One of our workforce challenges continues to be dealing with people of numerous generations working side-by-side.  When I entered the workforce there were two principal age groups:  The Veterans (born between 1922-1945) and the Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964).  And while that presented a leadership challenge, it was nothing compared to what we are facing trying to deal with those two age groups PLUS the Gen Xer’s (born between 1965-1980) and the Nexter’s (born between 1981-2000).  These younger workers are not apt to “put in their time” and wait for advancements.  They are ready, and in some ways (especially in the area of technology) more able than their seniors.  Smart leaders will keep a keen eye out for the young talent and partner such talent with seasoned workers.

Carlos Santana did just that for his Grammy-winning album Supernatural ten years ago.  He had a Gen Xer or Nexter as a partner for every song—and that strategy proved to be successful in a big way.  How can you maximize the benefits of the age diversity in your workforce?