One of the first things I did as a new Roku user was to start adding channels to the Home screen, from Netflix and Disney+ to Apple TV+ and HBO Max.

But once I had all my channels installed, I hit a roadblock. How exactly do you rearrange all those channel tiles? Personally, I like having Netflix up top, along with such oft-used services as Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, but they were all jumbled in the middle of the channel grid.

Meanwhile, there were some channels I wanted to nix, such as People TV and Roku’s Getting Started channel.

If you’re new to Roku, it’s easy to get stuck trying to move or delete channels on the Home screen, given that there’s no obvious way to rearrange your tiles.

More experienced Roku users, however, will know the trick: the ever-useful “*” button, a.k.a. Options, which reveals contextual and related options when pressed. Once you’re familiar with the Options button, rearranging the channels on the Home screen is a snap.

How to move and remove channels from the Roku home screen

Time to complete: 5 minutesTools required: NoneMaterials required: Roku streaming video player or Roku TVCost: $0

1.
Select the Roku channel to move

Ben Patterson/Foundry

Go to the Home tab on the main Roku screen, press the “>” button on the remote, then navigate to the channel tile that you’d like to move.

2.

Ben Patterson/Foundry

Next, press the “*” button on the remote. When you do, a menu will pop up with a variety of options, allowing you to rate the channel, check for updates, submit feedback, and so on.

The option you’re looking for is Move channel; go ahead and click it.

3.
Use arrow buttons to move the channel

Ben Patterson/Foundry

Now, you’ll see the channel tiles again, except this time the one you selected will be surrounded by arrows.

Using the arrow keys on the remote, move the channel tile around until it’s in the ideal position, then press the OK button. All set!

4.
Check before deleting a Roku channel

Ben Patterson/Foundry

Want to delete a channel tile? Before you do, you should check and see if you’re subscribed to it—and if so, whether you subscribed through your Roku account.

To find out, visit my.roku.com and select Manage Your Subscriptions. If the channel you want to delete is listed, be sure to unsubscribe first.

5.

Ben Patterson/Foundry

Once you’ve finished checking your subscription (if you had one in the first place), deleting a channel on Roku is similar to moving a channel.

Just navigate to the channel you want to nix, press the “*” (Options) button, then select Remove channel.

Automating in-place mini-blinds isn’t easy. While there are a few devices that can raise and lower fabric shades, devices that can change the tilt of the horizontal slats in a Venetian blind that’s already mounted to your window are hard to come by. So far, we’ve tested only one, the Sunsa Wand, which works reasonably well, but lacks finesse.

Now there’s a competitor from SwitchBot, a company seemingly intent on turning every last device in your home into a smart device, even if it requires something of a kludgy product to make it work.

This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best smart shades and blinds.

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt is a single-purpose product a lot like the Sunsa Wand, designed strictly to change the tilt of the slats instead of moving the shades vertically. This turns out to be a challenging technical problem, because making the plastic wand spin is hard to do without having something to hold on to as an anchor. For the Sunsa, that meant replacing the wand altogether and attaching its own battery-powered wand to a small arm stuck to the top of the blinds with sticky tape.

SwitchBot offers a slightly different solution. With the Blind Tilt, you keep your existing wand, but you wrap it with additional hardware that allows it to turn. Setup here is considerably more involved than the Sunsa, starting with the requirement that you measure the circumference of your wand and attach the appropriate adapter (3 are included) to it at just the right spot with adhesive tape. A coupling gear then wraps around this adapter, which in turn slips inside the motorized unit. The motor doesn’t itself attach to anything for leverage but rather uses a cable that sticks out the top of the motor and attaches to the included solar panel.

You don’t have to use the solar panel, as the device can be periodically recharged via a USB-C cable, but you do need the cord that attaches the solar panel, which you channel through an adhesive clip that holds it in place.

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt can accomodate three sizes of wands.

Christopher Null/Foundry

As I said, it’s a slightly complex setup that requires attention to detail, but when you’re finished, you have a motor that grips your existing wand with one arm and holds on to the mini-blinds’ frame with the other. Unfortunately, in regular use, this doesn’t translate very well, as the flexible cable doesn’t provide enough support for the motor to keep from listing to either side as it attempts to turn the wand. The result sees the motor shifting around to the front or back of the wand as it strains against the flexible power cord, causing it to press up against the blinds and which in turn smashes the slats out of position and eliminates the point of tilting them to begin with. And while I thought the Sunsa Wand looked less than elegant, the SwitchBot setup looks decidedly hacked together.

