What was your first album? Or maybe it was a CD? A download? What was your first concert? Your first real gig? Did you grow up in an entertainment family? Do you remember connecting to the internet for the first time? Or maybe, you’ve always had access to it, born into a world that was already changed.
Pop influence, family values, and technologies all help shape how we grow and have a major impact on who we become. As we share impactful cultural experiences, shifts in human behaviour can be felt worldwide, and generations begin to emerge.
No one knows this better than our event crews. We are constantly welcoming new people to our teams and redefining our crews with each new gig. We are asked to learn, not only to work alongside each other, but also to live with each other on tour.
Innovating gear and technologies are always changing for the next big moment. It would be easy to assume new faces are too old, or too young, but ultimately, the show must go on. For the first time, we are experiencing five different generations in the workforce. Even though our offices are a little less traditional in live entertainment, the impact is still real. How do values change with age groups? Work ethic? Travel style? If we are aiming to support our teams better, we need to better understand the individuals who exist within them.
In year three, THE Conference: Live at Lititz introduced a handful of empathy and listening-based programming, aimed at strengthening these relationships, and better understanding the needs of different generations. Gathering in small groups, near strangers were asked to pause, listen, and share about their own life experiences. A little intimidating, sure, but these skills take practice. Dozens showed up over the three days, allowing themselves a little vulnerability. By better understanding the range of unique perspectives in the room, our own perspectives began to shift.
Building on this momentum, Rock Lititz recently hosted a Cross-Generational Summit. Welcoming Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Gen Z’ers, a few dozen live entertainment professionals sat to talk about the similarities and differences in how we see the world. Older generations were taught rules and order for a world that no longer exists. That can be frustrating, confusing and even scary.
Younger generations have been raised with much less certainty, with 24-hour news cycles, environmental issues, and regular advances in communication. That can be frustrating, confusing, and even scary. Regardless of age, we all struggle with feeling seen and valued. We all feel a little scared about what comes next.
We are also all looking for a stronger connection to our communities. We all want ways to learn new things and add value by sharing our experiences. By investing in these interpersonal connections on our team, and taking a moment to listen, we can accomplish both. What does your personal experience offer your team? What have you appreciated about working with both older and younger generations? Take a moment today and talk to someone new.
Words: Rachel Pfennig Hales
Photo: Rock Lititz
