Managing the Great Divides

We have four generations in one workforce. How do you manage the different communication and behavioral styles and the different approaches to learning and work? These appear to be deep divides between the different generations. Or are there more commonalities than differences? I've been studying this for the last few years as it became a challenge in the "corporate classroom". Try engaging an 18 year old and a 50 year old in customer service training and the divide is very clear. But I also discovered from a customer service perspective their wants are similar. They both want respect, friendly and courteous service. From a learning perspective it is a different story. It is important to recognize what each brings to the learning experience and how each learn differently and accommodate those differences. Quite often I'll engage both to share their experiences and little is about right and wrong perspectives, just different. The same is true for managing this multi-generational workforce-demonstrate respect, leverage the differences in talent and encourage collaboration-it works!