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt app is easy to master and includes several automation features, including one that adjusts tilt based on brightness as measured by the included solar panel that charges the controller’s battery.

Christopher Null/Foundry

The good news is that it does at least work, more or less, and in my testing through the SwitchBot app it was able to quickly shut and open blinds—either fully open or closed or some level in between (these settings are customizable). Calibration is quick and easy, the app’s scheduling and timer systems all work fine, and there’s even a light-sensing mode that works with the solar panel to let you automate shade movements based on brightness. (Unfortunately my testing was not done in a heavily-sunlit window, so I couldn’t fully experience this feature.) Also, unlike the Sunsa, the SwitchBot has the advantage of manual operation. The wand can still be turned by hand, although you’ll probably need to use a second hand to hold the motor in place while you do it.

As with other SwitchBot devices, if you have a SwitchBot Hub you can use the device over a Wi-Fi connection—and by extension, with Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, and IFTTT. Otherwise, it’s strictly a Bluetooth affair. Fortunately, the device is cheap: It’s less than half the price of the Sunsa Wand during its Kickstarter pre-sale, and only $69 once it goes full retail. While it’s an imperfect solution, it is at least one that works with a modest level of success. If you don’t mind the top few slats of your blinds being smushed and out of sync with the others, it could work as a basic smart blind solution.

For years, our Chief Operations Officer hosted weekly leadership team meetings and did not allow staff to bring their portable devices or laptops. She felt it was distracting to everyone and was concerned the user might be working on outside projects. Today, Matt hosts our meetings and encourages leaders to bring their technology. He knows it’s their best way to capture decisions and share action steps. In our case, it’s the difference between a baby boomer and a millennial. 

How Generations Shape Culture

Twentieth-century philosopher José Ortega y Gasset said the idea of “generations” is the “most important concept in history.” Each new generation brings changes to the way things get done, but often seasoned veterans are dragged into the future kicking and screaming. Why? Because those folks have found proven methods to succeed. New methods are, well…unproven. Further, when someone introduces a new method, it’s easy to make assumptions and feel threatened. 

Sometimes our assumptions can even offend us. 

I remember taking my family to Paris, France, on a vacation. After finishing a meal, I wondered why our waiter didn’t bring the check, allowing us to pay and get on our way. Our server walked by our table several times but never once gave us the check. I finally had to wave him down to get the bill. A bit irritated, I walked out assuming our waiter just didn’t like Americans. I was reminded later this is a common misunderstanding. In Europe, it’s considered rude to bring the bill before the guests have savored their food and conversation and then requested it. In the U.S., a guest from France might feel offended in one of our restaurants when the server brings the food, then only minutes later, brings the bill. This guest may assume the waiter is rushing them off. Truth be told, Americans are “time oriented” while most places around the world are “experience oriented.” Such differences require “cultural intelligence.”

The same is true for different generations.

Just as knowing where a person grew up often helps you understand their perspective, knowing when they grew up can do the same. In his book, Wisdom at Work, Chip Conley explains today’s “unprecedented age diversity in the workplace can be confusing as we may have drastically different value systems and work systems at play. But it can be a wellspring of opportunity that the world has never experienced.” When we understand the values and systems of different generations, we can capitalize on them, instead of judging and rejecting them. 

When we don’t take the time to do this work, we can fall prey to common misconceptions: 

Builders are all antiquated.
Baby boomers are all stubborn.
Gen Xers are all skeptical. 
Millennials are all narcissistic. 
Generation Zers are all fragile. 

We know these stereotypes aren’t true, but if we only take a superficial look at a generation or only listen to certain descriptions of them, we can build walls instead of bridges to them. In his book, Originals, sociologist Adam Grant describes how we should perceive those who are younger and older than we are. He calls them “young geniuses and old masters.” This is how we prevent “ageism” from dividing teams. These young geniuses and old masters are everywhere. 

What if we approached those from different generations with high expectations and teachable spirits? I believe each generation brings complementary strengths with them to a team:

Builders often bring sage wisdom and fierce loyalty. 
Baby boomers often bring stories and experience.
Generation X often brings pragmatic and contrarian insights.
Millennials often bring confidence and idealism. 
Generation Z often brings a “hacker mindset” and entrepreneurial spirit. 

