Some 77.5 million Baby Boomers will begin exiting the workforce at an accelerating pace over the next five years. Over 15 years, workplaces will shift to a new generation of leaders. This poses a profound management problem....as Generation X succeeds the Boomer Generation.
Gen X managers have been poorly mentored by their organizations to assume the responsibilities they will inherit. The boomers have not been good about sharing their knowledge and experience; Gen X has not been good about tapping into it. Here is what one Gen Xer has to say:
"The major reason why many Gen Xers are not in line for leadership opportunities is because of the absolute selfishness and short-sightedness of boomers who have dominated the workforce for the past two decades. Boomers have refused to share their knowledge, mentor and develop us while we were in the early years of our career development. The lack of Gen X leaders in many of the organizations today is the direct result of boomers' refusal to support us in the first place."
Source: www.cio.com February 1, 2008