Clever Geek Handbook
27 February 2026

The Career Salesperson

Recommendation

Some business professionals say selling is a young person’s game, but not Stephan Schiffman. He offers excellent advice to older salespeople who want to retain their competitive edge. Over three decades, Schiffman personally trained hundreds of thousands of salespeople, so he brings great expertise to the subject. Some readers may find his periodic reminders to buy his books and sign up for his training courses a smidge pushy. However, his guidance is useful and BooksInShort recommends this book to longtime sales professionals who want to re-energize their approach to serving their employers and marketing themselves.

Take-Aways

  • The modern business world can be very challenging for older salespeople.
  • They often clash with younger managers and customers.
  • Many salespeople become more lethargic and less competitive as they age.
  • However, longtime salespeople can stay sharp by prospecting for new accounts.
  • Avoid the inclination to “live off your book,” or rely on repeat business.
  • If you’ve lost your sales spark, return to the essentials of selling.
  • Sales gimmicks may have worked past decades, but now they are largely ineffective.
  • Losing a sales job is an opportunity to find a position with a promising new employer.
  • Approach a prospective employer as you would a prospective customer in a sales pitch.
  • Once you move past your midlife-crisis years, the odds are you’ll feel better about life.

Summary

The Assets and Anxieties of Older Salespeople

If you are an older salesperson, your world is changing. Younger people are moving into executive sales jobs. You may report to someone half your age. Your customers are getting younger, too. You may have little in common with them. Dealing with such changes is frequently difficult, and you may feel outmoded. But each workday, you somehow must put these feelings aside. After all, you work in the high-stress field of sales. You cannot afford to let hurt feelings affect your productivity.

“Getting older by itself does not make you a bad or worse salesperson.”

You must produce results to get paid. Each day that you go out, you have to hit your territory hard and close deals. This often gets tougher as you get older. But you can take steps to ease the challenge. And if you have entered middle age, you can look forward to newfound joy in life. Research shows that people tend to be happy when they are young, progressively lose that contentment as they age, then regain it later in life. This third phase begins for women in their 40s and for men in their 50s. What accounts for the U-shaped curve of contentedness? Some researchers speculate that people “learn to adapt their strengths and weaknesses, and in midlife quell their infeasible aspirations.”

“Sales isn’t something you can do in a halfhearted way. Either you’re a salesperson or an order taker.”

Aging brings contentment, but it may also lead to lethargy. Some individuals become less competitive and tire more easily. Being a “road warrior” may no longer be as much fun as it once was. This is natural. But you cannot lose your drive – after all, you are in sales. Your manager doesn’t care if you need to rest more than you did when you were a younger salesperson. Bosses want great performance, period – and that means continuing to close sales. All the past years of surpassing your sales quotas mean nothing now. More than any other field, sales boils down to one question: What have you sold lately? This is the brutally tough-minded ethos of sales, and embracing this ethos is a career decision.

How Salespeople Adapt to a Younger World

Older salespeople often work awkwardly with younger bosses and customers. Of course, tension between different generations is nothing new. But as an older employee, you must learn to get along with younger professionals because, after all, this is quickly becoming their world. With your valuable experience, you should be in the ideal position to win over younger managers and clients. You just have to make the effort.

“Selling has undergone a tremendous metamorphosis over the last three or four decades.”

Resist the temptation to pretend you are magically younger, that you are the salesperson you used to be. That never works, and it could be embarrassing for you. Be yourself, not some phony version of yourself.

If you are an older salesperson who intimidates younger managers, proactively ease the tension. Do your best to make age a nonissue. Instead, focus on sales. Meeting or surpassing your quota is the best way to get your new young sales manager to appreciate you and, perhaps, befriend you as well. Whatever you do, avoid patronizing your young boss. Understand that he or she may feel as uncomfortable as you do in your working relationship. Go out of your way to help your manager get over that awkward feeling.

“Sales has always been a stress-filled job. But it’s becoming more so in a 21st-century economic climate where there’s constant pressure to increase profits and do more with less.”

Prejudging young sales managers is perilous. In the absence of contrary evidence, assume that they can overcome their inexperience and perform their jobs. Share your know-how and wisdom with a young sales manager to help him or her perform more effectively. Younger customers may judge you because of your age. Demonstrate to them that you have as much product and industry knowledge as any salesperson, regardless of age.

“Kindly sales VPs won’t look aside when poor old Bill, who has been with the company for 20 or 30 years, isn’t producing the way he used to.”

