Generation X raised themselves. We don't need micromanagement. We are highly effective at self managing, we are excellent at time management and prioritization of goals, we do not need team building exercises, we are self motivated and will get the job done. And no, we don't need feedback.

First rule...leave Gen X alone if your feeling are fragile

We not only don't "need" micromanagement, but tend to resent it. It shows lack of trust and is a good way to lose the staff member. If we need to improve, tell us where, then leave us the hell alone to get on with it. If a meeting can be conveyed with an email, don't hold a meeting. We're there to work, not to hang out. Get it done, go home and have lives.

X'ers just need a clear objective, the tools necessary and for management to just stay out of the way until they need them.

Im GenX and I dont want constant feedback

Seriously. Us Gen X’ers are self motivated and don’t need much handholding. Go ahead and challenge us. We will deliver as long as it’s a worthwhile endeavor.

What the hell? I don't want feedback, I want to be left alone. I don't need your praise or criticism. What the hell?

Your completely wrong we want to be left alone we don't want any employee of the month crap and we don't care about what our Co workers did all week ..we. Like keeping to our selves and getting our day over with as fast as possible so we can enjoy life

Feeback = you screwed up, here's how to fix it. OR, you did a great job, thank you. That's all the feedback I need. And no video conference, ain't nobody got time for that. Just shoot me an email with what you want/need and I'll get on it. And don't micromanage me, sheesh. I raised 3 kids by myself with barely 2 nickels to rub together, pretty sure I can handle whatever you need without you hovering over me. I got you--trust me!

I can tell you. Give us a job, leave us the hell alone and it will get done. Micro manage us and we will just get pissed off.

It seems like because we were the latchkey generation, we grew up being used to coming home alone, with no supervision usually to take care of ourselves and our younger siblings, get dinner ready, put ourselves and our sibs to bed, that now we don't want or need the attention and supervision, we got this.

When Corporate demands a square peg in a round hole, only a Gen Xer can get it done. We are the bridge generation, we came of age at the time that everything went digital, but we grew up in the analog world and,have not become completely dependent on technology.

I’m a Gen X’er, and I noticed when I was job hunting, I was being interviewed by some millennials. Some of these millennials did not believe I had the skills I had or thought I could not handle new technology. They liked my work experience, but I think some of them had doubt. One individual did tell me, he thought I may have forgotten how to use one of my skills. I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was age discrimination or race discrimination or both. I’ve developed several skills over my 30 years of work experience. Then when I finally gained employment, and my experience came in very handy. However, I seen others who were hired, that lacked the skills and experience I had, and I wondered why companies gave me such a hard time, when others were hired for less skills than I developed. As a Gen X’er, I grew up using/playing the first video games in the 70s as a kid. And using computers in the early-mid 80s on my first jobs. I know/use both old & new technologies (analog & digital). It’s a slap in the face when millennial Hire Recruiters underestimate the skills & experience of Gen X’ers.

From what I’ve noticed in my 43 years. Is that a lot of us gen x people are functioning introverts , at least I am. I don’t need to be around large groups of people even though I’m able to fit into any crowed and strike up a conversation with anyone but it drains me physically and mentally . When I’m by myself I recharge and get my snap back. And I can’t stand to be micro managed . I’ve gotten on my bosses ass before telling him you hired me to do the job swiftly correctly and proficiently.. don’t need you behind my back pisses me off.. he doesn’t do it anymore. So NO.. we don’t need the boss to hold our hand. I was cooking dinner and getting my 6 year old brother ready for school when I was 8. My kids now say that was the old days..or they think I’m full of shit. Us gen x kids had it rough.. but it made us who we are. I wouldn’t trade it to be any other gen..except for the Greatest Generation. Now those dudes were bad ass!!!

So true! I'm a GenX nurse born in 1974. I critique my employer at least bi weekly, but I get to work EARLY and my patients thrive in my care so they suck it up because my critique is correct. Now leave me alone while I do my job or I'm gonna go take my expertise elsewhere. Thank you and goodbye.

My boss loves meetings. Something that could be conveyed over a quick, to the point email, is now an hour long meeting with mostly the younger generations bringing up things just to air their grievances.

Gen x is hard working, and knowledge loving !

We don’t want a bunch of emails, especially meaningless emails. A clear assignment, with a due date, works just fine.

What?! How about talking about how to get Millennials and Zoomers to actually do meaningful work without “mental health” days. We’re doing just fine.

Im an gen x er and i approve this video, now get out of my way.

I am Gen X. But I must say. I don’t like constant feedback. I find it fake. Tell me what you want done and go do you’re job, I’ll get my assignments done. And we can all be happy.

We want to be informed of job needed to be done and then left alone to do it. Definitely don't need constant feedback. Employers should learn my skills and abilities quickly and then let me use them.

