Developing Cross-Generational Communication Skills

Ageism might be the elephant in the room in internal communications. Too often, older professionals are quietly sidelined—seen as “out of touch” or “too traditional” just because they’ve been around longer. Their depth of experience, institutional memory, and resilience in a crisis get overlooked in favour of chasing the latest shiny tool. At the recent Communications Leadership Summit in Brussels 🇧🇪 organised by Mike Klein, IABC Fellow, IABC EMENA and Strategic, I was part of an insightful discussion around ageism. Many felt that older people were perceived as too expensive in a profession where we are always having to justify the value we bring. But ageism works both ways. We noted that we had seen younger colleagues dismissed as “green” or “not strategic enough,” even when they bring sharp insights into digital culture, emerging channels, and fresh creative thinking that organisations badly need. We might also be prejudiced in thinking younger people are better at adapting to new technology like AI, but it was noted that AI is now taking away a lot of the work that used to be done by junior comms people meaning that younger people need to adopt a new approach to finding work. The truth is perhaps simply that our teams do best when they blend both young and old. So how do we make sure we’re not unconsciously excluding talent on either end of the spectrum? 1. Challenge your assumptions. Don’t let stereotypes drive hiring or project allocation—test whether your perception is based on evidence or bias. 2. Mix up project teams. Create deliberate intergenerational collaboration so people can share skills both ways. 3. Mentor in both directions. Reverse mentoring works: younger colleagues help with emerging tech, older colleagues offer strategic and political nous. 4. Value impact, not age. Measure people by the outcomes they deliver, not the years they’ve worked. 5. Audit your culture. Are subtle jokes, comments, or policies privileging one age group over another? Internal comms is about connecting across differences. That starts in our own teams.

I’ve trained in rooms where people speak English, but think in Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil Same company, same goals, but completely different communication styles. We love patting ourselves on the back for being diverse. But when a South Indian team feels a North Indian manager is "too aggressive," or a Gen Z employee thinks their Gen X boss is "dismissive", we call it a "communication gap." When really it's India's invisible boardroom barrier. Because while communicating, you’re navigating: 🔹 Cultural nuances 🔹 Generational gaps 🔹 Language preferences 🔹 Urban vs regional perspectives And if you're not adapting, you’re alienating. Here's my 3A’s of Cross-cultural communication framework: 1. Awareness: Recognize that your communication style is shaped by region, generation, and upbringing. It's not universal. 2. Adaptation: Match your message to your audience. One style doesn't fit all rooms. 3. Ask: When in doubt, clarify: What does yes mean here? How do you prefer feedback? What's the protocol for disagreement? India's diversity is incredible. But if we are not actively learning to communicate across cultures, not just languages, we're wasting it. P.S. What's your biggest cross-cultural communication struggle? #CrossCulturalCommunication #AwarenessAdaptationAsk #3AsFramework #Awareness #Adaptation #Ask #CommunicationGaps

Nothing kills trust faster than miscommunication. I learned that the hard way. I treated everyone the same, one voice, one style. But what clicked with one generation fell flat with another. Boomers: valued phone calls and structure Gen X: wanted brevity and autonomy Millennials: thrived on collaboration and transparency Gen Z: quick, authentic, digital-first And when I missed the mark… productivity slowed. Misunderstandings multiplied. Trust eroded. Not because people didn’t care but because they didn’t hear it the way I intended. Here’s the lesson: Great leaders don’t just communicate. They translate. Next time you lead across generations, try this playbook: 1️⃣ Ask their preferred style (channel, feedback, meeting) 2️⃣ Adapt your delivery to fit, not force the person 3️⃣ Anchor the message in shared purpose so it connects no matter what Because the strongest teams aren’t built on one voice. They’re built on leaders who know how to listen and flex. Treat people equally, and you’ll be fair. Treat people individually, and you’ll be effective. Question for you: What’s one thing you’ve learned about communicating across generations? ♻️ Repost to help others lead across generations 🔖 Save this as a quick reference for later 👤 Follow Gabriel Millien for more on leadership, AI, and transformation

I used to think managing a multi-generational team was all about adapting my leadership style. But I was leading in ways that weren’t bringing out the best in everyone. Here are 6 common mistakes leaders make when managing teams across generations (and how to fix them): 1. Assuming they’ll just adapt ↳ Each generation has unique values and work styles. Don’t assume they’ll automatically adjust to yours. 2. Using authority without dialogue ↳ Leadership is about collaboration, not control. Open communication is key to getting the best results. 3. Sticking to one communication style ↳ Generations communicate differently. Be flexible and meet people where they are. 4. Thinking it’s all about age ↳ It’s not just about the generation — it’s about understanding the context, needs, and working style of each person. 5. Failing to give tailored feedback ↳ Provide feedback in a way that resonates with each generation. Make it actionable and relevant. 6. Neglecting the need for flexibility ↳ A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Be adaptable, not just to the role, but to the individual. I learned these lessons the hard way. And I'm still learning. But everything changed when I realized that leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about building bridges between different working styles. Which mistake have you made as a leader? 👇 Share your thoughts. ♻️ Repost to help someone improve their leadership skills. 🔔 Follow Natan Mohart for more practical leadership insights.

