Members of Generation X (typically defined as born between 1965 and 1981) are used to being in the shadow of the massive generations that came before and after them. Baby boomers and millennials tend to get the lion’s share of attention as far as demographic groups go. And, of course, the novelty of emerging generation Z is capturing a few headlines as well.

“It’s kind of been the neglected or overlooked generation in a lot of ways,” says Stephanie Neal, a research scientist in Development Directions International’s (DDI’s) Center for Analytics and Behavioral Research (CABER). But their growing influence and unique attributes are worthy of more attention, she says.

Neal says that gen X leaders now hold more than half (51%) of leadership roles globally. And new DDI research shows a wealth of attributes—including tech-adept, loyal, and committed to development—make them especially valuable to the companies that employ them.

Related: Are Gen X Women Being Squeezed Out Of The Workplace?

Formed By Adversity

While ascribing certain attributes to an entire generation is always filled with disclaimers about individuals not always conforming to the masses, gen Xers were trailblazers in formative, if not terribly positive ways, says Cam Marston, founder of Generational Insights, a Mobile, Alabama, consultancy, and author of Generational Selling Tactics That Work: Quick and Dirty Secrets for Selling to Any Age Group. They were the “latch-key kids,” many of whom had two working parents and came home from school to an empty house—with no mobile phones to keep in touch with Mom and Dad all the time. Many entered the job market during or shortly after the recession in the late 1980s. These phenomena left them with no illusions about how easy it would be to make their way in the world.

These generational signposts left their mark on many gen Xers, says generational expert and humorist Meagan Johnson, coauthor of Generations, Inc.: From Boomers to Linksters–Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work. From an early age, they had freedom to make decisions and were left on their own to organize their time, do their chores, and get their homework done before their parents got home. This has made many gen X managers entrepreneurial and independent in their management style—which can be a challenge for their millennial counterparts and direct reports who often crave more feedback and interaction, Marston says.

“That gen X manager thinks he or she is doing his or her team a favor by leaving them alone to do their job,” he says. They’re managing others like they would like to be managed—get the work done, avoid the distractions, and go home. Gen X managers often don’t crave the close workplace friendships that their older and younger counterparts do, Johnson adds. At the same time, they do place a high value on mentoring and helping others develop.