I was talking with a business owner recently who said something familiar:
“This generation doesn’t want to work. They want everything handed to them.”

She wasn’t angry. Just worn out. No days off in weeks. Late-night texts. Covering shifts. Running on fumes.

As we talked, I started wondering—what if the people we’re quick to judge because of their age are actually showing us something we need to learn?

Every generation has been labeled. Every generation has been misunderstood. And every generation brings value—if we’re willing to see it.

Labels are for canned goods.

It’s easy to assume:

• The older employee is stuck in their ways.

• The younger one lacks drive.

• The new hire is soft.

• The older person can’t use the computer.

But those aren’t truths. They’re shortcuts. And shortcuts blind us.

The business owner I spoke with mistook her team’s desire for boundaries as laziness. They weren’t resisting hard work. They were resisting burnout—something she hadn’t yet figured out how to do.

She thought they needed her discipline. Maybe they were offering her sustainability.

Fast Path to Seeing Beyond Age

1. Catch the assumption. Notice when age shapes your judgment.

2. Look for intent. What values or priorities are behind the behavior?

3. Reframe the difference. What could they be seeing that you’re not?

4. Respond to the person. Let behavior, not birth year, guide your next step.

If you want stronger relationships and better results, start by seeing people more clearly.

You’re one action away. Starting today.