A recent session, sponsored by the JMP D&I Events Commitee, drew more than a hundred participants. HR Director Paul Mastropolo kicked off the event by introducing our speakers and discussing the ongoing role of The Diversity Movement, recently renamed the Center for Organizational Effectiveness (COE), and its partnership with JMP.
Melanie Sanders, Senior Consultant at COE and a former news anchor, immediately engaged the audience by asking what format they grew up listening to music on (ranging from records and cassette Walkmans to radios, iPods, and smartphones). From there, she broke down the key characteristics of the five generations currently working side by side: Traditionalists/Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Gen Z, and invited attendees to reflect on how closely their traits align with these generational profiles.
Expanding on workplace dynamics, Sanders discussed intersectionality, highlighting how generation, education, region, race, gender, and socioeconomic background shape our unique points of view. To bridge gaps across these diverse perspectives, she advised seeking to understand first and asking clarifying questions before making assumptions. Specifically, she recommended using "what" instead of "why" questions to avoid sounding accusatory and suggested leveraging team user guides to help colleagues better understand one another's working styles.
A central theme of the discussion focused on balancing individual communication styles with organizational goals. Facilitator Susie Silver and participants explored how honoring an employee's authentic workplace persona should align with team collaboration and company objectives. Rather than viewing personal styles and business outcomes as mutually exclusive, the conversation emphasized that two truths can coexist: employees are deeply valued for their unique contributions, and clear, non-negotiable delivery standards must still be met. The bottom line is that the work always needs to get done, and inclusive problem-solving helps us figure out how to best collaborate to achieve it.
Mastropolo closed out the event by thanking Sanders, Silver, and all participants joining from across regions, encouraging everyone to complete this reflection link to provide feedback and suggest topics for upcoming sessions in this series.
Let's keep these vital conversations going!
The D&I team needs you!
If you are interested in joining the D&I Events Committee to assist with topics and planning of these quarterly events, reach out to Nicholas Shelton at Nicholas.Shelton@jmp.com for additional information.