I think give a GenX person a project, a problem to solve, and don't micromanage.

No I don't want your feedback no I don't want your attention I know I'm doing my job right chances are I'm being told by some college kid how to do my job when I have over 20 years experience and he's only been out of school for 6 months

Gen x'er here, be proud...we are the terror of the 90's.

I was born in 1975 and I will work circles around any millennial but I know the truth about employers I'm not jaded and fresh off the boat the truth never do anything extra for your employer because he'll never do anything extra for you they will use you abuse you and throw you away you're nothing but a number to them and you're never going to get rich working for anybody else they will dangle the carrot in front of you tell you to work a little harder and you'll get that promotion work a little faster and you might get that raise but the truth is after a few years it's easier to lay you off and replace you and bring in somebody for less money because it's all about the bottom line employers don't give a shit about you or your family they only care about their dollar that's why careers are gone now it's only jobs you'll never be anywhere more than 5 years even upper management positions are sketchy at best

"Constant Feedback" point is completely wrong. It's the exact opposite. We like feedback, but not repeatedly and often. MHO. =M=

I have to disagree with number three, I don't need much feedback, if I am doing the job and doing it well, you can leave me alone, I don't need praise, if something needs to be fixed, tell me what it is and it will be fixed. Praise is nice but not really needed, doing the job right and well is really all the praise I need. I am not a boomer or millennial after all.

We Gen x ppl do quite well with on the job training. Show us what you want done, if we don't know how to do it, show us how to do it, and once we see how it's done the way you want, let us go to it. Anyone breathing down our necks after we know what we're doing is just incredibly counter productive. Let us do our jobs, and they'll get done.

The only feedback I want is the paycheck. Let me know my duties and get out of my way. It will be done and I’ll sweep the area before I go home.

Lying to us is a stupid thing to do. And my bosses are completely full of shit.

How to Engage us? That's the Paradox, you Don't !!

Gen x dude here I can’t stand micromanaging..don’t need babysitting.. retired Green Beret..20 years medical sales..I work autonomously x20 years and love it..ultra tech savvy..Taught my kids everything they know..

Born in 76. Just tell me what you want me to do, then leave me the hell alone so I can do it my way and get it done.

Im a 51 year old GenX truck loader. The job is so demanding, theres a 100% turnover rate (give or take the occasional guy or girl who can deal with the heat & labor & doesnt quit) The older employees who are too old to be doing such intensive manual labor are often the smartest & quickest. We work better than most of the kids on our crew Because most of the younger loaders have no personal investment in the job. Theyre merely doing the minimum & watching the clock. GenX's work philosophy is something like "i dont want to do the work. Id rather do something pleasant. But i want to eat, have somewheres to live & help those i love. Therefore, when i go to work, ill expect the autonomy to complete the work as i see fit, fair pay & a reasonable boss. In return, whilst at work, ill strive & succeed in giving my boss his money's worth. Ill endeavor not only to master the job, but to make the process less costly & more efficient. I should mention that some of the kids i work with are dynamos that can almost outwork me!

The best meeting is no meeting. Yes, I'm comfortable with technology, but I don't use it for the sake of it. Use the most efficient method possible to convey information, reach understanding and waste the smallest amount of time. Corollary: Powerpoint presentations cause soul death. No, we don't need constant feedback. We just need valuable feedback. No "smoke blowing", no mincing words, no waiting to provide constructive criticism. Provide it immediately so we can fix whatever it is that needs to be. There is no praise more valuable than the size of the paycheck. Positive words are empty if they aren't connected to a pay increase. We generally have excellent bullshit detectors - just don't.

When we let employees spread their wings and fly on their own, they usually do better and they love their job because they feel respected and they feel like their ideas matter.

Look boss, I don’t want to see your face or hear your voice, ever. You work for me. If you give me a goal, you need to give me the tools and space to accomplish it. You have feedback, ideas and concerns? Cool, let’s talk about that one-on-one on neutral ground, with no more than three bullet points, for no longer than 15 minutes. And don’t you dare change or reschedule my PTO once it’s on the calendar. And when I’m off, don’t bother me unless the company is literally on fire. Otherwise email or text or GTFO.

I disagree on the constant feedback. I find it extremely annoying BECAUSE I was a latchkey kid, I'm not looking to be parented now as an adult because I had to grow up young. Let me know exactly what's expected of me, then show me enough trust to leave me the F alone and let me do my job. Also, even though I know how to use technology, I'd much rather have meetings in person. Positivity will come across much more authentic and you'll have to have the balls to say anything negative to my face. The next PowerPoint on your list should be, "Don't try to kiss my ass because I can smell bullshit from a mile away and don't expect me to kiss yours. Our Boomer parents taught us, "Nobody likes a kiss-ass."

