A few months ago, a close friend of mine walked out of a face-to-face meeting feeling pretty good.
The meeting had gone well, tight agenda, decisions made, and a sense that everyone was on the same page. For someone who thrives on clarity and structure, it felt like a professional win.
Naturally, right after the meeting, my friend did what most Millennials or Gen Z professionals might do: typed up a quick email summary. It was clear, polite, and efficient. They CCed everyone who was present, plus a few teammates who hadn’t been in the room, just to keep them in the loop.
The tone was collaborative. The intent was simple: share, align, and move forward.
But then came a reply. One line. From the team lead, an experienced, senior leader.
“This could have been handled differently.”
No greeting. No context. Just that.
My friend was confused. And honestly, a little rattled.
What Went Wrong?
Later, in a private chat, the team lead explained that he didn’t appreciate the email. He felt the content of the meeting was being made too public, too soon. That my friend had jumped the gun, spoken for the group, or worse, overstepped a boundary.
For my friend, it was a completely unintentional misstep.
From their perspective, it was just a way of being transparent. They weren’t trying to show off or claim ownership; they were trying to keep people informed and involved.
But in the team lead’s eyes, it broke an unspoken rule: meetings, especially senior ones, come with hierarchy, context, and discretion.
And just like that, a perfectly normal action became a perfectly awkward moment.
Different Generations, Different Defaults
This incident wasn’t really about an email. It was about a collision of generational norms.
My friend, like many in their generation, is used to:
- Sharing information openly
- Communicating quickly
- Prioritising transparency over control
But the team lead, like many from older generations, values:
- Structure
- Seniority
- Thoughtful, filtered communication
The email didn’t break a formal rule. But it broke an informal one, one rooted in decades of a different kind of workplace etiquette.
The Workplace Today Is a Generational Mashup
Let’s be honest: workplaces today are a wild mix of Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zs all trying to get things done together.
Each group has its rhythms, tools, and assumptions:
- Boomers respect formality and hierarchy.
- Gen X loves independence and pragmatism.
- Millennials champion collaboration and purpose.
- Gen Z brings boldness, digital fluency, and inclusivity.
Put all that together, and you get innovation and tension.
Misunderstandings like my friend’s are more common than we think.
Lessons From That One-Line Email
My friend didn’t hold a grudge. In fact, they did something powerful: they followed up.
They had a conversation with the team lead. Explained their intent. Listened to his perspective. And while they didn’t fully agree on how things should be done, they came away with mutual understanding and a better working relationship.
Here’s what they learned (and shared with me):
- Intent doesn’t guarantee impact.
Even with the best of intentions, how something lands matters more than how it’s sent. - Assume people are trying their best.
Most of us aren’t trying to sabotage each other; we’re just shaped by different professional cultures. - Some rules are written. Some aren’t. Learn both.
Being technically right isn’t always the same as being relationally wise. - Talk it out. Even when it’s awkward.
One honest conversation beats months of quiet resentment.
Final Thought: Don’t Blame the Generation. Understand the Context.
It’s easy to reduce workplace tension to “old school vs. new school.”
But the truth is, everyone’s trying to do good work. We just speak different professional languages.
What my friend saw as clarity, the team lead saw as jumping the chain.
What the team lead saw as a process, my friend saw as a bottleneck.
And they were both right.
The real magic happens when we pause long enough to translate, not just react.
So if you’ve ever sent an email, gotten a strange reply, and thought, “Wait… what just happened?” you’re not alone.
We’re all still learning how to work with each other, not just near each other. One generation.
One awkward email.
One honest conversation at a time.
