Assumption Audit
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Assumption Audit

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Assumption Audit

Megan W. Gerhardt, Josephine Nachemson-Ekwall, and Brandon Fogel just published a great article in HBR on Harnessing the Power of Age Diversity: Generational identity should be a source of learning, not division.”

It’s a great read about ending what some call the last “acceptable” form of discrimination: Ageist Workplaces.

We’ve known for some time the power that can be derived from diverse thinking, yet think about the challenges we’re facing:

  • Five generations in the workforce with different values, assumptions, beliefs and expectations.
  • Great Resignation vs. Great Regret – a reflection of people trying to define a good life, success, and fulfillment in the age of tremendous uncertainty.
  • Continued confusion from leaders on how to create a Culture by Design versus the Culture by Default.
  • A lack of understand of what is the standard and value of performance – i.e., Results (save money/make money) and Behaviors (be nice and get along with others).

Our biggest problem amidst the opportunity that comes from all these challenges?

Picture from article by  Fadzai Danha

We are forgetting what a privilege it is to work – to serve others. The perspective?for older workers might actually inspire others, and they’re also the ones who know that everything is a cycle. Employers will be in the driver’s seat again. There will be a more recessions. Amidst all this, leaders are failing to help people find purpose and meaning in their work so they can answer, for themselves two fundamental questions:

  • What’s a good life? Am I living one?
  • For whose good do I serve? Who are the people I most want to help?

A big part of our confusion is not understanding what we value – that is, what we hold dear – and in what order those priorities exist as decision-making criteria.

The other thing we’re doing that contributes to our team dysfunction and individual unhappiness is the many assumptions we make about “others.” As an example, the authors cite “the lack of trust between older and younger workers often yields a culture of competition and resentment that leads to real productivity losses.”

To help us all regain a sense of decency (and productivity in our work), the authors suggest an “Assumption Audit” whereby team members “spend a week on high alert for age-based assumptions in their daily work.” ?A well-facilitated discussion after a week is likely to produce insights to improve the environment by making thoughtful changes that improves team communication, creativity, and decision-making.

It's all about leaders having the humility to accept that their own values, assumptions, beliefs and expectations bias them from seeing the challenge of a multigenerational workforce as an opportunity to gain a distinct competitive advantage.

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Jan Rutherford is an executive coach, keynote speaker, and LinkedIn Learning Instructor. An author, former Green Beret, and founder of?Self-Reliant Leadership??- he also leads Crucible? wilderness expeditions with executives and veterans.

#LITrendingTopics?#IntergenerationalCollaboration

Megan Gerhardt, Ph.D.

Professor & Generational Strategist | Founder/Author of Gentelligence: A Revolutionary Approach to Leading an Intergenerational Workforce

2 年

Thanks so much, Jan! I'm happy our piece was valuable to you.

Jan Rutherford

Executive Coach | Speaker | Author | Expedition Leader | Co-host, The Leadership Podcast

2 年

Mentioned in this article: Don Yaeger, Savannah Gallagher, Megan Gerhardt, Ph.D., Josephine Nachemson-Ekwall, Brandon Fogel #LITrendingTopics?#IntergenerationalCollaboration #TrendingNow LinkedIn News

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