Don't Let Generational Differences Get In the Way of Your Success

Your Millennial co-worker wears his earbuds all day long, and you seriously wonder if he has a clue what’s going on…

Your GenXer co-worker lives on her iPad, no matter what’s at issue in a meeting, in her cubicle, or in a client presentation…

Your Boomer co-worker insists on face-to-face communication for the least little thing rather than just send off an email…

You’re in the middle of generational sticking points, those behaviors and attitudes that people of a different generation than your own hold, which are totally mysterious--and generally disliked or disapproved of--by you.

Get real! How much does whatever your different generation co-workers do or don’t do impact your ability to do your work?

If you get down to basics, you’ll find that rarely do these generational differences actually damage or impair your ability to do your job. If the behavior is simply personally annoying, give it a rest. Let it go.

If the behavior interferes with your job, such as your concern that your earbud wearing co-worker won’t hear your request--then email it to him. It will take you less time and energy to create an easy work-around than to try to convince your co-worker to unplug his ears.

Because frankly, he’s wondering how on earth you can get along without them!