From Boomer Hierarchies to Gen Z Autonomy, revolutionary communication insights for owners, managers, and clinicians in group practice.
This episode is worth your time.
And yes, before you ask, we’re talking about generational dynamics without turning this into a “kids these days” rant. Let’s get to the heart of what’s brewing in group practices right now: intergenerational tension.
My guest, Calle Foster, is a certified leadership coach and speaker with 15+ years’ experience in corporate learning and development. She helps professionals go from quiet contributors to confident, influential, credible leaders. Calle has graciously agreed to be our Millennial and GenZ cipher. They’re the groups she coaches most often.
Calle posed one question during our convo that has literally changed the way I interact with everyone, including my husband. It’s so simple and soul-satisfying.
But first, a primer on how we got here.
“The oldest Millennials are 44-45. They’re stepping into executive roles not knowing, necessarily, how to lead,” says Calle. Meanwhile, Gen Z is entering professional spaces and experiencing genuine autonomy for the first time in their lives. Both groups grew up in eras that produced wildly different working styles from those of the Gen Xers and Boomers now tasked with onboarding or managing them. “We’re seeing specific workplace behaviors and values playing out in real time,” notes Calle. Here’s a cheatsheet on how each gen might present (yes, exceptions are guaranteed):
- Boomers – laid the groundwork for today’s dysfunctional office hierarchy (and have the institutional knowledge to dismantle it)
- Gen X – do the work = leave them alone (doesn’t respond well or at all to micromanagement)
- Millennials – do the work = get paid a living wage (a promise made to them, but never kept)
- Gen Z – consistent feedback helps them thrive (because autonomy is hella overwhelming)
How do we bridge the generational divide? More thoughtful communication for a start. Elders in group practice ownership or management positions can situate our younger colleagues toward their North Star rather than telling them to “figure it out.” Younger coworkers can practice greater receptivity over rejection of the wisdom offered by those who’ve gone before them.
And all generations could benefit from asking, “What would your wisest self want you to do in this situation?”
In a conversation about leadership and power, that question cut across age and role.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
The Fourth Turning: What the Seasons of History Tell Us about How and When This Crisis Will End
RECOMMENDED EPISODES
Head/Heart Management Team – Practicing Compassionate and Collective Accountability in the Workplace
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Calle Foster (she/her) spent over a decade in corporate Learning & Development before becoming a speaker and three-time certified leadership coach. She now equips Millennial and Gen Z professionals with the confidence, clarity, and people skills to lead with real impact. Her coaching blends honesty, strategy, and self-awareness to help rising leaders thrive.
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