Leading Multiple Generations Presented by Silents Baby Boomers

Leading Multiple Generations Presented by Silents Baby Boomers Generation X Millennials Gen Z Ella Johnston-Leger PDDGER

What years define the generations Silent Generation Known as Traditionalists Boomers 1946 -1964 1927 -1945 (91 -73) Known as Activists Generation X Known as Survivalists (53 -37) Millennial 1982 - ? 1965 -1981 Known as the Techies (36 - ? ) *All information obtained from Chuck Underwood – “American’s Generations”

The Silents – 1927 - 1945 Described as the generation born too late to be World War II heroes and too soon to immerse themselves in the social activism of the 1960’s. • Overlooked • Underappreciated • Taught to CONFORM Parents were the GI Generation

Boomers – 1946 - 1964 • World War II ends • 16 million young men return home • All at once they create babies • They step into a new industrialized world. • Activism is strong WWII 9 months later BABIES Jump in the Sac Return home Get married Parents were younger G. I. s, Mostly Silents

Gen X – 1965 - 1981 ØAll About Survival ØIndividualist and diverse ØResists any single label ØOverlooked ØUnder-appreciated ØSensitive and Smart ØLeast Understood Generation Parents were younger Silents and Boomers

Millennials – 1982 – ? ØMost adult supervised kids in America ØOptimistic and Enthusiastic ØDon’t believe in hierarchy ØRespectful of Authority ØFocused on Education ØCOMPASSTIONATE Parents Boomers, Older X’ers

What are “waves”? Every generation has a first wave (older cohort) and a second wave (younger cohort). Each wave has slightly different traits because they were raised by the parents of two different generations. Boomer and Millennial’s are the two generations that are impacting the Elks membership the most today!

Boomer waves 1 st Wave 1946 -1954 • Social Activists • Considered the Consciousness movement • Marched, demonstrated and “had a cause”

Boomer waves 2 nd Wave 1955 -1964 • Born to late for the social movement • Many have not felt like Boomers • Came of age when the social activism was ending so didn’t engage in the active movement

Millennial waves 1 st Wave 1982 -1994 • Raised by Boomers • Like to be the center of Attention • They have clear goals instilled by their parents • Beginning of digital media

Millennial waves 2 nd Wave 1995 - ? • Raised by Gen X’rs • Emerged in Full Blown Digital media • Raised by “helicopter parents” • Education is a must • Taught survival instinct

It is necessary to understand what Parent the Millennial Has in order to understand how to attract them as members.

Boomer Parents Boomer parents are social advocates, joiners and have inherited the past generations beliefs and work ethics with the exception that they are more vocal and opinionated. They taught their Millennial children the same belief system they were taught. They were allowed to have authority in the household and the digital era was arriving.

Generation X Parents Generation X parents have a survivor mentality. They were the latch-key kids that grew up with divorced families. They are not joiners or activists. Their work ethic is one that simply provides their needs not their life. They teach heir Millennial children that a “family” is diverse. They are VERY active in their children’s lives and decisively directive on the importance of their education. They are teaching their children that they have the Authority to do anything they want.

Boomer Parents are joiners – Their children will be joiners. Boomer Parents are the parents of the older millenials

Generation X parents are not joiners – Their children will be less apt to join. These are the younger millennials.

Why should Elks care about generational differences? If we refuse to learn about other generations than the one we are in then our membership will continue to decline! Silent and Boomers are JOINERS 1 st Wave Millennials are JOINERS

Why should Elks care about generational differences? All membership organizations in America are struggling to recruit and retain members. The primary reason why: Gen X

Generation X is not a strong generation of “JOINERS”. From their unique childhood passage, they are self reliant, individualistic, skeptical of “organizations”, and not the same enthusiastic social animals as other generations. Thus their children will feel the same!!!!! Millennial 2 nd Wave!

The biggest misunderstanding between the generations is between the Millennials and the Boomers

Why? Millennials were raised by either 2 nd wave Boomers or Generation X. If you are a Boomer you don’t understand a millennial that has been raised by Generation X.

More Reasons Why? When Millennials were growing up kids were the AUTHORITY for the first time in history. Boomers were NOT! They were exposed from the beginning to the digital era. Boomers were NOT! Their exposure to the digital era has made them feel that they are more informed than the generations before them. This is not the case for Boomers! They were children of “Helicopter Parents” (Generation X). They were made to feel special from day one. Boomers were NOT!

This is how most Boomers BELIEVE Millennials think and communicate!

And this is how most Millennials BELIEVE Boomers are!

Leaders of the Elks should make the Elk environment generationally comfortable.

As Elks we can only build membership AFTER we have developed a “Generational Gearbox” Millennial Generation X Boomer Generation Silent Generation This is the ability to smoothly and swiftly shift gears from dealing with a member of one generation to a member of another generation.

Growing Organizations value the differences in people! In order for the Elks to increase membership our Leaders must look at these differences as strengths. Elk Leaders must respect and learn from yesterday Understands today’s pressures And Believe tomorrow will be different! Elk Leaders are comfortable and encourage solutions to problems from ALL GENERATIONS.

How to Build membership Identify the generation you are targeting Identify one of that generations Identify the core values Develop your Generations marketing current life message stage Communicate to your members what you are doing

But WE don’t want THOSE type of members! What happens if your Lodge doesn’t start building membership with younger generations?

You become a Generationally Dysfunctional Organization An Organization that generational and individual uniqueness is subjugated by a desire to create one culture that requires individuals to FIT IN and BE LIKE YOU!

WHATS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR LODGE? Generational Diversity

Knowing your Lodge’s Generational Diversity tells you how you need to communicate and what you need to change in order to build your membership.

Millennials are so unsocial!

So why do older generations think Millennials are unsocial Because they see a bunch of kids texting in a coffee shop and they PERCEIVE that they are isolated and cut off by technology.

IF we define social as purely face to face communication, then that PERCEPTION is correct.

In reality this is not true. The connectivity of Millennials IS the same as interacting with them face to face. This social interaction IS what they have learned and it is their reality. The web to them is a process and a natural communication for them.

Understanding that the definition of social communication is not just face to face is a BIG STEP towards bringing generations together.

Telling the younger generation to turn off their electronic devise is like telling them to turn off their brain. Do we really want that? There is a time and place for everything and understanding that THIS is how they have learned to communicate is necessary in order for your lodge’s membership to GROW!

For Lodge’s to grow and prosper into the future - For ELKDOM to grow and prosper into the future, WHAT MUST ALL ELKS DO?

1. Learn about generational differences 2. Accept and embrace those differences 3. Understand how to attract and mentor younger generations 4. Use Social Media 5. Have a Lodge that Communicates to it’s members 6. Let your new – younger members have input into what you Lodge does 7. Listen to all members and be diverse in your activities