How to make these changes is connected to understand why the change is being asked for. As you study the shifts you are better equipped to understand what innovations, simplifications, and updates are needed in your organization. When you work from your point of view, you are likely to evolve and perpetuate what you see and understand but miss the boat of the growing request, need, and demand of your stakeholder/customer/prospect/team.
Another quick article posted on Linked In by Rach ElGolli, Millennials deciding the future of Impact investing [2], shares a few highlights in understanding the Millennial generation and their differences. She underscores the importance of understanding the generation as there is a clear indication of different values and priorities (education, environment, sustainability, etc.). What the Millennial generation value and find acceptable for life, work, and leadership is different then the era we are coming out of.
- Reflect on your attitude about generational differences. Are you curious or crabby about it?
- Notice your awareness of generational differences? Are they your bias and opinion or do you look at stats to understand motivational desires?
- Commit to doing something each week to be a student of culture. It doesn’t matter what age group you are in.
- Pick up a book on generational themes, listen to a podcast, Youtube video, whatever.
- Talk to others in other age demographics than yourself, if at all possible, someone younger than you. It is interesting because the sediment in the 2.0 era was to learn from your elders, the challenge is that isn’t exactly the key anymore. There is a desire to learn from elders IF they are understanding, open, and non-judging. If they have an agenda, perpetuate past value systems and stand in shaming judgment of the younger generation, they will not want to learn from you. It doesn’t make sense because you have a different operating system than they do. There is value in cross-generational learning, but more than ever, leaders have to recognize the changing tide and rise with it.
Make yourself a student of culture. Understand the new operating system that is rich with new values and priorities. It is critical for your leadership and your business to connect and communicate with the growing and shifting culture of today.
[1] Inc’s Article: Four Ways Millennials Are Transforming Leadership by JASON ALBANESE
https://www.inc.com/jason-albanese/four-ways-millennials-are-transforming-leadership.html
[2] Linked In Article: Millennials deciding the future of Impact investing by Rach ElGolli
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/millennials-deciding-future-impact-investing-rach-golli?articleId=6657600269284585472
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