Bridging the Generational Language Gap
in Communication

 

Imagine stepping off a plane in a foreign country where you do not speak the native language. Although you try your best to communicate, your failed attempts are met with puzzled looks. Frustration builds and you find yourself raising your voice, falling to the stereotype that volume will bring some level of understanding to those around you. This scenario is parallel to the challenges different generations face when expression gets in the way of successful communication.

Despite speaking a common language, each generation develops its unique vernacular—word choice reflecting their respective experiences.

This communication barrier is a recurring issue, especially in workplaces. In my professional experiences, I have often witnessed the struggle when a 72-year-old attempts to converse with a 22-year-old.

Not only do they react to different stimuli, but they also might as well be speaking entirely different languages. Until both generations acknowledge this disparity, their efforts may go to waste. Many individuals fail to recognize the significant differences between generations. A 70-plus-year-old who achieved success in the 70s and 80s likely did so with a management style that no longer fits the modern workforce. Back then, phrases like “Let the beating continue until morale improves” might have seemed effective and appropriate.

Today, job seekers can find numerous opportunities within minutes, and their motivations differ substantially. This fundamental shift is why leadership and management styles that thrived in the past are not always effective today. It’s crucial for leaders to convey this message to the diverse generations they work with.

As a parent and business professional, there is much to learn about communication. Raising three teenagers has taught me that the way I communicate with my high school senior must be different from that of my juniors. Although they are just a year apart in age, their perspectives and approaches to life vary significantly. It’s not just because they are kids, it’s the culmination of age and experience.

Now, magnify these differences by ten, and you have the chasm in expectations between a septuagenarian and a twenty-something.