A Kedge keynote presentation detailing a shift from the traditional concept of generational warfare in the workplace to "Generation Cohort," a new generational idea in line with the shift to a postnormal economy and age.

1. Generation Cohort
The Postnormal Shift to a
Holistic Workforce

2. How many books do you think there are on the subject of dealing with the generational divide in the
workplace? With this many, the problem is solved... right?
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3. Of course, we’ve all heard the differences between the generations: what motivates them, how they
view authority, how they learn, and how they communicate. Most of us can recite this information like
Kedge, LLC And as we all know, this has been framed as another of the many “wars” that we fight.
canon.

4. Have you ever played Bingo? Does this information - tagging the generations with the common
characteristics and making sure that we are covering all of our bases in the “war in the workplace” -
seem very much like playing this game?

5. Insanity is doing the same thing over
and over again and expecting a
different result.
Albert Einstein
This quote, often credited to Albert Einstein, speaks to this endless game of Bingo that we play in an attempt to solve the
puzzle of “generational warfare” in the workplace. Could it be that the way we view generations is as much a product of our
Kedge, LLC thinking as any perceived “war” or literal divide? Is a shift necessary? Is that shift already underway?

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7. We have entered the...
Postnormal Economy
{
“All that was ‘normal’ has now Complexity
evaporated; we have entered Chaos
postnormal times, the in Contradiction
between period where Open-Sourced
old orthodoxies are Disruptive
dying, new ones have Networked
Collaborative
not yet emerged, and Uncertainty
nothing really makes sense.” Resilience
Imagination
Ziauddin Sardar, The City University, London

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Photo courtesy of not quite a photagraphr via Flickr

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Photo courtesy of Marcin Wichary via Flickr

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12. Kedge, LLC Photo courtesy of andreas.hopf via Flickr
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/162/generation-flux-future-of-business

13. In this Postnormal
economy and age, we are The Creator Economy
experiencing a VUCA
environment. Many are
describing our new era as
the Molecular Age (ever-
increasing nano-based and The Knowledge
shrinking/pervasive Economy
technology), the Human
Age (a focus on human
capital and a citizen- The
centric viewpoint), the Human
Knowledge Economy Age
(moving beyond a simple The
Information Age into the Molecular
cross-pollination of Age
knowledge and Kedge, LLC
qualitative/open creativity
across sectors and disciplines; a post-disciplinary age), or the Creator Economy (the popularity
of a DIY and maker-centric landscape in which the population desires more involvement with
consumption). With the accelerating change across domains and sectors, this is becoming
our “new normal.” What does this mean in terms of changing the way we see and approach
the concept of generational theory, generational knowledge transfer, innovation & creativity
and generations in the workplace?

14. Welcome to Generation Cohort
Generation Cohort
The transformational shift in society and business
along with the convergence of emerging
technology, social change, and entirely new
landscapes of complexity are causing the well-
defined concept of the socio-historical generation
to begin to fade.
Generations are giving way to
passion-oriented cohorts.
http://kedgelabs.com/2012/05/17/generation-cohort-how-the-great-transformation-of-the-21st-century-is-altering-the-concept-of-socio-historical-generations/ Kedge, LLC

15. In this new world where resilience and flexibility are king, the
meshing of social tech and collaborative communities is
not only allowing open-source ideas and grass-roots
initiatives to thrive, but is rallying individuals from across
What the generations to activities of like-passions.
Does Generation Cohort
This Boomers, Gen Xers,
While there are still
Mean? Gen Y, and whatever the
next generation is being
called, the lines are
increasingly blurring.
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16. Generation Cohort
Generation Flux, which was highlighted by FastCompany,
is an excellent example of the Cohort trend.
Generation Flux share
many common
characteristics like
resiliency, adaptability, and
the desire for passion-
specific career paths (but
not age). GenFlux often
boast non-traditional
education and a unique
propensity to explore
disciplines simultaneously.
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17. The People
Collaborative
Linked
Open
Ubiquitous
Disruptive
The ubiquitous, resilient, and open nature of Generation Cohort resembles the concept of Cloud Computing.
This shouldn’t be a surprise, as the Postnormal Age is being driven being the co-development of technologyLLC
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culture, side-by-side. The acronym CLOUD helps us to understand the drivers & power of Generation Cohort.

