Bridging Text The Generation Gap NEA-Retired West Regional Conference Jeff Kallay, VP Consulting “Apostle of Authenticity”
BridgingTextThe Generation Gap
NEA-Retired West Regional ConferenceJeff Kallay, VP Consulting “Apostle of Authenticity”
15 American Generations 4 Cycles = 4 Stage/2 Stroke
Generation XMillennials
Who is next?Did you know?
Discussion and Media Resources
Manage the Expectations
“In America, each generation is a new people.”Alec de Tocqueville, 1830
LifeCourse Associates www.lifecourse.com
4Number of books by Howe and Strauss
Generations, 13th Generation, The Fourth Turning and Millennials Rising
LifeCourse Associates www.lifecourse.com
4Number of Generations Colliding
in the WorkplaceSilent, Boomers, Xers and Millennials
Howe and Strauss
23.4Average Number of Years of
American Generations
Howe and Strauss
15American Generations (19 New World)
Howe and Strauss
4Number of Generational Cycles and
Number of Generations Per Cycle
Name + Birth YearsAwakening + 1701-1723
Liberty + 1724-1741Republican + 1742-1766
Compromise + 1767-1791
Revolutionary Cycle
Name + Birth YearsTranscendental + 1792-1821
Gilded + 1822-1842Progressive + 1843-1859
Civil War Cycle
Name + Birth YearsMissionary + 1860-1882
Lost + 1883-1900G.I. + 1901-1924
Silent + 1925-1942
Great Power Cycle
Name + Birth YearsBoomer + 1943-1960
X + 1961-1981Millennials + 1982-2000/01
15th (Homeland or iGeneration) + 2000/01-20??
Millennial Cycle
Howe and Strauss
4/24 Stage/2 Stroke Per Cycle
Name + Birth Years = Description Awakening + 1701-1723 = Idealist
Liberty + 1724-1741 = ReactiveRepublican + 1742-1766 = Civic
Compromise + 1767-1791 = Adaptive
Revolutionary Cycle
Name + Birth Years = DescriptionTranscendental + 1792-1821 = Idealist
Gilded + 1822-1842 = ReactiveProgressive + 1843-1859 = Adaptive
Civil War Cycle
Name + Birth Years = DescriptionMissionary + 1860-1882 = Idealist
Lost + 1883-1900 = ReactiveG.I. + 1901-1924 = Civic
Silent + 1925-1942 = Adaptive
Great Power Cycle
Name + Birth Years = DescriptionBoomer + 1943-1960 = Idealist
X + 1961-1981 = ReactiveMillennials + 1982-2000/01 = Civic
15th (Homeland or iGeneration) + 2000/01-20?? = Adaptive
Millennial Cycle
Idealist birth CivicReactive birth Adaptive
Civic birth IdealistAdaptive birth Reactive
Repeat
4 Stage / 2 StrokeIdealist Reactive
CivicAdaptive
Rebels against the elder-built world and against the generation before it.
(Think X>Boomer and Millennial>X)
Redirects society towards its own inclinations.
Each Generation
1. Solves the problems facing the prior youth generation (Millennial>X)
2. Corrects for the behavioral excess it perceives in current midlife generation (Millennial>Boomer)
3. Fills the social role being vacated by the departing elder generation (Millennials>G.I.)
Each Generation
Is shaped by their surroundings and by the generations with which they interact.
While being born becomes history, and as they age they make history.
Each Generation
Social Moment - a brief period of time when people perceive historical events to radically alter their social environments.
1. Secular Crisis - when society focuses on reordering the outerworld of institutions and social behavior.
2. Spiritual Awakening - when society focuses on changingthe inner world of values and personal behavior.
Types of History
1. Idealist - encounters a spiritual awakening in rising adulthood and a secular crisis entering elderhood.
2. Reactive - encounters a spiritual awakening entering youth,and a secular crisis entering midlife.
3. Civic - encounters a secular crisis entering rising adulthood, and a spiritual awakening entering elderhood.
4. Adaptive - encounters a secular crisis entering youth,and a spiritual awakening entering midlife.
Repeating in America
X“A generation that can sneakily trump boomer
narcissism and millennial entitlement.”
Jeff Gordiner, “X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking”
Born and raised as independent latch-key kids.Sexual Revolution, Watergate, Vietnam,
Gay Rights, High Divorce Rate, Recession and Woman’s Movement peppered their youth.
Demonized by Hollywood: Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Pretty Baby and The Omen.
About Generation X
Playing to win by half expecting to lose.
Accepting wide gaps between personal outcomes and sex roles.
Proud of their ability to cut through the hype.
