Stirling Training Consultants

Mastering Multi-Generational Communication

How do you like to communicate?

In today’s diverse workplace, understanding the best communication methods for different generations is crucial for effective leadership and influence. There are four distinct generations that currently work side by side, each bringing unique perspectives, skills, and communication preferences:

Baby Boomers

(born 1946-1964)

Known for their strong work ethic and dedication, Baby Boomers value loyalty, experience, and face-to-face interactions in the workplace.

Generation X

(born 1965-1980)

Independent and adaptable, Generation X seeks work-life balance, values feedback, and excels in both traditional and digital work environments.

Millennials

(born 1981-1996)

Innovative and collaborative, Millennials prioritise meaningful work, flexibility, and continuous feedback.

Generation Z

(born 1997-2012)

Digital natives with an entrepreneurial spirit, Generation Z values diversity, instant communication, and opportunities for growth and learning in the workplace.

Let’s explore when to use texts, phone calls, video calls, emails, and in-person meetings to connect effectively across generations.

Texts

Quick updates, casual check-ins, non-urgent information.

GENERATION PREFERENCES:

  • Baby Boomers and Gen X: Use for quick, non-intrusive updates but avoid for detailed discussions.
  • Millennials: Comfortable with messaging for work coordination and quick questions.
  • Gen Z: Prefers quick, informal communication. Ideal for brief updates or casual interactions.

TOP TIPS:

  • Be Concise: Keep messages short and to the point.
  • Timely Responses: Respond promptly to maintain the flow of communication.
  • Clarity: Avoid jargon and ensure your message is easily understood.
  • Respect Boundaries: Be mindful of sending messages outside of work hours.

Phone Calls

Immediate, urgent issues, personal touch, complex or sensitive matters.

GENERATION PREFERENCES:

  • Baby Boomers: Appreciate the personal touch and directness. Use for detailed discussions or when immediate feedback is needed.
  • Gen X: Useful for resolving issues quickly and for more personal communication.
  • Millennials and Gen Z: Prefer other methods but will use for urgent matters.

TOP TIPS:

  • Prepare: Have a clear agenda or purpose for the call.
  • Be Direct: Get to the point quickly to respect the other person’s time.
  • Listen Actively: Pay attention and acknowledge what the other person is saying.
  • Follow Up: Send a brief summary email to confirm key points discussed.

Video Calls

Detailed discussions, team meetings, collaborative work, personal connection when remote.

GENERATION PREFERENCES:

  • Baby Boomers: Appreciate the face-to-face aspect but may be less quick with the technology.
  • Gen X: Effective for maintaining personal connection in remote work settings.
  • Millennials and Gen Z: Comfortable and familiar with video calls for team meetings and collaboration.

TOP TIPS:

  • Test Technology: Ensure your equipment and software are working before the call.
  • Engage Visually: Keep camera on! Look into the camera and use body language to convey engagement.
  • Set an Agenda: Share the agenda beforehand to keep the meeting on track.
  • Minimise Distractions: Choose a quiet, well-lit space and mute notifications.

Emails

Formal communication, detailed information, record-keeping, non-urgent matters.

GENERATION PREFERENCES:

  • Baby Boomers and Gen X: Prefer emails for detailed, formal communication and documentation.
  • Millennials: Use for formal communication but may prefer messaging for quick interactions.
  • Gen Z: Less likely to use email frequently; prefers more immediate communication forms.

TOP TIPS:

  • Clear Subject Line: Summarize the email’s purpose in the subject line.
  • Structured Content: Use bullet points and short paragraphs for readability.
  • Professional Tone: Maintain a respectful and professional tone.
  • Proofread: Check for spelling and grammar errors before sending.

In-Person Meetings

Critical discussions, team building, sensitive issues, high-stakes negotiations.

GENERATION PREFERENCES:

  • Baby Boomers and Gen X: Value face-to-face interaction for building relationships and discussing important matters.
  • Millennials and Gen Z: Appreciate the personal connection but may prefer a mix of remote and in-person interactions.

TOP TIPS:

  • Set Clear Objectives: Define the goals of the meeting in advance.
  • Be Punctual: Respect everyone’s time by starting and ending on schedule.
  • Active Participation: Encourage everyone to contribute and share their perspectives.
  • Summarise Action Items: Conclude with a summary of decisions made and next steps.

By understanding these preferences and using the top tips, leaders can enhance communication effectiveness, foster better relationships, and improve overall team productivity.

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 Posted on August 9, 2024 by

 Advice

How Our Past Influences Our Present

The Child, The Adult, and The Parent

‘Treat all children as grown-ups and treat all grown-ups as children!’

That was the advice that was given to a young facilitator on the eve of working with his first Board of Directors. Was it good advice, or bad?

