Category: Diversity & Culture: Leadership in the Context of Difference

Retiring the Generation Gap: How Employees Young and Old Can Find Common Ground,  Jossey-Bass and CCL,  2007

Jennifer J. Deal

How different are the generations, really? Everybody knows that the “generation gap” between younger and older people causes stress and frustration at work. Are the differences people complain about just a big misunderstanding, or are they real? And most important, how can you use similarities and differences among the generations to be more effective in your organization? Jennifer Deal explains what can be done to retire the generation gap. Based on seven years of research on more than 3,000 leaders, Retiring the Generation Gap reveals the truth about generational conflicts at work—and what you can do about them. Written in a highly accessible (and often witty) style, this groundbreaking book addresses a number of generational issues. Deal provides a description of each issue, a summary of the relevant research results, a principle that can be applied to resolve (or at least mitigate) the issue, and practical advice for applying the principle in the workplace. Applying these principles will help everyone to work with, work for, attract, manage, retain, and develop leaders of all generations.