Sociologists classify in three generations the ones that today share the same world and structure society and enterprises: Baby Boomers, X Generation and Y Generation. The three of them come from different education backgrounds and have lived different historic periods. The most different aspect among them is their unique approach to technology.
The term Baby Boomers Generation refers to a noticeable increase “boom” in the birth rate and economic growth produced between right after World War II (1946) and 1964.
Most current board members’ companies were born in those years. They are tied to a traditional leadership style, based upon a rational decision making process with strong hierarchic structures. Knowledge and experience make their main identity signs and attributes. Their contribution in this period of time was revolutionary, but in the next decade they will tend to disappear through retirement.
Bill Gates is the most representative character of this generation.
These are the ones born between 1965 and 1978. Most of them are in mid-senior corporate levels. They have taken a step forward in leadership, adding social, cultural and collaboration components in their managing style. They are more strategic and planning minded, more persuasive and more ambitious. Balance between their professional and personal lives, their strategic component within business and their passion for technology shape their identity.
With their vision the great jump towards the technological era has been taken. One of the most representative characters of this group is Larry Page.
The Y Generation, also known as the Millennium Generation or Millennials, refers to the ones born between 1980 and 1994. They are the “new” ones, it is believed that in the coming decades will hold the highest positions in the business world. In 2030 they will represent 80% of the staff. They are innovative, digital born, creatives, social and attached to abstract thinking. Millennials do not follow traditional leadership and are keen to work in different companies throughout their professional life. Digital vision, innovation, creativity, time flexibility and being goal oriented shape themselves. They are the pioneers of the new digital, technological, economic and social era.
Mark Zuckerberg is the most representative character of this group.
Nowadays it could be possible to talk about the beginning of a new generation.
Today companies deal with intergenerational diversity among their ranks. These are the enterprises that will flow between the online and offline world. Taking advantage of the capabilities of each generation empowers them. It means an opportunity to face upcoming challenges. Managing this generational melting pot will become a challenge that must turn out into an opportunity to generate unique factors to improve competitiveness.
But this is not enough. Everybody must be ready for the future. Over 3 billion people will become part of the world in the next decades. People coming from areas previously considered to be third world countries, but that nowadays are reaching the highest positions through innovation, technology and education. Thousands and thousands of human beings connected and informed through technology willing not only to consume, but to work harder and in a more competitive mode in order to improve their social and economic position.
Their will and their total determination to compete will reach the highest peaks never seen before. This fourth generation will be a challenge to the previous ones. A revolutionary generation, operating deep changes to understand the relation between companies and workforce.
The revolutionary generation will start changes that, like a tsunami, would modify the current economic and business picture.