Success emerges from contrasts – Dr. Kornelsen’s insights on generational collisions and their power

Dr. Johan Kornelsen (IG@dr.johann.kornelsen) is a German academic and consultant who has studied leadership in today’s world. Kornelsen’s writings are relatively reader-friendly compared to typical academic content.

In his publication ‘Leading in VUCA world’, Kornelsen wrote an article about the differences between millennials and boomers in working life. After reading the article, my foggy picture of past workplace conflicts became clearer and gained sharper edges. I thought I’d share the best bits with you.

A generation is a group of people who go through life sharing similar experiences during a specific time period. External forces such as media, economy, social events, popular culture, and the values of families and society guide the generation’s shared journey. One generation is thus a collective collection of certain values, behavioral patterns, ideals, memories, and expectations, all of which influence the working life of that period.

The Silent Generation and Boomers

The oldest living generation is named “the Silent Generation” in American research. These children and young people, born before 1945 who lived through the war, didn’t feel they had the right to be heard. The world was going through such storms that one had to simply adapt and manage despite the circumstances.

After the war, many children were born; the baby boomers, or boomers in modern parlance. Let’s look at the picture academic research paints of the generation born between 1946 and 1964.

According to the research Kornelsen references, a boomer’s most important life goal is a steady, stable existence, materialized through a long career and circumstances that change as little as possible. The most important shared characteristics for this generation are patience, respect for traditions, and damn hard work. A boomer father-in-law clears rose bushes and cleans gutters. It’s an act of love. A boomer mother-in-law reorganizes your kitchen and picks three hundred kilos of blueberries. It’s an act of love. Common negative traits include exaggerated modesty, arrogant inflexibility, passivity, cynicism, and an endless feeling of disappointment.

Boomers accept and use hierarchies in their daily lives. They respect and obey authority. For a boomer, it’s clear why management knows more than subordinates, and they expect the world to accept hierarchy-based communication. A boomer doesn’t feel respected without hierarchy and gets offended by younger generations’ demands for transparency. Especially if the younger person demanding openness has strong self-confidence combined with limited work experience.

Academic research states that boomer supervisors often express concern that younger generations want recognition at work without making the necessary sacrifices to earn it. Boomers feel that because they suffered, others should suffer too to receive justified rewards. In working life, boomers thus trust in patience and authority based on position and work.

Generation X and Those Millennials

After boomers came Generation X, born between 1965-1980. Kornelsen’s research doesn’t deal much with this age group as academic research suggests workplace confrontation occurs between Boomers and Millennials. Generation X grew up in families with two working parents and is more independent and resourceful than the previous generation. Independence is indeed Generation X’s most important value. On a practical level, they can only rely on themselves. X’s are technologically capable but not dependent on technology. However, they don’t end up severely in the crossfire with boomers.

But let’s examine the Millennials, born between 1981-1994. That’s where things start happening. This generation is also referred to as Generation Y. Millennials strongly believe in face-to-face equal communication, shared aspirations, and teamwork. Millennials are network operators who do things in teams.

Academic research states that millennials can be considered naive and often aren’t ready for workplace demands. At the same time, they’re over-confident. Millennials share the experience that they’re ready to lead now and immediately, and they have the capability to change the world. They’re thus guided by an ambivalent combination of super-divine self-belief and dependence on others.

Some studies suggest the entire generation might be narcissistic. Managing millennials isn’t simple when their enormous need for success is combined with an inability to accept supervision and guidance. When naivety and heightened self-confidence are combined in one generation, you get a large group of people who don’t like criticism and feel that receiving praise and acclaim is their birthright.

Millennials’ relationship with older colleagues is different from previous generations. Almost all world’s knowledge is available to millennials, so they don’t need the previous generation in their careers the same way as was previously needed in the business world. Non-hierarchy is taken for granted, and millennials believe anyone in the company can talk about anything to anyone, as long as everyone’s working toward the same goal.

According to researchers, the best way to communicate with Millennials is direct and honest. Secret background agendas are the quickest way to lose a millennial’s trust. Researchers agree that millennials are the most educated people so far and best prepared to operate in international networks. Millennials are in an optimal position to solve the challenges of the new changing world. The generation’s ability to unite large masses of people behind the same cause and the skill to be flexible and adapt to change is a mandatory requirement for future leaders. Millennial leader, Prime Minister Sanna Marin is an excellent example of this. Marin adapts and doesn’t feel her position of power requires behavior different from others. A millennial leader has the right to be an ordinary person.

Millennials don’t fear change nor fear changing themselves, unlike Boomers who want things to remain stable. According to Kornelsen’s article, Boomers’ defensive or reactive counterattack is an attitude that blinds amid dramatic changes.

The collaboration between millennials and boomers might sound like quite a mess. But these opposites are exactly the force that propels organizations forward. Both generations value meaningful and demanding work. Boomers’ stability and millennials’ adaptability, understanding of hierarchy and network power – the combination of these creates success.

Through meaningful work, millennials and boomers can find common ground. When the company’s purpose and goal are clear to both, a shared mission unites. Why do we do what we do? What kind of impact do we want to see in the world? These are the best questions for uniting generations. Give us our daily big picture, our shared goal, and mention aloud the significance of our puzzle piece in the whole – goes the millennial’s evening prayer.

After millennials came Generation Z, who are gradually entering the workforce. The Zs are a gutsy bunch who grew up in homes where things were discussed openly and everyone went to therapy. We’re eagerly waiting to see how this emotionally intelligent generation will complement workplace dynamics!”