A generation is defined by both demographics and the Key Life Events that age cohorts experience together. Breathes there an American Baby Boomer who doesn't remember the crowded schools, shared desks and large classes of their youth, or where they were when they heard that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated?

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The four generations alternately collaborating and duking it out in the workplace are:

VETERANS: Technically two groups: The GIs (1901-1924), and the Silents (1925-1943). The annealing and uniting events for Vets was WWII. Think Tom Brokaw's Greatest Generation and all the kids during that tumultuous, anxious, yet exhilerating era. Though fast exiting the workplace, they remain connected and influential.

BORN: 1922-1943, 52 million people

DEFINING EVENTS & TRENDS: Patriotism, Families, Great Depression, New Deal, World War II, Korean War, Golden Age of Radio, Silver Screen, Labor Union

CORE VALUES: Dedication, Sacrifice, Hard Work, Conformity, Law and Order, Patience, Respect for Authority, Duty Before Pleasure, Adherence to Rules, Honor

PERSONALITY: Conformists, Conservative Spenders, Past-Oriented, Believe in Logic, not Magic

BOOMERS: The post-war Baby Boomers created the largest, most positive, doted upon generation the world has ever seen. This demographic Pig-in-the-Python claimed the world by right of inheritance and vowed to change everything for the better. They hold most of the "good" jobs and occupy most of the important posts. In 1969 Time Magazine declared the ascendant Baby Boomer "Person of the Year." Today they are turning 50 at the rate of 11,000 a day. Birth dates vary by definer, but 1943-1960 covers most conceptualizations.

BORN: 1943-1960, 73 million people

DEFINING EVENTS & TRENDS: Prosperity, Children in the Spotlight, Television, Suburbia, Assassinations, Vietnam, Civil Rights, Cold War, Women's Lib, Space Race

CORE VALUES: Optimism, Teamwork, Personal Gratification, Health and Wellness, Personal Growth, Youth, Work, Involvement

PERSONALITY: Driven, Soul-Searchers, Willing to "Go the Extra Mile," Love-Hate Relationship with Authority

XERS: Born between 1960 and 1980 and reared during the anxious days of Three Mile Island, widespread retrenchment and the belief that they would inherit a has-been country, Gen Xers acquired a wary demeanor and a cynicism about work, business and careers. Their "It's only a job" attitude puts them in perpetual conflict with the "Let's have a meeting!" and "Thank God it's Monday!" Baby Boomers.

BORN: 1960-1980, 70 million people

DEFINING EVENTS & TRENDS: Watergate, Stagflation, Latchkey kids, Single parents, MTV, AIDS, Computers, Challenger, Fall of Berlin Wall, Glasnost, Wall Street Frenzy

CORE VALUES: Diversity, Thinking Globally, Balance, Technoliteracy, Fun, Informality, Self-reliance, Pragmatism

PERSONALITY: Risk-Takers, Skeptical, Family-oriented, Focused on Job, not Work Hours

NEXTERS: The New Kids referred to variously as Millennials, Gen Y, Echo Boomers, the Internet Generation and Nexters, date from sometime between 1977 and 1982 depending, again, on the definer. The numbers continue to grow. Doted on, sheltered, helmeted, organized, and raised like hot-house flowers, they are only now defining themselves in the workplace and moving beyond fast food, paper route, lawn mowing and part-time Web design jobs.

BORN: 1980 & later, 70 million people

DEFINING EVENTS & TRENDS: Internet chat, School violence, Oklahoma City bombing, TV talk shows, "It Takes a Village," Multiculturalism, Girls' Movement, McGwire, and Sosa

CORE VALUES: Confidence, Civic Duty, Achievement, Sociability, Morality, Diversity, Street Smarts

PERSONALITY: Optimistic, Prefer Collective action, Tenacious

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