I’ve found many positive results from collaborating with folks in other generations.

Yet, sometimes people in my Baby Boomer generation make disparaging comments about Millennials or Generation Z. Not surprisingly, the members of those generations can dish it right back. Recently they’ve started to use the phrase “OK Boomer” as their way of criticizing boomers who seem out of touch or dismissive.

My intent is not to discredit the many ways in which people are discriminated against because of their age. Instead, I want to offer my perspective on intergenerational collaboration.

As an entrepreneur for the past seven years, my experience with people in younger generations has been largely positive. In addition, I’ve had excellent experiences interacting with people younger than me in my volunteer leadership roles.

One great example of intergenerational collaboration occurs within my local leads group Entrepreneurs R Us where members refer business to each other.

In the photo above, four of us in this group are celebrating an award recently received by member Dana Naas, second from left. Along with myself, and Dana, the others in the photo are Rebecca Richardson, to the right of Dana, and Lauren Sullivan, to Rebecca’s right.

Here some more examples of these positive experiences and why they matter to you and your business.

Accountability Partners and Mastermind Groups

Do you have a mastermind group and/or an accountability partner? Having close working relationships with these kinds of business colleagues has been very worthwhile for me.

My accountability partner is about 30 years younger than me, and we’ve been meeting regularly for nearly seven years. She often shares business tools with me that I’ve not heard of. Plus, she helps me to embrace technology more willingly than I might otherwise have done.

In turn, my additional years of life and business experience have provided her with perspectives she hadn’t considered.

I’ve been a member of two mastermind groups for nearly four years, and most of the members are younger than me. As with my accountability partner, we have broadened each other’s perspectives, knowledge, and skills.

 

Volunteer Leadership Experiences

Currently, I serve in leadership roles in several business organizations as well as in my Toastmasters clubs. Some of my fellow leaders are much younger than me.

As with my close business colleagues, I find myself learning so much from these younger leaders. They introduce me to concepts as well as tools that help me grow as a leader. And, I thrive on being around their youthful energy.

By being open to them and their ideas, they are more naturally open to my suggestions to them. It’s truly a synergistic relationship.

 

How About You?

How have you collaborated with people in different generations than your own? What are your success stories? How do you handle situations in which you hear people being disrespectful to people in generations different from their own?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 45 and up, to become more effective using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. She works with business owners, nonprofit organizations, job seekers, consultants, and many others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.