Anton Guinea
Entrepreneur, Speaker, bestselling author, and founder of The Guinea Group of Companies. For over 15 years, Anton has helped leaders move their teams to become psychologically safe, physically safe and overall better versions of themselves.
Have you ever wondered why some leaders connect effortlessly with every age group, while others struggle to get their message across?
I’ve learned that listening is the one skill that bridges generational gaps, if you’re not really listening to your people, you’ll always miss something important. Listening is what turns a group of individuals into a team that trusts one another.
Understanding the mix of generations at work
In Australia right now, most workplaces have at least four generations working side by side – Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Each of these groups brings different experiences and expectations. Some prefer a direct face-to-face chat, while others thrive on quick digital communication. Instead of seeing those differences as a barrier, I see them as an opportunity. There’s research that shows leaders who pay attention to generational needs are far more effective at creating engagement, as discussed in this harvard business review article.
I don’t approach it as “managing generations”. I approach it as listening to people. If you listen closely enough, they’ll tell you exactly how they want to be led.
Why listening is the glue
I’ve often found myself in situations where two team members are saying the same thing but in different ways. One might use lots of context and history. Another might go straight to the point. If I rush, I risk missing the real message. When I stop and listen, I find common ground and can help them see it too. It’s not always easy – sometimes it takes patience – but it’s always worth it.
Good listening creates psychological safety. People speak up when they feel they’ll be heard, not judged. There’s some great thinking in this mit sloan review article showing how listening practices lift team performance. That’s something I’ve also seen first-hand – when leaders stop talking and start listening, trust builds faster than any motivational speech ever could.
If you’re curious how this connects to leadership in practice, I’ve written before about the power of listening and why it is one of the most important skills a leader can develop.
How different generations want to be heard
Some older team members I’ve worked with value respect for experience. They want to feel that their years of contribution are not being overlooked. Younger staff often want to feel like their ideas matter, even if they haven’t been in the job for decades. When I truly listen, I can show both groups that their voices carry weight.
I’ve explained this further in my article on leading gen z staff, where I talk about how younger workers look for leaders who are willing to hear them out. That doesn’t mean older staff don’t deserve the same – it just means I’ve got to adjust my listening lens depending on who’s speaking.
Practical ways I listen across generations
I don’t believe in complicated systems. What works for me is simple:
- I slow down before answering, even if it’s just a pause.
- I reflect back what I’ve heard, so the other person knows I’m paying attention.
- I ask open questions like “What would make this easier for you?” rather than shutting the conversation down.
These small shifts make a massive difference. They let every voice in the room feel respected. This kind of approach ties closely to building trust, which I’ve explored in building trust in leadership.
And I’ll be honest: I’ve learned just as much from listening to my youngest team members as I have from my most senior ones. Their ideas on flexibility, balance, and meaning in work have shaped the way I think about leadership today. If I hadn’t listened, I’d have missed those lessons entirely.
Creating safe spaces for open dialogue
There’s a reason I put so much emphasis on psychological safety in my work. I believe that when people feel safe to speak, they’ll say what they really think, not just what they think you want to hear. That’s why I developed the speak safe training program – to give leaders and teams practical tools to build those safe spaces. Without that, even the best listening strategies fall flat, because people won’t open up if they feel unsafe.
If you want to see how much of a difference psychological safety makes, I’ve written about it in why psychological safety is the secret ingredient for team innovation. Creating those conditions starts with one behaviour – listening.
This is reinforced by research shared in forbes business council where leaders highlight listening as the quiet skill that changes everything about how teams work together.
What this looks like in practice
I once worked with a team where the older staff felt overlooked, and the younger staff felt dismissed. Everyone was frustrated. Instead of running more meetings, I pulled everyone into one room and said: “We’re going to listen to each other. Nothing else.” We sat there for an hour. No interruptions, no solutions, just listening. The shift in the atmosphere was instant. People started to smile. They nodded at each other. They saw common ground. And from that day, the way they worked together changed.
It reminded me of what I’ve written in the trust dividend – listening creates bonds you can’t build any other way.
This type of exercise also echoes the findings of berkeley executive education, which shows how open communication strengthens collaboration across generations.
Taking action as a leader
If you’re leading a team today, whether it’s a handful of people or hundreds, I want you to pause and ask yourself: Am I really listening? Not “Do I run one-on-ones?” Not “Do I send updates?” But am I sitting down, eye to eye, and letting people speak until they’ve said what they need to say?
That’s the test of leadership. And if you’re not sure where to start, I can help. You can book me for leadership training where we put these principles into practice. Or if you’d prefer a conversation first, please reach out through my contact page. I’d love to hear what challenges you’re facing and how listening could be the missing piece in your leadership approach.
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If you would like to learn more about Anton or The Guinea Group, please click here to book into Anton’s calendar, to:
UPGRADE your Mindset
UPSKILL your Leadership
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