18. Hyperlocal networks and collaboration have begun to
skyrocket in popularity, opening the door to sharing and
innovation across worldviews, disciplines, and
geographic boundaries.
Hyperlocal
The concept isn’t new,
but the idea of a well-
designed community
whose primary focus is
directed toward the
concerns of its
residents is custom-
made for the
connective mindset of
the internet generation.
Collaborative

19. A number of recent studies have shown that in many developed countries,
including Japan, happiness is not proportional to economic wealth. This
is leading some to seek the development of a new economic model based
on principles of happiness and well being.
Collaborative
Gross national happiness is no airy
concept. It helps us better to
understand what makes a
qualitative difference in people’s
lives and, in turn, can improve
national competitiveness in the
21st century. Many national
statistics offices already collect this
type of data, including Finland’s
Findicator and Australia’s
Measures of Australia’s Progress.
Gross National Happiness
Photo courtesy of imaphotog via Flickr
http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2012/04/19/guest-post-brazils-gross-national-happiness/#axzz1sXfnFspl
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2110914,00.html
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20. Photo courtesy of Marc_Smith via Flickr.com
Kedge, LLC http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/successful-ceos-embrace-social-media/article2439952/

21. Certification vs. Reputation
The accelerating pace of change is making most
traditional degree and certification programs worthless.
In fact, for many disciplines half of what a student learns
as a freshman is obsolete by her senior year.
The declining value of formal education coupled with the
growing popularity of social media has shifted the
emphasis from “what you know” to “who you know” and
an individual’s network (if it’s expansive enough) could
trump tenure or traditional experience measures.
Kedge, LLC http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/successful-ceos-embrace-social-media/article2439952/

22. Linked
By 2020, half the global talent pool will be available
to companies located anywhere in the world.
Casting a Wider Net
In order to remain competitive, companies will
need to cast wider nets in that global talent pool.
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http://rossdawsonblog.com/weblog/archives/2012/01/in-the-global-talent-economy-over-50-will-be-mobile-workers.html

23. Linked
The Global Balance of Power
The nature of globalization is
changing, largely due to a shift
in the global balance of power
to developing nations.
Over the next 20 years, the
global working population will
increase by 21%. Developing
countries will see an increase of
931 millions workers or 24%,
but the workforce in the
developed world will contract
by one million. Globalization 2.0: The Global Balance of Power is Shifting – Hay Group,
2011
Hays Oxford Economics Global Report, April 2011
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Photo courtesy of Roland Urbanek via Flickr

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And speaking of a global balance of power... do our traditional concepts of generations even apply across
international lines and societies? What happens if we retain the old concepts, and have to deal primarily with
workers outside of our culture?

25. Photo courtesy of Ted Van Pelt via Flickr.com
Leveraging the
Power of the Cloud
McAfee did something
transformative to their
service exchange by
using social.
McAfee formed a strong bond of commitment with the hundreds of unpaid
technical experts in the larger marketplace. They invited these "McAfee Maniacs"
to participate in much of McAfee's web-based technical support.
McAfee's competitors were spending between 3-7% of their overall SG&A
expenses on service; McAfee's became virtually zero, directly boosting the dollars
they could contribute to R&D and other innovation efforts.
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http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/02/social_means_freedom_for_bette.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+harvardbusiness+%28HBR.org%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

26. Learning
Former Boston hedge-fund manager
Salman Khan stumbled upon the idea for
his free web-based academy while trying
to teach math to cousins in New Orleans.
In an effort to bridge the time and
distance gap, he started making 10-
minute videos of math lessons and
posting them on YouTube. Much to his
surprise, Khan found his cousins
preferred learning from him via YouTube
to learning from him in person. Quickly,
the videos gained an online following,
grew like wildfire, and today Khan
Academy has delivered more than 42
million lessons.
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27. The Open Office
From flattened
hierarchies to open-
plan offices,
Open-Sourced
organizations across
the globe are
realizing that in order
to encourage
collaboration and
inter-generational
knowledge transfer,
openness is not a
“nice to have” but
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must have.

28. Photo courtesy of courosa via Flickr.com
Kedge, LLC http://www.techzim.co.zw/2012/03/are-new-social-media-disaster-apps-suitable-for-africa/

29. The Gamification of Work
Businesses are using gaming techniques to
motivate their employees, and as a tool in
recruitment and screening.
Some 70% of the world's top 2,000 companies
will use game techniques as a behavioral
motivator to recruit, train, and enhance employee
performance, as well as to encourage new ideas.
Photo courtesy of .reid. via Flickr.com
http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/04/10/games-job-recruiting/
Kedge, LLC http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/business/employers-and-brands-use-gaming-to-gauge-engagement.html

30. Kedge, LLC http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/162/generation-flux-future-of-business

31. VirFlex (Virtual/Flexible) Work Models
Technology is not the only factor accelerating
the People Cloud trend. Changing
demographics and family models are also
encouraging the adoption of employment
models in which employees need not be
physically present for work.
“Our work practices and cultures were built during the
time of the single-earner family. We expect modern
workers in a variety of life situations to conform to this
traditional standard.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/jobs/for-a-working-parent-an-arrive-late-leave-early-schedule.html
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http://rossdawsonblog.com/weblog/archives/2012/01/in-the-global-talent-economy-over-50-will-be-mobile-workers.html

