Dr. Green shares how to connect with Generation Z so that today’s businesses and academic institutions can be successful.

SHAWNEEE, OK, August 20, 2018– On Monday 6^th, Dr. Daryl D. Green shared how to better understand Generation Z in order to bring the best out of students so that today’s organizations can be successful. Dr. Green spoke on “Wired for Life: Connecting with Generation Z’ at the “Celebrate Potawatomie Teachers” event sponsored by the Avedis Foundation.  This event brings more than 1,000 public teachers, administrators, and school staff together from across the local area for professional development.

For the first time in history, five generations are co-existing together in the workplace. Each generation has distinct attributes, such as belief systems, expectations, and behaviors. Dr. Green explains to the audience, “All generations have their set of biases based on parenting and their social environments growing up.  Thus, all generations possess distinct value differences.” He further explains that when we do not understand generational issues in the workplace, we tend to make poor decisions as managers. Dr. Green gave an example about how Millennials entered the workplace for the first time. Some managers got bad advice about them. Some experts touted giving Millennials plenty of praise in the workplace regardless of their performance; reward them with completing the most basic activities in the workplace. Bad advice along with generational lines can damage an organization for years.

Photo: Dr. Green shares his insight on Gen Z at The Avedis Foundation event for Potawatomie teachers. Credit – AGSM LLC

Dr. Green is an internationally acknowledged author and researcher. He is the Dickinson Chair at the Oklahoma Baptist University. In 2016, Dr. Green retired from the Department of Energy as a senior engineer where he had managed programs for over 27 years. Dr. Green has conducted extensive research on generational issues. When he wrote his first leadership textbook, Impending Danger: Rethinking Federal Leadership for the 21st Century, Dr. Green was researching generational issues as it related to Baby Boomers retiring in the near future and leading a huge brain drain on the public sector. He adds, “In my research, I noted that the federal government faced a human capital crisis over the next several years due to the eventual retirement of the Baby Boomers. In doing so, I evaluated how the federal system must make changes in the leadership development of future employees, primarily Millennials, which are also called Generation Y.  We need to be better prepared in the workplace for Generation Z.”

Who is Generation Z? Generation Z is the most global, diverse, technological, and entrepreneurial generation ever. In fact, they have never known a digital world without smartphones and social media. They have also been called Digital Natives, Post-Millennials, Nextars, and iGenerations. In general, they were born in 1995 and after. This generation makes up about 26% of the U.S. population. Each generation is shaped by parenting and its social environment. Generation X, with his independent thinking and realistic outlooks, are the primary parents of Generation Z.  Generation Z has been shaped by many social changes, including 9/11, Global Warming/Climate Change, Boston Marathon Bombing, Great recessions (2000, 2008), Sandy Hook Shooting, Social Media, Same-Sex Marriage, Hurricane Katrina, and the election of Barack Obama (the 1^st black president). Generation Z are realistic and concerned about their safety and the world. Some would call them anxious. According to one study, 58% of Gen Z’s are either somewhat or very worried about the future.

Below are some interesting statistics on Generation Z:

• 66% say that technology makes them feel that anything is possible. 
• 76% feel that their online experiences will help them reach their goals. 
• 79% display symptoms of emotional distress when kept away from their personal electronic devices.
• 72% of Gen Z want to start a business someday.
• 30% feel their college has failed at teaching them applicable real-life business skills. 

Dr. Green listed the 5 major traits for Generation Z, which are: (1) Technology Dependent, (2) Cultural Diverse and Inclusive, (3) Independent Thinkers, (4) Entrepreneurial, and (5) Socially Conscious.

Some keys for organizations to get this most out of Generation Z employees include the following:

• Engage them digitally.
• Provide instruction into smaller segments.
• Communicate in ways to provide frequent feedback.
• Make sure that any learning is connected with relevancy.
• Offer some flexibility in managing them.
• Incorporate a meaningful, frequent reward system.
• Allow them to create and innovate into their working environment.

These tips should be implemented strategically to build better communications across organizations. Dr. Green adds, “Organizations need to foster good human capital behaviors. Every generation is different. We also bring our own generational biases into the workplace. However, Generation Z employees are a great asset to organizations with their fresh ideas and technology intuitiveness. We need to do a better job of handling them in the workplace than we did for Generation Y. If we are successful as leaders in doing this, there will be a huge return on investments.”

For more information about Dr. Daryl Green and to have a media interview with him on this subject, visithttp://www.drdarylgreen.com  or contact 405-585-4414.

About Dr. Daryl D. Green

Dr. Daryl D. Green is an internationally acknowledged author and researcher. He is the Dickinson Chair at the Oklahoma Baptist University. Dr. Green writes a syndicated online column and blog. Moreover, he has been quoted in major media outlets, including USA Today, Associated Press, Ebony, and BET. In 2016, he retired from the federal government as a senior program manager. Dr. Green has spent more than 20 years helping organizations and thousands of individuals make good decisions through his lectures, seminars, and columns.

Photo: Dr. Green with his OBU team speaks to a group of GEN Z students at Parkwood Elementary in Capetown, South Africa.  Credit – AGSM LLC