And would it work as a management philosophy – or as a way to influence people?

CS Lewis had a view on this: ‘When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly.’ He went on to say that being childlike or acting like the grown-ups you see around you, is not about the number of years you have clocked up, but about emotion, situation and choice – sometimes a good choice, sometimes a poor one.

If you sit in a Board Meeting, a Teams meeting or a management 1:1, you will see these choices being made – rightly or wrongly.

Because our past, influences our behaviour today.

From a young age, we have been taught how to interact with others, from those parent figures, we once looked up to. We would respond as a Child, based on how we felt at the time, or use a behaviour that mimicked our Parent, or eventually, as we move forward in life and make our own conscious decisions on how to interact with people, in an Adult way. Parent – Adult – Child; three behaviour states, first defined by the brilliant and perceptive psychiatrist Thomas Harris, in his Transactional Analysis Theory.

Let’s dive deeper into these three influences.

The Child state can be caring, affectionate, imaginative and fun, as well as self-centred and disinclined to take responsibility and was defined by our response to parental input. If they were harsh, this can lead to a Compliant state, where we bend to their will, and if seeing others praised more than us, we seek to put other’s needs ahead of our own; or be petulant and insular. If the parent figures were cossetting, this can lead to a Clingy mindset, constantly seeking approval, to almost addictive levels. The Child in us can produce a number of behaviours, for example:

  1. Over-emotional, showing excessive anger, disappointment, frustration – or joy
  2. Feel things are unfair, without addressing it in an appropriate assertive manner
  3. Can be naïve, too trusting, too easily prepared to be confused – and ‘just not get it’
  4. Failure to take responsibility, makes excuses, blames circumstance, less dependable

However, they are also:

  1. Creative, imaginative, experimental, spontaneous – can be prepared to be flexible, give it a go
  2. Good fun – prepared to dance, sing or laugh like no one is looking

The Parent state is our attempt to copy the Caring or Critical behaviours we saw in our ‘parent’ figures. It is a controlling behaviour laced with expectation – but often with others’ best interests at heart. It can be directive or over coddling, but inherent in this behaviour is feeling of entitlement – an innate authority that should be respected. The issue is if others don’t see it that way and conflict arises. The Parent in us can produce a number of behaviours, for example:

  1. Talking down to people, condescending, tell them ‘what they think’ and say ‘should’ too much
  2. Judgemental, rigid, over-protective of previous ways of doing things
  3. Believe in punitive measures and blame when they believe that someone deserves it
  4. Or over-protective of those they believe they should ‘care for’

However,

  1. They have values, self control and believe in maintaining societal standards and norms
  2. They can be loving, compassionate, concerned for others and ‘umbrella’ their team from pressure

In the Adult state, we respond rationally, rather than emotionally to situations. Our behaviour is based on respect for ourselves and for others. We are factual, non-controlling, non-needy and have made our own decisions as an independent Adult on how to get the best out of conversations and interactions. It is a learned skill and a practised behaviour – and one that we can fall out of very easily, if we let instinct and emotions take over at the wrong time. The Adult in us can produce a number of behaviours, for example:

  1. Handling conflict and having robust debate without damaging the emotions of self or others
  2. Self awareness – recognising our own inner child and pervasive parent
  3. Healthy, well defined boundaries, building good, but not inappropriate professional relationships
  4. Interacting and collaborating in a positive, productive, friendly, progressive way

However, they are also:

  1. More logical than inspirational
  2. And not such fun at parties!

The importance of being aware of whether we are in Child, Parent or Adult mode, is it can affect our mental health and also the success of interactions with other people, and therefore our success in the workplace.

We are taught how to react behaviourally and respond emotionally, but not how to respond rationally. Even at work, we instinctively play the Parent-Child game. However, success comes from playing the role of an Adult, which takes skill and training.

As a Direct Report in Child mode, we tend to want to feel appreciated by our own Managers. To get in their good books, we either comply with their requests or try to prove ourselves to them; but feel upset, resentful, defiant or guilty, if we do not get their appreciation.

In Parent mode, we are in danger of being condescending, patronising, too commanding, lacking collaboration or hurt when our own perceived authority is not respected.

Whereas in Adult mode, we are better able to understand the needs of others, whilst also protecting and progressing our own. We avoid unhelpful emotional entanglement and manage our own emotional reactions to others’ behaviours. And also, by acting in the Adult, it encourages others to act like that too. A real Win:Win.

Our Parent-Adult-Child influences affect our mood, which in turn affects our behaviour and how we interact with others. We cannot easily change how we feel, but we can change our behaviour towards others. By knowing ourselves better, we become more self-aware – enabling us to interact with others in the way we choose.