I work in a fairly diverse age range on my team at work. I’m technically a Xennial myself, and a couple of the girls on our team are outright Gen Z. One of them has been a close friend for the last two years she’s been with us. We constantly tease one another. She calls me senile because I have always had a hard time recalling names. I tease her that she can’t run a printer to save her life. But there has never been a moment that girl has not been ready and willing to help if the need arises. Last winter I had been dealing with bad stomach pain over the weekend and knew it was likely my gallbladder acting up. The worst seemed to past late Saturday and by Monday I was doing better and went on in to work. Around ten that morning round two hit hard. I didn’t yell out, just kinda gasped a bit and she was out of her cube in a second. First words out of her mouth was, “Tell me what you need”. Age gaps only matter when people let them. If you’re younger and have older workers in your department, take the time to get to know them, understand how they work and what they can bring to the table. Older workers, do the same for your younger team mates. The reason the team I work on is one of the best in our department - if not the whole company - is because we make it a point to connect with one another on a personal level as well as professional. Our supervisor encourages us to take at least a couple times a year to get together one on one to touch base, preferably on matters outside of the job. This has resulted in teams calls about fish that try to jump out of their bowls, determining just what kind of tree was in the photo I took that won the office photo contest, or going out for an extended lunch just to shoot the breeze. The end result is a team who knows their fellow members have their back if they ever need help, and that respects and appreciates one another’s differences.

Best way to engage with genx is to leave them alone and work hard,we do!😊

Haha feedback - like what are you going to tell me about anything - that I don't already know.

I can never tell if these GEN X post are comedy or trying to be real lol. (Gen X here)

I'm a year after the gen x limit...I had computers in grade school but also typed on typewriters and had a rotary phone before grade school. I remember there were options for those with rotary phones and I also went through the beeper age before cell phones. Basically I'm a millenial with a gen x attitude. ;)

ROFL, GenX doesn't need your so called training, we grew up in an Analog world. We actually know how to RTFM read the F'ing Manual. Best thing is to leave us alone... We will gt the job done and move to the next.

No one needs to hold my hand

We don’t need anything but our objective and to be left alone. We have made it 40 plus years unsupervised we don’t need to start now

I’m right in the middle of Gen X and as a nurse, just leave me alone and let me do my job. I don’t need team building crap and group activities. It’s a nuisance. I don’t care for feedback. I’m just here to do what I need to and get it done.

Simple, just tell them what the job is, and leave them alone to get it done, then pay them a reasonable amount for their time and effort, and everyone is happy, you do not manage a Gen X employee, they can manage themselves, in fact if you try to manage a Gen X, you'll likely be looking for a new worker.

Use this guide as a “how not to keep a gen x employee happy “ guide lol

Which is it? Autonomy? Or handholding? Feedback? That is another name for handholding.

Great stuff Jim!

Training. Exactly! Too many times I have encountered sales persons who have no idea. I don't know what generation, but seems to be big box stores and banks where ignorance of proper procedures are a mystery to the people who should be helping me. No one has seemingly taken the time to train them. Just my opinion, of course.

3 is wrong- we don’t overly value feed back. We are aware of what’s going on. If we Trust you - we will engage. If we don’t we are able to work and disengage .

As a gen Xer I can tell you , leave me the hell alone and you can keep your meetings and feedback to yourself. I dont need my handheld and dont give two shits about your hurt feelings or anything else you need to share with me. I get my job done on time and then I go home thats all I care about when it comes to work.

put the work in front of me and leave me alone.....

These young bosses think we're ass holes and oblivious to their manipulative techniques.

My Twins are 8 years old ,i didn't overstand how I did it now everything is making sense! Gen X

All you said was correct and on point. Do they really think that the generation that taught the world how to play video games, how to use the internet and how to use smartphones is going to need micro managing?

Make sure we have the training and tools for what you want us to do, then leave us alone, we will get it done

Almost retired. Just leave me the hell alone.

A younger friend stated recently during a boardgame night: "If I'd have to choose someone to try and survive the apocalypse, THIS dude is the one who I'd choose to hang around with. I swear this guy can do just about anything that's worth knowing when it hits the fan." I was a bit taken aback by his statement and when the others agreed with him.. well l guess they ain't stupid. Just lacking knowledge and drive to learn a broad set of usefull skills (instead of specializing in one thing..)

I agree with everything but the feedback part. Keep your opinions to yourself. I don't care, will never care, and don't want to hear it. Do you want it done? Or do we need to hold a committee meeting first?

The Provlem is that people are afaid of Gen X. People will take up the command and overshadow them.

GenX is the INTP-A of the generations

Feedback? What for?

I don't need no feedback, technology. Just moooove out the way and be quiet.

I never really thought about the need for autonomy being a generational thing, but I suppose it is looking back on it. It makes sense anyway. Having a job where I'm given a task and then left alone to do it was the only way I'd stop working for myself.

