Defining Baby Boomers
Born between 1946 and 1964, this generation makes up many of today’s most experienced workers.
Who are the Baby Boomers?
Boomers often hold these types of organizational roles.
What are leadership, senior management, or advisory positions?
This leader’s influence comes from admiration, respect, and emotional connection.
Who is Oprah Winfrey?
Boomers helped create systems of evaluation, accountability, and professionalism — showing this key value.
What is a strong work ethic?
As Boomers retire, leadership transitions to these three generations.
Who are Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z?
Many Baby Boomers have postponed this life milestone to maintain purpose and identity.
What is retirement?
Boomers tend to prefer this communication style, in contrast to Gen Z’s digital approach.
What is in-person and formal communication?
This Apple CEO’s authority comes from his formal title and position.
Who is Tim Cook?
Many Boomers act in this role, using referent and information power to guide younger employees.
What are mentors or leaders?
Leadership is shifting from control and hierarchy toward these two values.
What are inclusion and empowerment?
They helped create modern workplace systems like management hierarchies, HR structures, and performance evaluations.
What key contributions did Baby Boomers make to the workplace?
This form of power uses rewards, bonuses, or recognition to motivate others.
What is reward power?
This former Microsoft CEO used coercive power through a “stack ranking” system.
Who is Steve Ballmer?
They serve as the memory of organizations, preserving history and context.
What is institutional knowledge and stability?
This type of power—charisma, competence, and communication—now drives influence.
What is informal power?
With workforce shortages and longer life expectancies, Boomers are relied on for these two key qualities.
What are leadership and continuity?
This form of power relies on authority, compliance, and fear of consequences.
What is coercive power?
This GM CEO’s influence comes from her deep knowledge of the technical and managerial sides of the business.
Who is Mary Barra?
Name one way you’ve benefited from an older mentor or colleague.
[Open-ended personal reflection.]
Rephrase “Finish this by 5 PM” in empowering language.
[Student exercise; e.g., “Let’s aim to wrap this up by 5 so we can celebrate progress together.”]