From Boomers to Zoomers: Conflict to Collaboration in the Workforce  

Working Across Generations: The Importance of Respect and Mattering

Presenter: 

• Jennifer Deal, PhD (Center for Effective Organizations, University of Southern California) 

Summary:

Working effectively across generations is critical skill for leaders in the workforce today. How different are Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Z really?  Based on more than 25 years of research and more than 60,000 respondents, this session will provide insights into what we know about the different generations, and what you can do to effectively work with people of all generations. 

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to articulate how different generational values influence workplace behaviors and expectations.

• Participants will be able to identify how perceptions of "respect" vary across generations and impact professional interactions.

• Participants will be able to develop strategies for bridging value gaps between generations to foster a more effective work environment.

• Participants will be able to critically evaluate their own assumptions about generational values and respect to improve their intergenerational practice.

Avoiding Generational Stereotypes and Promoting Age Inclusivity

Presenter:

• Heather Tinsley-Fix (Senior Advisor, Employer Engagement, AARP) 

Summary:

OK Boomer. Snowflake. Everybody Gets a Trophy. How often have you heard these age-based stereotypes?  Making assumptions about people based on age can have a negative effect on team morale and productivity. While generational tension at work can sometimes erupt, its cause is often due to misunderstandings of changing norms rather than deep-seated differences. Once we get past the myths and stereotypes, the wide range of ages at an organization can actually be a source of strength.  Join AARP’s Heather Tinsley-Fix for a lively discussion of these topics and learn how to promote an age-inclusive workplace where you can benefit from the wisdom of all your colleagues, regardless of age.

Learning Objectives:

• Adopt a more inclusive understanding of how and why generational differences surface at work

• Utilize power questions to help dig below the top layer of initial misunderstanding

• Unlock the benefits and enjoy the synergy of generational differences to foster more harmonious and productive teams

Discussion and Conference Wrap-Up 

Facilitator: 

• Jenny Sasser, PhD, FAGHE (OGA Board Member) 

Summary:

The focus of our final discussion will be to collaboratively review, integrate, and wrap-up Session 4, as well as the entire conference. 

Learning Objectives:

• Identify main takeaways from Session 4 and the conference overall

• Ponder together how to integrate and apply new learning and understanding

• Celebrate our Oregon Gerontological Association learning community!

Continuing Education Credits

Stay tuned for more information. 

This is the fourth of four sessions of OGA's 2025 virtual conference. You can register for individual sessions or, at a discount, for the entire conference series. For an overview of all sessions, please visit the conference page.

Register here!

Jennifer J. Deal, PhD, is a senior research scientist at the Center for Effective Organizations and a contributor to The Wall Street Journal’s “Experts” panel on leadership. Her work focuses on global leadership and generational differences, and has been featured in such media outlets as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, The Economist, The Guardian, Harvard Business Review, strategy+business, Forbes, South China Morning Post, Globe and Mail, and Training Development Magazine.

Before coming to CEO, Jennifer was a researcher at the Center for Creative Leadership for 23 years, helping leaders around the world more effectively address the challenges they face. In addition to her academic and popular press writing in areas such as on generational differences, digital transformation, employee engagement, global management, and women in leadership, in 2002 Jennifer co-authored Success for the New Global Manager (Jossey-Bass/Wiley Publishers). Her second book Retiring the Generation Gap (Jossey-Bass/Wiley Publishers) was published in 2007. Her third book entitled What Millennials Want from Work (McGraw Hill Publishers) was co-authored with Alec Levenson in 2016.

An internationally recognized expert on generational differences, she has spoken on the topic on six continents (North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia).

She holds a B.A. from Haverford College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology with a specialty in political psychology from The Ohio State University.

Heather Tinsley-Fix is a Senior Advisor at AARP, where she leads the organization’s work on employer engagement and helps drive AARP’s focus on providing members and the 50+ with the tools they need to thrive in today’s work environment.  She also focuses on employer engagement on a variety of topics affecting the 50+ worker.  Heather helps employers of all industries and sizes capitalize on the value of experience by creating practical resources and providing insights on 50+ labor market issues. With a background in marketing, innovation, and program management, she brings an interdisciplinary approach to building programs and platforms. Prior to joining AARP, she held various marketing, strategy, and program management positions with the American Psychological Association, MicroStrategy, and the Advisory Board. She has a B.A. in English Literature and an M.A. in Literary Theory, both from the University of Exeter, UK.

Jenny Sasser, PhD, FAGHE (she/they) is an educational gerontologist, transdisciplinary scholar, and social activist. She is 58 years-of-age, of French and British Isles heritage, and loves to cook, read, talk to wild birds, and take long walks. Her favorite bands are Nirvana, Radiohead, Sleater-Kinney, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Jenny lives with neurological, vestibular, and visual impairments. She bi-locates between Portland, Oregon and (as much as possible) Oceanside, Oregon and lives with her husband Simeon Dreyfuss and their dog-friend True. Her amazing daughter Isobel Monique Coen lives in Paris, France.

Jenny has been working in the field of aging since 1985 (a long time!),  beginning as a nursing assistant and aging advocate before specializing in educational gerontology. She has centered her multifaceted professional practice on the areas of creativity in later life; aging and embodiment; transdisciplinary curriculum design; critical gerontological theory; transformational and radical andragogy; intersectional and anti-ageist approaches to equity, inclusion, and justice; and cross-generational collaborative inquiry. Jenny is the author and co-author of academic books including Aging: Concepts & Controversies and Gerontology: The Basics, journal articles, and essays published by the Gero-Punk Project (geropunkproject.org). She has been associated with the Oregon Gerontological Association for many years, including serving as President and as a member of the Board of Directors. Jenny is also actively engaged with the Gerontological Society of America and the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education. Jenny founded the Marylhurst University interdisciplinary gerontology program and currently serves as chair and faculty for the Portland Community College gerontology program.

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