Settle The Ball: What Three Generations Taught Us About Navigating Change

A new lens on change, collaboration, and leadership across ages.

If you’ve felt like the pace of change has kicked up a few notches this fall, you’re in good company. That urgency—and the need to slow it down—was the shared theme at our November Roundtable.

While we often talk about four or even five generations in the workplace, this month’s conversation brought three generations around our virtual table—and it was more than enough to spark something powerful. The stories, perspectives, and lived experiences created a masterclass in how people of different ages process change. Personally. Culturally. Professionally.

And together, we did what Brené Brown calls “settling the ball.”

In soccer, when the field feels chaotic, you don’t kick harder—you stop the ball, steady yourself, and choose your next move with intention.

That’s exactly what this conversation gave us.

Where the Conversation Took Us

Jorge Fragoso — Building Age Awareness From the Ground Up

Jorge Fragoso from Sanofi (Mexico City) shared the challenge—and the opportunity—of introducing the concept of ageism in Spanish-speaking cultures, where there hasn’t always been shared language for it. His work with the Latamo ERG is foundational: helping people name what they’re experiencing so change can begin.

He reminded us that when organizations don’t have vocabulary for age dynamics, they can’t address them. When they do, everything starts to move.

Jay Nelson — Stories as a Bridge Across Generations

Jay Nelson, co-founder of the Legacies Project, described the power of pairing generations through storytelling. Interviews, letters, shared histories—he has watched these exchanges build trust, calm, and clarity across age lines.

Jay also shared how writing helps him organize his own thoughts during times of transition. His work is a living example of settling the ball through story.

Nicole Smith — Reinvention, Burnout, and the Courage to Shift

Nicole Smith, founder of She Shifted Momentum and a Detroit-based leader with a background spanning financial services, government, and higher education, spoke candidly about burnout and identity. She reflected on the professional seasons that shape us—and the courage it takes to step into a new one.

Her emerging wellness business is built around helping others navigate change with clarity and self-trust. Nicole reminded us that change isn’t just organizational; it’s deeply personal.

Annie Bergeron — A Millennial Supporting Gen Z (and Relearning Balance)

Annie Bergeron, a Millennial in Talent Development at General Motors and part of the GM Generations ERG Leadership Team, offered a refreshing look at the real differences between Millennials and Gen Z.

She shared that she inherited the “always be producing” work ethic modeled by her parents—something many Millennials absorbed without question. And she’s intentionally unlearning it.

Supporting Gen Z talent has given her a front-row seat to a different way:
Gen Z names burnout sooner.
Gen Z asks for clarity earlier.
Gen Z challenges unhealthy norms courageously and consistently.

Annie even shared practical tools she uses to manage her own digital overload, including an app that helps her set boundaries with her phone. Her perspective captured the heart of the conversation:

When generations collaborate, everyone learns something that helps them settle the ball.

K. Zaheerah Sultan — The Histories We Bring Into the Room

K. Zaheerah Sultan, with a career spanning union leadership, arts advocacy, and her current consulting work through Mind Your Business Art, grounded our discussion by reminding us of the cultural and historical stories each generation brings into the workplace.

She spoke about how identity, heritage, and lived experience shape how we show up—sometimes more than age alone. Her voice anchored us in a broader truth:

We can’t understand generational differences without understanding where people come from.

The Thread Running Through All of It

As we talked, a pattern emerged:

Every generation is trying to make sense of constant change—but they’re doing it in different ways, shaped by different histories and expectations.

What one generation sees as pressure, another sees as identity.
What one calls burnout, another calls loyalty.
What one names as adaptation, another experiences as loss—or possibility.

But when we talk together—with honesty and curiosity—the pace of change slows.
We stop reacting.
We start choosing.
We settle the ball.

That is the real purpose of these roundtables.
Looking Ahead to January — and to 2026

Our first Roundtable of 2026 will build directly from this conversation:

🗓️ January 22, 2026 at Noon ET

“How Do We Lead Through Change When Every Generation Experiences It Differently?”

We’re not returning with more content—we’re returning with more conversation.
The wisdom is already in the room.

This theme also sets the tone for a larger focus in 2026:
creating space for leaders to explore how generational strengths shape the way they adapt to change—including the changes being accelerated by AI and the evolving nature of work.

Not AI training.
Not tech tutorials.
But intergenerational readiness, emotional trust, and practical collaboration in a rapidly shifting world.

This is where Generation IQ will continue to make its strongest impact.

See You in January

We’re taking December off to breathe, reflect, and refill (resources we all desperately need).
Your official January invitation is below—and I hope you’ll consider bringing a colleague who would benefit from these conversations.

Until then, here’s your reminder:
You don’t have to keep up with everything.
You only need to pause long enough to choose your next move.

Warmly,

Mary