Winning over younger customers involves focusing on the future. They will pay little heed to stories about how their predecessors did things years ago, so don’t dwell on the past. Minimize socializing, stick to business and project a professional image. Though casual dress is common in modern office settings, maintain your own personal style and decorum. Always dress well.

Adopting New Habits

As people age, many get stuck in their ways, often with negative results. Slipping into bad work habits and letting them take over can be too easy for an older sales professional. If this has happened to you, return to the selling basics. Write a new sales plan. Improve your product knowledge. Then, get busy with your prospecting and presentations.

“There is a certain amount of prejudice against older people.”

Strive to share your valuable expertise. Think of helpful ideas for customers and prospects. Develop one great idea for each of them. You have been in the business for decades, so put your knowledge to work for them. That’s the best way to win them over.

Re-energize yourself by ensuring that you come across in a highly professional manner. Are you overweight and unable to wear your best business suits? If so, change your diet and increase your exercise. Seek to improve yourself continually. As you lose weight and become healthier, you will begin to feel more confident. You will look good and dress better, and your colleagues, customers and prospects will likely take notice.

“It can be emotionally and mentally debilitating to find yourself at age 40 or older reporting to a kid who couldn’t hold your socks in the field.”

Reorganize your schedule so that you allow yourself some downtime for nonbusiness activities. Reserve 30 minutes of your workday to rest, read or think. Clean your desk first thing every morning. Start with a clean workspace and you will feel hopeful; start with a messy desk and doubt will ensue. Another way to feel better about yourself is dining out at least once daily. Serving yourself isn’t fun; let someone else serve you.

Avoid a Sense of Entitlement

As an experienced salesperson, you may choose to “live off your book,” or a group of accounts you have handled for years. You have earned the right to do so, and to reduce the constant pressure that goes with sales. You may no longer seek prospects or make presentations, and your sales activity might degrade to order taking. The problem with this strategy is that your book may wither away. Relying only on repeat business stunts the growth of sales professionals in other ways, too. For instance, they can get lazy. Don’t just go through the motions. You are a capable, experienced professional. Be smart about your approach, and constantly look for new business.

“All those years that contributed to midlife crises also gave you the experience to get over some of them.”

Are you divisive? Do you argue to establish your seniority at the office? This is a problem for salespeople who expect younger colleagues to show deference for their age and experience. Is this you? If so, “get over yourself.” You will become a bitter salesperson if you take yourself too seriously.

“Whatever you do, remember you are a person who has demonstrated the skills to build business.”

Reject regret. Resist thoughts of what might have been in your career. When you were a young salesperson, perhaps you imagined that one day you would be the chief executive officer of a big corporation. Now, you may be in your mid-40s or mid-50s, with your dream job nowhere in sight. Does this mean your career is over? Not at all. Set your sights on another career goal that is both worthwhile and achievable.

Smart Sales Pitches and Cold-Call Logic

To some extent, gimmicks drove sales in decades past. One salesman would send a single shoe to a prospect to “get a foot in the door.” Another would send Xerox copies of his face so prospects would recognize him when he arrived at their offices. These cornball techniques are less effective in the modern business world. Whacky marketing tactics generally have been deemed wasteful, so behave professionally, especially with no-nonsense business prospects.

“You’ve been doing this for a long time, and the odds are you’re not suddenly going to fail now.”

A smart sales pitch trumps a cute one. Cute techniques are unnecessary. Rely on your superior product knowledge instead. You have made strong presentations to prospects for years. You don’t need gimmicks at this stage in your career. To make a smart presentation, you need both self-confidence and intuition. Try to think like your prospects think – it’s the best way to sell them. Ask them smart questions to gather the information you will need to win the new account.

“Because of your years of experience in the industry, it’s likely that your customers will rely on you for their expertise. Frankly, don’t you want your prospects to do the same?”

Is anything worse than prospecting? This is the one aspect of selling that all salespeople hate. So, what can you do to make prospecting as painless as possible? First, accept that rejection from prospects is both normal and impersonal, not a reflection on your character. Second, make prospecting as routine as breathing. Don’t think about it; just do it. If this means making 10 cold calls every day, then make them, but do so intelligently. Arm yourself in advance with verbal comebacks to counter objections. Face it, sales requires prospecting. And if you are an older salesperson, prospecting should be a well-developed habit by now.

