As the Bob Dylan song goes, "the times they are a changin'". The impact that those changing times have on the people who make up project teams offer some unique challenges and opportunities for project managers today.
Today's workforce is comprised of four distinct generations: Traditionalists who were born between 1925 and 1945, Baby Boomers who were born between 1946 and 1964, Generation X who were born between 1965 and 1979, and the Millennials who were born between 1980 and 1994. While the generational names and birth years may vary depending on the information source, all sources agree that there are distinct differences in the core values and attitudes of each generation. Per Dr. Sean Lyons of St. Francis Xavier University, a "new generation is formed when the "world changes" relative to the past." This world change may be something like an event (World War II, September 11) or a paradigm shift (the Information Age). Current events, family composition, economic environment all impact the generation, and Dr. Elizabeth Kearney has found that events occurring during the teen years have the greatest impact on forming attitudes and values.
Each generation's characteristics will influence the interpersonal success of a project team. While it is important not to stereotype everyone of a certain age group, it is useful to examine some of the areas where there may be tension or synergy between the generations. The table below summarizes findings from generational difference studies by Dr. Sean Lyons, Dr. Elizabeth Kearney, and the state of South Dakota.
Depending on the composition of your project team, you may experience different challenges and opportunities brought upon by generational differences. Generational diversity training to help team members better understand each other's strengths and differences may be of benefit to newly formed teams or teams that are experiencing conflict. In addition to providing a strong foundation of respect and understanding 
for other team members through training, the following are some suggestions for working through three common issues that occur in multi-generational teams.
Team Orientation
The very act of working as a team is not always easy for people of different generations. Teams consisting primarily of Boomers and Millennials will be more team oriented and collaborative when addressing project issues than teams heavily comprised of Generation X and Traditionalists. Generation X team members may be reluctant to participate and sacrifice their autonomy, and Traditionalists may have trouble accepting good ideas from team members with less experience. Asking Generation X team members to do independent research on key issues and present it to the rest of the team may allow those team members to utilize the independence and problem solving strengths of that generation. Having Traditionalists share the experience they have gained with similar issues on past projects may provide them with recognition of respect and wisdom from their peers.
Work Hours
Different views on work hours can also cause tension between team members. Baby Boomer team members may perceive team members from other generations as slackers if they do not dedicate as many hours to the project. And while Traditionalists may be most comfortable with set work hours, Generation X and Millennials may view set hours as too restrictive. If the organization permits, try managing the project by assigning and recognizing the accomplishment of specific tasks within a specific window of time. Have set times when everyone on the team is available for meetings and questions, and then allow each team member to perform the work based on his/her work hour/location preference. Team members should be allowed the flexibility and recognized for their contributions as long as the tasks are correctly completed by the deadlines.
Communication
Millennial team members may annoy team members of other generations with their constant need to stay connected and receive feedback coupled with their need to immediately be seen as high level contributors in spite of their inexperience. Try pairing a Millennial team member with a Traditionalist team member with complementary background and skills. The Traditionalist can serve as a mentor to the Millennial by sharing real world experience and by providing structure and guidance in applying the Millennial's "book knowledge". The Millennial can help the Traditionalist become more technology savvy and find relevant ways to communicate the Traditionalist's knowledge to others.
Yes, "the times, they are a changin'", but by gaining a better understanding of each generation's strengths, weaknesses, and views, a good project manager can find ways to leverage the differences to help the project succeed.
Resources:
It takes six steps to build a Cross Generational Team By Elizabeth Kearney, Ph.D.
Published on Monday, March 31, 2008 - 02:45 PM
http://www.allpm.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1880
NOTE: This article contains some suggestions for some team building exercises
Understanding Generational Differences Beyond the Stereotypes
By: Dr. Sean Lyons
http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/Jacob-52360-lyons-Understanding-Generational-Differences-Beyond-Stereotypes-Workshop-as-Education-ppt-powerpoint/
NOTE: This PowerPoint presentation contains some exercises that could be used as part of team building
Managing Generational Differences in the Workplace
By: Margaret Heffernan January 2, 2006
http://www.fastcompany.com/resources/talent/heffernan/managing-generational-differences/052507.html
Generational Differences in the Workplace
This article was published in the June 2008 South Dakota e-Labor Bulletin.
http://dol.sd.gov/lmic/lb/archive/2008/june2008laborbulletin.pdf
Understanding generational differences in today's diverse workforce
Posted by DiversityJobs.com on September 29, 2007 at 4:24pm
http://network.diversityjobs.com/profiles/blogs/understanding-generational
Bridging the Generation Gap
AIPM Chief Executive Officer Peter Shears with Sara Cumberland
http://au.iknowma.com/News/Bridging-the-Generation-Gap
