Echo Boomers Lead Culture Shift

It's official - Echo Boomers* are rated as being significantly more effective in the workplace than their older baby boomer colleagues.

According to Human Synergistics' data, corporate leaders aged 30-35 years old are 21% more visionary than those older than 50, enhance others' productivity, "empower" people and bring out the best in colleagues.

"The biggest difference was found in the "interest in self-development" category where 30-35 year olds were found to be 30% more interested in self-development than their 50+ year old counterparts," said Human Synergistics Director Quentin Jones.

"Contrary to popular belief about the generation Xers being the 'me generation', the data shows 30-35 year old leaders had "advanced the firm's success" over their own success.

"Interestingly, Echo Boomers had a much more constructive leadership style than their baby boomer counterparts. In particular their levels of Achievement (up 15%), Self-Actualising (up 13%), Humanistic-Encouraging (up 13%), and Affiliative (up 11%).

"In other words, 30-35 year-old leaders are more prescriptive (guiding and directing) in their day to day leadership behaviours, while 50+ year-old leaders are more restrictive (prohibiting and constraining)," Mr Jones said.

As consultants with many of Australia's leading companies, the biggest challenge for Baby Boomer managers are the demands young managers are putting on them for a work culture that supports personal development.

"As part of our leadership development consulting we are spending more and more time coaching Baby Boomer managers in how to change their leadership styles to create a performance culture", Mr Jones said.

* Echo Boomers is a term coined in a recent Sydney Morning Herald series for the generation born around 1971. This research, and expert comment from Quentin Jones, was quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald on 5 February 2002. This story has since appeared in Human Resources magazine and Human Capital magazine.