1. Bridging The Generation Gap
Text
NEA-Retired East Regional Conference
Jeff Kallay, VP Consulting “Apostle of Authenticity”

2. Manage the Expectations
15 American Generations
4 Cycles = 4 Stage/2 Stroke
Generation X
Millennials
Who is next?
Did you know?
Discussion and Media Resources

3. Disclaimers

4. “In America, each generation
is a new people.”
Alec de Tocqueville, 1830

7. 4
Number of books by Howe and Strauss
Generations, 13th Gen, The Fourth Turning
and Millennials Rising
LifeCourse Associates www.lifecourse.com

8. 4 - Number of books by Howe and Strauss
Generations, 13th Gen, The Fourth Turning
and Millennials Rising
LifeCourse Associates www.lifecourse.com

9. 4
Number of Generations Colliding
in the Workplace
Silent, Boomers, Xers and Millennials
LifeCourse Associates www.lifecourse.com

10. 23.4
Average Number of Years of
American Generations
Howe and Strauss

11. 15
American Generations (19 New World)
Howe and Strauss

12. 4
Number of Generational Cycles and
Number of Generations Per Cycle
Howe and Strauss

13. Revolutionary Cycle
Name + Birth Years
Awakening + 1701-1723
Liberty + 1724-1741
Republican + 1742-1766
Compromise + 1767-1791

14. Civil War Cycle
Name + Birth Years
Transcendental + 1792-1821
Gilded + 1822-1842
Progressive + 1843-1859

15. Great Power Cycle
Name + Birth Years
Missionary + 1860-1882
Lost + 1883-1900
G.I. + 1901-1924
Silent + 1925-1942

16. Millennial Cycle
Name + Birth Years
Boomer + 1943-1960
X + 1961-1981
Millennials + 1982-2000/01
15th (Homeland or iGeneration) + 2000/01-20??

17. 4/2
4 Stage/2 Stroke Per Cycle
The Fourth Turning
Howe and Strauss

18. Revolutionary Cycle
Name + Birth Years = Description
Awakening + 1701-1723 = Idealist
Liberty + 1724-1741 = Reactive
Republican + 1742-1766 = Civic
Compromise + 1767-1791 = Adaptive

19. Civil War Cycle
Name + Birth Years = Description
Transcendental + 1792-1821 = Idealist
Gilded + 1822-1842 = Reactive
Progressive + 1843-1859 = Adaptive

20. Great Power Cycle
Name + Birth Years = Description
Missionary + 1860-1882 = Idealist
Lost + 1883-1900 = Reactive
G.I. + 1901-1924 = Civic
Silent + 1925-1942 = Adaptive

21. Millennial Cycle
Name + Birth Years = Description
Boomer + 1943-1960 = Idealist
X + 1961-1981 = Reactive
Millennials + 1982-2000/01 = Civic
15th (Homeland or iGeneration) + 2000/01-20?? = Adaptive

22. 4 Stage / 2 Stroke
Idealist Idealist birth Civic
Reactive Reactive birth Adaptive
Civic Civic birth Idealist
Adaptive Adaptive birth Reactive
Repeat

23. Each Generation
Rebels against the elder-built world and
against the generation before it.
(Think X>Boomer and Millennial>X)
Redirects society towards its own inclinations.

24. Each Generation
1. Solves the problems facing the prior
youth generation (Millennial>X)
2. Corrects for the behavioral excess it perceives in
current midlife generation (Millennial>Boomer)
3. Fills the social role being vacated by the
departing elder generation (Millennials>G.I.)

25. Each Generation
Is shaped by their surroundings and by the
generations with which they interact.
While being born becomes history, and as
they age they make history.

26. Types of History
Social Moment - a brief period of time when people perceive
historical events to radically alter their social environments.
1. Secular Crisis - when society focuses on reordering the outer
world of institutions and social behavior.
2. Spiritual Awakening - when society focuses on changing
the inner world of values and personal behavior.

27. Repeating in America
1. Idealist - encounters a spiritual awakening in rising
adulthood and a secular crisis entering elderhood.
2. Reactive - encounters a spiritual awakening entering youth,
and a secular crisis entering midlife.
3. Civic - encounters a secular crisis entering rising adulthood,
and a spiritual awakening entering elderhood.
4. Adaptive - encounters a secular crisis entering youth,
and a spiritual awakening entering midlife.

28. “A generation that can sneakily trump boomer
X
narcissism and millennial entitlement.”
Jeff Gordiner, “X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking”

32. About Generation X
Born and raised as independent latch-key kids.
Sexual Revolution, Watergate, Vietnam,
Gay Rights, High Divorce Rate, Recession and
Woman’s Movement peppered their youth.
Demonized by Hollywood: Rosemary’s Baby, The
Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Pretty Baby and The Omen.

33. About Generation X
Playing to win by half expecting to lose.
Accepting wide gaps between personal outcomes
and sex roles.
Proud of their ability to cut through the hype.

34. About Generation X
Becoming cautious in family life and gradually
mellowing in personality.
Dedicated to starting and maintaining stable
families, something their Silent generation
parents did not.

