Gen Z employees often find themselves working with Gen X leaders, who can be intimidating due to their different communication styles. Jeremie Gan, a Gen Z writer, shares his experience working with his Gen X manager, Mark Cosgrove, and notes that understanding Gen X’s traits is key to building a strong working relationship.
Gen X, born between 1965 and 1980, grew up during uncertain times, with divorce rates climbing and significant world events like the Y2K scare and 9/11. This shaped them into a generation that values self-reliance but is cautious when it comes to taking risks.
Understanding Gen X’s Communication Style
In the workplace, Gen X’s independence and caution can lead to unintentional micromanaging. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t trust their employees – it’s because they’ve often had to depend on themselves to get things done right. To earn their trust, Gen Z employees can take initiative, ask for projects, and demonstrate results.
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When pitching new ideas, Gen Z employees should be patient and give their Gen X managers time to process the proposal. Following up a week later can also help. Gen X values logic and results, so using data to support an idea can be effective in getting their buy-in.
Humor is another area where Gen Z and Gen X differ. Gen X’s humor is rooted in 80s and 90s pop culture, such as grunge music and sitcoms like Friends. To connect with Gen X, Gen Z employees can compare their ideas to something from their generation, making it more relatable.
Adapting to Gen X’s Communication Preferences
Gen Z has grown up with instant feedback, but Gen X is used to a slower cycle of feedback. To adapt, Gen Z employees can use structured but non-intrusive updates, such as a weekly report categorizing projects by status. This can help set up a natural rhythm for feedback and reduce frustration on both sides.
When needing immediate feedback, Gen Z employees can frame their request with a purpose, making it easier for their Gen X manager to respond efficiently. For example, instead of asking for general thoughts, they can ask if their work aligns with the team’s goals.
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By understanding and adapting to Gen X’s communication style, Gen Z employees can build trust and improve their working relationship. This includes earning their trust through results, helping them relate to new ideas, and adapting to their communication preferences.
A Gen X manager’s reluctance to give full autonomy shouldn’t be taken personally. Instead, Gen Z employees can demonstrate their capabilities and show that they can handle tasks independently. Over time, this can lead to a more collaborative and less top-down working dynamic, with the manager starting to trust that the employee can handle things on their own.
Building a Strong Working Relationship
To build a strong working relationship with Gen X managers, Gen Z employees need to understand and adapt to their communication style. By doing so, Gen Z employees can create a more collaborative and less top-down working dynamic.