Your Next Sales Job

In a weak economy, holding onto a job can be tough, especially for older employees, who often are the first to lose theirs. If you are an older salesperson who recently lost a job, take heart. View your situation as an opportunity to venture into a new sales position. Burn no bridges. Maintain good relations with former employers. Verbal abuse and other forms of retaliation for the job loss aren’t productive.

“Prospecting in person puts a higher premium on appearance.”

Getting a new position requires selling yourself – and selling is what you do. To find a new sales position with promise, first make a plan. Weigh your professional strengths and weaknesses, and think about what type of company you want to join. Consider selling only a product or service that excites you.

“There is no excuse to dress down, not even the weather.”

Enlist help in your job search. Tap into the incredible power of networking. Contact friends, former co-workers and industry associates and ask for leads. Develop a strong résumé with a full description of your work experience. Write a compelling cover letter. Before a job interview, learn everything you can about the company and the person who will do the hiring.

To secure appointments, be persistent. Don’t just mail out résumés. Follow up with telephone calls. Try this approach: “Ms. Smith, we have a mutual friend, Bill Jones. He suggested I send you a résumé using him as a reference. I sent it to you about a week ago, and I’m wondering if you had a chance to read it yet.”

Avoid making boastful comments or talking about vague career goals in your job interviews. Don’t brag about your past sales triumphs or say that you want “a position that challenges [you].” This jargon lacks clear meaning. Instead, explain that you want a job that will allow you to apply the skills, wisdom and experience that you have gained over the years. Handle job interviews as if they were sales calls and you were the product.

Mentoring, Managing and Self-Marketing

If you mentor a younger salesperson, you will both gain from the experience. Besides the obvious benefits to your less-experienced co-worker, mentoring helps you maintain your sales enthusiasm. If you do well as a mentor, your firm may think you also show promise as a manager and offer you a leadership position. Should you take it? Many salespeople dislike management jobs, which can embroil them in office politics. On the other hand, sales management jobs can lead to even higher executive positions. But don’t take a sales manager position just because your company offers it to you. Only accept a job that truly will make you happy.

Some salespeople enjoy working as a consultant. This can be a wonderful way to make a living. But, it is not for everyone. Start-up costs are involved, and earning good money may take some time. Before you decide to launch your own consulting business, weigh important considerations like medical insurance and other details.

Never sell yourself short. For decades, you have made your living in sales, one of business’s toughest and most demanding fields. By now, you possess terrific sales skills and a wealth of experience. In short, you bring a great deal to the table. Keep that in mind as you plan your next career move.

About the Author

Stephan Schiffman has trained more than 500,000 salespeople for AT&T, Motorola and other companies. He is the author of Cold Calling Techniques (That Really Work!) and Closing Techniques (That Really Work!) among other books on sales topics.

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The Career Salesperson

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Recharge Your Drive and Ambition, No Matter What Your Age

Adams Media ,
 


27 February 2026

A Short Course in International Business Culture

Recommendation

Charles Mitchell’s book offers an excellent introduction to the differences in attitudes, values, protocol, rituals, traditions, communication styles and other characteristics that commonly separate cultures. He distinguishes people’s basic cultural traits from different national groups, while noting regional and individual variations, too. Mitchell cites examples from many major nations, including the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Nigeria, Israel, Australia, China, Japan, Russia, Vietnam and India, and from Hispanic and Arabic cultures. The book is clearly written and well organized, with tips on giving gifts, negotiating, handling verbal and non-verbal communications, holding meetings and conducting business in general. BooksInShort says tuck this into your carry-on bag - the farther you’re going, the more you’ll need it.

Take-Aways

  • Cultural influences affect the way people process information, value different qualities and view the world.
  • Culture refers to the beliefs, values and other qualities shared by a society.
  • Individuals are unique, but patterns characterize members of nations and regions.
  • Cultural difference can be measured as individualism versus collectivism, power versus distance, uncertainty versus avoidance and masculinity versus femininity.
  • Cultures evolve continually, though certain core values and traditions may remain.
  • Cultures differ in how they relate to time, tasks, relationships and the future.
  • Culture shock can occur when you go somewhere entirely unfamiliar.
  • Learn to address people properly, because names are very important.
  • Some cultures expect formality in relationships, while others are more informal.
  • In low-context cultures, like the U.S., people communicate in a precise fashion.

Summary

Culture: Nuances and Blunders

As business becomes more globalized, you will increasingly find yourself working in a multi-cultural environment. To conduct business effectively, you need to be increasingly aware of cultural differences and to adjust the way you behave and communicate. These differences are reflected in the ways people from different cultures process information, value different qualities, think about time and space, and otherwise relate to business and each other. These differing cultural characteristics affect corporate cultures worldwide.

