ACSA has been focusing on reaching out to younger administrators. As members of the Boomer generation start to get closer to retirement age and leave the profession, they will have to be replaced by the next generation of school leaders, who will come from Generation X. In turn, ACSA will need these new leaders to be a part of the association to keep it vibrant and a player in state politics.
ACSA isn’t the only group concerned about reaching out to younger people. Many local school districts are finding that it behooves them to learn more about Xers in order to recruit and retain them in school leadership.
Thus, a presentation put together by two school administrators – one a Boomer and one an Xer – who work together in Covina-Valley USD has found a growing audience. “Leadership for the ‘Ages’: Boomers are from Mars, Xers are from Venus” examines some of the characteristics of both generations to help foster understanding and communication. It was put together by Dave Samuelson, assistant superintendent, personnel services, age 54 and a Boomer, and Andrew Ansoorian, director, personnel services, age 36 from Generation X.
Samuelson said they developed the presentation because as members of different generations, both men noticed differences in their leadership styles.
“We came up with this program to help people overcome some of the traits the different generations have in order to better understand each other and work together,” Samuelson said.
The two have made the presentation around 20 times to various groups, including at ACSA’s Personnel Institute. Ansoorian notes the interest has been increasing. They made the presentation about once a year the first few years after they started, but have been asked to do it 10 to 15 times over the last two years.
“Apparently, we were on the leading edge of an issue five or six years ago, and now it’s becoming something that is of much interest from a leadership perspective,” Ansoorian said, adding jokingly, “We should have marketed it! I have a feeling it was a lost opportunity for income.”
Samuelson noted that the thrust of their presentation – understanding the characteristics of different generations – is helpful to any organization.
“The main thing is to understand where the person from each generation is coming from and be sensitive to that, not to just write them off because they have some characteristics or traits they value that are different from yours. Those differences can be strengths in an organization,” Samuelson said.
Boomers need to recognize that Xers tend to simply function differently.
“They grew up differently,” Samuelson pointed out. “A lot of them grew up as latchkey kids and they’re very independent. They certainly have great technology skills. They’re not into delayed gratification. They like a lot of feedback. So we try to do those things for that group of people. These are all generalizations, but they apply more than people think.”
One key he noted is that Boomers tend to live to work while Xers tend to work to live.
“When I got my first teaching job I’d do anything for my principal,” Samuelson said. “I’d supervise a dance, advise a club, coach three sports, travel from class to class. Now you hire an Xer or an Echo Boomer and they ask if they get their own classroom, a computer, a sixth period prep and what are the health and welfare benefits. I would never have asked that. I was just glad to get a job.
“If you don’t understand that thought process you might take offense to it when interviewing someone for a teaching position and they ask those questions and maybe lose a good employee.”
Ansoorian agreed.
“These are generalizations, but Boomers have their self-identity defined by their work, so, quite literally, they lived to work,” Ansoorian said. “Whereas with my generation you can flip that formula. We only work so that we can live. Work is just a means for us to have fun.
“That’s why my generation has much less loyalty to organizations. Because, for one, we don’t trust institutions all that much; we’ve experienced two or three rounds of layoffs. We don’t base our self-identity on our work because work can be fleeting. It’s not necessarily a stable contract between employer and employee any longer. So, we generate our identity through the fun things we do.
“That probably means we focus too much on recreational activities as well. There are pros and cons to the whole thing.”
Samuelson noted the generational differences come from the world in which a person was raised.
“I like to say, what you are is where you were when,” Samuelson said. “My dad grew up in the Depression and he’s tight with every little penny. He gets mad at me when I buy a car on payments; he says you should always buy a car with cash. I have to understand that’s where he’s coming from.”
Interestingly, Samuelson noted that the next generation coming along, the Echo Boomers or Millenials, are taking on many of the characteristics of the World War II generation. These young people have had a very structured upbringing with play dates and other activities being planned out for them by their parents, thus they tend to have respect for their parents and the government.
The presentation points out that there are certain aspects of the X generation that Boomers should keep in mind.
“First and foremost, the prior generations have to understand that we process information in a totally different way and at a totally different speed than prior generations,” Ansoorian said. “We value independence and autonomy. In the work environment, the antithesis of that is micromanagement and over-supervision.
“My generation has a very hard time dealing with folks who think they should have entitlements, dealing with workplace systems that are based on entitlements as opposed to incentives and rewards that are based on performance.”
All of this thinking doesn’t only go in one direction. Ansoorian noted there are data Xers should keep in mind when dealing with Boomers.
“Don’t assume the prior generations are not open to new ways of thinking,” Ansoorian said. “I would also say to people of my generation to keep in mind that the prior generation works and behaves in certain ways because of certain beliefs they have because of their upbringing in the time they were raised in the United States. People should spend less time focusing on what makes us different and more time focusing on the similar interests and values both generations have.”
In fact, both Samuelson and Ansoorian note these characteristics are merely generalizations, not hard and fast rules.
“Many of us don’t fall easily on one side of the fence, we kind of have a blend of two,” Ansoorian said. “I see myself identifying with Boomers in some aspects and with Xers in many others. I was born in the X generation, but I prefer to cherry-pick the best qualities of both groups as I can and merge them together. That’s probably the key to survival here.”
As noted, Samuelson and Ansoorian’s presentation has been a success. Samuelson noted that the information can pay off beyond the work environment.
“We’ve received some really good feedback,” he said. “People even say that when their families come together for Christmas with the different generations they understand more and are more accepting.”
For information on the presentation or to have a copy of it e-mailed, please contact Samuelson or Ansoorian at the Covina-Valley USD office at (626) 974-7000.