I arrived near the tail end of the Baby Boomer generation – born 1946-1964
Then come Gen X – 1965-1980
Then Millennials (sometimes called Gen Y) – 1981-1996
Then Gen Z – 1996 to today
(Sidebar: Ever notice the US bias in the way these categories are set up? Since we’re at the end of the alphabet I expect the next generation will get a nifty nickname rather than a letter.)
You can certainly identify major experiences and events that distinguish these generations. Those experiences shape what each generation tends to value. Keep in mind that experiences in the US, China, Columbia, Belgium, and South Africa were significantly different for those generations.
All that makes some sense in the abstract, and affects what self-narrative is reinforced for individuals in those generations. Yet saying “She’s in Gen Z therefore ________ must be true” will be inaccurate much of the time.
When it comes to interacting with individuals – genuine flesh and blood people – in your organization, the “Gen whatever” labels aren’t helpful. It’s much more valuable to understand these things about a person:
- Behavior and style characteristics (e.g., DiSC or Meyers-Briggs score)
- Their personal experiences in life, especially early experiences
- Their passions