“The whole concept of effective globalization of a company presents a paradox: The more global a company becomes, the more reliant it must become on local resources - people and management and marketing talent - to distribute its products or services to new markets.”

Being unaware of cultural nuances can result in major business mistakes, such the blunders EuroDisney made when it started its operations in France. Among other things, the company created ill will by using lawyers to negotiate construction and other contracts - The French think that using lawyers is a sign of mistrust and only bring them in as a last resort. Disney didn’t recognize different eating patterns, so the hotel dining rooms were too small, and the company forbade alcohol in a country where wine is a standard part of mealtimes.

“People from different cultures process information in different ways, value different traits and measure the concepts of time and space in dramatically different fashions.”

Essentially, culture refers to the core values, beliefs, norms, standards, behaviors and other qualities that everyone in a society learns and shares. These qualities shape the way you act, feel and view people - including the way you behave in business relationships. The key cultural components include language, religion, attitudes, manners, customs, the arts, education, social organization and humor. While some of these qualities may be expressed openly, such as spoken language, others are not. For instance, non-verbal communication is expressed through gestures, body language and facial expressions. You need to learn to be sensitive to various cues, or you can misread what someone is telling you or how someone feels about what you are doing. For instance, Americans think that looking someone in the eye during negotiations shows honesty and sincerity, whereas the British think a direct look is a sign of rudeness, unless you have a close personal relationship. The Japanese use less eye contact to show a higher level of esteem.

“Culture is a set of learned core values, beliefs, standards, knowledge, morals, laws and behaviors shared by individuals and societies that determines how an individual acts, feels, and views oneself and others.”

As you try to notice cultural differences, note how people behave on the street. Be aware of differences in pop culture and the arts, or in formal structures, such as government and organizations. Be sensitive to the differences in physical space and the formality of greetings. Such variations in one area of culture can suggest other differences; for example, making decisions usually takes longer when you are negotiating in a highly structured culture.

“Successful companies, both large and small, are dealing with the globalization paradox by learning to think globally and act locally, and by encouraging a diversity of management and giving subsidiary operations in different countries a higher degree of autonomy than ever before.”

Culture is continually evolving. Though certain core values and traditions may remain, practices and beliefs can change. Russia’s culture has experienced a dramatic change from being a strongly collective society to one that values independent thought and action. Likewise, Japanese companies are paying more attention to merit and skill, rather than promoting workers based on seniority, age or length of service.

Recognizing Basic Cultural Types

While individuals differ, cultural stereotypes or patterns provide an overall guide to the major characteristics that distinguish different cultures. Dutch researcher and business consultant Geert Hofstede distinguishes cultures according to four dimensions, which are:

  • Individualism versus collectivism - Societies that value individualism, such as the U.S., encourage independent thinking and personal success, while collectivist cultures, such as Japan and various Arabic societies, encourage group success and conformity.
  • Power-distance - This dimension relates to how individuals view power and perceive their role in decision-making. In a low power-distance culture, like the U.S., individual employees will feel more empowered, accept more responsibility and want a role in decision-making, whereas in a high power-distance culture, like Russia, employees look up to an authoritarian boss, seek direction and discipline, and accept the boss’s decisions.
  • Uncertainty-avoidance - This dimension relates to the ability to take chances versus the quest for certainty. For example, the Swiss, Germans and Japanese score high in seeking to avoid uncertainty, and prefer security and structure. On the other hand, those in the U.S. are much more open to taking risks and living with uncertainty. This even affects meetings, because the Japanese will carefully prepare and even rehearse meetings, while U.S. managers are more responsive to questions and changes in the agenda.
  • Masculinity versus femininity - The distinction here is between societies that value supposedly masculine traits, such as aggressiveness, assertiveness and material acquisition, versus those that have more feminine traits, such as a concern with personal relationships. This continuum is based on the extent to which cultures express these contrasting qualities. For instance, U.S. culture is high in masculine traits but French and Chinese cultures are higher in feminine traits.
“Often, it’s not what you say, but what you don’t say, that counts.”

