Emotional Maturity: Part 1

Emotional maturity—our ability to understand and manage our emotions, and respond constructively to the emotions of others—is often named as a cornerstone of great leadership and workplace culture. But what does emotional maturity look like? Is it staying calm under pressure? Being vulnerable? Knowing when to speak—or when to stay quiet?

Interestingly, your answer to that may depend on when you were born.

Across the four main working generations—Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z—there’s a shifting perspective on what it means to be emotionally mature. These generational perspectives are shaped by the social norms, parenting styles, leadership models, and even world events that defined each group’s coming of age.

And while it’s easy to default to stereotypes, doing so can keep us from seeing the very real strengths and wisdom each generation brings to how they show up emotionally—especially at work.

This three-part series explores the evolving nature of emotional maturity through a generational lens, with a special focus on workplace dynamics. In today’s article, we begin with the Boomers.

Baby Boomers: Composure, Loyalty, and Emotional Reserve

Born between 1946 and 1964, Baby Boomers came of age during a time of post-war growth, traditional hierarchies, and a strong belief in professionalism. For many in this generation, emotional maturity was defined by composure, restraint, and loyalty. You didn’t bring personal problems to work—and if you were under pressure, you pushed through.

Mental health, at the time, was often misunderstood or even stigmatized. “You didn’t talk about burnout or anxiety,” said Dr. Megan Gerhardt, generational researcher and co-author of Gentelligence. “That wasn’t part of the professional conversation then. You were expected to keep your head down and do the job.”

As a result, Boomers tend to view emotional maturity as keeping your feelings in check, presenting a calm demeanour, and following through on responsibilities—regardless of how you feel.

Strengths of this approach include:

• Resilience: Boomers often display emotional discipline and perseverance under stress.

• Work ethic: They associate maturity with loyalty, showing up even when it’s hard.

• Self-regulation: They may not always name their emotions, but they manage them in a way that prioritizes team stability.

At the same time, this generation may struggle with newer norms of emotional expression. According to a generational EQ comparison by the Six Seconds EQ Network (2023), Baby Boomers tend to score lower on relational emotional intelligence (e.g., empathy and emotional transparency) compared to younger generations, but higher on skills related to responsibility and decision-making.

That’s not to say Boomers are emotionally unaware—far from it. Rather, their experience has taught them to separate emotion from performance, and to protect professionalism at all costs.

This can cause generational disconnects. For example, when a Gen Z colleague openly discusses burnout, a Boomer manager might silently wonder if that’s appropriate workplace behaviour—not because they lack empathy, but because they were never allowed to say that themselves.

Leadership coach and workplace researcher Haydn Shaw notes that Boomers often appreciate emotional maturity as “calm under pressure,” and may feel caught off guard by emotional openness in younger staff. He also points out that many Boomers today are adapting and learning. “They’re open to change,” Shaw writes, “but they need help understanding why the change is necessary.”

In many workplaces, Baby Boomers still hold senior leadership roles. Their ability to model steadiness, loyalty, and wisdom can ground a team during transitions and their journey—toward embracing more open conversations around mental health—can be a powerful signal to younger employees that growth is always possible.

Next week, we’ll explore how Gen X and Millennials offer their own distinct perspectives on emotional maturity—and how those sometimes opposing styles create both tension and opportunity at work.

Questions for Reflection

• What behaviours do we associate with emotional maturity—and whose definition is leading?

• How might a Boomer colleague’s restraint be a form of care or professionalism rather than emotional avoidance?

• What assumptions do we make about emotional expression that might limit mutual understanding?