When was the last time you thought about the generational bias in your workplace? Time and time again, as I work with organizations on generational differences, I speak with Millennials who are literally afraid to admit they are actually Millennials. Often, these are Xennials who have learned to adjust the way they interact so that they will be "taken seriously" and in some ways just blend in. The prevalent negative stereotypes are taking a toll. I think this is something to pay attention to from 2 different perspectives. First, "Way to go, Xennials!" You have understood that you are in a foreign culture and you are learning to navigate it. This is most likely one of the reasons you ended up on the leadership team in the first place.

Secondly, for those of us on leadership teams who were raised up in a Gen X/Boomer world, how are you creating a safe place for your rockstar Millennials to thrive and bring their full selves to the team? Is your own bias getting in the way of doing your best work with your team? If so, perhaps you could start with an open conversation about what it's like for them. You might be surprised by what they tell you.

#Xennials #millennials #culturedevelopment #leadership