Other cultural distinctions include how individuals relate to time, context, tasks, relationships and the future. U.S. executives prefer to do one task at a time. On the other hand, Chinese executives prefer to do multiple tasks at the same time. In low-context cultures, such as Britain, people use more precise communications, whereas in high-context cultures, such as Latin America, people use imprecise communications, deriving context from personal relationships. Task-driven cultures focus on making the sale or deal quickly, whereas in relationship-driven cultures, you need to develop the relationship first. And, some places have a more present-oriented, short-term view, as in the U.S., but others, like Japan, have a much longer time horizon.

Regional Color

While there are always individual exceptions, generally, a businessperson is more likely to reflect his or her national stereotype than not. Besides researching a particular culture when you are doing business together, consider regional differences. Many exist, for example:

  • In the U.S., the four major regions where attitudes, industries, accents, foods and other cultural characteristics differ are the Northeast, South, Midwest and West.
  • In Canada, the major difference is between English and French cultures.
  • In Europe, major distinctions occur between Western Europe, Central or Middle Europe, and the Eastern European Nations.

Culture Shock

Because of these cultural differences, you may experience cultural shock when you go abroad. This happens when nothing is familiar. All your verbal and non-verbal clues no longer are relevant. You could feel uneducated and dependent on others, such as translators, to communicate. To counter this experience, maintain your sense of adventure and be interested in learning. It helps to participate all you can and to keep a journal. Conversely, if you are away from your home country for an extended time, you may experience reverse cultural shock and have to re-adapt when you come home. Your company can help with a formal, professional repatriation program to reacquaint returning employees with current practices.

Customs, Etiquette and Protocol

Learn about local customs, etiquette and protocol to smooth your relationships in another culture. Etiquette includes everything that goes into making a first impression, from how you dress to your body language and your posture. Don’t worry about all the subtleties on your initial contact, but be prepared to show you have learned more on subsequent contacts.

“The cultural differences are indeed very real. Ignore them and you take a great risk. Exaggerate the differences, and the result will be equally risky.”

Learn a culture’s naming system and practice the names of your contacts before you arrive. Different cultures expect different degrees of formality. Russia places a high priority on formality, while the U.S. is much less formal. Also learn how to greet people. Typically, the approach to greeting is based on the culture’s level of formality and social distance. For instance, Africans tend to give a very warm physical greeting, while the Chinese greeting is generally a nod or slight bow. Rules of personal space differ. Members of some cultures, such as Australians and most Asians, move in much closer for an introduction than Europeans do.

“Within any culture there are regional differences that can be as dramatic as those between nations.”

Business card etiquette is important. In Asia, exchanging cards is a formal ritual, not an informal social practice. If you meet a number of foreign contacts at the same time, give your card to the highest-ranking person or delegation leader first as a sign of respect.

Notice conversational taboos as well. Stay away from potentially controversial subjects, such as politics and religion; talk about sports, family, food or travel experiences instead. Plan to socialize as well as engage in business dealings. In many cultures, social occasions can be more important than the formal business meetings, because relationships are so important. If you get an invitation to meet outside of business hours, it is best to accept. If you decline, even claiming jet lag, your host could feel insulted. Likewise, eat what you are offered, even if it looks awful. Follow the local social drinking protocol, since you might inspire mistrust if you refuse a drink. Generally, it’s better to accept and nurse the drink or quietly switch an alcoholic drink for water so you don’t miss a toast.

“As a general rule, stereotyping of cultural traits works when applied to large groups, even whole societies, but may not stand up on an individual one-to-one basis.”

Typically it’s advisable to dress smartly and conservatively, with darker colors. If in doubt, overdress for the event. Women also need to take care in some cultures to wear acceptably modest dress, such as wearing a conservative dress or skirt in Asia and Arab countries.

Communicating Across Cultures

Besides knowing the language, you need to understand thought patterns, values, norms and styles of processing information. For example, in high-context cultures, communication will be imprecise; in low-context ones, it will be much more precise and detailed. Learn if a culture is task or relationship-oriented to help you shape your communication style. Assume there will be differences in the way others receive and process information so you aren’t overconfident, even if you speak the same language. Use uncomplicated and descriptive language to explain your position. In business, visual aids can help get your message across.

“It is important to remember that you, too, will likely be viewed or profiled by others according to their stereotypes of your culture.”

Recognize the subtleties of speech. Even saying "no" varies greatly. In a low-context culture like the U.S., "no" can mean "no." But in high-context cultures, such as Asia and the Middle East, people may have trouble saying "no," since they feel it disrupts group harmony. But, they may really mean "no" when they say "I have to think about it" or "This may take time." Thus, you must be particularly aware of non-verbal communication patterns, such as gestures, eye-contact, facial expressions, posture and silence. Gestures have different meanings in different cultures. A hand with three fingers raised and the thumb and forefinger together to form a circle means "everything is great" in the U.S. and Germany. In Japan, it symbolizes money. But it is a vulgar gesture in Spain, Russia and Brazil.

