“The power of progress lies not in choosing one generation over another, but in learning to move forward together.”
— Michelle Cochran-Wells, Founder and CEO of The GenLab Project™
welcome to the genlab project™
In schools and workplaces across the country, something subtle but powerful is happening: generations are misfiring—not out of malice, but out of misunderstanding. Communication styles clash. Expectations differ. Morale suffers. The GenLab Project™ was created to bridge generational gaps, decode disconnects and turn them into your greatest opportunity.
Below, we ask the questions leaders everywhere are already facing and offer a glimpse at how generational strategy can shift everything.
🎓 In education, are teachers leaving faster than you can replace them? Does your staff feel divided, siloed, or unheard? Are veteran educators feeling exhausted, while new teachers are overwhelmed or disengaged? You’re not alone. The GenLab Project™ brings faculties together, boosts morale, and helps leadership create a culture where everyone—from first-year teachers to seasoned mentors—feels valued, understood, and supported.
🏢 In business, are you losing talent faster than you can onboard it? Are your team meetings filled with crossed wires, missed signals, and unspoken generational tension that no one knows how to name—let alone fix? You’re not alone. The GenLab Project™ identifies generational blind spots, strengthens team dynamics, and helps companies transform frustration into retention and misalignment into innovation.
At its core, The GenLab Project™ is about connection, collaboration, and clarity. It’s where Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and beyond, learn from one another, work more effectively together, and build cultures where everyone thrives.
Because when generations collaborate, everyone elevates.
how we help
🎓 Education
The GenLab Project™ helps schools harness these generational differences as assets—not roadblocks—by fostering understanding, building communication bridges, and empowering all educators to lead and learn effectively, together.
Generational gaps in education are more than surface-level—they’re eroding school culture, impacting student outcomes, and driving burnout across the board. With four generations of educators now under one roof, alignment isn’t optional—it’s urgent. The GenLab Project™ helps schools break down these barriers and build systems where experience and innovation work side by side.
🏢 corporate opportunities
The GenLab Project™ helps corporate leaders decode these dynamics, translate them into growth strategies, and activate a culture of generational collaboration that boosts loyalty, innovation, and trust across every level of the organization.
Companies across every industry are watching productivity decline and turnover rise, not because people can’t do the job—but because they don’t understand each other. Boomers feel dismissed. Gen Z feels misunderstood. Millennials are burnt out. And Gen X is stuck in the middle. The GenLab Project™ helps businesses translate this chaos into collaboration.
WORK WITH us
in-person events
🎤 Keynotes, Convocations & Speaking Engagements
We deliver powerful, research-backed presentations that energize audiences at conferences, convocations, and corporate gatherings. Perfect for leadership summits and transformation events.
Topics include:
• Generational Intelligence at Work
• Bridging the Gen Gap in Education
• Authentic Leadership Across Ages
personal development
🧠 One-on-One & Small Group Coaching
Designed for leaders, educators, and professionals who want to develop personal tools to navigate cross-generational relationships, lead with empathy, and increase team cohesion.
Ideal for:
• District PD Days
• HR and DEI Team Training
• Business Leadership Series
on-demand programming
📽 Recorded Trainings You Can Access Anytime
Self-paced courses and modules that explore generational behavior, communication, leadership, and collaboration. Built for busy professionals, leaders, educators, teachers, and anyone looking to learn more. Ready when you are.
live online events
💻 Interactive Virtual Presentations & Webinars
Host engaging, real-time Zoom sessions for your school district or business. Participants leave with action steps and tools to immediately implement generational strategies.
did you know?
in our school systems
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), nearly 54% of educators are Millennials or younger, while over 33%are Gen X or Baby Boomers. Yet despite their shared mission, generational gaps in communication, technology preferences, and values continue to create friction.
