Boomers, Generation X, millennials, Generation Z... Today, several generations live together in companies, with very different points of reference, expectations and communication styles. For a manager, this represents a real challenge: how do you create a committed collective when the visions of work are not aligned?

Intergenerational management does not aim to erase differences, nor to calibrate one's style as if it were a question of satisfying a diversity of internal clients. Above all, it's about adopting a clear stance, establishing a shared framework and mobilizing interpersonal skills to develop a common dynamic, despite differences in pace, language or priorities.

Overcoming generational bias

When we talk about intergenerational management, we often think of the need to deal with opposing visions of work. But before even getting into the solutions, take a moment to step back from your own representations. All too often, teams hear :

• "Generation Z don't know how to work anymore".
• "Ah, this generation: they want everything, right away, without having proven anything".
• "Millennials want to go faster than the watch".
• "Seniors are stuck in the old days, wasting an inordinate amount of time with all these processes and without these new tools."

These generalizations say nothing about people. Above all, they reflect what we project onto others. The real issue is not the age difference, but what we do with it. To overcome this, and above all to move beyond it to build the right team dynamics:

• Create spaces to discuss work methods (autonomy, pace, use of tools, hierarchical relationships, etc.).
• Explore the sources of motivation for each profile (need for progress, desire to pass on knowledge, search for stability or novelty).
• Remain curious: adopt a posture of active curiosity: question behavior before interpreting it through the prism of age or background.

This posture of questioning allows us to get away from labels and get back to basics: understanding the people we manage.

The skills of the intergenerational manager

Working with widely differing profiles requires the reinforcement of specific managerial skills. You don't need an infinite toolbox: a few solid reflexes are all it takes to smooth cooperation and bring out collective intelligence.

Adapting your style to different profiles

Managing employees from different generations doesn't mean having to work on a case-by-case basis. It's more a question of knowing how to manage different styles without losing consistency: the same message, the same rule, can be understood differently according to different points of reference and experience. It's up to you to adapt a clear... and flexible posture.

What you can do : 

• Adapt your mode of communication according to the employee: some prefer written feedback, which is very structured, while others prefer individual exchanges by video or face-to-face.
• Adapt the level of support according to need: some personalities like and need to be supervised, which reassures them. Conversely, others need a great deal of autonomy - which gives them a sense of freedom.

For example, for the same feedback - a salesperson with a more extroverted personality might prefer a quick call during the day to check in and debrief. Conversely, a more introverted profile might prefer an asynchronous message to share the feedback and possibly propose a dedicated time for exchange.

Developing collaborative leadership

Collaborative leadership isn't about "letting everyone else do it". It's about creating spaces where everyone can actively contributeregardless of seniority, pace or vision of work.

In concrete terms, this means : 

• Involve all profiles in problem-solving, including the quietest or least experienced.
• Encourage intergenerational pairings or trios on strategic projects, to cross-fertilize viewpoints, experiences and practices.
• Valuing skills that go beyond the job description: pedagogy, business memory, digital culture, creativity...

Example: An HR manager entrusts a junior/senior duo with the task of optimizing the onboarding of new recruits. The former contributes his ideas for tools, the latter his insight into the challenges of integration. The result: a more relevant deliverable and a dynamic of cooperation.

Creating a stable, scalable framework

When expectations vary from one employee to another, it's tempting to adapt to each one. But by personalizing everything, we lose the collective coherence. What we need is a clear framework for all, with flexibility within it.

To implement :

• Define operating rules together: communication channels, frequency of meetings, feedback procedures, timetables, etc.
• Clarify what is non-negotiable, what falls within the collective framework, and what can be adjusted individually.
• Leave room for reasoned personalization: in terms of formats, rhythms or areas of autonomy - without falling into the trap of systematic exceptionalism.

Example: A project team collectively decides to impose a fixed 30-minute weekly check-in, but everyone remains free to organize their tasks as they see fit, as long as deadlines are met.

Activate the right engagement levers

We often hear that each generation has its own engagement drivers. In reality, the levers are not linked to age, but to the individual. What energizes one generation (recognition, impact, progression...) may leave another completely indifferent.

As a manager, your role is not to guess what motivates your employees, nor to fall into ready-made recipes. Your role is to create the conditions for everyone to express what drives them... and to connect these aspirations to the collective project.

Setting a course

A team needs a shared sense of purpose, beyond the day-to-day tasks. Knowing why you're doing something, what you're contributing to and what you're building together: these are fundamentals for all generations.

To set up :

• Regularly return to the "why": linking day-to-day tasks to the team's overall mission or the company's raison d'être.
• Highlight the concrete impact of a project or deliverable: who it's for, what it changes, why it matters.
• Share the collective vision and challenges: where the team is going, what the current priorities are, and how everyone is contributing.

Example: At a team meeting, a marketing manager takes 5 minutes to explain how a campaign in preparation fits into the overall growth strategy. Result: more involvement, less mechanical execution.

Linking missions to individual motivations

One is looking to make rapid progress. Another wants to stabilize his position. A third feels useful when passing on his knowledge. It's up to you toidentify these dynamics and give everyone the opportunity to get involved in their own way.

To implement : 

• Incorporate questions on sources of motivation into 1:1 or regular interviews.
• Identify what exhausts and what stimulates.
• Change assignments or type of contribution according to profile (without disrupting the entire organization).

Example: An IT manager realizes that a senior developer is beginning to tire of purely technical matters. He offers him the opportunity to pilot the integration of new arrivals for 3 months. The employee finds a new sense of purpose, without having to change jobs.

Recognizing contributions

Recognition is a universal lever, but it doesn't take the same form for everyone. Some prefer unobtrusive feedback, others a show of appreciation in a meeting. Some want recognition for progress, others for performance.

Test it in your management routine:

• Valuing what is visible... and what is less visible: mutual support, regularity, listening, availability.
• Multiply recognition formats: a Slack message, a note slipped in a meeting, informal attention, a spotlight in the internal newsletter.
• Make recognition a collective reflex, not just a top-down one.

Example: A manager gets into the habit of opening each team meeting with a "spotlight" on a useful contribution made during the week. Little by little, her colleagues do the same among themselves.

Rather than seeking to satisfy each generation individually, rely on clarity, trust and cooperation. These are the three pillars that enable each person to contribute in his or her own way, while moving forward in a collective direction. A good intergenerational manager is not one who masters the clichés associated with each generation.

He's the one who knows best:

• Take a step back from your own reflexes and frames of reference
• Setting a clear, common framework
• Listen actively and adjust your practices, without abandoning your managerial coherence.