Navigating Feedback Conversations On Multigenerational Teams

By Nahla Davies, a software developer and tech writer. Before devoting her work full-time to technical writing, she managed—among other intriguing things—to serve as a lead programmer at an Inc. 5,000 experiential branding organization whose clients include Samsung, Time Warner, Netflix, and Sony.

There are now four generations in the workplace — Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. And with such a large age range of people at work you may be wondering, how does Radical Candor work on multigenerational teams?

With the advent of the gig economy, we’re seeing people entering the workforce at an increasingly younger age. Things aren’t all that ideal on the other side of the age pyramid, with the European Commission reporting a 40% increase in the work participation rate of those older than 55.

What does this tell us? Well, for starters, communications will get harder, and managers and employees alike will find it increasingly difficult to practice radically candid feedback, on either end.

However, feedback is vital for promoting positive change, fostering innovation, and nurturing growth within any organization.

It enhances employee engagement, helps identify areas for improvement, and provides a clear path for professional development. Feedback should be seen as a tool for growth rather than criticism, and when delivered effectively, it can help employees reach their full potential.

So, in this article, we will explore how businesses should address feedback conversations within multigenerational teams, examining the different expectations of various age groups and their preferred communication styles.

We’ll do this through the lens of Kim Scott’s Radical Candor framework, which emphasizes the importance of caring personally while challenging directly.

Mind you, communication strategies can differ from Baby Boomers to Gen Z, which means we’ll be covering feedback tailored to meet specific needs while still adhering to the principles of Radical Candor.

Need help navigating feedback on multigenerational teams? Let's talk!

Table of Contents

The Importance of Radical Candor On Multigenerational Teams

Employee feedback, when delivered with Radical Candor, is a valuable commodity within any business, helping to promote positive changes within the organization, encourage innovation, and nurture growth.

But why is radically candid employee feedback so important?

It leads to changes and turns the working culture into a more positive one, which, in turn, leads to improved productivity.
It’s essential to promote engagement within a company, helping employees know what good looks like so they know what to do more of and where they can improve.
It lets HR form effective strategies to boost employee performance and create clear professional development paths.
It highlights aspects of the business that could be improved upon, giving higher-ups a feel of the atmosphere within the collective.

This open, two-way dialogue is key to employee satisfaction, ensuring everyone within the company is engaged and willing to do their best in their role.

Meanwhile, helpful criticism, when delivered with Radical Candor (caring personally while challenging directly), can guide employees in terms of adapting their working practices for the better, ensuring they can reach their full potential.

How Different Generations Approach Feedback Conversations

In a multigenerational workforce, the delivery of feedback conversations can differ significantly from a team where everyone is from the same generation.

After all, different generations have different expectations when it comes to engagement, development, training, and the overall employee experience—aligning them all is a Herculean task.

The secret lies in the fact that you don’t have to have a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, make your entry a generationally-focused one while still adhering to the principles of Radical Candor.

However, Radical Candor author and co-founder Kim Scott cautions that it’s important to avoid stereotyping people and instead focus on how they like to receive communication.

“I think for some reason, human beings have this great longing to stereotype. And most stereotypes we know are no longer on the table so we’ve put all this instinct for stereotyping into our generational stereotypes,” she says.

“Don’t do that. Don’t assume that I am doing what I’m doing because I’m almost a boomer. Don’t make these generational stereotypes. It’s really not helpful in the workplace.”

Instead, remember that communication is measured not at the speaker’s mouth but at the listener’s ear.

“A multigenerational workplace is really the same thing as a multicultural workplace,” says Radical Candor co-founder and CEO Jason Rosoff.

“So keep that sensitivity in mind and remember that each person is unique. And take it seriously to find a way to communicate with each of your team members in a way that shows them as individuals that you care personally and are willing to challenge them directly.”

Baby Boomers: The Traditionalists

Employees born before 1964 fall into the Baby Boomer bracket. They often excel when given added responsibility and tend to respond well to public recognition and acknowledgment when they have performed well in their roles.

This age group is used to formal annual performance reviews and organized team engagement, preferring to get documented feedback in a formal meeting with their manager.

When applying Radical Candor to Baby Boomers:

Care Personally: Show respect for their experience and acknowledge their contributions to the company.
Challenge Directly: Be straightforward in your feedback, focusing on specific behaviors and their impact.

