Lets cut through to the point, Generation X is my generation, and being a Late Gen X'er myself I am going to be a bit cliche. I didn't go through and do the full final edit after my submission was graded. I wanted to leave it how it was when uploaded.
Above you will find a file link to the paper, and below will be a simple cut and past of it.
Generational Leadership:
Late Generation X
(Born Between 1977-1982)
Dawn M. Morris
Trine University
LDR 5003: Leadership Philosophy
Dr. Jeff Wiggerman
July 19th, 2020
Introduction There are many challenges leaders deal with on a daily basis. Most of their focus is on mastering these challenges to meet organizational goals; however, it is not always easy to do so in today’s world. While there has been a consistent growth on the use of technology, especially computers and smartphones, many people in the world still are not connected into this vast global database of knowledge. When people of these areas relocate to areas where such technology is frequently used, sometimes it can take time to adapt to the social changes, including within the workplace. Getting people of different backgrounds to work cohesively together can be extremely difficult, even more so if the workplace is both culturally and generationally diverse. A person who is of an older generation born decades before computers became a common household item has a completely different set of values and workplace manners than someone who started using computers at home from a young age. To better understand the differences, we need to know more about a generational cohort.
A generational cohort is a group of people born in the same era, which is roughly a twenty-year span. The generational cohort is defined as having been exposed to similar “stimuli from the surrounding news, media, music, and other cultural factors” (Warner & Sandberg, 2010, p. 2). A generational cohort often has similar values, traits, beliefs, work patterns, and learning preferences; however not everyone within a cohort is the same. As with any culture, there are subgroups within each cohort that share more similarities; for example, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, lifestyle preferences, geographical location, nationality, and more. While a certain era may have a defined generation brought together by a significant global or regional event, it is important to remember that differing countries may greatly very in generational traits. A person is classified as being born in the Generation X cohort, but is from Bhutan, will have a vastly different set of values and traits than a person of the same generation who was born in a traditional western European country, or even America. This is the reason why in a globally connected diverse workplace that the various generational cohorts are understood. Knowing the basics of the events they have lived through and experienced will help someone better understand how to lead them, or to be a leader within them.
For the remainder of this paper the focus will be on Generation X, specifically the latter half of the generation of those born between 1977 and 1982. Generation X is a unique generation since they are now in their prime work years, and because they are almost half the size of the Baby Boomer[1] and Y[2] generational groups. Which leaves “a gap in the most vulnerable age range for management and leadership positions in organizations – employees in their 30’s and 40’s in their peak working years” (Warner & Sandberg, 2010, p. 2). Regardless of the lack of size, Generation X has been positioned in a unique time period where many significant changes have happened globally, as well as being the first generation with younger members who had adapted to the daily use of modern technology at home and while on the go. To better understand Generation X the following topics will be discussed:
· Their Values and Beliefs · Common Generational Traits · Work Patterns · Career Paths · Learning Preferences
Values & Beliefs
To better understand some of the similar values and beliefs held by the late Generation Xer the significant events that changed and shaped their generation need to be explored. What follows is a list of significant events between the years 1977 and 2001.
Significant Events That Shaped the Late Generation-Xer's
Year: Event
1977: Nuclear Proliferation Pact signed by 15 countries including the U.S. and U.S.S.R.
1978: Jonestown Mass Suicide; First test tube baby born.
1979: Saddam Hussein becomes Iraq's president; Iranian militants seize U.S.; Embassy in Tehran; Soviet troops invade Afghanistan to enact a regime change.
1980: Iraq invades Iran.
1981: The Regan Era begins; Sandra Day O'Connor nominated as first woman in the Supreme Court; A.I.D.'s is identified; M.T.V. is launched.
1982: Vietnam Memorial opens in Washington, D.C.
1983: First American woman in space.
1984: Apple introduces Macintosh personal computer.
1985: Iran-Contra Affair.
1986: Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the U.S.S.R.; Game Boy by Nintendo launched.
1988: Pan Am Flight 103 bombed; George H. Bush elected; U.S. & Canada reach a free trade agreement; First computer virus.
1989: Fall of the Berlin Wall.
1990: East & West Germany reunite; Cold War between the U.S. & U.S.S.R. officially end; Hubble Telescope launch; Start of Persian Gulf War.
1991: Dissolution of the U.S.S.R.
1992: Bill Clinton elected; Los Angeles Rodney King riots.
1993: Rwanda genocide; Waco Texas Branch Dividian incident; NAFTA is signed; First text message sent.
1994: Major League Baseball strike.
1995: Oklahoma City bombings; First flat screen T.V. introduced by Sony.
1998: Monica Lewinsky scandal; Google introduces web search.
1999: Columbine Colorado High School tragedy; Y2K
2000: George W. Bush elected.
2001: September 11th Terrorist Attacks; Anthrax letter scare; Enron files for bankruptcy. (Google, 2020) (Google, 2020)
While there are many aspects to the formation of the values and beliefs of Generation X the most significant events during their younger years helped shaped much of who they are, how they view the world, and how they interact with others. A few of these events that shaped their generation were the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the September 11th terrorist attacks. From these events some of the key values they developed were “independence, flexibility, individualism, freedom, organization, intimacy, tolerance, and pragmatism” (Warner & Sandberg, 2010, p. 11).
