Leadership in Action: Issues and Observations—Debunking Generational Differences

Issues & Observations: Debunking Generational Differences

Michael T. Renn

Lately it seems that everyone has been labeled, categorized, or even stereotyped based simply on his or her date of birth. It has become commonplace to attribute closely held views, values, and behaviors to generational differences. People may, for example, belong to the Silent Generation, the Baby Boom generation, Generation X, or Generation Y. Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas wrote a book about the leaders they call Geeks (ages twenty-one to thirty-four) and Geezers (ages seventy to eighty-two).

Research has indicated certain generational attributes. In comparison to Baby Boomers, for example, Gen-Xers tend to place more importance on autonomy, independence, variety, excitement, ...