Andrew and I meet every other week. I am thirty years older than he is, and we both have so much to teach each other. The good news is, we each come to that meeting prepared to learn. For a portion of this regular meeting, he’s asking me questions; then for another portion, we shift gears, and I am in a learning posture. Since we both are emotionally secure, we don’t focus on our position but our disposition. It happens seamlessly. How do we do it? We decided long ago that we both would:

Swallow our ego.
Remain hungry to grow.
Put the mission first.
Add value to each other.

Imagine that? A baby boomer and a millennial enjoying a growth experience that changes hands at the drop of a hat. His expertise complements mine, and mine his. 

Good news: We now have an event that covers this topic for school campuses, as well as a new book coming out October 25th, entitled: A New Kind of Diversity: Making the Different Generations on Your Team a Competitive Advantage. If you are a current partner of Growing Leaders and you are interested in hosting A New Kind of Diversity Event, please email [email protected]. If you are not, please complete this registration form (have the link directly to the intake form). To pre-order the book, visit: NewDiversityBook.com.

Is It Possible to Assess Our Ability to Connect with Other Generations?

By Tim Elmore

Janet experienced trouble at work just two weeks after she hired Rory. In their weekly meetings, Rory began expressing his distaste for the department’s current strategies. He described their team as a big “L” (meaning “loser”) and said he didn’t know why they weren’t implementing better ideas. 

Everyone glanced over at Janet, wondering how she’d respond to his audacity. She was livid, to say the least, but remained poised as she invited Rory to her office following the meeting. She closed the door and accused Rory of being disrespectful when he questioned her leadership in front of others. Rory was equally appalled, shocked that Janet wasn’t open to new ideas. He felt “dissed.” She always “preached” that theirs was a learning organization. The meeting ended with no resolution. 

Both Janet, the hiring manager, and Rory, the 24-year-old team member, felt disrespected. 

The fact of the matter is, the disrespect both people felt can be explained by the generation from which they came. Janet is a 59-year-old Baby Boomer who expects ideas to be introduced in a respectful manner to authorities. Rory is a young professional who believes in “keeping it real” and felt he really didn’t have a “voice” at the table. 

This kind of frustration happens multiple times each week on teams around the world.

Age Discrimination in the Marketplace

Did you know that age discrimination lawsuits are on the rise, across the U.S., from both young and old? Major companies like IBM, Marriott, WeWork, Google and others have been sued by older team members who felt they were passed up for promotions because they were old. Young team members sued their companies because they felt they didn’t get a raise because they were too young. Many of these lawsuits surprised company leaders. 

Why? Because we all tend to be chrono-centric. This term means we assume our generation or the time we grew up in is more important and impressive, and we often cannot understand why others don’t see the world the way we do. We’re stuck in the chronology of our own lifetime. My questions are:

Is it possible to understand the mindset of other generations?
Is it possible to connect with them well if we’re not like them?
Is it possible to assess ourselves so we can adapt and lead them wisely? 

Let’s face it: Parents argue with their young adult children over values. Supervisors debate with their young employees over communication preferences. Coaches become irritated with the attitudes of freshman athletes. Teachers become frustrated with disrespectful students. My questions are: Can we break out of this rut? If so, is there a way to evaluate our fluency as we try to communicate with other generations? 

What’s Your GQ?

I’ve given lots of thought to this issue. In response, our team has developed an assessment to measure your generational fluency. We call it your “GQ,” or your generational quotient. For years, we’ve taken assessments on our cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence. And just like we can measure our IQ and our EQ, it’s possible to assess our GQ. This test enables you to evaluate how well you understand and connect with the other generations working next to you. 

Today, there are four or five generations at work or on a school campus and too often, we clash instead of collaborate. It begins with misunderstanding. Then comes frustration. Soon, we reach an impasse. Along the way—we begin to stereotype:

Those baby boomers are all stubborn.
Those Gen Xers are all skeptical.
Those millennials are all narcissistic. 
Those Gen Z kids are all fragile snowflakes.

Instead of stereotyping, we need to understand. I’d like to invite you to take this GQ assessment. It is absolutely free and lets you respond to questions and conclude how well you adapt to leading multiple generations on your team. In minutes after taking it, you’ll receive your results in your inbox, with a short article and suggestions for how to better connect with the other generations next to you. Find out your GQ now.

