Leadership Lessons Learned

References are routinely made about generations.  Some positive in reminiscence, some instructional for companies, teachers, or leaders (corporate and world) for how to reach, motivate or coexist, but many for comparison that focuses more on perceived negatives of one versus another.

Many officially declared historians by Google, know of birth date ranges of generations being Greatest (1901-1927), Silent (1928-1945), Baby Boom (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), Millennial or Generation Y (1981-1996), Generation Z or iGen (1997-2010), and Generation Alpha (after 2010).

We’ve been flooded with readings, seminars, research, stories or experiences about what one generation will or will not do, what one did or does better, expectations one has versus another, or even how to tolerate the differences.  Thankfully we also see a lot about how to utilize, improve, or better ourselves by understanding the differences and optimizing or maximizing due to them.

I am an incredible believer and outright fan of uniqueness, of individuality, of diversity.  We should always honor diversity of people, of thought and mind, and of methodology where safe and sound.   However, I fear at times our use of labels can promote divisiveness as opposed to fostering diversity, with a special emphasis in this message for how it relates specifically to generations as viewed in the professional landscape.

If you scroll back through the generations, examination shows we moved directly from Baby Boom to Generation X.   We bypassed W and kept right on trucking through Z and a start over at Alpha.   It made me think back to the incredible performances by teams and individuals I’ve had the pleasure to watch and learn from.  They were combinations of genders, races, geographies, religions, educations, characteristics, traits, and of course, generations.  While these great teams utilized the differences and diversity to their advantage, they also were aligned and bonded by common mission, by being something better together, and by doing something meaningful for many.  So, perhaps, skipping W wasn’t a bad idea after all.  Perhaps W can represent something bigger than any singular generation and can combine us all as the We Generation.    Allow us to focus on commonalities, grow and be stronger together, further and foster diversity, while trying to dam up and clam up about divisiveness.  Appreciate and respect each Generation and their positive contributions as you sing “talkin’ ‘bout my generation” by The Who.  However, also take time to focus on our togetherness and make room for a new Generation We to bond us.  Feel free to need each other and feed each other.  Sing Come Together by either The Beatles or Aerosmith in honor of that, years apart, but both damn good.  As for me, I’ll stand in the Generation We corner in case anyone wants to join.  Use the excuse that you’re following someone who was Aloft Hotel Guest of the Day once! 😊

#together #itmatters #leadership #GenerationWe