Gen X Leaders vs. Millennials & Gen Z: The Workplace Showdown No One Talks About

Episode Title: Gen X Leaders vs. Millennials & Gen Z: The Workplace Showdown No One Talks About

Host: Colby Morris
Release Date: [Insert Date, e.g., March 5, 2025]
Episode Overview

Are generational differences derailing your workplace? In this episode of Things Leaders Do, COO Colby Morris dives into the leadership clash no one’s talking about: Gen X versus Millennials and Gen Z. From the “figure it out” grit of Gen X to the feedback-hungry, team-driven Millennials and Gen Z, Colby unpacks what sets these generations apart, why it sparks tension, and how to bridge the gap. Packed with real stories, stats, and actionable strategies, this 14-minute episode is your guide to leading across generations—whether you’re a Gen X boss or a younger manager under one.

Key Topics: Generational leadership styles, workplace communication, team collaboration, feedback strategies

Subscribe: Never miss an episode—hit that subscribe button!

Key Takeaways

• Gen X Leaders: Embrace feedback and collaboration—your grit’s gold, but today’s teams need guidance. Try a 10-minute weekly check-in.
• Millennials & Gen Z Leaders: Proactively seek clarity and deliver results—your Gen X boss values ownership over effort.
• Bridge the Divide: Structured communication (e.g., biweekly huddles) cuts disconnects—Colby’s team proves it with a 20% turnover drop.

Listener Challenge: Spot a generational clash at work. Test a check-in this week—did it shift the vibe? Tell us!

Resources Mentioned

Deloitte Study: 70% of Gen Xers prioritize self-reliance

Pew Research: 60% of Millennials want weekly feedback

Connect with Colby: LinkedIn Profile – Leadership workshops & keynotes. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/colbymorris/)

Why You’ll Love This Episode

Struggling with generational tensions as a leader? Colby Morris, seasoned COO, breaks down the Gen X “figure it out” mindset versus Millennials and Gen Z’s team-driven approach. With real-world stories—like turning a floundering project into a win and slashing turnover 20%—this episode delivers practical tips to unite your team. Whether you’re a Gen X manager adapting to younger crews or a Millennial navigating a hands-off boss, you’ll walk away with strategies to lead smarter today.

SEO Keywords: Gen X vs Millennials workplace, generational leadership strategies, how to lead Millennials, Gen Z team management

Get Involved

Email Us: Got a leadership clash? Send it to [e-mail] —Colby might tackle it next!

Rate & Review: Loved this? Drop a 5-star rating—it helps us grow.

• Colby's LinkedIn Profile
• Things Leaders Do Instagram

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Things Leaders Do, the podcast that
uncovers the secrets of becomingan extraordinary leader.
If you're a leader who'sconstantly seeking growth,
inspiration and tangible ways tolevel up your leadership, then
you've come to the right place.
Remember, the world needsexceptional leaders, and that
leader is you.
Now here's your host, colbyMorris.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Hello leaders and welcome back to the TLD podcast.
I'm Colby Morris and I am allabout leadership as action, not
titles.
I've been in the trenches fromfrontline gigs to the COO chair
and I've learned leadershipisn't just calling the shots,
it's developing people, it'sbridging gaps and keeping pace

(00:49):
with growth.
That's why I started thispodcast to hand you real,
actionable tools, whether you'rewrangling a small crew or
stirring a big ship.
Today we're driving intosomething juicy and, honestly, a
little messy the generationalleadership divide.

(01:10):
Gen X leaders feeling likethey're running a daycare.
Millennials and Gen Z wonderingwhy feedback's a ghost town.
Wherever you sit, we'reunpacking what's up, why it's a
big deal and how to lead throughit.
So buckle up and let's rollFirst up.

(01:33):
Gen X leaders my tribe Bornbetween the mid-60s and early
80s.
We're the latchkey kids raisedon independence latchkey kids
raised on independence.
Picture this you're 12, homealone making mac and cheese from
a box because mom's workinglate.
The TV breaks, you smack ittill it works or you don't watch

(01:57):
it.
That figure-it-out mindsetstuck At work.
Gen X leaders are hands off.
If it's quiet, it's fine.
We value results over chit chat, resilience over coddling.
A Deloitte study pretty muchpegs it 70% of Gen Xers say

(02:20):
self-reliance is their topstrength.
That's because we were forgedin the 80s when we saw our
parents grind through layoffsand recessions.
Here's a story from my early opsdays.
My boss, mike, was a peak GenXer Gruff no nonsense.

(02:43):
We got slammed with newsoftware Think clunky 90s
nightmare.
I'm drowning, missing deadlines, botching reports.
I wait for Mike to swoop inCrickets.
Finally I cornered him, mike.
I'm sinking man.

(03:05):
He grins You're sharp, colby,you'll crack it.
It took me three weeks of latenights cursing under my breath,
but I did.
Later, over coffee, he said Iknew you'd get there.
Why spood and feed talent?
Well, that's Gen X in anutshell Trusting grit, sink or

(03:29):
swim style.
It builds tough teams.
But here's the rub it assumeseveryone's wired the same
spoiler they're not.
That's where the showdownstarts.
Now let's flip the script tomillennials in gen z born from
the 80s to early 2000s.

