Emotional Intelligence & Generational Misunderstandings
In a recent keynote, I shared a clip of my son hitting a triple and celebrating with what I thought was a tribute to Daniel LaRusso, aka Daniel Son, from the Karate Kid. Turns out, it wasn’t that at all, but the viral Fairy Trend sweeping TikTok.
Different era, different language.
That moment brought home a powerful insight: when two generations collide, it's not about ill intent - it’s about missing context.
Most of the time, it's not
“they’re out to get me”
… It’s “they don’t get me.”
Why generational misunderstanding matters
60% of employees report generational differences as a cause of conflict at work (matsh.co).
Those collisions show up everywhere - from how we celebrate a triple, to how we give feedback or run meetings.
Emotional Intelligence to the rescue
Here are four EQ-based moves to help bridge generational divides - whether you're parenting a teen or leading a team:
Assume it’s a misunderstanding. Approach with curiosity. Swap defensiveness for genuine interest.
Name your lens. Instead of judging, acknowledge: “I see this through my Boomer/X/Millennial lens - what am I missing?”
Ask, don’t assume. A simple “Tell me what that means to you” can turn confusion into connection.
Mirror your reaction. Check in: am I reacting to data, or to my interpretation of data
Why this matters at work and at home:
Generations speak different languages - Gen Z dances in TikTok trends, Boomers prefer phone calls, Gen X likes emails, Millennials want quick Slack threads. Misreading each other isn’t failure - it’s lack of translation.
But when we lead with emotional intelligence, we can:
Prevent wasted conflict
Increase creativity and innovation
Build stronger bonds that span age gaps
Just remember: connection begins with curiosity.
xoxo, Tara
P.S. Want to laugh and learn? Watch this high school lecture/speech where a professor hilariously tries to speak Gen Alpha’s language - “put the fries in the bag” “no cap,” and more. It’s a perfect (and funny) reminder that we’re all speaking different languages across generations.
