Why do generations in the workplace so often misunderstand each other—even when they share the same goals? In this engaging TEDx talk, two generational experts unpack the hidden meanings behind everyday workplace tensions, from communication styles to ideas about professionalism and work ethic. Through relatable stories and research, this talk reveals how shifting our perspective can transform generational differences from sources of conflict into opportunities for connection, collaboration, and a stronger future at work. Dr. Sarah Long is an author, professor, therapeutic writing consultant, and environmental advocate. Her forthcoming memoir Uprooted: A Memoir of Belonging and Becoming (Regal House Publishing, July 2026) weaves together her journey as an adoptee, regenerative farmer, and land based educator to explore how telling our stories and reimagining our relationship to the land and all who inhabit it can help heal what ails us. Founder of The Writing Cure, Sarah harnesses the neuroscience-backed power of expressive writing to help individuals, organizations, and communities transform trauma into resilience. She operates a large regenerative garden on her 13-acre East Tennessee homestead that supplies her summer supper club with produce and serves as president of Slow Food USA Tri-Cities. She lives with her husband, their dogs, chickens, and therapy donkeys, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
Dr. Karah Sprouse is the co-founder of ReGenerate—a company empowering generations to work with (and not against) each other. She serves as adjunct faculty in Lipscomb University’s College of Leadership and Public Service and as a professor of practice at Cumberland University, where she spent more than a decade as a business professor.
Before academia, Karah held project management roles at Underwriters Laboratories and LexisNexis, leading multigenerational teams and developing a passion for intergenerational collaboration. Her research has been recognized by national and international academic bodies, including SACSCOC and ACBSP.
Karah holds a BS from the University of Tennessee, an MBA from the University of Mississippi, and a DBA from Liberty University. She lives on her family’s multigenerational farm near Nashville with her husband, children, and barnyard pets. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
