So Simon Sinek has spoken about millenials and that's got me thinking.
(Watch video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU)
Since I'm born in the mid-1980s, I am a millenial by definition and I do find myself identifying with some (not all) of the things mentioned in the video. I do, however, see how it applies to folks (kids!) born in the 1990s and later. For example, instant gratification, which is truly evidenced by the presence of social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tinder. Millenials do not want to cultivate lasting, trustworthy relationships. Instead, what gets them excited and motivated is the prospect of likes and speed dates. How well you can sell yourselves to strangers and almost-strangers is more critical than having that one friend for life, that you can turn to come rain or storm. No wonder then, that they feel lonely and burned out, depressed and stressed more and sooner than folks from the previous generations.
My parents are Baby Boomers (1946-64) and my elder brother is Gen X (1960-80) while my husband is a millenial (1981-2000) so we have a fair mix of all thoughts and perspectives in the fam.
I see how failure impacts us millenials far worse than it does the other generations. We often leave the company or the relation because we cannot deal with or accept the lesson that comes with it, making us resilient and far more effective and tolerant. No, so much easier to give up and start again in a fresh place rather than undo and re-do some of the bits that need mending to make life smoother in the long run. Everywhere around us are people who change jobs and partners every 6 months, so much so, that when someone mentions a 5-yr old tenure at work or with a partner, it receives applause and even a snide comment about complacency!
We want our drinks and showers fast, we want to be told that nothing is impossible, and that nothing is too tough. Anything that we aspire is ours, without trying too hard, since we're worth it and more.
It makes me sad, this thought that we're setting millenials up for failure - the pressure on them is immense and their heads are so messed up, it brings a sense of foreboding. I know some of them out there, wiser even than the rest. But, overall this simple categorization brings with it a lot of scope for introspection and improvement.
And opportunity for training in organizations, which is how this actually struck me in the first place.
So, the next time you pause to either reprimand or recommend someone, do keep this idea in mind - the concept of generational differences. It does explain quite a bit about our differing reactions and thought processing.
Cheerio!
Princess
(Watch video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU)
Since I'm born in the mid-1980s, I am a millenial by definition and I do find myself identifying with some (not all) of the things mentioned in the video. I do, however, see how it applies to folks (kids!) born in the 1990s and later. For example, instant gratification, which is truly evidenced by the presence of social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tinder. Millenials do not want to cultivate lasting, trustworthy relationships. Instead, what gets them excited and motivated is the prospect of likes and speed dates. How well you can sell yourselves to strangers and almost-strangers is more critical than having that one friend for life, that you can turn to come rain or storm. No wonder then, that they feel lonely and burned out, depressed and stressed more and sooner than folks from the previous generations.
My parents are Baby Boomers (1946-64) and my elder brother is Gen X (1960-80) while my husband is a millenial (1981-2000) so we have a fair mix of all thoughts and perspectives in the fam.
I see how failure impacts us millenials far worse than it does the other generations. We often leave the company or the relation because we cannot deal with or accept the lesson that comes with it, making us resilient and far more effective and tolerant. No, so much easier to give up and start again in a fresh place rather than undo and re-do some of the bits that need mending to make life smoother in the long run. Everywhere around us are people who change jobs and partners every 6 months, so much so, that when someone mentions a 5-yr old tenure at work or with a partner, it receives applause and even a snide comment about complacency!
We want our drinks and showers fast, we want to be told that nothing is impossible, and that nothing is too tough. Anything that we aspire is ours, without trying too hard, since we're worth it and more.
It makes me sad, this thought that we're setting millenials up for failure - the pressure on them is immense and their heads are so messed up, it brings a sense of foreboding. I know some of them out there, wiser even than the rest. But, overall this simple categorization brings with it a lot of scope for introspection and improvement.
And opportunity for training in organizations, which is how this actually struck me in the first place.
So, the next time you pause to either reprimand or recommend someone, do keep this idea in mind - the concept of generational differences. It does explain quite a bit about our differing reactions and thought processing.
Cheerio!
Princess
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