Hey, it's Rachel Cook, your modern mentor.

And today's episode is focused on the conflict we feel at work sometimes when we need to engage with colleagues of different generations.

So let's talk about ways we can all not just tolerate, but actually harness the full power of all the generations we have in the workplace.

Raise your hand if you've ever found yourself saying, thinking, or even being the victim of one of the following. Boomers are so old school.

They're out of touch. They're stuck in old ways. And technology mystifies them. Gen Xers,

those are the cynical ones. They don't do collaboration and they're hard to work with.

And millennials are so entitled. They grew up winning participation trophies and they need way

too much feedback and validation. Seriously, raise your hand. I can't see you. The truth is,

these and many other stereotypes exist out there. Sometimes they're harmless,

just silly assumptions we carry through our days. But they can also be destructive. These

stereotypes can inhibit trust and teamwork and ignite conflict, limiting what we're all able to

achieve professionally. So let's talk about how the different generations can play better

together in the professional sandbox. Regardless of your birth year, you have a role to play.

First, acknowledge our different histories. To the extent that generational stereotypes hold water,

there may be reasons why. In broad strokes, baby boomers were

raised by survivors of the Great Depression, parents who may have valued scrimping, saving,

and doing things by the book. Gen X was raised by two-income parents, experiencing high rates

of divorce. They were the latchkey generation, coming home from school to an

empty house, so teamwork may not be the thing that comes naturally. And millennials have spent most of

their lives with modern-day devices in hand, devices that deliver regular feedback and instant

gratification. So those needs may be hardwired. The first step to overcoming generational

differences is appreciating why they may exist. Give history its space, no good or bad. Just recognize

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