"When Generations Collide"

Full of Boundless Energy and Creativity while Practicing Safe Text

Television has a huge influence on Cultural Trends; the argument is whether or not this is a good thing!?  A study by RAND Corporation demonstrated the positive impact and lasting affect a show like Friends, specifically a single episode had on youth in practicing Safe Sex and Abstinence.  So, in summary, Television is a tool capable of having both a positive and negative impact on Cultural Trends.

In the workplace, the standard bearer’s of the corporate world, the Traditionalists, and the Baby Boomers worry that Generation X and Y are not engaged or interested; that they are distracted and non-committal; that they want to be in charge without demonstrating an ability to learn by taking direction; that they are dreaming.  Once again, the argument is whether or not this is a good thing!?  “Without dreaming…we lose the excitement of possibilities.  Dreaming is a form of planning.” ~~ Gloria Steinem, American Feminist, originator of Ms. Magazine (1934 --  )

One man’s distractions can be another man’s invention; in every generation, and in institutional education (and the workplace) the creative and adventurous kids are the ones beating a trail to the principal’s office.  Conformity is the expectation, but at what expense!? 

Take five minutes and try this:  Get a group of half a dozen or more people together; give each person a piece of paper and a pencil.  Ask them to take 20-seconds to draw a picture of a house and when they're done, have them turn the drawing over face down and put their pencils on top of the paper.  Then go to an easel, a chalkboard or just hold up a plain piece of copy paper in front of the small group and say to them, “Is this the house each of you drew?”  And reveal this….  

I promise you, your group of friends and co-workers will laugh.  They will see the point.  Now ask your friends if any of them live in a house that looks like this?  We do this sort of thing all the time! 

I cut my teeth in the Nursing Home industry and recently spoke before the Missouri Association of Homes for the Aged.  In front of an audience of several hundred people that work in, run, and own Nursing Homes I asked; “How many people here work in a Nursing Home?"  Virtually every hand in the audience went up.  I then asked them, “How many of you work in a building with the words Nursing Home in the name?”  Not a single hand went up.  We are taught NOT to be creative and we are taught NOT to see things (or say things) as they are!?

Now try this same thing with a group of people under thirty and I guarantee some of these “kids” will draw houses like no house you’ve ever conceived of before; these houses will forever change your perception of reality and your belief in that which is possible.  This younger generation celebrates individuality and self-expression.  They are full of energy and creativity.  They have an enormously strong “can do” attitude yet it is coupled with a small “will do” attitude simply because they have confidence that they “can do” so why bother with the “will do”!?  The argument is whether or not this is a good thing!?   The goal in the workplace is to capitalize on the “can do” and stimulate the “will do” with appropriate challenges.  

Motivation comes from action; not the reverse.  "Action brings motivation that brings more and greater action."  (Dr. David Burns, “Feeling Good”)   Create “safe” environments to challenge new and young co-workers.  In the face of success give bigger challenges; when failure is the outcome, focus on the next opportunity not the failure.  (Martin and Tulgan, “Managing the Generation Mix”) . 

Lon says, “have some fun, practice LOON=ACY; Last is Over; Onto the Next means to All Challenges we say YES!

Today’s work environment is so diverse and evolves so quickly we must focus on developing aptitude rather than skill.  The skill needed for the next challenge may be different than the skill required for the last one.  After all, is anyone building the house we are all STILL drawing!?  “The world is but a canvas to the imagination.” ~~ Henry David Thoreau, American Author, proponent of Civil Disobedience (and likely visitor to the principal's office of his day. (1817 – 1862).

As a teaser for next month; If you ever doubt the ability of “Generation Now” to learn and adapt try to call them on their cell phone and talk to them about it; I bet you they won’t answer!  But if you Text them, they will answer right away.  It drives us crazy but they would rather Text than Talk!?  

The argument is whether or not this is a good thing!?

Next month I will tell you why; in the meantime here’s a hint:  they are practicing Safe Text!   ttyl   and for the traditionalist readers out there…. Talk 2 u l8r

~~Lon