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33. In today’s world, the recognition that hiring for potential
rather than by skills alone is opening doors for thinking &
innovation that isn’t limited by organizational culture or
assumptions.
Harness Hacking
This approach also allows for new ideas that essentially
“hack” an existing system, highlighting the weaknesses
and opportunities that an organization would otherwise
miss. Kedge, LLC
Photo courtesy of ramblingrovers via Flickr

34. In a VUCA environment, it’s no longer about “sustainability”
because no strategy, product offering, or employment status
is really sustainable. Instead, firms (and individuals) must
focus on developing resiliency.
Agility is the
new leadership
competency and Resiliency
the talent to learn,
unlearn, and
relearn will be the
most sought after
skillset.
Disruptive
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35. As a result of this fundamental shift in business, technology, and culture - and the new way of thinking
around generational theory in the workplace - we have the opportunity to seize a new holistic
workforce. Yes, this will require a shift in organizational values and skills!
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Holistic Workforce

36. With individuals living longer, career paths are evolving.
The potential for many people to live to the age of 100 or
older is causing many to reconsider the industrial age
model of retirement at 65. Longer career paths will mean
that in the future individuals will more strongly consider
pursuing their passions.
Holistic Workforce
The New Career Path
Research on Gen Y in particular is already
showcasing this trend – tomorrow’s leaders will
want more than a career, they will want a calling.
Kedge, LLC Photo courtesy of jimflix! via Flickr

37. Holistic Workforce
A Triple Bottom Line Mentality
Firms have begun realizing that leveraging social
responsibility in development programs can
significantly strengthen their talent pipeline.
The result is a place like "P-
Tech", a new high school in
New York City that's the result
of a partnership between
IBM and the City University of
New York.
Kedge, LLC http://www.good.is/post/could-apprenticeships-replace-the-college-degree/

38. Holistic Workforce
Whole Person Education
Recently, the Ford Motor
Company partnered with
community leaders to
create a public school
designed to address the
whole child.
The school is also implementing a 'MicroSociety' learning program.
Students create their own 'society' becoming sellers of goods and
electing officials while earning wages in the school's currency.
Kedge, LLC http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/713194

39. Holistic Workforce Sparking Innovation
Motivated “solopreneurs” are
quickly becoming the talent-of-
choice for some of the world’s
most successful enterprises,
with leading edge
corporations realizing that
collaborating with start-ups
can kick start innovation.
Worldwide, 60% of entrepreneurs work in a
corporate environment before starting
their own business.
http://gigaom.com/collaboration/the-future-of-work-fiercely-independent-and-agile/
Nature or nurture? Decoding the DNA of the Entrepreneur, Ernst & Young, 2011 Kedge, LLC
Photo courtesy of f1uffster via Flickr

40. About Kedge, LLC
Kedge is a minority-owned foresight, innovation, creativity, and strategic design consultancy. We help our clients to
thrive in a world of complex ideas and practices, uncover emerging trends on the horizon that will impact their
business, and discover unseen opportunities for strategic advantage and development.
Yvette Montero Salvatico, Partner/Principal
Holding a bachelor’s degree in Finance and an MBA from the University of Florida, Yvette has over 15 years of
corporate experience with large, multi-national firms such as Kimberly-Clark and The Walt Disney Company. Before
becoming a partner at Kedge, she lead the effort to establish Future Workforce Insights at the Walt Disney Company,
identifying future workforce trends and leveraging foresight models and techniques to assess potential threats and
impacts, emerging ideas, and exciting opportunities for the organization. Yvette is an experienced speaker,
addressing large audiences on topics such as business policy, diversity, and foresight.
Frank Spencer, Partner/Principal
Prior to founding Kedge, Frank worked for 15 years as a leadership coach and developer with entrepreneurs, social
communities, networking initiatives and SMEs, helping them to advance human development, local and global
innovation, and open-source collaboration. He holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Foresight from Regent University,
and is a member of the Association of Professional Futurists and the World Futures Studies Federation. With a
strong background in both business and academic foresight, Frank taught a course on futures and foresight for
developing solutions to wicked problems at the Duke TIP Institutes; is on the organizing team that is developing an
MSc in Foresight and Innovation at ISTIA/The University of Angers in France; and has worked on strategic foresight
projects for companies such as Kraft, Mars, Marriott, and The Walt Disney Company.
Yvette Montero Salvatico Frank W. Spencer, IV
Principal, Kedge, LLC Principal, Kedge, LLC
2905 Boat Dock Road 12 Drake Drive
Kissimmee, Florida 34746 Savannah, Georgia 31406
407-973-1172 912-660-6726
e-mail: yvette@kedgefutures.com www.kedgefutures.com e-mail: frank@kedgefutures.com