Generational Diversity Cards

I've had the pleasure of working with the Maxwell Leadership group and author Tim Elmore to create an interactive icebreaker that celebrates generational diversity in teams.

In his book, A New Kind of Diversity, best-selling author Tim Elmore applies his decades of research and leadership experience to what might be the biggest, most dramatic, and most disruptive shift the American workforce has ever seen: the vast diversity of several generations living—and working—together.

While diversity is usually seen as an ethnic, gender, or income issue—there is a new kind of diversity that only eight percent of US companies even recognize: diverse generations on teams.

Long laughed off as a cliché and more recently mocked in memes #HowToConfuseMillennials and #OKBoomer hashtags, the generational gap has become an undeniable tension in the global workplace. Sadly, it has fostered:

• Loneliness in our workplaces.
• Poor communication on our teams.
• Reduction in revenue and team morale.
• Conflicting values and priorities in the office.
• Divisions that lead to “walls” instead of “bridges.”

For the first time in history, up to five generations find themselves working alongside each other in a typical company. The result? There can be division. Interactions between people from different generations can resemble a cross-cultural relationship. Both usually possess different values and customs. At times, each generation is literally speaking a different language!

In the teambuilding world, the essence of icebreaker questions is to foster connection and understanding among people. In creating the Generational Diversity Cards, we are helping teams encourage open conversation and bridge the generational gap in a fun and respectful manner.

This deck of cards has icebreaker questions specifically geared toward different generations. These questions can help spark engaging conversations and create a sense of unity and empathy within the team. 

• Builders: Born before 1946
• Boomers: Born roughly between 1946 and 1964
• Gen X: Born roughly between 1965 and 1980
• Millennials (Gen Y): Born roughly between 1981 and 1996
• Gen Z: Born roughly between 1997 and 2012

Here is one Activity Idea using these cards: Generations Question Exchange – Icebreaker

Objective: To facilitate meaningful interactions and conversations about generational differences among participants through a question exchange activity.

Directions:

• Provide each participant with a set of Icebreaker question cards, with one card representing each generation (e.g. Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Gen Z).
• Explain that participants must find a partner and take turns asking each other a question from the generation card they are holding.
• Encourage participants to listen actively and share their own perspectives on the questions to promote understanding and dialogue between different generations.
• After both participants have asked and answered a question, they should exchange cards with each other.
• Participants should then find a new partner and repeat the process with the new generation card they received.
• Continue rotating partners until all participants have interacted with multiple generations and discussed a variety of questions.
• Encourage participants to reflect on the conversations and insights gained from interacting with individuals from different age groups.
• After the activity, reconvene as a group for a debrief session where participants can share any interesting learnings or experiences from the question exchange.

This icebreaker question exchange activity will foster connections among participants and promote understanding and appreciation of generational differences. Through this interactive activity, you can enjoy engaging in meaningful conversations and building bridges across generations.

The Single Deck will accommodate a group of 12 people. The Double Set will accommodate a group of 24 people.