About Generation X
Becoming cautious in family life and gradually mellowing in personality.
Dedicated to starting and maintaining stable families, something their Silent generation
parents did not.
About Generation X
MommyMany Generation X women are chosing not to
return to work after they have children.
ABC News Special Report “The Mommy Wars”
MillennialLargest, most wanted, most watched over and most diverse generation in American history.
Howe and Strauss “Millennials Rising”
The Three “Kaitlins”
Kaitlin Caitlin Kate Lynn
3.6Average birthrate of Millennials
(in millions)
Howe and Strauss “Millennials Rising”
$50kParents willing to pay for an ovum from an
attractive, high IQ, female at a top university
Howe and Strauss “Millennials Rising”
50%Increase in amount of stuff in weight in
average American homes vs. 20 years ago
US News and World Report, 2008
87%College freshmen who have never shared
a room with a sibling
Chronicle of Higher Education, November 2009
35% are non-white (and Latino).
1 in 5 have an immigrant parent, 1 in 10 have a non-citizen parent.
Largest separation in wealth in American history.
About Millennials
Celebrated, cherished and protected.
Celebrated by Hollywood: Three Men and Baby,Baby Boom, Mr. Mom and Disney princesses.
Bike helmets, car seats, nanny cams and more.
About Millennials
Raised by attached parents.“Helicopter Parents” or “Blackhawks”
transitioning to “Stealth.”Parents are “Best Friends” and co-purchasing.
Conservative. Or Conventional?
About Millennials
Team Oriented.Task Oriented.
Civic Oriented. (not in march on D.C. way)
Want to achieve high standards set for them.Feel that they have already “paid their dues.”
About Millennials
You are no longer in control of message or media.They are in control.
They want authenticity and simplicity.Stories render authenticity.
X and Millennial
To connect with these generations you cannot talk at, you must talk with.
You must give them the tools to createtheir own stories, memories and experiences.
X and Millennial
Eliminate Ambiguity.Think of Time as 24/7 Resource.
Combine Work with Play.Make it Worthwhile.Handle with Care.
Play to Their Strengths.Group Think.
Reaching Millennials
“Our generation isn’t about sex, drugs or violence. It’s about technology, discovery, and coming together as a nation.”
Mikah Griffin, 17, 1999
Who is Next?
15thHomeland or iGeneration
2000/2001-?
5000Marketing messages your members are
assaulted by each day
Adweek November 2006
90%Consumers who trust word of mouth,
vs. traditional advertising
Adweek November 2006
320facebook Social Networks (in millions)
USA Today 2010
:60Amount of time 17-25 year olds
spend on website
OneStat 2008
3Number of clicks visitors will spend to find
what they want on a website
OneStat 2008
Top Ten Websites Ages 17-25Youth Trends and Emarketer, October 2006
95%18-25 Year Olds who are “Big” texters
Pew Internet
4.1Billion - Daily Text Messages
Pew Internet
85%Prefer email over phone
Reachon.com 2008
40%Check their email in bathroom using PDA
Reachon.com 2009
34%50 years and older that use wireless
Pew Internet 2010
63%30-49 year olds that use wireless
Pew Internet 2010
81%Millennials that use wireless
Pew Internet 2010
?So what does it all mean?
Did You Know? Videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHmwZ96_Gos&feature=related
Web 2.0 Videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nkeOE0E
Pew Internet Researchhttp://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Social-Media-and-Young-Adults.aspx
Media and Resources
Mommy Tell My Professor He’s Not Nicehttp://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/19/State/Mommy__tell_my_profes.shtml
A Generation Serves Notice; It's a Moving Targethttp://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?
res=9D0CE7D9123FF931A15752C0A9609C8B63
facebook grows uphttp://www.newsweek.com/id/32261/page/2
YouthQuake (Millennial Values in Work)http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_03/b4067000290367.htm?
chan=magazine+channel_top+stories
Scenes From A Culture Clashhttp://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/culture-clash.html
Get The Best Out Of Millennialshttp://www.adage.com/talentworks/article?article_id=124891
The Millennials are Cominghttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/08/60minutes/main3475200.shtml
Employee Evolution - Millennials at Workhttp://www.employeeevolution.com/
TargetX iThink Bloghttp://.targetx.com/ithink
Want More? Read Our Blogs:
TargetX Blog at www.targetx.com/ithink/
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Download Session PDF#1 Go to www.targetx.com
click iThink Blogclick Slide Presentations
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BridgingText
The Generation GapNEA-Retired West Regional Conference
Jeff Kallay, VP Consulting “Apostle of Authenticity”[email protected]