October's EBMA meeting was held at the Groton Motor Inn and Suites on Wednesday October 13, 2010.  Multi-generational relations and workplace communications expert, Cam Marston, was the principal speaker.  Using a PowerPoint presentation that included current EB demographic information, he explained to audience members the intricacies of intergenerational workplace communications.  His remarks were peppered with amusing workplace anecdotes as well as examples drawn from his own family’s experiences.  After his presentation concluded, he entertained questions from the audience.      

But before he began speaking, EBMA President, Joe Rossi called the meeting to order noting that there were a lot of “familiar faces” next door at the EB Retiree Association meeting.  (A show of hands indicated that some of the retirees had opted to attend the EBMA meeting instead.)  Joe previewed upcoming EBMA events including the kids’ and adults’ Halloween parties.  The adult party will feature hor doerves, live music and a cash bar, he said.  He previewed the kids’ and adults’ Christmas parties noting that all of these events are scheduled to happen at the GMI.  Corporate night, he said, will be held at the Mystic Marriott on November 17^th and feature the head of the Marine Group, Phoebe Novakovic. He then recognized Two VPs in the audience, Pete Halvordson and Kristin Fletcher.  He thanked the hosts, retiree Tom and Judy Bogue (D615) and asked for a moment’s silence in memory of Carol Chapman, a former EBMA officer.  Sharon Ivey (D436) then led the Pledge and Dan Williams (D604) recited the prayer.      

After dinner, Joe Rossi introduced the guest speaker, reading a biographical sketch.  Cam Marston was here 9 years ago, he said, offering us insight into our baby boom and Generation X employees.  Please help me welcome him back.  The audience greeted the intergenerational communications expert with a polite round of applause.       Cam Marston thanked Joe for his kind introduction noting that he had just returned from a tour of the shipyard.  He was extremely impressed with Electric Boat’s products characterizing the tour as “very insightful.” He asked the audience, “Do you ever get used to working here?”  Noting that he was a big fan of what EB workers do, he admitted that he had spent much of the day with his “mouth wide open.”  .      

I synthesize data, he explained, to help business leaders better understand the slice of demographics within their workforce. He looks at the workforce’s impact on both micro and macro aspects of the targeted business.  Generations, he noted, have shared perspectives.  Baby boomers see themselves as part of a bigger community, as contributors to something greater, he said, while Generation X’ers focus more on their own “individual needs.” Baby-Boomers’ parents were known to ask their kids sarcastically, “What do you think you are, special?” while subsequent generations were told that they were special.   His daughter, he noted, had recently been awarded a swimming ribbon for an 11^th place finish.  In the car, he said, she sings a song, taught at school, (to the tune of Frère Jacques”) called “I Am Special.” Inflated self esteem, he noted, is a by-product of an affluent society and a reflection of the times.  He predicted that a rampant sense of “Self-entitlement” will cause problems in the future.       

He projected a series of TV ads that exploit the “I Am Special” aspect of younger workers’ instincts.      Parents tell their kids:  “When I was your age, these things were important to me so they should be important to you.” But shared values in the workplace rarely cross generational lines.  Older workers take pride in teamwork; younger generations look inward to appreciate their specialness.  Baby Boomers define their work ethic in terms of time spent on the job.  They tend to spend more hours in the office than their younger co-workers.  The Generation X’ers are aware of that difference but remain convinced that they are getting more done in shorter hours.      Younger workers communicate differently too.  They likely send thousands of texts and many of them actually sleep with their phones, he said.  They’re in constant contact with each other.  Their loyalties are focused on their peer group rather than on their employers.  Some companies use this herd instinct to their advantage, he said, using it to establish a group identity.  The resultant loyalty, albeit to their co-workers, can benefit the business also, he said. 

Finally he projected a series of slides showing the demographics of the Ingram Barge Company, a Midwestern firm involved with managing barge traffic on the Mississippi River.  He showed how long it took pilots to progress from apprentice to master and then he overlaid the workers age data over that line.  With sixty-five percent of Ingram’s workforce approaching retirement, he said, they face a real challenge in terms of transferring knowledge to future generations.  He then overlaid EB’s demographic data noting that in some ways “you have an even bigger problem.”   He than discussed strategies and options for capturing organizational wisdom such as pairing different generations together to expedite knowledge transfer.         

Boomers have come a long way, he said, from “Killer Weed” to weed killer; from “Acid Rock” to anti-acids; and from the Rolling Stones to kidney stones, but it will soon be time to pass the torch.  “Some generation X’ers is ready for more responsibility then they are being given,” he said.  Others are increasingly discontented.  The boomers are very busy, he noted, and most make poor mentors.  That’s adding to built-up intergenerational resentment. Making knowledge transfer even more difficult is the fact that Generation X’ers indulge in “job-Hopping” so there’s much less stability in the work force.  He urged Boomers to increase knowledge transfer through “managing by walking around.”  Set aside more time for increased face time, he urged.        He then took questions from the audience and departed to a spirited round of applause.  Joe Rossi thanked him for revisiting the association.  A motion to adjourn was made and seconded.  EBMA members left the room contemplating new ways to meet the intergenerational communication challenge. 

OCTOBER PROGRAM PICTURES