Page Title

Leading Generation X: Do the Old Rules Apply?

November 26, 2003 

"Today the workforce is dominated by two generations: (a) the baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 and (b) the Generation X (Gen Xers) or baby busters born between 1965 and 1979 (Loomis, 2000).  A third generation is entering the workforce, Generation Y (Nexters) or the Internet Generation, the eldest of whom just turned 22.

The labor force is affected by the number of people retiring each year.  This has a direct impact on the economy's capacity to produce goods and services.  Market competition and demographic changes in the labor force are tow to the forces challenging organizations to develop more effective leadership training, and implementation programs.  Understanding more fully what traits or behaviors seem to be associated wit how each baby boomers and Generation Xers perceives effective leadership will only be beneficial easing the transition as one group leaves and the other replaces it.

Mention the trait theory of leadership and listeners often shudder with sexist or racist visions associated with the 'great man theory.'  Research on traits spans the entire 20^th century; an overview of the trait approach can be found in two assessments conducted by Stogdill (1948, 1974).  In the 1948 study Stogdill analyzed and synthesized more than 124 trait studies that were conducted between 1904 and 1947.  In Stogdill's second assessment, ten characteristics were identified as being associated with leadership.  Most trait studies, though have not included Generation X.  Consequently, relatively little is known about what traits or trait combinations Generation X want in their leaders.

Studies have indicated that Generation Xers will not stay in the same place of employment for more than five years and in most cases may move at the three-year mark (Chatzky, 2002).  A 1998 survey by Sibson & Company, showed that 55% of employees plan to quit or think of quitting before hitting the three-year mark (Loomis, 2000).  It has been said of baby boomers that they are a group that lives to work, while the Generation Xers work to live (Tulgan, 2000).  While the boomers tend to prefer a work environment conducive to results-orientation, the Xers tend to prefer a work environment conducive to relationship building (Loomis, 2000).  According to F.A. Booth (1999), president of Booth Communications, Inc., Generation Xers supposedly prefer working in alone to working in teams; are more technologically oriented and more educated than their counterparts; and they are having fun.  Other preferences of the Generation Xers are: flexibility, money and benefits, harmonious work environments, and fulfillment (Joyner, 2000).  Using these studies, the researchers developed themes for which baby boomers and Generation X workers might be predicted to prefer differing leadership behaviors.  The five themes that emerged from the literature review were: (a) fulfillment, (b) flexibility, (c) technology, (d) monetary compensations, and (e) work environment.

The participants were employees of a telecommunications company employing about 7,300 employees in four regions of the United States.  The participants were all management leaders from 1^st (Manager) to 5^th (Vice President) level.  The ethnicity distribution was: Caucasian - 45.8%, African-American - 19%, Hispanics - 28.9%, Asian - 5%, and Other - 1.2% with 52.8% males and 47.2% females.  The participants ranged in age from 20 to 64 years.  The educational level for participants ranged from 12 to 20 years of schooling.  Approximately 18.9% had 12 years of education and 81.1% had at least one year of college or better with 47.2% having 16 years of education.  Based on date of birth, the sample consisted of 47.7% baby boomers and 52.3% Generation X.

One thousand surveys were distributed using the internal corporate mail system.  The surveys were anonymous.  Out of the 1,000 questionnaires, a response rate of 81% lead to a participant sample size of 805.

The survey developed used Bass & Avolio's 1994 definition of transformational leadership to formulate a leadership preference associated with the five themes.  The survey was composed of twenty-five forced-choice pairs of statements.  One statement was expected to be preferred by Generation X and the other by Baby Boomers.  The ten statements were paired against each other and the ten choices represented ten dependent variables.  Each statement could be chosen between zero and five times.  The frequency of nomination of each choice became the dependent variable.  Date of birth placed the participants in either the Baby Boomers or Generation X group.  Education indicated having either 12 years of high school or greater than 12 years or high school.  Gender and Ethnicity were self-reported with two and five levels respectively. 

The effect of generation on the five themes showed the significance differences for all themes, except the generational choice thought to represent a boomer preference for 'Work Environment.'  Significant differences did not exist for the choice of "Provides me job security even though my work environment may not always be challenging.' 

Xers preferred a challenging task accomplished within a workday.  Boomers preferred a challenging task accomplished in several days.  What Generation X wants from their leaders in order to feel fulfilled at work may be different from the needs of boomers. Xers preferred surfing and buying using the Internet while Boomers preferred using the telephone.  Boomers preferred regularly scheduled hours.  Xers preferred flexible hours.  It is fair to say that while boomers expect to work regularly scheduled hours, they may find themselves working longer hours than they desire.  Boomers preferred a job that provided a retirement plan with benefits.  Xers preferred a portable 401K with lump sum distribution.  

The differences in individual preferences for leadership behavior may require a shift in leadership attitude, policy, and implementation.  Most of the baby boomers are currently retiring or considering retiring in the near future.  Although it is apparent that Xers have different work environments preferences, it will be interesting to see if leadership behavior will change to accommodate this paradigm shift.   This study provided an insight into the preferences for leadership behavior of the young and older employees in a working environment.  Relatively little is known about Generation X and leadership.  The recognition of Generation X preferences may help managements determine the type of leadership behavior needed to guide and inspire its workforce (Rodriguez, Green & Ree, 2003, p. 67-75)."

_____________________________________________________________

Reference: Rodriguez, R.O., Green, M.T. & Ree, M.J. (2003).  Leading generation x: do the old rules apply?  The Journal of Leadership Studies, 9, No 4.

The Journal of Leadership Studies is available on loan from the OSU Leadership Center.  A complete listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu

Leadership Discoveries is a free monthly e-mail mailing about leadership research.  If you have any colleagues who would like to receive Leadership Discoveries, please have them send an e-mail message to flynn.61@osu.edu with the message, Subscribe Leadership Discoveries.

Back to Top >

Created: 2008-01-09, Updated: 2009-02-17