- April 17, 2024
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Ormond-By-the-Sea resident Dillon Knight Kalkhurst has written a book he hopes will bridge the divide between generations and bring forth understanding of each other's strengths.
“I’m a bit of a demography geek," Kalkhurst said. "I’ve always been fascinated with the different statistics and data.”
His self-published book, "Intergenerational Engagement: Understanding the Five Generations in Today’s Economy," is meant to dispel the negative stereotypes of recent generations and focus on the strengths that each can bring to an organization, workplace, non-profit or the like. After almost 25 years working in and around school systems helping with strategic partnerships, 10 of which he spent with the Scholastic Corporation, Kalkhurst said he was able to see two different generations of parents and students grow through the education system.
“That’s given me tremendous insight into how things have changed throughout the generations, especially how it relates to family engagement and corporate social responsibility," Kalkhurst said.
Kalkhurst, who is part of Generation X, said he wrote the majority of the book in the Ormond Beach Public Library, tucked inside one of the study booths and listening to EDM music. It's what helps get his creative juices flowing, he said.
When he got to the chapter about millennials, Kalkhurst headed to Gold Leaf Coffee inside Frame of Mind. He utilized the environment, the quintessential "millennial hangout," to draw real-life examples into his book.
With five different generations still active in the workplace, Kalkhurst said he wants to challenge people to get out of their comfort zone and see age diversity for what he believes it is.
“I want everybody to understand that age diversity is a huge gift,” Kalkhurst said.
