Woman shares how millennial bosses handle conflict differently compared to the older generations

Employers and employees often clash over a variety of issues at work. While bosses can sometimes be in the wrong, the real problem arises when they refuse to admit their faults. It's challenging to find a good leader in the workplace, but it seems this career coach has found one for herself. Lizzie Tilia, who goes by @lizzietilia on TikTok, made a video to address how she had an interesting interaction with her 35-year-old millennial boss after they had a dispute with a client. In the now-deleted video, Tilia shared that she expected the conversation with her boss to turn sour, but it took an entirely unexpected turn.

“I wrote an email to her very respectfully and courteously,” Tilia explained, noting that she had some differences of opinion with her boss. She forwarded an email thread containing the conversations between herself and a client out of courtesy. To her surprise, her boss began engaging in those conversations instead of simply overseeing them. “While I do appreciate you commenting those things to the clients—I do feel that you were undermining me,” Tilia wrote in a second email to her boss, adding that her boss's involvement could jeopardize the client's trust in her and create tension within the team.

“I have worked for a boomer and Gen X. I recently started working for a millennial like me. She’ll be 35 or 36 years old this year—we are both millennials, but she is my senior,” she mentioned. Tilia felt it was high time to confront her boss and stand up for herself by expressing her thoughts. “I was shaking in my boots,” she revealed. “Even though I stand by everything that I said and I stood up for myself—my relationships with other bosses have been with other generations." She nervously waited for her boss to respond, expecting something harsh, but she was stunned by how her boss began the response email.

“I see your point and I apologize,” her boss wrote in the email to Tilia. “I apologize for the way I approached that. I did not mean to undermine you." The rest of the email from her boss included several points, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries in the workplace and respecting Tilia's decision to stand up for herself. Her boss's empathy nearly brought Tilia to the brink of happy tears. Another career content creator on TikTok Amy (@hackyourhr), stitched Tilia's video with her response to it. "Okay this is an amazing video," Amy started. "Because she's saying that she went to her millennial boss and kind of confronted her and said 'hey, like you're in the wrong' and her millennial boss responded 'I see your point and I apologize.'"

"The millennial boss apologized and I feel like a lot of women in the workplace have been told whatever you do, do not apologize. If someone calls you out instead of saying I'm sorry you could say thanks for pointing that out. The problem with that is people can pick on you if you never say sorry. Also, she said I see your point and I apologize and I would make a slight edit. I'm so sorry, that's it. It's amazing how far you can get in corporate when you drop your ego," Amy concluded. A few people shared their opinions on this matter as well. @chronic.virgo wrote, "I think I'm so sorry is a little bit overkill and could be taken as disingenuous. I apologize means a lot more and is definitely better." @tttc commented, "I am a creative who freelances for large brands. It is obvious how corporate workers are taught not to apologize. So cold."

You can follow Lizzie Tilia (@lizzietilia) on Tiktok for more lifestyle content.