(03:50):
These leaders grew up pluggedin cell phones and then slack by
college.
They're collaborative,purpose-driven and
feedback-hungry.
A peer report nails it 60% ofmillennials want weekly
check-ins.
Annual reviews are prehistoricto them.

(04:11):
They're not here for just apaycheck.
They want impact and they shinein teams, not silos.
I've seen it up close.
Take Sarah, my Gen Z manager Iworked with last year.
We had a project that wastanking.
Deadlines were slipping,clients were antsy.

(04:32):
My Gen X gut says lock in,grind it solo.
But not Sarah.
She fires up Slack.
She pulls the team into avirtual huddle.
What's broken?
What's the fix?
Two hours later they had a planand she's pinging me Colby

(04:54):
thoughts on this pivot.
They deliver early.
The team's buzzing Next day.
She's back.
Any notes on our rollout?
I would have slogged it outalone, but her crew thrived.
They were adaptable, inclusive,wired for connection.

(05:16):
The flip side of that that pingpong guidance can rattle a
hands-off boss.
She's not needy, she's teamfirst.
It's independence versusinterdependence and the sparks
fly when these styles collide.

(05:37):
So how do we bridge this right?
Leaders don't pick teams, theybuild bridges.
So if you're Gen X, here's yourplaybook.
First, feedback's your friend.
A quick, great job or tweak.
This takes 30 seconds.

(05:59):
Do it.
Millennials and Gen Z eat it up.
Two, mentor and don't dictate.
Look, equip them with tools,not just orders.
Okay, growth beats survival.
Every time.
Three, rethink, hustle, andthis is going to be a tough one

(06:20):
for a lot of you.
Efficiency isn't laziness.
Did you hear that?
One more time.
Efficiency isn't laziness.
Judge the output, not the desktime.
They're not slacking, they'resmart.
Number four check-ins, weekly10-minute huddles beat assuming

(06:50):
that they'll figure it out.
Okay.
Clarity is not coddling, it'sfuel.
And if you're not doing yourweekly and monthly one-on-ones,
yeah, you're setting yourself upfor failure.
Next is team up.
I want you to pushcollaboration.
Your solo grit's gold, but theyshine together.

(07:11):
Try a brainstorm session.
And then, finally, I want youto own the.
Why Own the?
Why Tie tasks to purpose?
They will run through walls ifthey see the point.
All right Now, if you're amillennial or a Gen Z under a

(07:33):
Gen X boss, I want you to own it.
Don't wait.
Ask for clarity proactively.
Okay, they are not going tochase you down to give it to you
, so you have to be proactive.
Second, I want you to show wins.
What does that mean?
It means deliver results.

(07:53):
They respect outcomes overeffort.
Numbers talk louder than hustle.
Three, I want you to be direct.
Okay, bring problems withsolutions, no fluff.
They hate whining, and I'vesaid this a lot, you've heard it
on this podcast many timesDon't ever bring me just a

(08:16):
problem.
Always bring me at least one ortwo solutions and then tell me
which one you think is right.
And then finally, flex timing.
Okay, they're, they're notglued to Slack.
Okay, try a quick email or ascheduled chat If you really
need to reach them.
You have to understand they'reprobably not dialed in to the

(08:40):
quickest way you want to try toget ahold of them.
Dialed in to the quickest wayyou want to try to get a hold of
them.
Quick pause I want you to thinkof one generational clash at
your work.
Could just a simple check-in fixit?
Then jot that down.
I have a tell for you.

(09:01):
As COO, I had a Gen X VP andwe'll call him Tom.
Tom gave space, too much space.
His team's turnover hit 30%.

(09:22):
Yes, three zero One.
Millennial, we'll call him Jake, cornered me.
He's like Colby.
I'd kill for a nod if he'shappy or not.
Tom's line they're pros,they'll figure it out.
Sound familiar.
So for a fix, we set him upwith biweekly check-ins.
Five minutes tops, that's allJake's like.

(09:46):
Finally, I know where I stand.
Six months later, turnover isdown to 10% and Jake's leading
projects Look, it's nothand-holding, it's connecting
that class you jotted down justa minute ago.

(10:06):
Test a check-in this week, seeif it doesn't move things
forward a little bit, see ifthere's a shift.
All right, that's a wrap.
Leaders Gen X evolve withoutlosing your edge.
Millennials and Gen Z lean intoexperience without losing your

(10:28):
spark.
Bridge the gap and you'll buildsomething unstoppable.
Because great leaders don'tfight differences, they harness
them.
Next time we'll tackle turningchaos into culture.
Don't miss that.
If you love this, rate us shareit.
Shoot your leadership clashes,your questions to me.

(10:51):
You can do that on LinkedIn oryou can email it to me.
Both of those are in the shownotes and I might tackle them
here on one of these episodes.
Hey, if your team's wrestlingthis gap, I've run workshops.
They can cut turnover, they canboost vibe.
Hit me on LinkedIn.
That link is in the notes.
So leaders go lead with balance.

(11:15):
And you know why?
Because those are the thingsthat leaders do the things that
leaders do.

Speaker 1 (11:29):
Thank you for listening to Things Leaders Do.
If you're looking for more tipson how to be a better leader,
be sure to subscribe to thepodcast and listen to next
week's episode.
Until next time, keep workingon being a better leader by
doing the things that leaders do.