If your daughter or son just graduated, then it has probably been two or three decades since you walked the stage in a cap and gown yourself. That means you probably fit the demographic category of Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980).
Looking back, you may be asking yourself, “Are we there, yet?” meaning, have you achieved what you thought you would at this point in your life? If it feels like it’s taken a little longer than you thought, there’s good evidence.
“Despite their growing influence and responsibilities at work, Gen Xers are most overlooked for promotion and have been the slowest to advance. We found Gen X leaders on average had only 1.2 promotions in the past 5 years, significantly lower than their younger millennial counterparts (1.6 promotions) and more senior baby boomers (1.4 promotions) during the same period of time” –DDI Report: Global Leadership Forecast 2018
Compared to Millennials, who are almost always in the news, there’s not as much written about Generation X, which Pew called “America’s neglected ‘middle child.’” Nevertheless, Gen X is taking on more leadership roles as Boomer leaders begin to retire. The DDI study reported that 51% of leadership roles around the globe are now held by Gen X leaders.
As a Gen X leader, I think it is worthwhile to reflect on leadership lessons our generation has learned, especially as we launch our kids into the world of college and work.
1: Seek challenges to build self-reliance
Reports often call Gen X the “latchkey generation,” meaning we had a key to let ourselves in the house after school since both parents were at work. Not everyone had that experience, but it does seem that our contemporary culture has shifted to a much greater emphasis on supervision and safety over exploration and independence. I wonder whether the greater emphasis on safety and supervision has created an unintended side-effect of caution and dependence on the group over the self.
When I was growing up, I routinely spent long periods of time doing semi-dangerous activities, while adults only had a general idea of where I was. I consider those experiences to be positive for creating self-reliance and willingness to take risks and get myself out of trouble.
I would encourage new graduates to intentionally seek out challenges and opportunities to test yourself without a safety net. Do something on your own to prove to yourself that you can, if needed, stand without support.
2: Practice adapting, doing uncomfortable things, and reinventing yourself
Gen Xers grew up with tape recorders and rotary phones, not iPhones or touchscreens. But that hasn’t stopped us from adopting new technology quickly. The DDI study shows almost no difference in the level of tech-savvy-ness between Millennials and Gen Xers.
And when it comes to job roles, Gen Xers have demonstrated greater willingness to stay in difficult assignments and adapt to the needs of the company rather than jump ship. Along the way, they have picked up leadership skills from Boomers, who have held on to senior roles longer than previous generations.
External pressures of technology change and slower career pace have shaped Gen Xers into an adaptable group, able to move ahead quickly or run in place for a little while when needed.
Reflecting on this shaping effect, I would encourage graduates who aspire to leadership roles to embrace the elements of work that are outside their control and use them as practice for adapting and re-inventing themselves to meet real needs in the present.
3: Challenge authority…skillfully
Early reports of Gen X behavior said we were distrustful of authority and challenged everything. More recent studies suggest that characteristic has matured into something more useful. Kouzes and Posner list “challenging the process” as one of the five behaviors of good leadership, and Gen X leaders are showing signs that they have learned to challenge the status quo more effectively.
Elon Musk challenged the idea that rockets were expendable and electric cars were uninspiring. JLL reports that Gen X leaders in Chicago are challenging the escapist and segregated suburbs by re-locating company headquarters back to the city as part of a move to engage a more holistic lifestyle. And DDI describes 67% of these leaders as “hyper-collaborative” as they aggressively break down silos from more authoritarian company structures of previous decades.
New graduates can learn from the earlier mistakes of Gen Xers, who earned a rebellious and slacker image for their unfocused challenges of authority. But a more mature version of that trait is a real asset for leaders.
I encourage grads to look for skillful, constructive ways to challenge dominant paradigms, including cultural and media pressures that tell us how we should think about everything.
Gen X Leaders: Not ritzy, but real
Advice from Gen X leaders may not be ritzy, but it tends to be real. There’s nothing in this blog about chasing your dreams or being all that you can be (although that’s the Army jingle we grew up with). I believe that inspiration is essential to human flourishing, but my leadership advice to new grads is a little more gritty: look for ways to demonstrate self-reliance, practice adapting even when it’s uncomfortable, and cultivate the skill and courage to challenge what others take for granted.
I’d really love to read comments from other Gen Xers of the advice you would give to the next generation. And everyone else is welcomed to comment on what you have learned from watching Gen X leaders—whether it was good or bad.
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