Once a month company picnic where the boss is in a dunktank.

If you look up “tool” in the dictionary you will see a picture of this guys face.

Spot on I hate hate HATE when anyone checks my work or watching me I get so mad 😡 I even told one of my co worker off for watching me he said he was only doing what he was told to do and I said what was that to watch me? He said yes 🤬🤬🤬 that only pissed me off even more I said who told you do do that he told me one of my managers so I went to him and said you’ll only get me mad 😡 if you continue to watch me I asked him am I doing something wrong he said no than I said ok so why are you watching me you make me feel uncomfortable so stop it I told him if I don’t know what I’m doing I’ll ask for help if I don’t ask for help I’m doing just fine give me some space and motivation and we’ll get along just fine keep doing this and I’ll quit up to you he never bothered me again 😊

If you are a GenX person, you already know how to "engage" them. Am I the only one quick enough to here and see that? I am a GenXer, born '73. So there has to be many more that did.

Getar done is one of our models

Dude nothing u just said is right we dont need meeting and team bull shit give me a job and leave me alone THAT'S GEN x

This a great video. Your points fit me to a “T”

In short, tell us what you want and get the hell out of our way so we can do it.

Money and the occasional 'nice job, well done', but largely to be left alone to get on with it. We're pretty damn self-sufficient and tend to know what we're doing.

No, we don't need constant attention. If there's an issue we need to know about, let us know. If not, carry on. I don't need a fkin trophy or a pat on the head.

Speaking of latchkey every kid I know has a stay at home moms. People born later had the working parents

Who on earth likes being micromanaged??

I hate how everyone wants to tie specific years to the generations. It doesn't make nearly as much sense as identifying them the way they ALWAYS have been, by shared cultural trends. A better way to identify Gen X, for instance, is people who started Kindergarten without student-use computers in their schools, but graduated high school with student-use computers in their schools.

Gen X leave us alone, we will figure it out.

"HEY PETER, TPS REPORTS DUE BY FRIDAY...MMMKAY"

Gen. X people do not need negative feedback We had to scratch and claw to sharpen our own skills nobody gave us anything Just because of latch key You make us sound very bad and weak as a generation

Who has read the book “Generation X” by Jane Deverson? It’s a 1964 book in which she interviews members of “Generation X”… there’s a strong indication that the title of the book names our generation. Not only that, but the people she interviewed were 16 to 18 in 1964, so somehow somewhere the dates defining “Generation X” have been wildly mishandles. I was born in 1958 and, according to Jane, I’m most definitely GenX. How do I know this? Jane was a very good friend right up to her passing. She should know if anyone does.

Basically tell us what u need done then get out of our way will do the job of four people and leave your business better then it ever been

I think the premise "How to engage..." is completely nissing the point of this 'cohort'. It's a job, we know it's a job, just get the f out of the way so we can do it without being told how to get more out of something that really just needs to get done the most efficient way possible so it doesn't get in the way of our free time. Unless you are showing me more coin, I don't need other approbation either. Work is called work, because it is; just f'ing do it.

Easy don't bring bs

I'm fifty five and already served my country in combat, and worked as a construction guy for thirty years. I'm retired thank you, who are you talking about?

Gen x actually runs to about 1985. I was born in 82 and im definitely a gen x'r and know many the same. I will say theres a grey area though for sure.

Be careful with that negative feedback cause you might catch a fuck you very much for the info

I can’t believe that these days as freelance IT expert, I get interviewed- and have idiotic useless millenials as customers. And I can’t take those idiots seriously! I have forgotten more things than they have done and achieved in their live! We programmed computers without all these slow easy to use language that you need to Google to find a function that is bound to exist. We write those functions in assembly! I solve their shit because they can’t think lowlevel in enough. And if they don’t treat me with curtesy then I am out! I worked for 27 years in IT on a daily basis and 33 years parttime. I know what I can and can’t do. And I pride myself of being extremely self reliant. And I notice I withdraw myself more and more from a team, I pick the projects that others can’t do and I relish in my own little hitech world.

As a 57 yr old genx i taught my kids there is no option for failure you give 150% all the time ,an tell people in your way to screw off. See had to edit my comment not to offend candy ass people.

Very carefully

Just tell us what to do and get out of our way. We don't need micromanagement, meetings, teams, or handholding. We raised ourselves and had to figure things out on our own. That's what we do. Save the constant feedback for the millennials. They want it. An email is better than a meeting. Anything is better than a meeting.

What a lot of bulls***to. Just leave us alone. We cope just fine the way we are

Most hilarious thing ever, but it's true.

even socially it's annoying being between generations

Don’t engage us. We know the job better than you, and will just be annoyed by your ideas and suggestions

I can work with little supervision