I was born in 1978. And honestly, I feel bloody lucky.

We’re Generation X, the last generation to grow up without a device glued to our hands. We rode our bikes ‘till dark, had to wait for the weekend to watch our favourite shows, and we knew how to knock on someone’s door and ask, “Can you come out to play?”

Someone recently described us as the Reality TV Generation, not because we were glued to it, but because we are it. Think Big Brother, Survivor, The Amazing Race. These are shows that focus on physical and mental challenges, zoom in on raw human emotion, and celebrate both vulnerability and grit. We’re used to saying it how it is. We’re real. And deep down, I think Millennials and Gen Z trust us for that.

Which begs the question: if you were born between 1965 and 1980—are you aware of how much the younger generations are listening to you?

I wrote a blog last year about this very thing, and the response was incredible (Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y, you have a very important role to play in this era) and I stand by that message.

We have a responsibility to hand down.

We come from an era before the internet when service meant eye contact, conversation and connection. We remember what humanity feels like.

So, let’s stop complaining about “poor service” and pointing fingers at younger people who don’t like phone calls, avoid conflict, or aren’t “resilient.” It’s not helping.

Instead, let’s create. Let’s lead. Let’s model what good looks like.

Because Gen X, they’re watching us. And whether we realise it or not—we’re still shaping the future of service.