How to Communicate With Cuspers From The Lost Generations
You know you are a cusper born between Boomers and Gen X if you rode in the back seat of a station wagon facing the cars behind you.
Chris Dunn
www.angelfire.com/fl/dunnman/index.htm
Born between two generations, cuspers today feel like they do not belong to any one generation but rather feel the attitudes and beliefs of those generations on either side of their birth year. For example, I was born in 1963 and I relate to the work ethic of the boomers but continually struggle with my desire for work life balance. Many of my fellow cuspers born in the 1960s do not remember Watergate, Woodstock or Vietnam and yet we are considered part of the Boomer generation born between 1946-1964.
Or how about the generation born in the mid 1930s to 1940s? This group was too young to fight in World War II and they do not fit in exactly with the more liberated Boomer mentality. This group supplied the leaders of the civil rights movement with Martin Luther King and Gloria Steinem. They feel more comfortable in a mediation role between Traditionalists and Boomers and less with direct, aggressive advocacy.
Finally, we have the group born between Generation X 1965-1980 and Gen Y 1981-2001. This second half of Generation X has become the webmasters of many organizations or opted to start their own business during this economic downturn. They share the independent thinking of Gen X but with a slightly more polite view of authority.
If you work for or with a cusper remember the ground rules for communicating with any generation:
- Don't assume their age will tell you exactly how to work with them
- Ask them for their views on authority and work life balance
- Let them share with you how they were brought up and what is important to them regarding work and family
- Remember to use the word "tendency" when describing each of the generation's characteristics so as to not pigeonhole any individuals
Cuspers belong to groups that simply do not belong to any generation one hundred percent. They are a great asset to any organization as they can be used as interpreters or mediators between two generations that may be in conflict.