Don’t lose the fun, affection and adventure of being a Child, nor the moral code and high expectations of the Parent, but drive professional relationships by being the rational, factual, balanced, ambitious Adult – that way you win all round!

Concept Credit: Based on Thomas Harris’s and Eric Berne’s Transactional Analysis Theory

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 Posted on May 20, 2024 by

 Advice, Research

How To Apply Business Change Effectively

The 6 Elements For Positive Change

Managing change while keeping employees positive and on board can be a challenge. We have summarised 6 elements that makes implementing change easier.

Champion adaptation

  • Brainstorm new ideas and approaches
  • Implement innovative solutions
  • Embrace change with enthusiasm

Hold an open mind

  • Explore alternative methods
  • Adapt strategies based on feedback
  • Support others in adapting to changes

Align teams

  • Communicate goals and objectives
  • Facilitate open discussions
  • Address concerns and provide support

Nurture engagement

  • Seek feedback from all members
  • Delegate tasks effectively
  • Encourage participation from all

Group effort

  • Establish clear roles and responsibilities
  • Foster an environment of trust and openness
  • Value diverse perspectives

Establish plans

  • Identify potential obstacles and risks
  • Develop contingency plans
  • Stay flexible and adaptable

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 Posted on May 7, 2024 by

 Advice

Words of Advice for First Line Managers

Tips from the STC team

So, you have made it into your first management position. Well done!

First line managers are so valuable to a business – well, good ones are. You are at the sharp end, where the action happens. It is your team who deliver the service. How effective you are as a manager determines how effective your team is at delivering that service – and how well they deliver that service feeds into the success of your whole company. That makes you significantly important – your company needs you to get it right!

All of our trainers have been new managers at some point in time – and senior managers too – but it is the early memories that stick! I asked the whole team for a quote and a few words of advice that they would give to an up-and-coming first line manager. I have included most of them below. I hope you find their different, and sometimes contradictory, perspectives interesting, enlightening and useful.

This is what they said:

  • NETWORK

    Make friends on the way up, because you don’t know who you will need on the way down.

    Networking is essential. Don’t just look down and in at your team. Look up and out. Build relationships with other team leaders, with senior managers, with other departments, with customers, suppliers – anyone who might be useful to turn to when you have an issue that needs to be resolved. A lot of being a manager is getting things sorted out. Knowing people who like you and respect you is usually a very good start!

    Tom, Senior Consultant

  • BE CONFIDENT

    Management and leadership are so much about confidence. People need to believe in you as a manager – your team members do, your managers do and the rest of the business does. So, think about how you look, how you speak, the words you choose, the way you come across. Make sure they all add up to a clear, confident and concise message.

    This is particularly true if you are not happy with the performance or behaviour of a team member. Don’t ignore it until it is unbearable – nip it in the bud; deal with it now. Be fair, be respectful and be confident. One word to them now, will say you 1000 words later.

    And if you are not confident? Bluff it till you are!

    Michelle, Operations Manager

  • BE KNOWLEDGEABLE

    Understand the facts. Be curious – ask why. Too many people work on assumptions or gut feel. There is knowledge and information everywhere you look in business. Find it, read it, interpret it. If you get monthly updates on the performance of your team, study them with care and use them to make decisions on how to get better. If you don’t have statistics – create them.

    Paul, Finance Trainer

  • BE ORGANISED

    An organised manager has a world of advantage over a dis-organised one. Disorganisation wastes so much of your time and is frustrating too. So do yourself a favour, take the time to create a system – a place for everything and everything in its place. Know where your notes are from the last meeting, where your team’s PDPs are kept, where you filed your bosses last email. And once you have a system – stick to it!

    Andrea, Admin Lead

  • MANAGE YOUR TIME

    The number one core skill of a successful manager is Time Management. Be an expert in prioritising your tasks and planning your time. This gives you control. If you don’t you are forever chasing your tail, which is stressful, unproductive and means you live a life being totally reactive.

    Get on the front foot. Plan ahead. Use a to do list. Schedule your tasks. Say No when you have to and manage your interruptions. It is your time – choose how you spend it. That way you don’t miss deadlines and always turn up on time. Make time for yourself to be successful. When you have time, you can innovate, create ideas, develop, people and drive progress.

    Harvey, IT Lead

  • BE ENTHUSIASTIC

    Just go for it. Throw yourself in. There is no substitute for enthusiasm. Grab the job and do it like you want to do it. If you get it wrong, you learn; if you fall over, you get up. Just make sure you get up more times than you fall down! Enthusiasm helps you learn, and it also gets you better results.