35. Mommy
Many Generation X women are chosing not to
return to work after they have children.
ABC News Special Report “The Mommy Wars”

36. Millennial
Largest, most wanted, most watched over and
most diverse generation in American history.
Howe and Strauss “Millennials Rising”

38. The Three “Kaitlins”
Kaitlin Caitlin Kate Lynn

39. 3.6
Average birthrate of Millennials
(in millions)
Howe and Strauss “Millennials Rising”

40. 76
Million Millennials
(vs. 72 million Boomers and 42 million Xers)
Howe and Strauss “Millennials Rising”

41. $50k
Parents willing to pay for an ovum from an
attractive, high IQ, female at a top university
Howe and Strauss “Millennials Rising”

42. 50%
Increase in amount of stuff in weight in
average American homes vs. 20 years ago
US News and World Report, 2008

43. 87%
College freshmen who have never shared
a room with a sibling
Chronicle of Higher Education, November 2009

44. About Millennials
35% are non-white (and Latino).
1 in 5 have an immigrant parent,
1 in 10 have a non-citizen parent.
Largest separation in wealth in American history.

45. About Millennials
Celebrated, cherished and protected.
Celebrated by Hollywood: Three Men and Baby,
Baby Boom, Mr. Mom and Disney princesses.
Empowered females.
Bike helmets, car seats, nanny cams and more.

46. About Millennials
Raised by attached parents.
“Helicopter Parents” or “Blackhawks”
transitioning to “Stealth.”
Parents are “Best Friends” and co-purchasing.
Conservative. Or Conventional?

47. About Millennials
Team Oriented.
Task Oriented.
Civic Oriented. (not in march on D.C. way)
Want to achieve high standards set for them.
Feel that they have already “paid their dues.”

48. X and Millennial
You are no longer in control of message or media.
They are in control.
They want authenticity and simplicity.
Stories render authenticity.

49. X and Millennial
To connect with these generations you cannot
talk at, you must talk with.
You must give them the tools to create
their own stories, memories and experiences.

50. Reaching Millennials
Eliminate Ambiguity.
Think of Time as 24/7 Resource.
Combine Work with Play.
Make it Worthwhile.
Handle with Care.
Play to Their Strengths.
Group Think.

51. “Our generation isn’t about
sex, drugs or violence.
It’s about technology,
discovery and coming
together as a nation.”
Mikah Griffin, 17, 1999

52. Who is Next?
15th
Homeland or iGeneration
2000/2001-?

55. 5000
Marketing messages your members are
assaulted by each day
Adweek November 2006

56. 90%
Consumers who trust word of mouth,
vs. traditional advertising
Adweek November 2006

57. 320
facebook Social Networks (in millions)
USA Today 2010

58. :60
Amount of time 17-25 year olds
spend on website
OneStat 2008

59. 3
Number of clicks visitors will spend to find
what they want on a website
OneStat 2008

60. Top Ten Websites Ages 17-25
Youth Trends and Emarketer, October 2006

61. 95%
18-25 Year Olds who are “Big” texters
(200+ text messages a day)
Pew Internet and CNN Special Report

62. 4.1
Billion - Daily Text Messages
Pew Internet

63. 85%
Prefer email over phone
Reachon.com 2008

64. 40%
Check their email in bathroom using PDA
Reachon.com 2009

65. 34%
50 years and older that use wireless
Pew Internet 2010

66. 63%
30-49 year olds that use wireless
Pew Internet 2010

67. 81%
Millennials that use wireless
Pew Internet 2010

69. Download Session PDF
#1 Go to www.targetx.com
click iThink Blog
click Slide Presentations
#2 Go to www.slideshare.net/targetx
#3 Email me kallay@targetx.com

70. Your Bookshelf

71. Media and Resources
Did You Know? Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHmwZ96_Gos&feature=related
Web 2.0 Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nkeOE0E
Pew Internet Research
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Social-Media-and-Young-Adults.aspx

72. Mommy Tell My Professor He’s Not Nice
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/19/State/Mommy__tell_my_profes.shtml
A Generation Serves Notice; It's a Moving Target
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?
res=9D0CE7D9123FF931A15752C0A9609C8B63
facebook grows up
http://www.newsweek.com/id/32261/page/2

73. YouthQuake (Millennial Values in Work)
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_03/b4067000290367.htm?
chan=magazine+channel_top+stories
Scenes From A Culture Clash
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/culture-clash.html
Get The Best Out Of Millennials
http://www.adage.com/talentworks/article?article_id=124891

74. The Millennials are Coming
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/08/60minutes/main3475200.shtml
Employee Evolution - Millennials at Work
http://www.employeeevolution.com/
TargetX iThink Blog
http://.targetx.com/ithink

75. Want More? Read Our Blogs:
TargetX Blog at www.targetx.com/ithink/

76. Free on Friday Webcasts
Free On Friday Webcasts Watch Past Webcasts

77. Download Session PDF
#1 Go to www.targetx.com
click iThink Blog
click Slide Presentations
#2 Go to www.slideshare.net/targetx
#3 Email me kallay@targetx.com

78. ?
So what does it all mean?

79. Bridging The Generation Gap
Text
NEA-Retired East Regional Conference
Jeff Kallay, VP Consulting “Apostle of Authenticity”
kallay@targetx.com