Meagan Johnson - Generational Speaker

Solve Your Challenges and Bridge the Gap between Generations at Your Multigenerational Workforce

Understanding Generations in the Workplace

Appreciation in Daily Life: Small Moments that Make a Big Difference

This week offers a meaningful moment to reflect on service, commitment, and the power of appreciation in our communities.

On November 10th, we recognized the 250th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps – honoring a legacy of honor, courage, and commitment that spans generations. Today, on November 11th, we observe Veterans Day, a time to acknowledge and honor all who have served. 

Appreciation in Daily Life

While these observances carry historical and ceremonial weight, they also remind us of something deeply human: the power of appreciation. And with Thanksgiving coming up soon, let us consider all the ways we can welcome appreciation!

Why Appreciation Matters

Appreciation is more than a holiday gesture… It’s a daily practice and choice. A way of seeing one another. It’s how we remind the people around us that who they are and what they contribute matter. 

Human beings are wired to feel connected! When we feel acknowledged, we feel motivated, supported, valued, and less alone. A simple expression of appreciation has the power to shift someone’s entire day – sometimes their entire sense of self! And it doesn’t have to be formal or profound. Most of the time, the smallest acknowledgment is the one with the deepest impact. 

How to Practice Appreciation in Simple Ways

  • Saying thank you even when it seems obvious.
  • Using someone’s name when you speak to them. 
  • Calling attention to effort, not just results. 
  • Pausing before responding, to really listen. 
  • Acknowledging someone’s presence, not just their productivity.

How It Connects Us Across Generations

No matter our age or background, we all carry stories, challenges, hopes, and unspoken efforts. It is how we honor that. 

The most powerful expressions of appreciation are rarely grand. They are sincere, present, and intentional. Say what you mean… write the note… pause long enough to mean it.

Appreciation is not just something we offer on special occasions. It is something we practice to make everyday life more human, connected, and kind.

World Mental Health Day: 90,000 Hours of Opportunity

Is Mental Health a Workplace Priority?

If not… here is why it should be!

“On average, we spend 90,000 hours of our lifetimes at work,” said Evans in an article by the American Psychological Association. “Businesses and employers have a responsibility to ensure that those hours are spent in environments that support the mental health of employees and their families.”

Let that sink in… ninety thousand hours. That’s a lot of coffee breaks, meetings, and Monday mornings! But it’s also a powerful reminder that the workplace isn’t just where we earn a living; it’s where we spend most of our lives. When those environments support mental health, people thrive – and when they don’t, everyone feels the strain.

A Shared Mission Across Generations

World Mental Health Day on October 10 invites us to reflect on how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. Every generation has experienced the culture of work differently:

  • Traditionalists and Baby Boomers often learned to “tough it out.”
  • Gen X built a reputation for independence and skepticism of corporate buzzwords.
  • Millennials helped make conversations about burnout and balance mainstream.
  • Gen Z is raising the bar, expecting transparency, empathy, and authenticity from employers.

Each generation brings something valuable to the table. Together, we have the opportunity to redefine what healthy work looks like for everyone.

10 Ways to Build Generational Awareness and Support Mental Health

1) Ask Before Assuming – Instead of guessing, ask colleagues how they prefer to communicate and receive feedback. Curiosity builds trust and prevents miscommunication!

2) Express Gratitude – Say thank you often… whether it’s a handwritten note, a public shout-out, or a simple text message, appreciation is ageless.

3) Practice What You Preach – Leaders, show (not just tell), that it’s okay to take breaks, ask for help, or log off. When leaders prioritize well-being, it permits others to do the same.

4) Promote Work/Life Balance – Balance looks different for every generation and person. A culture that respects life outside of work creates loyalty inside of work.

5) Humor as a Connector – Laughter is a universal language! Use humor to break tension, bridge differences, and remind everyone that we’re all human, regardless of titles.

6) Flexibility & Adaptability – Be open to new tools, new ideas, and new ways of working. Flexibility keeps workplaces innovative and empathetic. 

7) Continuous Learning – Encourage personal & professional development with a mindset that everyone has more to learn!

8) Cross-Generational Mentoring – Speaking of learning… create opportunities for older and younger colleagues to exchange knowledge and personal experiences. 