    But it is more than just enjoying it. As a manager and a leader, you need to inspire people – inspire them to perform better, inspire them to change and adopt new ways of working, inspire and influence them to accept your proposals. Emerson said: Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm, and I agree. If you have no enthusiasm, you are a non-manager and it is less likely you will succeed in these things. But when you have enthusiasm, you inspire your team, you win the support of your customers, you build your profile in the business, you get more of your own way, more of the time – and, when necessary, people will forgive you more often. So, run with it, drive with energy and make every day a good one.

    Diana, Senior Project Manager

  • FOCUS ON QUALITY

    Whatever you create, do it well and be proud of it – stay true to yourself. Use IT to your advantage – learn it better, find out what it can really do and use it to save you time, give you better information and impress the people you interact with.

    Anouki, Digital Content Manager

  • BE A COACH

    Don’t just be a manager – be their coach. Coaching and developing your people gives them greater skills, greater satisfaction and greater success. It means they do not bother you with their job, so you can get on with your own. And coaching is an empowering, inclusive, positive style of leadership. What could be better?

    I was tempted to use the Confucius quote: Every truth has four corners; as a coach I give you one corner and it is for you to find the other three. That for me is great leadership. Give your team a template, a framework, a process and then ask them for the other three corners – ask them how they will use them, how they will improve them and what more they can achieve with them. Get them involved and engaged – then getting them to be accountable is easy. Be a coach – it makes work better for everyone.

    Matt, Training Consultant

  • PLAN

    Plan, plan, plan! Before you do anything, think it through, create a step by step plan so that you, and anyone else involved knows what you are doing. Look for any weak links in your plan and strengthen them, or at least be prepared for them. If you think carefully, you can often predict the future – you can see what is coming before it arrives. Be prepared!

    And then act swiftly. JDI – don’t waste time, get on with it. Implement it as rapidly as you can. If it is a new idea, a new way of doing things, a new hire, a new customer, a new anything, it might be disruptive, but the sooner you get into it, the sooner you get the disruption behind you – as people like to say nowadays: If you are going to fail then fail fast, because that gives you more time to put it right. But . . . if you have thought it through carefully before acting swiftly, you won’t fail at all – so the adage should say: if you are going to succeed, then succeed quickly – and often!

    Rob, CEO

There you go. A host of different ideas from a collection of very different people. Read, learn, think – and then make it your own. Be you, be sincere, be respectful and enjoy your success.

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 Posted on January 26, 2024 by

 Advice

Bounce Back Virtual Sessions

Rules for Dynamic Virtual Sessions

The world has changed and will continue to change as a result of the pandemic. Covid has had a significant impact on the workplace and the way we work. It is now totally the norm to have more virtual meetings and virtual job interviews than face to face ones. This requires us to adapt our behaviour and think differently so we can benefit from the virtual environment.

VIRTUAL MEETING

Virtual meetings can work to your advantage:

    • Control your environment better
    • Use the technology to get greater engagement
    • Make live updates whilst sharing
    • Efficient use of time
    • Get peoples’ names right!

VIRTUAL JOB INTERVIEW

Virtual job interviews can work in your favour:

  • You can have a ‘cheat’ sheet next to your laptop
  • It’s easier to hide your nerves
  • You’re in familiar surroundings
  • No travel stresses
  • You only have to half dress smartly!

Rule 1: What’s Your Background?

Your work and career background are important to a future employer – but have you considered the importance of what is behind you on camera? The same if you are in a virtual meeting, you want to be what people focus on, not what’s going on behind you. A virtual background on Zoom or TEAMS can make you appear blurry and distorted, far better to have a plain wall. If you choose to use a regular and real background, make sure it’s clean and tidy – this will show people you are organised in both life and in work.

Rule 2: The Digital Handshake

First impressions count and in a virtual setting this involves getting your digital handshake pitch perfect:

  • Look at the camera not the screen – it makes a world of difference
  • Lean slightly forward, shoulders & eyes focusing ahead
  • Nod your head in a slow, confident, deliberate gesture without breaking eye contact

That simple nod and the body language accompanying it says you are ready to listen and contribute.

Rule 3: Engage your Audience

If you become just another talking head who goes on and on, your audience will lose interest. When this happens, it’s easy for them to put you on a split screen and start reading their emails, playing Candy Crush or anything else that might seem more interesting. Hold their attention by checking in with them often, ask them questions and keep your answers relevant and to the point.

Rule 4: Follow Up

Say your goodbyes and leave promptly. Virtual meetings and interviews are an efficient use of time. However, your audience may go straight into another interview or meeting, and you want to make sure you stand out and are remembered. Send a follow-up thank you email to your interviewer before the end of the day and mention something you discussed. If you have any additional follow-up questions about the job or hiring process, this would be a good time to ask them. Same with a meeting, send a positive thank you and summarise key points with the actions to be done.

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 Posted on October 4, 2023 by

 Advice

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