At the recent Thought Leader Forum in Washington DC, a thought paper entitled "Getting the “X” Into Senior Executive Service: Thoughts on Generation X and the Future of the SES" was presented to spark discussion regarding the Genreation "X" - those Americans born roughly between 1964 and 1979 who are entering the US government's Senior Executive Service (SES). Currently, out of over 6000 SESers there are an estimate 325 Gen Xers in the SES and roughly three times as many SESers 60 and over. So how well equipped is the SES for the Xers? and What are the implications of Generation X values and career perspectives on executive leadership and professional development in the SES?
Before you answer...Be warned that Generation X is most consistently described as:
• Independent
• Skeptical (even cynical)
• “Disloyal”
• Tech savvy
• Entrepreneurial
• Results oriented
• Untrusting of organizations/institutions
Appears to be the antithesis of federal government. Perhaps Gen Xer's are more suited for the private sectior? Perhaps this will be good for government. Do we have a choice? Give us your thoughts