink.

Motivating

• Gen Y workers want a job that lets them exercise personal values and beliefs.

• 62% want to work for companies that give them a chance to use their skills to help a nonprofit.

Causes Click

On Boomers:• Worried about retirement; Starting to slow down• Hard workers: Do whatever it takes to get job done• Goal oriented with good work ethics; Relationships

On Gen X-ers:• Family first/Job is a means/Transient/Job hoppers• Self absorbed/Money/Title/Caught in middle• Good workers/Need motivation & constant attention

On Gen Y-ers:• Feel entitled/Poor work/Lazy/Slackers• Need instantaneous recognition/Not loyal• Dependent on technology/Return text but not call

Boomer Views

On Boomers:• Resistant to change/Doers not Delegators• Didn’t plan for retirement and probably won’t retire• Work comes first/Hard working, dedicated

On Gen X-ers:• Job hoppers/Loyal to self/Opportunistic• Family as important as work/Willing to risk• Able to bridge gap between Boomers & Y-ers

On Gen Y-ers:• “Entitled”/Selfish/Impatient/Arrogant• Want to be involved in decision making• Tech savvy/Prefer electronic devices

Gen X Views

On Boomers:• Not tech savvy• Relaxed/Easy to work with/Not fully engaged• Hard working

On Gen X-ers:• Carefree/Laid back• Cynical/“Me” generation• Skeptical especially about Gen Y’s abilities/habits

On Gen Y-ers:• Technologically sophisticated• Looking for outreach/Too eager to change world• Open minded/Willing to adopt new practices/ideas

Gen Y Views

Successful Ways to Recruit/Engage New Members

Under 35

Top 3 Comments from Association Survey:21.5% = Social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)12.1% = Nothing 8.1% = Social events, activities, networking

1. What Generations are in the work place?2. How do we learn to work together?3. What “turns their crank” about work?4. How do we recruit, motivate & retain staff

from differing generations?

Stop & Review

Discussion at seats:(Pair with someone of different colored card / generation)

What does this mean to you in your work? In your association?

Conversation

Generations as Consumers & Media Users

Gen Y’s Use of Time

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

Voluntee

r

Faith

-bas

ed

Civic E

vent

Politic

al Ev

ent

Social

Club

Trade

/ Pro

f Grou

p

Young Adults65% Say Internet Main News Source

* Up from 34% in 2007

• Blogs• Google News Alerts• Facebook• YouTube• LinkedIn• Twitter• Flickr• SlideShare• Delicious

Social Media Tools

How do you have the time?

We’ve switched from “boob tube” to social media.

Mobile Mania

Cell Phone Users

billionComputer Users

billion

Survey ResultsTo e-survey

Farmers: N=724Associations: N=115

Interesting ObservationsComparing farmers/ranchers and associations:

1. To communicate important info, association folks less likely to use the phone

2. When hiring, farmers tell friends while association folks use other tools

3. About half of both groups text daily but neither really wants texts from association

4. About three-fourths never or only occasionally visit their association’s website

Do you subscribe to …

0.0%5.0%

10.0%15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%

12.7%

24.4% 24.1%17.9%

20.8%

Daily N

ewsp

aper

(print v

ersion)

Farm

Newsp

aper

(print v

ersion)

A Monthly

or Wee

kly M

agazi

ne (prin

t vers

ion)

Farm

Mag

azine (

print v

ersion)

Online N

ewsp

aper

or New

s Web

site

Other Onlin

e New

s or O

nline I

nformati

on Link

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

Farmers & Ranchers

Association Staff & Volunteers

PRIMARY source of General News

Association Staff & Volunteers

Notes: • No one media ranks more than 18%• 1/4th of farmers & 1/3rd of associations

cite “new media” as primary source

Farmers & Ranchers

PRIMARY work-related communications source

Email

Phone

InPerson

Farmers & Ranchers

Phone

In PersonEmail

Email

Phone

Association Staff & Volunteers

LinkedIn (17%)

Hiring Search Tools

WantAd (10%) On Line

(23%)

Friends

Ad

Friends

Ad

CraigslistOnline

Farmers & RanchersAssociation Staff & Volunteers

No(39%)

Have you ever visited Craigslist?

Yes(61%)

Farmers & Ranchers Association Staff & Volunteers

No(18%)

Yes(82%)

How often do you visit YouTube?

Less than monthly (37%)

Weekly (16%)

Farmers & Ranchers Association Staff & Volunteers

What's YouTube? Less than monthly MonthlyWeekly Daily

Less thanMonthly

Monthly

Weekly ?

What's YouTube? Less than monthly MonthlyWeekly Daily

Monthly

WeeklyLess thanMonthly

How often do you use Twitter?

What's Twitter? Never Several times a monthSeveral times a week Several times a day

Never(76%)

?

Farmers & RanchersAssociation Staff & Volunteers

What's Twitter? Never Several times a monthSeveral times a week Several times a day

Never(50%)

Tell us about Facebook.

Farmers & RanchersAssociation Staff & Volunteers

Don’t Use (47%)

Active (24%)

Active (62%)

Don’t Use (14%)

Facebook at Work Don’tParticipate (42%)Farmers & Ranchers Association Staff

& Volunteers

Don’t Use (47%)Never

(73%)

Never (39%)

Daily (17%)

Tell us about LinkedIn.

Farmers & RanchersAssociation Staff & Volunteers

B2B Networking (77%)

A Mystery (62%)

Frequency of Texting

Farmers & RanchersAssociation Staff & Volunteers

Daily(46%)

Never(24%)

Daily(55%)

Want Texts from Association

Farmers & RanchersAssociation Staff & Volunteers

Maybe(39%)

Yes(13%)

Definitely No

(48%)

Defi-nitely No

(49%)

Yes(14%)

Maybe(37%)

Use of Association’s website

Farmers & RanchersAssociation Staff & Volunteers

Several Times a Month (25%)

Occasion-ally

(63%)

Never (13%)

Several Times a Month (23%)

Never (6%)

Occasionally (71%)

Association Folks Only

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

51.02

Average hours per week spent on work or work-related activities

Tecker’s 3 Words

1. Knowledge2. Nimble3. Trust

Coerver’s 3 Words

1. Time pressures2. Nimble3. Mobile

Notter’s 3 Words

1. Leadership models2. Knowledge3. Conversations

Much of this information provided by NCTA from research conducted by Market Directions Inc.Gen Y Information Sources:1) Market Directions … www.marketdirections.com2) NCTA/Drake & Company … www.drakeco.com3) Generation WHY … www.generationwhy.com4) Beloit College … www.beloit.edu (Mindset List)5) NAS Insights … Recruiting & Managing the Generations6) Y-Sizing Your Business: Jason Ryan Dorsey7) Generational Diversity: Jamie Notter

Acknowledgement / Sources

Steve DrakePresident, Owner16020 Swingley Ridge Road Suite 300Chesterfield, MO 63017(636) 449-5050

CONTACT INFORMATION

drake@drakeco.com@stevedrake@causeaholic