One more thing: I’ve written a book designed to be an encyclopedia and dictionary for you to connect with the various generations around you. It’s called A New Kind of Diversity: Making the Different Generations on Your Team a Competitive Advantage. It officially releases October 25th, and you can preorder it now to get bonus gifts such as a keynote video of me teaching on this subject, a bonus chapter, an article that includes part of my generation chart, and guidance on leading multiple generations. You can grab your copy here: NewDiversityBook.com. 

Stereotypes exist for a reason, but far too often, it is an uninformed reason.

Truth be told, the workplace is in flux regarding old and young. Young professionals are leapfrogging older generations in promotions and raises as they bring with them an innovative spirit and intuition on where society is going. They seem to understand how to market to the new customer. At the same time, the workforce is aging, as folks are living longer and staying in their careers believing they can’t afford to retire. By 2030, people aged sixty-five and older will outnumber those under the age of eighteen for the first time in U.S. history. 

So how does this affect us at work?

Houston, We Have a Barrier

Intergenerational teams represent a leadership paradox. Miami professor Megan Gerhardt writes, “They can be an utter disaster, or they can be a transformational breakthrough in the diversity of thought depending on how these teams are led and managed.” 

Because our population has found age-niches, we all feel we “get it” more than others. Media studies professor and author Jib Fowles coined the term “chronocentricism”—which means that members of each generation possess a set of comfortable norms about what’s “right,” just as people do regarding their home culture. Associating what is familiar with what is right and the unfamiliar as wrong is a deeply ingrained human tendency. And demanding others to change is creating major barriers today. 

So, allow me to bridge some of these barriers by exposing what I’ve heard from older and younger generations about “right” and “wrong” at work. This may just shed light on your perspective and spark conversation between generations on your team.

CHANGE

Older leaders often feel the younger generations haven’t taken the time to investigate relevant organizational history and context before presenting new ideas.

Younger generations often feel the older veterans only want to approve a “facelift” to current methods rather than the “overhaul” they see needs to happen. 

Young teammates—listen to gain context. Older people—be open to fundamental changes.

TECHNOLOGY

Older leaders feel team members who are on their phones during a meeting must be distracted by outside issues or even by social media posts.

Younger leaders assume everyone knows their portable devices are the very tool they use to stay engaged, take notes, and record ideas in those meetings. 

Young teammates—look up and give your leaders eye contact. Older teammates—trust that phones and tablets are being used for the work at hand. 

COMMUNICATION 

Older leaders don’t know why younger generations don’t want to communicate face-to-face or even by phone conversation on important issues.

Younger leaders feel older generations don’t realize the world now expedites communication by using text messages and social media platforms to communicate at work. 

Young teammates—do the social and emotional work of in-person conversation. Older teammates—allow for young teammates to leverage screens to accelerate communication.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT 

Older leaders wonder why their offer of a corner office and a new title didn’t elicit genuine gratitude from younger leaders as a promotion. 

Younger leaders don’t understand why older generations are into titles when what they want is more PTO, flexibility, and autonomy on the job. 

Young teammates—recognize the motives of seasoned veterans who want to affirm you but may use methods that feel outdated. Older teammates—learn the love-language of the young. 

RESPECT AND HONOR

Older leaders feel younger generations often act like fragile “snowflakes” when they require trigger warnings in candid conversation during meetings. 

Younger generations can’t believe older leaders aren’t more sensitive and respectful to others who are deeply offended and require empathy from them. 

We must commit ourselves to honor each other. Frequently, older leaders can’t believe young generations don’t show more respect, as they blurt out new ideas without paying their dues and don’t consider why the current ideas are in place. Younger generations can’t believe older leaders don’t exhibit more respect to them, since everyone is equal and should have a voice, without having to “pay their dues.”

What if Chip Conley was right? Chip is an Airbnb executive and author who believes every work team has modern elders and digital sages. He believes older generations can exchange their emotional intelligence for the digital intelligence more inherent to younger employees. 

The bottom line? Let’s meet in the middle. We must demonstrate honor and respect. The path to those is paved with understanding and recognition. Let’s practice this. 

Good news: We now have an event that covers this topic for school campuses, as well as a new book coming out October 25th, entitled: A New Kind of Diversity: Making the Different Generations on Your Team a Competitive Advantage. If you are a current partner of Growing Leaders and you are interested in hosting A New Kind of Diversity Event, please email [email protected]. If you are not, please complete this registration form (have the link directly to the intake form). To pre-order the book, visit: NewDiversityBook.com.