Generationally Speaking, the book by Alastair Greener

Generationally Speaking, How to Bridge the Generation Gap and Communicate with Confidence, is Alastair Greener's first book, published by Right Book Press on 3 November 2025 and shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2026. Built on his own UK research, it introduces each of the eight living generations, tests the stereotypes against the data and shows how to communicate with confidence across all of them, at work and at home.

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What the book is about

For the first time in history, eight generations are alive at the same time and four of them are working side by side. Most of what gets written about them is a caricature: Baby Boomers who cannot work the printer, Millennials who feel entitled, Generation Z who cannot hold a conversation without a screen. Generationally Speaking starts somewhere else. It starts with understanding instead of judgement.

Alastair introduces each generation in turn, from the Silent Generation to Generation Beta, with the cultural touchpoints that framed them, the observations that make them recognisable and a sense of what makes them tick. He then draws on his own original research, a 2024 survey of 4,067 people in the UK and a 2023 study of British HR managers, to explain how each generation actually communicates: which channels they reach for, how often they want feedback, why some will not answer the phone and others will not stop sending cards.

The book is also practical. How do you run a team, a family or a customer relationship that spans four generations without anyone feeling patronised or ignored? Alastair's answer runs through five principles: curiosity, listening, non-judgement, avoiding comparison and accepting difference. The message is that living in a multigenerational world is an asset, not an obstacle, provided we stop mistaking our own generation's habits for the correct way to do things.

Who it is for

Managers and HR professionals who have four generations on the payroll and a hunch that something is being lost in translation. Leaders who want to keep their youngest people and get the best from their most experienced. Teachers, parents and grandparents trying to understand the children in front of them. And anyone who has ever sent a message, watched the "read" receipt appear and wondered why there was no reply.

It is a business book written by someone who has spent his life communicating for a living: 16 years running entertainment departments on the QE2 and Queen Mary 2, then a decade interviewing business leaders on television. The statistics are there to settle arguments rather than start them.

Business Book Awards 2026 finalist

Generationally Speaking was shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2026, chosen from more than 340 entries. The winners are announced in London on 16 September 2026.

Endorsements

The Generationally Speaking Foundation

£1 from the sale of every physical copy goes to the Generationally Speaking Foundation, which Alastair set up to support charities helping disadvantaged children and young people to thrive. The first charity supported is Positive Social, founded by podcast guest Mark Saxby.

Details

Bulk orders for teams, conferences and book clubs, and signed copies posted within the UK, are available directly. Get in touch with the quantity and delivery address.

Bring the book to your organisation

Alastair's keynotes and workshops take the book's ideas into the room, tailored to your industry and built on the research. Many organisations pair a talk with copies of the book for every attendee. See speaking and consulting, or listen to the ideas being tested on the podcast.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I buy Generationally Speaking by Alastair Greener?

The paperback is available from Waterstones and Amazon UK, and the ebook from Amazon Kindle. Signed copies, posted within the UK, and bulk orders for teams and events are available directly from Alastair through the contact page.

What is the ISBN of Generationally Speaking?

The paperback ISBN is 9781915483942 and the ebook ISBN is 9781915483959. The book was published by Right Book Press on 3 November 2025.

Which generations does the book cover?

All eight living generations: the Greatest Generation, the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials (Gen Y), Generation Z, Generation Alpha and Generation Beta. The workplace chapters concentrate on the four or five generations that share most offices today.

Is the book based on research?

Yes. Alastair commissioned two UK studies: a 2023 survey of HR managers on four generations at work and a 2024 survey of 4,067 people, from eight year olds to the over 78s, on how they communicate. Both are summarised on this site and available to download in full from the research pages.

Does the book help with managing Gen Z?

It does, though it will not tell you Gen Z are all the same. It sets out what the data says Gen Z want, including feedback at least weekly for 45% of Gen Z workers, and how to communicate with them without either patronising them or giving up your standards. The Generation Z guide on this site covers the same ground.