Next Gen Now Summit Speaker Spotlight: Peter Tateishi
- Katelyn Sladek
- Sep 23
- 3 min read
On October 30, the Next Gen Now Summit takes place virtually and in-person in Washington DC. Featuring 25 thought leaders, policy experts, and community innovators, the Summit is focused on solving critical challenges at the intersection of work, education, and leadership.
XYZ University's CEO, Sarah Sladek, organized the Summit to gather and share best practices on workforce trends, engagement strategies, and reaching the next generation. Speakers include leaders from organizations trailblazing the future -- and over the course of the next two weeks, we're featuring insights from the amazing line-up of speakers here on our blog.
Stay tuned! And for more information or to register, visit: https://nextgennowsummit.com/.
Peter Tateishi is the CEO of Associated General Contractors of California (AGC).
What inspired you to focus on generational engagement and inclusive leadership?
The construction industry’s number one challenge is building a qualified workforce. We have been facing a workforce shortage for decades and we have not been able to inspire at the levels necessary the next generation, women, and underrepresented communities to pursue careers in construction. Over the past two decades we have increased the presence of women from 8% to 12-14%. This is not enough progress to solve our challenge. We have to understand the next generation and create an inclusive place where all belong to solve our workforce problem.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your approach to building inclusive cultures?
When I was 19 years old, I had my first experience where I was told “you don’t understand. I’ve been doing this job longer than you’ve been alive.” I knew that mentality was not going to position our organization for the future and that creating inclusive cultures was the only path forward with relevancy.
What is one misconception about generational dynamics that you'd like to debunk?
Running an association, I hear a lot that young people aren’t “joiners.” I disagree. Young people want to belong and make a difference. The question associations have to ask is “are we creating opportunities for people to have impact?” This generation doesn’t care about how associations are organized; they care about whether or not they can engage and improve their industry and the world around them through associations.
How does your upcoming session align with the summit's mission to foster belonging across generations?
The construction industry must create an inclusive work environment where all generations and all people not only feel welcomed, but belong. Construction has caught the eye of Gen Z, and to retain them, we must evolve our job sites and our offices and focus on a culture of belonging. AGC of California is working with its members to develop and evolve the construction industry to a culture of belonging.
In your view, what is the most pressing challenge organizations face in engaging younger generations today?
Legacy structures that are held too rigidly. Asking the younger generation to bend to your organization’s structure instead of evolving to meet their needs, wants, and expectations is the single biggest challenge in getting the next generation to engage. For associations, they don’t want to sit in a committee meeting every month just because we always have. They want to know how to make an impact and meetings, committees, boards, are not always the way they want to engage.
Have any questions of your own that you are wishing to be answered? Fill out this form, and we’ll get a response to you as soon as possible!
Comments