Gray Goldfish: Navigating the Gray Areas to Successfully Lead Every Generation

by Stan Phelps, Brian Doyle

You need the tools to navigate. Filled with over 100 case studies and the Generational Matrix, Gray Goldfish provides the definitive map for leaders to follow as they recruit, train, manage, and inspire across the generations. We believe the recipe for successfully leading across these five generations is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We believe the recipe comes from understanding nuances and being able to treat each team member as an individual. This involves going beyond the “Golden Rule” and treating others how you would like to be treated. Gray Goldfish implores leaders to treat others how they like to be treated. The first part of the book explores the reasons for focusing on leading across the five generations and the origin of the Goldfish metaphor. We’ll also provide an overview of each of the five generations and what makes them tick. We’ll share leading examples from the Gray Goldfish Project culled from over 75 case studies in eight major Recruiting/Onboarding, Project Management, Recognition/Motivation, Flexing, Training/Development, Vision/Purpose, Feedback/Mentoring, and Retention/Loyalty. You’ll see how other companies have instituted programs and policies to engage their employees effectively. In order to be an effective leader, we need to know how to lead every generation. Here we introduce the Generational Matrix, a handy reference tool. In addition, there is a chapter for each of the five generations. In order to lead every generation, you need to know how to lead in the context of your own generation. As a little extra, we’ll also talk about the importance of followership. “With Gray Goldfish, Stan Phelps and Brian Doyle have written the ultimate playbook for every employer, human resource director, Fortune 500 CEO and small business owner on how to effectively engage and lead as many as five different generations in the workplace.” — MARK BEAL “Gray Goldfish offers an innovative and insightful approach to recruiting, managing and inspiring employees of all generations. The Generational Matrix it introduces is a compelling guide to personalized and authentic leadership that builds lasting employee loyalty.” — CHRIS MALONE “As a founder and CEO of multiple recruiting companies, I’ve seen how generational differences can make all the difference in recruiting and onboarding new employees. Brian & Stan’s book is exactly what leaders today need to understand in order to Hire/Train/Retain the best talent possible and stay competitive!” — BILL LAUGHLIN “By laying out why the generations are different and then how to use that knowledge, Brian Doyle and Stan Phelps have provided a leadership roadmap that every leader can employ immediately.” — MARKE “HOOT” GIBSON

238 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 2019

Reviews

[Marcey Rader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm such a fan of the Goldfish books and this one did not disappoint! I found myself retelling aspects of the book to my husband, which is always a good sign. Learning how to lead the different generations from every generational perspective is a fresh take on the concept. It seems like in the last few years, all the focus has been on millennials, as if they are the only age group. Gray Goldfish differentiates between Matures, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Yes, there is more than just one group (!) and all require different needs.
High Fives and Fist Bumps to another great Goldfish book.

[Alexander J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was my first introduction to the Goldfish series of career books and will be my last. I saw one of the authors (Brian Doyle) give a presentation on the concept of the new multigenerational workplace, where we currently have five generations trying to cooperate in our economy. It seemed like a good concept, but his presentation had several holes, generalizations, and assumptions. I am a history teacher, so succinct research is a must. I had a myriad of questions for him, to which he only let me ask one, dealing with the new sociological concept of microgenerations (like myself, a Xennial) to which he laughed, and rudely disregarded my question as simply me being uncomfortably labeled a Millennial. So I bought a copy of his book to see if it would open my mind and answer more questions. Sadly, the book was just as vapid and pointless as the presentation. It is riddled with assumption and anecdotes (an unfortunate and damaging trend in the career coaching field) and the "research" is laughable. Any piece of data is only footnoted, with no annotations of any kind. Not a single book, literary journal, or academic resource is used as every footnote simply lists a website, not in any proper citation style. Too many dot com websites are used for evidence, and the biggest no-no of all, Wikipedia, is referenced several dozen times. Anyone with a brain knows this site is to not be used in research. Steer clear of this piece of trash at all costs.

[Anna S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like all the advice given in this book about how to lead other generations but I do feel that there was a lot of generalizations in this book. Also, I feel that the author was off a little bit, the stuff amount the matures seems to apply more to what I observe in baby boomers and what was said about baby boomers seemed to apply more to Generation X, and so on. I know this is an opinion based off my perspective but I also work with several different generations that I was able to compare his examples to. Gen Y was painted in such a bad light in this book, noting almost no good qualities about them while explaining generation Z as if we know so much about them when they are just now barely becoming adults. Also, the author does not take into account us cuspers who were born near the end of a generation and the beginning of another. Another thing that is not mentioned is how generational traits can vary by region. Many people who grew up in rural areas were not exposed to the same things that people in the city were exposed to earlier on, leaving some almost a generation behind in many instances. He seemed very biased and almost as if he has a grudge against generation Y.