If the feedback is positive, boomers will thrive off public recognition and acknowledgment of their achievements. Surprisingly, despite being skeptical of team feedback sessions, these employees often seek out feedback to ensure they are not deviating away from their duties.

For feedback conversations with baby boomers, a written hard copy of documentation is generally an expectation. Criticism should be delivered in a way that is designed to help the employees grow and help them adapt to modern business changes.

Job security is extremely important to employees within this demographic and reassurances should be provided concerning their importance to the business, especially during periods of rapid growth and times of instability.

Generation X: The Adaptable Pragmatists

Members of Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, value direct, honest feedback that is solution-oriented. They are pragmatic problem solvers who appreciate clear, concise communication.

Unlike Millennials, they do not seek constant feedback but value periodic, substantive reviews that help them understand their progress and areas for improvement.

Applying Radical Candor to Gen X:

Care Personally: Respect their autonomy and recognize their expertise.
Challenge Directly: Be specific in your feedback, focusing on results and impact.

When providing feedback to Gen X employees, it’s essential to recognize their experience and expertise. They appreciate autonomy and flexibility, often thriving in environments that allow them to manage their tasks independently.

Feedback should be framed to highlight their contributions and suggest ways to leverage their skills for greater impact. Use the CORE method to keep your feedback focused.

C — Context (Cite the specific situation.)

O — Observation (Describe what was said or done.)

R — Result (What is the most meaningful consequence to you and to them?)

E — Expected nExt stEps (What are the expected next steps?)

Millennials: The Creative Mavericks

@roxycouse Them millennial managers just built different 😂 #workhumor #9to5life #millennialmanager #careertok #corporatetiktok #corporatelife #fy #corporategirly ♬ Funny – Gold-Tiger

Employees born between 1981 and 1996 are keen to make a positive and noticeable contribution to the organization, and 70% describe themselves as curious or inquisitive.

This not only makes them ideal sources of feedback but also makes it easier for them to receive that same feedback.

Applying Radical Candor to Millennials:

Care Personally: Show interest in their personal and professional growth.
Challenge Directly: Provide frequent, specific feedback tied to their goals and impact.

Research shows that Millennials seek feedback regularly and informally. Employees from this group often seek out mentors to get more of the guidance they crave.

Hence, feedback should offer Millennials a clear direction and the next steps should be outlined so they can make the necessary changes.

Gen Z: Socially Conscious & Holding You Accountable

@radicalcandorofficial it’s giving realness. NO cap 😂✨🧡 #RadicalCandor #WorkLife #CorporateLife #OfficeLife #9to5 #WorkplaceCulture #WorkLifeBalance #OfficeHumor #CareerAdvice #BossLife #WorkHumor #GenZ #CorporateHumor #genzhumor ♬ Funny Things, Spinning Meow Cat – Hiqie

Born between the late ‘90s and early 2010s, the things Gen Z want at work tend to align with their values. This include empathy, kind, clear, specific, and sincere feedback, strong and engaged working relationships, a diverse work environment, as well as coaching, mentorship and career development.

Applying Radical Candor to Gen Z:

Care Personally: Show genuine interest in their values and perspectives.
Challenge Directly: Provide clear, actionable feedback that aligns with their desire for growth and impact.

Having strong values, many younger employees will have no second thoughts about quitting if their values are not upheld, often referred to as conscious quitting.

Companies deemed to have poor social values may even be faced with a backlash online, with some Gen Z taking to social media platforms to voice their displeasure about an unsatisfactory working culture.

Efforts need to be made to assess the well-being of the workforce, particularly when employees regularly work remotely.

Many remote workers have admitted to feeling lonely when working from home, suffering from a lack of community and missing in-person environments.

Therefore, feedback doesn’t just play a role in assessing employee satisfaction, but also ensures the workforce is engaged and aware that their work is valued.

A Multigenerational Workplace — The Bottom Line

Radical Candor is all about creating an environment of mutual respect and support where people can grow and thrive no matter who they are.

It may not always be easy, but the benefits of a culture of Radical Candor are immense. When you create an environment where people feel safe to be vulnerable and take risks, that’s when the real magic happens.

So don’t be afraid to lean into Radical Candor — your team will thank you for it.

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Nahla Davies is a software developer and tech writer. Before devoting her work full-time to technical writing, she managed—among other intriguing things—to serve as a lead programmer at an Inc. 5,000 experiential branding organization whose clients include Samsung, Time Warner, Netflix, and Sony.

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