Four generations in one session; let the cross-pollination happen.

observation — attributed to Lauren Kotkin

Kotkin's read on her conference rooms is that they can contain four generations. A millennial sits at the same table as a Greatest Generation member, sharing different ideas about the same problems. Her observation on whether philanthropy is different because millennials have arrived is structural. The energy is the same. Philanthropy is inspirational, and it can be crushingly hard, across generations. The implication for conference design is to architect the seating and session formats so that the generational mix actually mixes. Sessions that allow members to self-segregate by generation lose the cross-pollination. Sessions that integrate produce the encounters that make multi-generational rooms valuable.

For conference programmers, philanthropic-sector leaders, and association executives designing for audiences spanning age cohorts. The observation is most useful as a frame against the temptation to age-segment programming.

multi-generational, philanthropy, cross-pollination, millennials