While there have been many negative stereotypes made about this generation when their key values are viewed along side some of the significant world events of their younger years, this generational cohort also is very tolerant and encourages religious and cultural freedoms. The need for independence and freedom also has to do with the fact that their generation was exposed to more divorce and single-parent families than the previous generations. Many Generations Xer’s growing up were known as “latch key kids” and were less likely to be exposed to the traditional family values that the Baby Boomers were exposed to growing up. During the 1980’s and 1990’s this pattern also led to an increase in suicide among teenagers, as well as other problems. After the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, more focus was given on solving the problems arising throughout the younger Generation Xer’s and older Generation Yer’s. Overall, the massive global cultural, economic, and social changes helped shape a unique generation, and many of the traits of Generation X can be found throughout the world and are not just uniquely American.
Generational Traits
The overall generational traits for Generation X relate to their key values. They seek to find a balance between the generations that were born before them and their own generation, which creates a unique cohort that is helping shape the values of the next generations. The key characteristics and traits of Generation X are the following:
Healthy Skeptical Serious/Cynical Pragmatic Self Sufficient Seek Life Balance Multi-Directional Informed Causal About Authority Low Profile Work at Their Own Pace Tech Savvy[3]
Combining these generational traits with their key generational values forms the structure of what is this generations work and career pattern.
Work Patterns & Career Paths
Generation X has seeped into every field and industry; however, it is the core values of the generation that set it apart. Generation X has helped pioneer many new businesses, which included technologically driven companies during the high-tech dot.com boom. Overall, during the 1990’s Generation Xer’s “created seventy-percent of start-up companies” (Warner & Sandberg, 2010), and they continue to open more businesses in comparison to those of other generations. Much of this entrepreneurial spirit has to do with their need for independence, individualism, and freedom. Perhaps the need for flexibility in both their work and personal life also helped change Generation X’s, as well as Y’s, career pattern’s.
Careers are essentially roles that people enter into and work throughout their lifetime. Career offerings change as social, cultural, and economic needs do. There have been a few studies done on how career patterns have been changing throughout the generations. What the studies have come to reveal thus far is “successive generations were less likely to follow the ‘traditional’ upward linear career path and were increasingly mobile in their careers, despite a desire for stability. Increased job and organizational mobility in successive generations was also observed in studies from Canada (Lyons et al., 2012b) and Austria (Chudzikowski, 2012). The limited evidence to date, all of which is cross-sectional and retrospective, consistently suggests that careers have become less stable and linear, more mobile, and more multi-directional (i.e., downward, lateral and changes of occupation) for successively younger generations” (Lyons & Kuron, 2014, p. S148). However, it is important to point out that the authors of this article, stated that there is limited research on this topic, and more research is needed to know the extent of the career pattern changes. Another interest finding to point out is that “empirical research has already found that generational differences exist in pride in craftsmanship (Smola and Sutton 2002), intrinsic and extrinsic rewards at jobs (Twenge et al. 2010), and job satisfaction and turnover intentions (Costanza et al. 2012; Kowske et al. 2010)” (Zabel, Biermeier-Hanson, Baltes, Early, & Shepard, 2017, p. 302). The changes in career pattern choices overall for the younger generations can also be reflected in their learning styles and preferences.
Learning Preferences
Generation X prefers to be given quite a bit of freedom and flourishes when allowed to think independently. They have also been known to challenge the status quo, to change economic and socio-cultural norms. Being allowed such freedom can also help with advancing many industries. For example, Generation X is known for creativity and innovation, which helped with the invent of new technology, business ideas, and ways of conducting ourselves daily. To help those of this generational cohort stay focused and interested in both the learning and working environment, offer them throughout personalized feedback, and give them guidance to further their personal development and professional growth while still allowing for them to think independently and maintain their freedom and independence (Warner & Sandberg, 2010).
To conclude Generation X can be a highly productive, positive asset to any organization. They encourage entrepreneurial thought, independent thinking, teamwork, independence, and creativity. Not only are they easy to lead, if they are allowed freedom to excel, they are also great leaders who have learned to tolerate and embrace other personality and cultural types, while still maintaining their own identities. Overall, they want to succeed and be happy, and want others to as well. Someone managing them must recognize what their generation has been subjected to in order to understand why they are most efficient and happiest when given freedom and independence.
References
Google. (2020). Google Search: Significant Events of the 1980's and 1990's. Google. Retrieved July 2020, from https://www.google.com/search?q=sginificant+events+of+the+1980s+and+1990s&oq=sginificant+events+of+the+1980s+and+1990s&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l2.15519j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Google. (2020). Google Search: Top Events of the Late 1970's. Google. Retrieved July 2020, from https://www.google.com/search?q=top+events+of+the+late+1970s&oq=top+events+of+the+late+1970s&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.11815j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Lyons, S., & Kuron, L. (2014, February 2). Generational differences in the workplace: A review of the evidence and directions for future research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35, S139-S157. Retrieved July 2020, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.tuproxy.palni.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=e4d75d5c-cd01-40c4-9fc4-aeb0be153f2e%40sdc-v-sessmgr03
Warner, J., & Sandberg, A. (2010). Generational Leadership. Ready To Manage. Retrieved July 2020
Zabel, K., Biermeier-Hanson, B., Baltes, B., Early, B., & Shepard, A. (2017, June 1). Generational Differences in Work Ethic: Fact of Fiction? Journal of Business & Psychology, 301-315. Retrieved July 2020, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.tuproxy.palni.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=2a68bd73-ed07-4d42-ac93-0853a69f356e%40sessionmgr4006
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