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Rather than limiting myself to the usual generational classifications such as Boomer, Generation X, Y and Z, I have adopted the use of "cultural sliders".
These indicators shed light on the fine differences in the expectations and behaviours of employees, reading them through cultural diversity rather than age. This is a deeper and more meaningful way to understand and value each individual, instead of grouping people by their age.
Many talks on the intergenerational question come down to clichés. People say that Generation X is loyal, that Generation Y is good at multitasking and that Generation Z is narcissistic. Those generalisations, based simply on demographic groups, give leaders and managers nothing genuinely useful.
To avoid that trap, and to add real value for managers working in an intergenerational context, I approach the intergenerational subject from an intercultural angle rather than through age cohorts.
I introduce “cultural sliders”, which show how the culture of a society shapes the values of its members. These sliders are powerful tools for intergenerational management and communication. They allow a more refined understanding, well away from stereotypes, and they offer a solution that adapts to each context.
With them, we can move beyond received ideas and build genuine connections between the members of a team, whatever their generation.
What are the cultural sliders?
Here are the cultural sliders I use most:
- Relationship with emotion
Assesses the place of feelings in professional activity. In some cultures, showing emotion at work reads as weakness or irrationality, while in others it reads as authenticity and humanity.
- Relationship with uncertainty
Measures the ability to accept the unknown and the ambiguous. Cultures with a low tolerance for uncertainty tend to need strict rules and a lot of clarity, and they avoid ambiguous situations. Those with a high tolerance are more flexible and more open to new ideas or practices.
- Relationship with time
Assesses patience and the view of time. Some see time as linear, a sequence of events, while others see it as cyclical, where events repeat and cycles renew. Cultures oriented towards the past value tradition, those oriented towards the present value immediate enjoyment, and those oriented towards the future value perseverance and preparation.
- Relationship with the group
Measures the ability to work as a group. In individualist societies, people are expected to look after themselves and their immediate family. In collectivist societies, people identify with a wider group, a tribe or a community, which protects them in exchange for their loyalty.
- Relationship with authority
Assesses the ability to accept or reject discipline. In cultures with a large power distance, less powerful people accept that power is distributed unequally. In cultures with a small power distance, people look for a more equal distribution of power and question authority more readily.
Using the cultural sliders
To balance complexity and individuality
We are not defined simply by our generation. Every person carries a myriad of characteristics shaped by their upbringing, their environment, their experience and their culture. The cultural sliders take that complexity into account.
To avoid stereotypes
Relying on generations alone often leads to generalisations and stereotypes that do no justice to the diversity of people within a single generation. The cultural sliders allow an individual and fine-grained reading of what makes each person different.
To stay flexible
The cultural sliders can be adjusted to suit different contexts, situations or environments, which gives a better understanding of individual and collective dynamics.
To have a universal approach
While the characteristics attributed to each generation vary from one culture to another, the cultural sliders can be applied universally, because they take cultural nuance into account.