In our workplaces, we have been experiencing intergenerational relationships, as our teams include professionals from Generations X, Y, and Z. These relationships are characterized by different perspectives and traits that sometimes lead to conflicts, but also provide opportunities for growth and meaningful exchanges. The context in which each generation was raised and the education they received have a significant impact on the development of organizational culture.

This dialogue between generations is essential for teams to grow and for institutional goals to be achieved, so that everyone feels like a contributor to the process of institutional development.

Given this context, the role of leaders in schools is essential to fostering engagement among every member of the team and inspiring each person to dedicate themselves to the team’s success.

Therefore, school leaders must first clearly understand the characteristics of each generation in order to better understand them and listen to them without reservation.

Leaders must also create an environment that promotes collaborative human development, avoiding competition among professionals and fostering a culture in which each person gives their best in their respective roles.

Managers should create training opportunities that foster the development of their teams’ academic, socio-emotional, and procedural skills and competencies, thereby promoting individual and collective growth within a support network characterized by a commitment to lifelong learning— as advocated by the author Conrado Scholoschauer. The creation of this learning network contributes to the ongoing professional development of teams and greater commitment to the institutional mission.

It is also essential to engage the team in new reflections to promote effective change in practice, providing opportunities for employees to exchange ideas and thereby validating each person’s knowledge and perspective. Feedback on the practice and the shared reflections is essential. Praise can and should be given publicly; corrections, however, should take place in private.

See also:

• Adolescence: An Invitation to Reflection
• Family-School Relationship: Can Your Institutional Leaders Overcome This Challenge?
• Relational Intelligence in the Workplace

To the extent that managers embrace their ability to analyze scenarios and demonstrate initiative, proactivity, and assertive leadership, they will contribute to the formation of teams characterized by transparency, the ability to communicate clearly and objectively, and the capacity to respond effectively to the rapid changes in context resulting from the knowledge revolution, cultural diversity, and the globalization of information.

Work relationships are constantly changing. We need to build teams that are open to new ideas and committed to redefining roles and functions in schools, thereby creating more flexible learning environments.

We must not forget, however, that school administration involves:

• Clarity of the mission, ensuring effective communication of the institution’s vision and defining priorities and strategies;
• Availability and assurance of adequate infrastructure that will enable the implementation of improvements (financial, human, and material);
• Commitment to people development, fostering engagement and contribution within teams.

This initiative by school leadership, carried out in collaboration with the teams, fosters: a sense of belonging among all those involved, who feel recognized and supported and see themselves as an important part of the institution’s identity and purpose; ongoing professional developmentfor staff, enabling them to develop the skills needed to tackle challenges; a spirit of shared responsibility in decision-making; and a welcoming environment that empowers everyone.

With a view to transforming educational institutions, transformational leaders must develop their various forms of intelligence (technical, social, and emotional) to inspire employees and strengthen their relationships. They must act as role models, train, encourage, inspire, teach, and support employees in achieving organizational goals.

The world of work is changing; all talents must be recognized—both those that come from experience and those that arise from the transformation of reality, technology, and modernity. Together, by aligning the diverse characteristics of each generation, we can build high-performance teams that will have a tremendous impact on the quality of our students’ learning.

About the author:

Share on social media: