December 2025 - Sweetpotato Speak

The Value of Knowing Who You're Leading As a business owner or operator, you’re always working to build a stronger team. That means developing people, encouraging collaboration, and setting everyone up to succeed. One of the best ways to do that is by understanding the characteristics each generation brings to the workplace. When you recognize what shaped their values, behaviors, and expectations, you can better connect with them and lean into their strengths.

been frustrated trying to connect with someone from a different age group, this might be a chance to step back and gain some perspective. That familiar narrative of an older gentleman airing his disdain for “kids these days” is practically a fixed stereotype. You’ve probably overheard it, or maybe even said it yourself: The truth is, each generation of Americans has been shaped by unique events and experiences during their formative years. Those moments aren’t just footnotes in history. They’ve helped shape who we are, how we work, how we build relationships, how we respond to adversity, and ultimately, how we see the world. For my parents’ generation, it was the Kennedy assassination, the moon landing, integration, and the Vietnam War. For my generation, it was the Challenger explosion, the end of the Cold War, and the advent of MTV. These defining experiences influence everything from communication styles to career expectations. And they’re at the heart of many generational disconnects we experience today. “Young people just don’t want to work.” “They don’t have the work ethic we had.”

The Value of Knowing Who You're Leading As a business owner or operator, you’re always working to build a stronger team. That means developing people, encouraging collaboration, and setting everyone up to succeed. One of the best ways to do that is by understanding the characteristics each generation brings to the workplace. When you recognize what shaped their values, behaviors, and expectations, you can better connect with them and lean into their strengths.