Multi-Generational Dialogue: Getting Practical

This post has been co-authored by Bonnie Koenig and Alyssa Smaldino

Last year we wrote about the importance of multi-generational dialogue.  We noted a number of considerations to help make these exchanges effective including: two-way dialogue; ensuring that the approach is inclusive and intersectional; strong facilitation; and all participants make a genuine commitment to listen and understand.

Recently we facilitated a workshop for nonprofit leaders to delve further into the practicalities of engaging across generations, and integrating these approaches into organizational practices and cultures.

Some of what we discussed included:

• The concept of a ‘generation’ has become fluid and often differences arise from approaches and not age per se. There can also be ‘organizational generations’ depending on how long one has been in an organization and likely to say ‘but we do it this way….’ when new ideas are suggested.
• Most of our structures (e.g. educational, workplace and religious) are built around a lecture model – there are leaders/instructors and learner/followers. We thus have to be very intentional about changing the paradigm so that our conversations and organizational cultures can be more inclusive.  Otherwise we easily fall into a more hierarchical default pattern.
• Like other types of organizational change, multi-generational dialogue requires practice. According to a MRG Foundation toolkit (see below) ‘transforming organizational behavior requires group practice – repeated, systematic exercise designed to develop a new capacity.’
• Multi-generational dialogue is most effective within organizations when an intersectional, inclusive framework is applied.
• To engage senior leadership, use stories to show the need for and benefits of inclusion.

To help translate these concepts into action, we have found value in the following tips and resources.  If your organization has undertaken efforts around  multi-generational dialogue, or if you have additional resources to share on this topic, we would love to hear from you.