MBU Hosts Kay Edwards, Founder of Outsight Network

On January 24, community members and business professionals of the Watertown area joined MBU students, faculty and staff to hear Kay Edwards, President and CEO of聽Outsight Network, discuss multi-generational work teams.

Edwards began by sharing the problems organizations face when trying to understand their workforce. She contested the organizational assumption that multi-generational teams don鈥檛 work well together, to which her response was, 鈥渋t鈥檚 possible.鈥

Boasting an impressive 25+ years of research on behalf of mission-driven organizations across the country, Edwards聽referred to聽her professional research studies, which were conducted聽from 2013-2017.

Edwards described the differences between the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. She聽spoke heavily on the Millennial Generation. 鈥淢illennials will be the largest generation in the work force…they are also the most educated individuals in the workforce today.”

After explaining the generational differences, Edward鈥檚 shared the myths behind the millennial stereotypes. She discussed the rise of social media and its influence on the millennial generation. She also mentioned Millennials’ capability to multi-task聽in spite聽of the聽influxes聽of current technologies.

Edwards warned, 鈥淚f we just look at generations as culprits and stereotypes, we run into trouble.鈥

It鈥檚 all about the experience and job satisfaction

Edwards discussed Millennials鈥 tendency to buy into an experience. She mentioned how brands that offer a customer experience are doing much better in the marketplace than other commodities or good products that lack that customer聽experience.

In regards to job satisfaction, she identified how flexible scheduling and work-from-home opportunities are most ideal among Millennials.

Edwards went on to discuss work-life balance; she reported 57% of Millennials consider work-life balance and wellbeing to be very important to them when it comes to choosing a job. (Gallup-Heathway鈥檚 Well-Being Index Survey, 2016.)

After explaining the Millennial mindsets, she shared her thoughts on the impact of multi-generational work-teams. Edwards asserted that everyone brings value, no matter what generation they鈥檙e born in.聽鈥淲e have a lot of assumptions about our generations. However, you don鈥檛 have to act like your generations; in fact, you too could be a Millennial.鈥

Edwards proposed how to聽enhance multi-generational workforces:

  • Know your employees
  • Work together differently
  • Share leadership early and often
  • Accommodate different learning styles
  • Offer flexible work options
  • Create ala carte rewards

Near the close of her presentation, Edwards encouraged us to give the Millennial generation an opportunity and a voice. In addition, she challenged us to consider different learning styles.

Edwards聽provided three practical takeaways.

  • You, too, can speak millennial, boomer, generation X, and any other generation
  • Our common language is identity, meaning, and purpose
  • As leaders, we can create workplaces that inspire collaboration

The breakfast concluded with a question and answer time.