Presenting

Iconic Gen X Women From top to bottom: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and author of Lean In. Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City. Elizabeth Gilber t, author of Eat, Pray, Love. Jennifer Lopez, international pop star and actress. Mary J. Blige, R&B legend. spot, this hammock of 'good enough' that's sandwiched between the Boomers' "More, more, more!" and the Millennials' "Me, Me, Me!'" Our natural skepticism from being repeatedly burned may actually help us. After all, most of the trouble – from Bush I & II recessions to the most recent economic pit of despair — stemmed from unchecked optimism. Xers have paid for this trickle- down optimism repeatedly. In fact, Forbes' recent list of five "must have" characteristics of a modern employee are tailor-made for Gen X: Embrace Change, Autonomy, Have a Voice, Share and Help Others, Filter and Focus. ese traits are at the core of our DNA. Our collective apathetic shrug is exactly what is needed for the coming decades. "Gen X was on the cutting-edge of the technological revolution. Technology linked with their entrepreneurial spirit transformed their idea of what was possible," says Dr. Susan MacManus, professor in the Goverment and International Affairs Department at USF. Overall, we are a self-reliant group who do not require constant guidance and positive affirmation that the attention-seeking millennials constantly demand. Our parents did not micromanage our lives. Quite the opposite, we learned to figure things out on our own. In a corporate world built on quicksand, our nimble ability to maneuver is a strength. Our laundry list of skills and experiences acquired while leapfrogging through career landmines that blocked our way make us abundantly qualified to navigate the future, no matter what happens. GEN X Women As leadership seats become vacant and the next generation of leaders ascend the throne of boardrooms, political parties and educational institutions, perhaps the most impressive mavericks among the Gen Xers will be the women. ey are first generation of women in history to be raised to believe that they are truly equal to men. Astonishing as that sounds, it is in fact true. We were the first girls to believe, we could be an astronaut, a physicist, a rock star and even the president. e expectations are high and the burden of accomplishment is heavy. Reminded often of the sacrifices made on our behalf, we headed out into the world expecting to find the glass ceiling shatteredbeneath our feet and Prince Charming behind the picket fence, home early from his high paying job, patiently waiting to cook us dinner with his affable demeanor, unbridled support and two adorable, low-maintenance children we popped out at will by his side. Instead, we learned the cruelty of fairy tales early on. While women have made tremendous advancements in education and careers in the past few decades, few have risen to the top seats yet. Recognizing the shortage of female colleagues at the highest levels of corporations and government, Sheryl Sandberg ignited her generation with her book, Lean In. She noted that,"Women are not making it to the top of any profession in the world. But when I say, 'e blunt truth is that men run the world,' people say, 'Really?' at, to me, is the problem." She encouraged women to push forward into their careers, step up and speak up. She recognized our female traits of pleasing others before ourselves, incessant apologetic attitudes and selling ourselves short in business and our personal lives. Continued on page 44 GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com | 43

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