In this episode of Leadership NOW, I sit down with Dr. Megan Gerhardt to explore Gentelligence, her term for treating age diversity as a source of intelligence rather than an ongoing complaint. We look at why the generational conversation so often turns negative and how chronocentrism feeds the “kids these days” narrative in every era.
Megan walks through the mindset shift leaders need to make, moving from generational stereotypes to shared needs and negotiated norms. That includes hot-button areas like mental health, feedback, and what “respect” means to different age cohorts at work.
We also talk about what an age-inclusive climate looks like in practice, from mutual mentoring and cross-generational teams to policies and benefits that support contribution at every stage of a career, not just the middle.
More information about Megan Gerhardt: https://www.gentelligence.org/
