R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I’ve done it. You’ve done it. My grandfather did it. Your great aunt’s third cousin once-removed has done it. Judged and stereotyped another person based on their assumed generation.

Rather than perpetuate old assumptions, I suggest we stop and listen to our good friend Aretha when it comes to engaging with other generations:

Remember that not every response a person has is based on the generation he/she/they grew up in. How we react to everyday situations is based on a multitude of factors- family, friends, classmates, coworkers, books we’ve read, shows we’ve watched, and brain chemistry, just to name a few.

Educate others around stereotypes about your generation that are offensive, weird, or just downright incorrect. As a Millennial, my generation has been blamed for everything from the rise of childhood diabetes to a ruined economy. One of my best Millennial friends can’t use social media to save her life. I would hazard to guess other generations have heard not-so-great stereotypes about their own eras that are wildly inaccurate. By addressing some common assumptions (with tact and grace in the right environment), some figurative walls can start to be torn down.

Steward an environment of tolerance in all your conversations- at work, with your friends, and with your family. Simply said, it all starts in how we address one another and how we represent others in conversation.

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Consider why he/she/they are responding to the conversational stimulus in such a way.

Evaluate each interaction given the myriad of voices and personalities in the room. One’s generation may have shaped social development but does not in any way dictate how one views a given situation. For example, my Baby Boomer mother may have reentered the workforce after having children, but she is far from the most competitive person in her office or even her floor.

Change your gut reaction from one of “blaming it on those darn (insert generation name here)” to one of curiosity around why someone reacted in such a way. Are they misunderstanding the situation? Was there poor communication around Jane’s idea? Was John upset from something at home that led to his supposed GenX-fueled outburst?

Take the time to get to know one another for what we are: individual, unique people.

We share common values- a sense of community can be strong with someone not a part of the G.I. Generation, a group of current high school students can be just as hard working as the Baby Boomers, and my grandma can be more confident than some Millennials I know. It comes down to this: when we can learn to love one another for our strengths, our voices, and our points of view, generations will no longer be dividing lines of stereotypes but will instead be another trait others will come to like and (just maybe) respect.