“Culture shock occurs when everything that was once familiar to you - language, food, currency, values, beliefs and even such take-for-granted incidentals as traffic patterns, mealtimes, and sleep patterns - vanishes.”

Learn codes of gift giving. Bestowing an appropriate gift in a timely fashion can improve personal relationships and increase your company’s status. Take special care with humor, since what is funny varies from culture to culture, and a poor joke can turn into an unintended insult.

About the Author

Charles Mitchell has worked as a foreign correspondent for U.S. and European news services, newspapers and magazines for more than 20 years, reporting from some 45 countries on four continents. He is the Director of Publishing for The Conference Board, a non-profit business and economic research organization that tries to enhance business’s contribution to society.

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A Short Course in International Business Culture

Book A Short Course in International Business Culture

Building Your International Business Through Cultural Awareness

World Trade Press,
 


27 February 2026

Managing the Older Employee

Recommendation

Many people mistakenly assume that workplaces where Generation Xers and Yers bump up against baby boomers are bubbling cauldrons of resentment and angst. After all, aging boomers (the old guard) are on their way out. Gen XYers (the young whippersnappers) are taking over. However, leadership coach Casey Hawley’s extensive research indicates otherwise. Hawley reports that Gen XYers genuinely like boomers and vice versa. At the same time, the two generations are considerably different in their attitudes, work styles and tactics. Hawley explains how Gen XYers can close the generation gap to promote workplace efficiency and harmony. BooksInShort recommends Hawley’s intelligent precepts and savvy advice to Gen XY managers who supervise a workforce of baby boomers.

Take-Aways

  • Baby boomers, those born between 1947 and 1965 are leaving the workplace, while Generation Xers (1966-1977) and Generation Yers (1978-1995) are taking over.
  • Gen XYers and boomers have different values and work styles, but they can learn to cooperate.
  • Boomers can teach Gen XY managers many valuable lessons.
  • Boomers take more time to accomplish tasks than younger workers.
  • Gen XYers love new technology, while boomers do not adapt to it well.
  • Gen XYers think boomers’ communication style is long-winded and overly formal, while boomers think Gen XYers are rude and disrespectful.
  • Gen XYers can motivate boomers through competition, rewards and recognition.
  • However, Gen XYers will quickly demotivate boomers if they do not treat them with respect.
  • Boomers helped usher diversity into the workplace, yet many of them must try hard to acclimate themselves to it. Diversity comes naturally to Gen XYers.
  • Gen XYers are risk takers, while boomers are risk evaders.

Summary

The Changing of the Guard

The highly publicized business reign of the baby boomers is coming to an end as the boomers reach retirement age. More and more Generation X (those born between 1966 and 1977) and early Generation Y (those born between 1978 and 1995) executives now manage boomers, and this demographic trend will only increase. Young managers must tap the valuable expertise and institutional memories of the boomers before they are gone. Unfortunately, when it comes to their relationships with boomers, some younger managers are burnt out. They find boomers inflexible and resistant to change. Advanced technology often flummoxes them, which frustrates tech-savvy younger managers. Additionally, boomers’ values and behaviors are different from those of younger managers. Still, Gen XY managers value boomers because of their high standards, consistency, loyalty and hard work, as well as the vast store of knowledge they possess and are eager to share.

Boomer Values

Boomers possess an admirable work ethic. Most are punctual to a fault; they often show up early for meetings. This gets under the skin of younger managers who would rather see their employees busy with projects than sitting around a conference room.

“Is there something about a boomer employee that is driving you crazy?”

Boomers take a long-range view of things. They do not like change. They avoid risk. They abhor waste. To boomers, personal accomplishment means everything. They expect much from themselves and others. They believe strongly in personal accountability. Unlike younger employees, boomers prefer to work by themselves instead of as part of a team. They are more formal than younger workers. Because they often focus strictly on the project at hand, they may come across as insensitive to others’ needs and concerns. Of course, these all are general tendencies. Some boomers exhibit exactly the opposite characteristics.

