I have often heard comments of someone blaming workplace problems on another generation. Baby Boomers won't change. Gen X is disengaged. Millennials are needy. Gen Z won't work hard.
And I have always wondered if this was mostly wrong. Turns out, it is.
Generational researcher Cam Marston has spent decades studying how different age groups work together, and he joined me to bust some myths. In this conversation, we get into what's actually true about generational differences versus what's just convenient stereotyping.
The big revelation: most of what we label as "generational" is actually about *life stages*—and those life stages are happening five years later than, say, 30 years ago. A 25-year-old today is more like a 20-year-old from previous generations in terms of independence, career clarity, and adult responsibilities.
Cam explains why this matters for how our leaders lead, give feedback, and build teams. It matters a lot of HR when we hear the complaints about generations. Now you'll have some facts!!
Here's some facts that I will pull out in future conversations:
- Org culture beats generational differences every time.
- When you have strong leadership and a good workplace environment, these supposed generational conflicts mostly disappear.
- It's FAR easier to blame "kids these days" than our leaders to examine their leadership
- Different age groups receive feedback differently and this is a LIFESTAGE.
If you've ever heard a leader complaining about a particular generation at work, this episode will give you better tools for understanding what's really going on and how to coach for different results!
Guest: Cam Marston - generational researcher, speaker, and author of five books on workplace generations
Topics:
**Connect with Cam Marston**Website: https:/CamMarston.comPodcast: What's Working with Cam Marston**Connect with Andrea Adams**LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-adams1/Website: https://thehrhub.ca/