In our businesses
A 2024 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report found that 69% of HR professionals cite generational friction as a top factor in employee disengagement, and 58% of companies say it has led to breakdowns in collaboration, productivity, or innovation.
generation overlap
A recent Pew Research Center study showed more than 68% of workers say cross-generational teamwork improves innovation and problem-solving. Each generation offers a unique lens shaped by its time. Yet it’s in the overlap, where tradition meets progress, that true collaboration happens.
our approach
At The GenLab Project™, we take a relational, research-driven approach to addressing generational disconnects in both schools and workplaces. We don’t lecture, we engage. Through interactive keynotes, immersive workshops, and professional development experiences, we help educators, leaders, and corporate teams decode generational behaviors, communication preferences, and workplace expectations. Our method blends empathy with strategy, encouraging collaboration across age groups by positioning generational differences as strategic strengths.
🎓 In education, we guide faculty and administrators to create cultures of trust, inclusion, and retention. Today’s schools are generational ecosystems. Our approach equips educators, administrators, and support staff with tools to navigate generational diversity, not as a challenge, but as a strategic advantage.
🏢 In business, we help teams break through miscommunication, reduce turnover, and unlock innovation through multi-generational teamwork. Today’s generational disconnect in the workplace isn’t just an HR issue, it’s a performance barrier. We take a data-driven, people-first approach to help businesses decode generational dynamics and turn them into team strength.
Whether your challenge is morale, burnout, disengagement, or retention, our approach at The GenLab Project™ equips your team to meet today’s complex workforce dynamics head-on by equipping teams to decode generational blind spots
did you know?
teacher feedback
Approximately 72% of Gen Z teachers report feeling under-supported by leadership, citing differences in feedback style, collaboration preferences, and values related to work-life balance. Veteran teachers, on the other hand, often feel sidelined or left out of tech-centric initiatives.
In our businesses
In the corporate sector, FOUR generations now work together in most offices—and the disconnect is costing organizations money, time and talent. Communication gaps, conflicting work expectations, and differing views on flexibility and feedback are the primary culprits.
workplace engagement
Gen Z and Millennials report the lowest levels of workplace engagement. According to Gallup, only 31% of Gen Z employees feel “strongly connected” to their current employer. In contrast, Gen X and Baby Boomers often feel overlooked by digital transformation efforts or undervalued in leadership succession plans.
in our school systems
Veteran teachers, on the other hand, often feel sidelined or left out of tech-centric initiatives. These disconnects aren't just interpersonal, they’re impacting staff retention, morale, and the student experience. Education Week survey revealed that 65% of administrators struggle with aligning professional development to meet the needs of multi-generational teams.
service with a mission
programs Customized for Your Needs
Inspiration leads to transformation, and Michelle’s services provide your leaders and attendees with the insights they need to leverage multi-generational strengths for a competitive edge. Michelle’s expertise centers on bridging generational gaps in educational environments, the workplace, leadership, and consumer engagement, leading to increased collaboration, innovation, sales, and long-term success.
Michelle brings the following trifecta to every service we provide:
Weaves generational understanding into the fabric of your organization
Enhances leadership performance by embracing cross-generational collaboration
Transforms organizational culture
Her mission is designed to drive growth, leadership, and loyalty while adapting to the needs of a diverse organization. By uniting generational perspectives, she and her staff help to foster inclusivity, innovation, and sustainable performance.
Connecting you with us
1
EXPLORE AND SCHEDULE
Browse our keynotes, workshops, and development tools for education or corporate teams.
Schedule a call.
2
LET’S CHAT!
Let’s talk!
We will discuss your team’s needs and goals, get to know you and your organization.
3
Launch Your GenLab Experience
We get busy customizing your keynote, personal development, or session. After your review, we set a date for delivery of your choosing.
“Michelle’s commitment to excellence, transformation, and leadership has cultivated a unique skill set that organically blends technical prowess with an innate understanding of human potential related to generational insight.”
— KATY F.
Keynote and Workshop Client