Assuming Boomers hate change and Gen Z can’t handle pressure? That’s how leaders lose talent.   Multigenerational teams require more than managing tasks, they need connection, understanding, and trust.   Here’s how I approach it:   Different generations connect differently: → Boomers prefer calls or face-to-face chats. → Millennials love fast feedback (think Slack). → Gen Z responds best to visuals—charts, videos, and infographics.   Motivations vary too: → Senior employees value purpose and legacy. → Junior team members want growth and learning. → Autonomy and flexibility? They’re essential for everyone.   Reverse mentoring works wonders: → Gen Z shares digital tools. → Boomers share leadership wisdom. → Together, they break silos and build trust.   Age stereotypes get teams stuck. It’s time we focus on strengths, not labels.   Read my latest newsletter below for more on this topic.   How do you create deeper collaboration in your own multigenerational teams?   ____   I’m Sharon. I partner with organizations to unlock leadership potential and solve real business challenges from the inside out.   Curious what that could look like for you?
Visit my website, or head to the “About” section on my LinkedIn profile to learn more.

Worried your hiring strategy isn’t getting the results you want? Here's why: You're too focused on attracting talent Not on retaining and managing them well. Try this instead: ➡️ Tailor your communication style to each generation. ➡️ Align motivation with what drives each group. ➡️ Build a culture that thrives on collaboration between different age groups. From my coaching, years of hiring experience, and research... Here’s what different generations don't like, and what to do about it: Millennials: ➡️ Rigid corporate structures Create a flexible, team-oriented environment. Encourage open communication. ➡️ Lack of transparency Communicate goals, changes, and feedback openly. Keep Millennials informed and engaged. ➡️ No career growth Offer clear pathways for advancement, provide mentorship, training, and development opportunities. ➡️ Outdated technology Invest in modern tools. Streamline processes to maintain efficiency and engagement. Boomers: ➡️ Exclusion from decision-making Involve them in strategic discussions. Support them with tech adoption at their own pace. ➡️ Poor work-life balance Promote a flexible work environment. Respect their boundaries between work and personal life. ➡️ Feeling disregarded Create a culture where contributions from every generation are valued equally. Gen Z: ➡️ Lack of autonomy Give them responsibility. Trust them to manage their tasks while providing guidance. ➡️ Told what to do without context Explain the "why" behind decisions. Encourage independent thinking. ➡️ Hierarchies blocking collaboration Promote flat organisational structures that boost teamwork and communication. ➡️ Inefficient meetings Use digital tools for asynchronous communication. Keep meetings sharp and focused. In other words, create mixed-gen working groups, let Gen Z lead sprints, millennials bridge the gaps, and Boomers advise on strategy. No matter the industry, the lesson remains the same.

When Boomer + Zoomer = 🚀 Too many companies miss out on the magic that happens when different generations work together. If you're a leader: Avoid: - Creating age-segregated teams - Assuming older workers can't innovate - Thinking younger workers lack wisdom - Missing cross-generational learning opportunities Instead: - Deliberately mix generations on teams - Create space for different perspectives - Encourage reverse mentoring - Celebrate the collision of generations and ideas Here's what's happening in workplaces right now: - Boomers and Gen X bring deep industry knowledge, relationship building skills, strategic thinking honed over decades, and crisis management experience. - Gen Z brings AI fluency, a digital-first mindset, insights into emerging trends, and workflow innovation. - (Not leaving out Millennials, they just fall somewhere in between) When I was running my company, some of our most powerful innovations came from these cross-generational collisions. A 23-year-old researcher approached me about deploying Otter AI years before AI went mainstream. I empowered her to lead the initiative, and it transformed our workflows. More recently, a Gen Z friend completely changed my thinking about a product we're developing. His insight about "app fatigue" made us pivot our entire approach - something that would not have occurred to this Gen Xer. Let's stop demonizing generations that are not ours! Intergenerational collaboration is a powerful ingredient for success that most companies are completely missing. #intergenerationalteams