Generational Myth-Busters: Bridging the Gap From Gen Z to Boomer at Work
- Marcy Stoudt
- Oct 17
- 3 min read
From stereotypes to strengths. See what happens when we stop labeling and start listening.
Case Study From Recent REVEL® Team Workshop
Ever feel like you’re speaking five different languages at work?
You send a quick message to your Gen Z colleague and get a “Bet.”
Your Boomer manager asks if you can print it.
A Gen X teammate says, “Let’s hop on a call.”A Millennial replies with a Slack emoji. 💯
Welcome to today’s multigenerational workplace! Where wisdom, wit, and Wi-Fi (or should I say technology) all try to coexist.
When I was invited to return for a third session with a leadership and lobbying team in Washington, D.C., I asked their VP a simple question:
“What makes your team successful in the work you do?”
As we compared how lobbying looks in 2025 versus 5, 10, and 20 years ago, it clicked: this tight-knit, high-performing team spans four generations, and each generation brings a distinct way of building influence.
How we studied it (in real life)
Instead of slides about “generational traits,” each person that was attending the Team Workshop created a five-minute TED-style talk: Leadership Lessons That Built Us.
We equipped them with 10 short prompts (e.g., Which events shaped your worldview? What myths about your generation do you want to debunk? How does your generation approach influence?).
What followed was incredible. We heard family stories, first jobs, public-policy turning points, and yes, we laughed about the ridiculous assumptions we (not so secretly) made about each other’s generations. The room shifted from self deprecating humor to curiosity and amazement:
“Each of us shared our five-minute story: ‘Leadership Lessons That Built Us.’ It was more than a team-building exercise—it was a moment of connection, growth, and shared wisdom.”— Brenda Becker
“As the only Gen Z person, it helped me articulate who I am and how I work—while understanding others better. This will absolutely strengthen our collaboration.”— Claire Ceron
What one team learned by listening instead of labeling
Baby Boomers (1946–1964)
Myth: Set in their ways; anti-tech.
Influence & Motivations: Civil Rights, Vietnam, Watergate, late–Cold War pragmatism → credibility through preparation, bipartisan trust, long-horizon relationships.
Legacy: Loyal, prepared, relationship-driven—and far from resistant; led the shift from typewriters → Teams and handwritten memos → hybrid meetings.
Try asking: What’s a change you’ve witnessed that reshaped how you lead or build influence?
Generation X (1965–1980)
Myth: Title-chasers climbing the corporate ladder.
Influence & Motivations: Latchkey independence, early Internet, globalization → autonomy, directness, reliable delivery.
Legacy: Often overlooked for promotion yet carry the middle of the org; pragmatic, analog↔digital bridge who ship results.
Try asking: Where do titles help—and where do they get in the way of results?
Millennials (1981–1996)
Myth: Participation-trophy, entitled job-hoppers.
Influence & Motivations: 9/11, Great Recession, social platforms, student debt → purpose, fairness, growth, stability that unleash full performance.
Legacy: Intentionality is the superpower—they don’t enter every race, only the ones they intend to win.
Try asking: Where do you feel most motivated to create impact?
Generation Z (1997–2012)
Myth: Don’t work hard; glued to phones.
Influence & Motivations: Social-justice movements, climate activism, COVID-19, polarization → transparency, inclusion, mental health, bold tech-enabled mobilization.
Legacy: Work smart—automate routine to make space for authentic connection and action.
Try asking: What helps you feel most connected and inspired by your team?
The team’s takeaway from their multi-generational REVEL workshop
Four generations. Four approaches to power, persuasion, and progress—all valid, all valuable. When we stop labeling and start listening, we don’t just communicate better; we lead better. We were thrilled to see this team that was already high-performing create even more understanding and compassion. They followed up with us saying that there was an immediate and palpable boost in morale and productivity.
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Marcy Stoudt is a seasoned sales leader dedicated to shaping the future of talent acquisition and executive coaching. As the founder of Revel Search and Revel Coach, Marcy collaborates with corporate clients to develop innovative strategies for attracting, advancing, and retaining top-tier talent.
During her 22 years at Allegis Group, Marcy was TEKsystems's first female Vice President. She led a team of 300 producers and delivered four consecutive years of revenue results at 18% CAGR, averaging $320 million annually. While at MarketSource, she established the Customer Experience Strategy for the Target Mobile outsourced sales team at 1,540 Target locations, fostering executive-level relationships with Target and Apple.
The Revel Coach™ Blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not mental health, financial, business or legal advice. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose, treat, heal, cure or prevent any medical, mental or emotional condition. The information presented here is not a guarantee that you will obtain any results or earn any money using our content.
