Why Xers have a hard time brainstorming with Boomers

I've noticed over the years that Xers and Boomers brainstorm very differently. Xers throw out their ideas and then negotiate the final decision. Boomers like to flip things over, analyze more, and come to a consensus.

However, that's not why we Xers have a hard time brainstorming with our Boomer colleagues. It's because the Boomers break and unwritten Xer rule: No ripping on other people's ideas in the first round.

Boomers will tell you WHY they don't like your idea - and then WHY they prefer their idea. Xers will just tell you WHY they prefer their idea - unless it comes down a draw, at which point they bring out the heavy guns: WHY they don't like your idea.

So when Xers brainstorm with Boomers, and the Boomers say WHY they don't like your idea, Xers take it to mean the Boomer has pulled out the heavy guns from the start. It's a dis, if you will.

That's why we feel pissed off. But we shouldn't. Most of us are fine going with another person's idea, so that's not what gets under our skin. It's the breaking of the rule. And if the Boomers don't know the rule, they aren't pissing us off on purpose.