How to Fortify Your Business By Leveraging Generational Differences

Four generations currently make up the majority of the workforce: baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z. Kari Kovar, CEO of Cottonwood Millwork and Cabinets, leads a multigenerational team and leverages each person's unique skills. 

After over 20 years in marketing and consulting, Kovar wanted to combine her love for uplifting businesses and craftsmanship. This led her to acquire Cottonwood Millwork and Cabinetry, a custom milling and woodworking company.

“What I really like is having the time, space, and grace to get to know individuals, understand their strengths, and then to be able to consider the organizational structure before putting the right people in the right spots to be successful,” she said. 

She noticed that tenured employees rely on learned experience. In contrast, newer employees seek defined expectations and metrics for success. 

This combination of tenured experience, along with younger generations' need for structure, helped Kovar and her team create the ever-evolving “Cottonwood Way” of navigating system processes. 

Tenured employees can be hesitant to share their knowledge for fear of making their jobs obsolete. Newer employees can be reluctant to ask questions, fearing they might look incompetent. Kovar works hard to foster an environment of trust. She explains that sharing knowledge and asking questions are beneficial for everyone. 

Her biggest takeaway? Every person has a unique skill set, regardless of their age. “We shouldn’t make blanket assumptions that block us from seeing some of the interesting things multigenerational characteristics drive in business,” Kovar said. 

Learn about Kovar’s success leading a multigenerational team at the Northern Utah Employer Exchange on Oct. 2. Attend the afternoon panel “Leveraging Lived Experience: Drawing Collective Wisdom from Different Generations” to hear from her and other leaders who believe in the strengths across age groups.