Seven Differences Between Boomers and Gen XYers

A 2008 XYBoom survey of 557 Generation X and Generation Y managers found that Gen XYers hold their boomer employees in high regard. In fact, it’s a real lovefest: Boomers also like Gen XYers. Indeed, many Gen XYers wish they could find additional boomers to hire. About one-third of respondents claim that boomers are versatile when it comes to “thinking about projects.” By an overwhelming majority, 69% of respondents say that the best and most meaningful way to communicate with boomers is face to face.

“The baby boomer generation is all about accomplishment.”

The survey also revealed seven gaps between Gen XYers and boomers. Managing boomers effectively requires closing these gaps:

  1. “The Time Warp” – Boomers and Gen XYers view time differently. Boomers are sticklers about it. They are seldom tardy for meetings, while younger employees seem to run late. Boomers often take more time to accomplish tasks and finish projects than younger workers. To impress a slow – or perhaps the correct term is “methodical” – boomer with the importance of efficiency, use a visual that compares his or her performance with that of other employees. Because boomers show up early for everything, give them jobs such as greeting customers when your doors open for business.
  2. “The Great Divide: Technology” – Young workers grew up with advanced technology. Most are completely comfortable with even the latest high-tech innovations. Not boomers. They need time to acclimate themselves. Get their buy-in by explaining in advance the benefits that the new technology provides. You may need to train them one on one. To get them up to speed, have them teach others about new devices or software. This may sound counterintuitive, but boomers are big on personal responsibility. Many will jump at the chance to handle this high-profile task.
  3. “Communication” – Older workers communicate differently from younger workers. Gen XYers take advantage of social networking sites, instant messaging and text messaging, and they are comfortable with asynchronous communication. They may e-mail someone at 12 p.m. and receive a reply several hours later. This drives boomers nuts. To communicate well with boomers, plan one-on-one meetings in which you can have in-depth conversations. Be prompt. Explain yourself fully. Look boomers directly in the eyes when you speak with them. Be courteous, respectful and formal. Whatever you do, don’t cut them off when they are speaking. Some boomers feel that Gen XYers are too abrupt and employ a “machine-gun style” when they ask questions. To avoid a negative reaction, explain in advance that you greatly value the solid information he or she can provide, and thus may ask a lot of questions. Take the time to communicate clearly with boomers, and indeed, with everyone who works for you.
  4. “Managing, Developing and Motivating Older Workers” – Boomers are intensely competitive. Many are workaholics. (In effect, they patented the term.) For them, getting ahead is crucial. They value recognition. Leverage these traits to motivate boomers. For example, put boomers on the prestigious accounts. Ask them to be the main speakers at important meetings. Bonuses and perks work well with boomers. Present work activities to boomers as more than mere tasks. Tie them into valued, long-term goals. Boomers began their careers when command-and-control was the default management style. Therefore, be explicit in your directions to boomers. Explain expectations and goals. Some older workers may resent having a manager who is younger than they are. Help them develop career plans. If they are close to retirement and have no need for such plans, work to keep them engaged and productive.
  5. “Trust, Respect, Etiquette and Office Politics” – Boomers believe that their seniority should earn them respect. Fail to show this respect and you will turn them off. Boomers often resent it when younger managers make suggestions on how to handle things. Acknowledge boomers’ longevity when you correct them; for example, say, “In your 20 years of experience here at Acme, has anyone ever tried it this alternative way?” Gen XYers grew up comfortable with showcasing their abilities, but boomers were taught never to do so. Therefore, be careful when you tell older workers about your personal assets and experience. It may come across as bragging. At the same time, show boomers how to market themselves. Your sense of humor is probably different from that of older workers, so be careful about making jokes at work. Also, limit profanity. Although you may be comfortable with it, boomers are not.
  6. “Managing Diversity” – American Gen XYers grew up in a remarkably diverse society, with immigrants flooding into the country from Mexico, Eastern Europe, the Pacific rim and other parts of the world. They learned about the value of diversity starting in kindergarten. Thus, they are generally comfortable with people of various races and ethnic backgrounds. In contrast, most boomers grew up in homogeneous neighborhoods. Their first experience with diversity at work may have been with someone who was hired as a token. Thus, diversity is “not in [boomers’] corporate DNA.” Expect them to have to make a mental adjustment when they encounter a truly diverse workplace. For example, most subconsciously expect the company CEO to be a white man who looks like Harrison Ford, not a 45-year-old Asian woman. However, boomers adjust quickly. After all, they were the ones who fought hard for diversity in the first place.
  7. “Creativity, Innovation, Change and Risk” – Younger workers value gut feelings. If something feels right, they’re willing to give it a go. In contrast, boomers are not risk takers. They are less interested in gut feelings than in established track records. Only if something worked out well in the past are they inclined to try it again. Gen XYers are also big on innovation. They grew up in a world of radical technological advancement and improvement. Boomers, meanwhile, are traditionalists. To help them overcome their anxieties about nontraditional approaches, get them involved in idea-generation sessions. When they contribute an idea about a new approach, positively affirm their contribution. Assign boomers the task of scanning the competition to spot improvements in their products or operations. Send them to risk-taking seminars. If they have hiring responsibilities, make sure they do not automatically filter out innovative risk-takers.

