Xennials, or the “nameless” micro-generation born between 1977 and 1983, sit nestled between Gen X (b. 1965-1980) and Millennials (b. 1981-1996). These individuals straddle two generations, sharing characteristics of each. Anna Garvey, HuffPost contributor, has described Xennials as having “both a healthy portion of Gen X grunge cynicism, and a dash of the unbridled optimism of Millennials.” We’re sort of an enigma—about 25 million strong—and people don’t honestly know how to categorize us, so we’ll do it ourselves—we’re used to getting things done!
Our generation (a.k.a. the “bridge” generation) is the first to experience an analog childhood, including rotary phones, cassette tapes and the Dewey Decimal System, and a digital adulthood, accessing/mastering technology like computers and cell phones in our later teens/early 20s. We were also the last generation to navigate the halls of high school without social media (luckily). We began graduating college around 2000 and entering the workforce—we now have over 20 years of professional experience.
Why are Xennials significant contributors to organizations?
We transitioned from being the youngest employees to now holding leadership positions, so we know the ropes, have done the jobs and can help younger professionals navigate challenges. We are known to deliver, take ownership of our work (and mistakes), and adapt quickly to change. This generation (now aged 41-47) has had complicated professional experiences. We’ve kept our heads down, overcome various obstacles, and now we’re ready to have our voices heard (or at least this Xennial is speaking out!) to communicate our unique lived experiences.
Next time your Xennial leader looks exhausted, frustrated or has entirely too much on their plate, drop off a coffee, remind them to take some PTO, or thank them for being a rockstar—it will go a long way!
Xennials are adept at utilizing their technical expertise, practical experience and communication skills to excel. Xennials are the proverbial “Rosetta Stone” between generations, managing up to Boomers (b. 1946-1964) and Gen Xers and coaching/mentoring Millennials and Gen Z (b. 1997-2012) employees. These individuals have worked under various managers and leadership styles for two decades on the job. We have considered what type of leaders resonate and which type of (old school) leadership approaches we don’t want to emulate, formulating a “new school” leadership experience that includes coaching, inclusion, learning, work/life balance and adaptability for ourselves and others.
Our generation experienced 9/11 firsthand, likely while in college or having recently graduated. We saw the dot-com bust and a U.S. economic recession kept us in jobs that were not optimal, set us back a few years with career advancement, or, worse, impacted our salary with pay cuts or job losses. We also lived (and worked) through a pandemic, which required us to pivot to remote work and leadership while juggling home life and all that comes with it. But we did it. It made us stronger, more empathetic and adaptable.
How are your Xennial leaders managing?
From the Xennial leader perspective, we care about our teams and are the first to jump in and help. At the same time, we often feel overwhelmed and undervalued. Oh, and we’re tired. It’s no one’s “fault,” really; it was just the luck of the draw entering the workforce in the early 2000s and immediately managing up to our bosses, paying our dues, doing the grunt work and striving to climb the ladder. Years later, once we became leaders, the world shifted, requiring us to manage down/coach/mentor our Millennial and Gen Z workforce, being flexible and still responsible for some of the minutia. We’re not complaining (it’s not in our nature to grumble without a solution-based recommendation), but in retrospect, our generation never really got a break. So, next time your Xennial leader looks exhausted, frustrated or has entirely too much on their plate, drop off a coffee, remind them to take some PTO, or thank them for being a rockstar—it will go a long way!
Xennials unite!
We have fond memories of early digital life, like AOL and Napster, iPods and flip phones. We’ve mastered the Internet, learned Microsoft Suite (along with its ever-evolving additions and quirks) and countless other programs, including various versions of smartphones and the latest social media platforms. Now, we’re onto AI. Will we ever stop learning? No way. We’ll own the “Oregon Trail Generation” label because nothing will prevent us from succeeding (not even dysentery!).