9) Customized Communication – Email, text, chat, phone call, everyone has a preference. Learn what works best and adjust your style when possible. 

10) Celebrate New Perspectives – Diverse perspectives fuel creativity. When someone challenges “how we’ve always done it,” don’t dismiss it, explore it!

World Mental Health Day

The Bigger Picture

As Evans reminds us, “We cannot underestimate the positive impact we can have when we align our workplace policies and practices with people’s psychological health.”

Whether you’re mentoring a new hire, setting boundaries for your own well-being, or simply saying “thank you” to a teammate, you’re contributing to a culture where five generations can thrive together. Because when we take care of our people, those 90,000 hours have the potential to build connection, purpose, and true meaning.

Fall Equinox 2025: A Time for Reflection, Curiosity, and Growth

Curiosity is Connection  

Summer is over, and fall is officially here! The fall equinox occurred on September 22nd around 2:20 pm EDT, marking a moment when day and night are perfectly balanced. The equinox is a brief, magical moment in the year when light and dark share equal space. Nature reminds us that balance is not a static state, but something we create and re-create every day.

As the world around us shifts, the Equinox offers a moment to reflect on the balance in our own lives: work and rest, giving and receiving, speaking and listening. It’s also a reminder to be curious about ourselves, about others, and about how we show up in a multigenerational world.

Curiosity Starts With You

Just like the equal split of day and night, personal growth requires balancing reflection with action. The Equinox invites us to pause and ask ourselves:

  • Where am I thriving, and where am I stretched too thin?
  • What habits or beliefs do I want to maintain, and which ones do I need to release?
  • In what areas can I bring more curiosity to my daily life?

A simple ritual: take a few quiet minutes during sunrise or sunset to journal your thoughts. Watching the transition of light to dark (or dark to light) can help you connect with your own inner rhythms and create space for fresh insights.

fall equinox

Curiosity About Others

In our fast-paced lives, it’s easy to assume we know what others are thinking or feeling. The Fall Equinox reminds us to slow down and ask instead of assuming. Whether you’re talking with a friend, a family member, or a coworker, consider asking open-ended questions like:

  • What’s something you’re excited about this season?
  • What’s been challenging for you lately? Is there any way I can support you?
  • How do you like to celebrate your wins and accomplishments?

When we replace judgment with curiosity, we create stronger connections and open the door to understanding perspectives we may have overlooked!

Curiosity in the Workplace

With five generations currently working side-by-side, differences in communication, priorities, and styles can lead to tension. But they can also spark creativity and innovation if we approach them with curiosity.

Instead of labeling coworkers with stereotypes like “Gen Z is glued to their phone” or “Boomers hate change,” ask questions to uncover their motivations:

  • What’s most meaningful about this project for you?
  • How did you first learn this skill, and in what ways has this skill impacted your career?
  • What advice would you give someone just starting in this field?

The Fall Equinox of Curiosity and Compassion

The Fall Equinox is a fleeting moment, but its lesson is lasting: balance is created through awareness and intentionality! By embracing curiosity about ourselves, others, and our multigenerational world, we can turn this season into one of deeper connection and growth. Because when we balance curiosity with compassion, we create a world where everyone’s light has room to shine.

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” — Albert Einstein 

National Women’s Day: Five Trailblazers and the Power of Workplace Community

National Women’s Day is a great reminder to look around us and notice the talent, depth, and creativity sitting right beside us – across every generation.

As a multigenerational enthusiast (and proud humorist), I’ve learned that when five generations share a conference room, you don’t have a meeting, you have a superpower! The idea is turning “We’ve always done it this way” and “Why are we still doing it that way?” into a productive dance instead of a duel.

Collective Capacity 

Progress sticks when people feel seen, trusted, and part of something bigger than their job title. Relationships create the psychological safety that turns ideas into experiments and feedback into fuel. Community – the habits, rituals, and shared language we build together – keeps momentum through change and uncertainty. When we design for connection (think generous listening, clear credit for contributions, and consistent touchpoints), we turn individual effort into collective capacity. 

Five Trailblazers Who Modeled Collective Progress

Each of these leaders changed systems by inviting more people into the work – and into the win.

  • Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020) – Demonstrated that durable change is built case by case, coalition by coalition, until new norms feel inevitable.
  • Katherine Johnson (1918-2020) – Proved that when organizations welcome overlooked brilliance, missions launch, and everyone’s horizon expands.
  • Dolores Huerta (b. 1930) – Organized workers and communities, showing that policy shifts when everyday people move in the same direction.
  • Wangari Maathai (1940-2021) – Linked environmental health to women’s leadership, planting a future where communities and ecosystems thrive together.
  • Malala Yousafzai (b. 1997) – Reminds us that education multiplies opportunity across generations – and that courage is contagious.
National Women’s Day

From Intention to Practice

Hope is a strategy when we give it structure. Consider these future-forward moves to embed collaboration into everyday work:

  • Design meetings for contribution. Share agendas early, rotate facilitation, and assign roles (initiator, challenger, synthesizer). Make contributions expected and equitable.
  • Promote cross-generational mentoring. Pair experience with a fresh perspective; set quarterly learning goals that both partners report on. Using SMART goal metrics for reflection and progress check-ins! 
  • Create transparent pathways. Publish criteria for projects and promotions. Track who gets access – and adjust until access is equitable by design.
  • Consider quarterly “assumption audits.” Personal or work wise. Ask which customer, employee, or community assumptions no longer align with your mission. Invite voices from multiple generations to pressure-test the answers.
  • Celebrate the hand-off. Recognize moments when one person’s expertise becomes another’s launching pad. Progress compounds when we honor the past, not just the finish.

Critical Connection

National Women’s Day isn’t just about honoring women’s achievements; it’s about practicing the behaviors that made those achievements possible. Behaviors like listening generously, sharing space, and building bridges that hold. When we connect across generations with curiosity and humor, we honor the women who paved the path for our future. 

“Movements are born of critical connections rather than critical mass.”

Grace Lee Boggs, American author, social activist, philosopher, and feminist

5 Generations, 1 Workplace: Why Back-to-School Energy Matters

How does the Back-to-School season inspire lifelong learning?

August arrives, and suddenly the world smells like freshly sharpened pencils, notebook paper, and pumpkin spice (yes, it’s almost here… August 26th to be exact). In today’s age, lifelong learning is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s essential. Whether you’re a Boomer being introduced to AI or a Gen Z’er attempting to write a professional email without emojis, every generation has something to learn – and to teach!

The Multigenerational Learning Gap (and Opportunity)

“By 2034, 80% of the workforce in advanced economies will comprise Millennials, Gen Z, and the first Gen Alphas to become adults.” That means five different perspectives on everything from technology to teamwork! 

  • Boomers (1946–1964): Grew up with face-to-face learning. Value hands-on experience and institutional knowledge. Often prefer structured training over “figure it out yourself.”
  • Gen X (1965–1980): The “latchkey kids” turned adaptable professionals. They were comfortable learning solo, skeptical of fads, and fluent in both analog and digital worlds.
  • Millennials (1981–1996): Lifelong Googlers. Thrive on feedback, gamification, and learning that ties to purpose and career growth.
  • Gen Z (1997–2012): Digital natives who love bite-sized, on-demand learning (YouTube, TikTok tutorials). They want speed, relevance, and yes, Wi-Fi that works.
  • Gen Alpha (2013–2025): The youngest, with many still in school. They’ll bring AI fluency and new communication styles into the workplace faster than any generation before them. 
Back-to-School

The opportunity? Cross-generational mentoring. When we pair experience with fresh perspectives, we create a workplace where everyone levels up. Imagine a Boomer teaching leadership skills while a Gen Z teammate shares AI solutions — suddenly, everyone wins.

Why Back-to-School Season Matters at Work

Back-to-school season naturally sparks a “fresh start” mentality — even if you haven’t bought a backpack since 1998. It’s the perfect time to:

Plus, companies that prioritize continuous learning see higher retention rates and innovation, two things every generation can agree on.

The Bottom Line

This August, let’s trade any back-to-school dread feelings for back-to-school energy. Lean into curiosity. Celebrate the fact that we’re never “done” learning. Whether your child is starting kindergarten or you’re busy leading a boardroom, the ability to grow – and grow together – is what keeps us connected.