As leaders in our organization we cast vision, it is also our job is to mobilize people and resources towards that common vision. We can not effectively do this by treating each individual the same. I have written many articles about personality strengths, communication styles, and skills. All of these are considered when we are aligning individuals within our organization. Also to be considered are the four generations in the workplace.
In today’s workplace, leaders are navigating four generations working side by side. Each generation brings unique strengths, values, and expectations. The best leaders know how to celebrate these differences and build these bridges of trust quickly.
What follows is not exhaustive, but is a summary of common threads we see in each generation.
Baby Boomers (Born ~1946–1964)
5 Things to Celebrate:
Strong work ethic and dedication
Loyalty to organizations and causes
Deep industry experience and institutional knowledge
Relationship-building skills
Resilience through economic and cultural changes
How to Build Trust:
Show respect for their experience and contributions.
Keep promises and follow through.
Communicate face-to-face when possible.
How to Break Trust:
Dismiss their input as “outdated.”
Overlook their accomplishments.
Ignore traditions or proven processes without discussion.
A Common Misunderstanding: “They’re resistant to change.”
Truth: Many Baby Boomers are open to change when it’s well explained and proven effective. They simply want to understand the “why” before jumping in.
Trait They Value in a Leader: Integrity — honesty and keeping one’s word.
While working for a national organization I was placed in a leadership position. We had hundreds of volunteers, a few of them had dedicated their lives to the justice cause for 50 years or more. Thankfully, I had the insight and opportunity to quickly build relationships with these leaders. During our first conversation I honored their accomplishments, identified their area of particular expertise, and asked them if I could come to them with questions on that topic. I ended each conversation by thanking them for their time and letting them know that their voice was important to me.
What developed was a segment of volunteers who were deeply loyal to our cause and to me as a leader. When they did come to me with insight it was out of a spirit of generosity and not criticism.
Generation X (Born ~1965–1980)
5 Things to Celebrate:
Independence and self-reliance
Practical problem-solving skills
Adaptability in changing environments
Tech-savvy while valuing human connection
Work-life balance awareness
How to Build Trust:
Give them autonomy.
Be transparent with decisions.
Provide clear goals but freedom in execution.
How to Break Trust:
Micromanage their work.
Fail to follow through on commitments.
Waste their time with bureaucracy.
Common Misunderstanding: “They’re cynical and disengaged.”
Truth: Gen X tends to be realistic, not cynical. Their independence can be mistaken for detachment, but they’re often highly committed once trust is earned.
Trait They Value in a Leader: Competence — knowing your stuff and leading effectively.
I became a middle school youth pastor at 18 years old. Most of my youth leaders were Gen X, thank goodness, I needed their experience! I can’t say that I always navigated this tension perfectly - I was 18! Looking back, I recognize that my natural tendency to be transparent probably helped build the trust I needed with my leaders. My biggest regret during that season was when I avoided a hard conversation, made assumptions, and in doing so was not transparent.
Millennials (Born ~1981–1996)
5 Things to Celebrate:
Collaborative spirit
Tech fluency and innovation
Purpose-driven approach to work
Comfort with change and diversity
Desire for growth and learning
How to Build Trust:
Show genuine interest in their development.
Align work with meaningful goals.
Be open to feedback and dialogue.
How to Break Trust:
Overlook their ideas or input.
Fail to live up to stated values.
Treat career growth as unimportant.
Common Misunderstanding: “They only care about perks, not the work.”
Truth: Perks are nice, but Millennials care more about meaningful work, flexibility, and leaders who live out the values they promote.
Trait They Value in a Leader: Empathy — understanding and supporting people as individuals.
This is me! There are many things that I love about my generation, one of them is our willingness to sacrifice for our values. This has certainly been true for my career. There have been many times where I have been approached by leaders in large corporations. I have regularly chosen less stable and smaller organizations because of my desire to make a large impact. Your organization doesn’t have to be a non-profit to offer meaningful impact. Just celebrate the impact that your millennial leaders are making within your organization. How do they influence the culture or excel with your clients?
Generation Z (Born ~1997–2012)
5 Things to Celebrate:
Digital-native creativity
Entrepreneurial mindset
Value for inclusivity and social justice
Resourcefulness and self-learning
Comfort with rapid change
How to Build Trust:
Communicate authentically and promptly.
Support justice causes.
Offer real opportunities to contribute early.
How to Break Trust:
Care more about the corporation than people..
Ignore their feedback on ethics.
Fail to provide growth or learning opportunities.
Common Misunderstanding: “They have short attention spans.”
Truth: Gen Z can focus deeply when work feels meaningful and interactive. They just expect information in clear, accessible ways.
Trait They Value in a Leader: Authenticity — being real, transparent, and human.
I am so excited to see how Gen Z continues to change our workplace. Since my days of youth ministry I have recognized their ability to sniff out the phony. Watch as this generation gravitates towards the most authentic people in your organization. You can be that person by being authentic about who you are, and living out your ethics. Ask questions of them and listen to the causes that are important to them. Better yet, show up to something that they are passionate about.
Moving Forward
There will be times when you are confused by other generations' values or perhaps they are even contradictory to your own. I invite you to get curious and ask questions. Consider their why behind their behavior, and how that “why” contributes to the organization.
If you notice that there are generational conflicts in your organization, reach out. These conflicts are costing you synergy and money.
Celebrate, build trust, and live out the value of every generation.
