Benefiting at work from Brain Based Insights

Ellen, since Boomers and GenY generation have many similarities, the impression that older people are "set in their ways" certainly makes a disconnect. I enjoyed the possibilities you show for older folks to guard against that.

On the other hand, I wonder how the survey would look if the Boomers had been surveyed and a different disconnect developed. That would certainly round out this research. :-)

I really like the idea of looking from the other side, Robyn. It often offers a better view:-)since new angles show. It still should not negate the serious figures here though - would you agree?

What did you have in mind by "and a different disconnect developed?"

Given the fact that not all Boomers would fit into the category of "Hebbian," the disconnect that might come for Boomers who are actually "life-long learners." These Boomers might be cut off at the pass by GenY folks who don't stop to consider their curiosity and wonderment about how to solve problems.

What do you think?

Hey Robyn - what a cool thought - and what a reminder that ruts are not reserved for the older person! Hand me a shovel - ok?

Seems to me that we're running into the old stereotyping monster here. Kids have heard or been told that "old people are set in their ways," so they see what they believe. This is not helped by 50 year olds passing off memory lapses as "senior moments."

I was lucky to have parents who set examples of full living for their entire lives. My mother died early of cancer, but she did so in the middle of a book, with airline tickets in her purse and a "to do" list on the night table in the hospital.

At age 82 my father preached a sermon called "No Stopping Allowed." (http://www.bockinfo.com/churchandfaith/nostoppingsermon.htm) It was his life motto. The first time we got together after he "retired," he told me how great it was that now he could work on that book about WWII German army chaplains.

If people grow up with role models like mine, they expect to live full and engaged lives, all the way. They expect the older people they meet to be interesting and have something to offer. But if all they hear is how when you get old your brain dies, that's what they'll see all around them.

Thanks Wally - what a thoughtful insight - the notion of role models for growth and change -- well beyond those senior years!

How can we inspire more of that to bring the generations together in the workplace -- as you see it? Ideas?

I don't think that "bringing the generations together in the workplace" is the issue. That pretty much happens. If it doesn't happen in the primary assignment, it happens in one of the several teams that a person works on. What's more important is what happens there. If you can put people on teams where they can be contributing members (with other, different people) of something that's productive, important and interesting, they will connect with the people they work with. That's easy to say and devilishly difficult to do and it's mostly up to the boss, team leader, supervisor, etc. We have so much to learn from each other, it's a shame we so often miss that point.

Wally, I love your notion of learning more from one another! You lead the pack on that one -- from both sides of the desk -- how refreshing.... Thanks!