What Boomers Can Teach You

As a manager and business professional, you can learn much from baby boomers. They are seasoned, savvy workers who have “been there, done that.” With many boomers now closing in on retirement, make sure to pick their brains before they are gone. Boomers are especially strong in these six work areas:

  1. “Social skills” – Business depends on relationships. Unfortunately, Gen XYers grew up relating to computer and cellphone screens. They may spend their time texting back and forth with their friends or visiting online social networks, but these are tangential relationships that are once-removed from reality. Boomers, however, learned early the importance of building solid relationships based on direct, face-to-face contact. They believe cellphone calls and text messages, primary communication modes for Gen XYers, only interfere with such important encounters. Gen XYers can learn much about social skills from boomers.
  2. “Negotiating skills” – Boomers are negotiation experts. Many were the first in their families to attend college or to achieve high-level executive or professional positions. They had to be aggressive to reach these milestones – a necessary quality for negotiators. At the same time, they understand the importance of good manners, while Gen XYers are sometimes so harried with their endless text messages, cellphone calls and Internet surfing that they forget to be polite. They are more laid back and informal than boomers, which can come across as rudeness during a tricky negotiation.
  3. “Nonverbal communication” – This is even more powerful than verbal communication. As masters of face-to-face encounters, boomers excel at nonverbal communication. Watch the way they speak, and copy their gestures. Develop a “Mona Lisa smile” that puts your face in “neutral” when you are not speaking or otherwise engaged. This will prevent you from inadvertently revealing negative emotions such as anger or peevishness. Use a mirror to practice your smile.
  4. “Critical and strategic thinking” – Thanks to their strong Internet experience, younger managers react quickly. This is helpful when you must pivot on a dime and immediately strike out in a new business direction. However, Gen XYers are less skilled at strategizing and long-range planning. Boomers know how to step back and think through their decisions. They are strong evaluators. They know how to assimilate information in order to come up with the best solution. To develop these skills, ask boomers to show you how they plan and strategize, and take notes.
  5. “Career endurance and investment” – Boomers had to work their way up the corporate ladder. They developed patience. Contrast this with Bill Gates, a Boomer who was ahead of his time. He went from obscurity to wealth and fame almost overnight, becoming a “poster boy” for Gen Xers who admired his untraditional route to success. Of course, Gates is a special case. Nevertheless, Gen XYers are not patient or willing to “pay their dues.” If this is your situation, use boomers as your sounding boards. Ask them to describe their career paths and to explain how they managed office politics. They’ve all been around the block a few times.
“A diverse workplace means no discrimination up or down the generational ladder.”

Nevertheless, Gen XYers are not patient or willing to “pay their dues.” If this is your situation, use boomers as your sounding boards. Ask them to describe their career paths and to explain how they managed office politics. They’ve all been around the block a few times.

  1. “Personal accountability” – Boomers tend to be classic individualists while Gen XYers are team players. As such, boomers tend to accept responsibility for their actions, while Gen XYers become defensive. At the same time, boomers often insist – sometimes to the point of obsession – on high work standards for everyone. Their drive toward personal excellence may become a liability if they rise on the backs of their colleagues. Nevertheless, many Gen XYers, with their “it takes a village” attitude could learn a lesson from boomers about personal responsibility. Conduct a personal accountability inventory. Ask your colleagues for feedback. Churches and service organizations such as Kiwanis can help you become more responsible.
“Boomers have been taught that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Gen XYers have been taught that when the going gets tough, rely on the resources of the team.”

Gen XY managers can improve their performance if they focus on constructing a bridge between the generations rather than on the chasm below.

About the Author

Casey Hawley is a leadership development coach who specializes in young professionals. She often works with Fortune 500 companies and has written many books on management.

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Managing the Older Employee

Book Managing the Older Employee

Overcoming the Generation Gap to Get the Most Out of Your Workplace

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