The new generations are here to stay
Much has been written and shown lately about the Millennial and Snowflake Generations. ‘Millennials‘ are those who became of legal age around the year 2000 and ‘snowflakes/homelanders‘ those who were born into the 2000’s. Other names have surfaced for these generations but those two names are the most commonly quoted in books and media.
Regardless of their names, we are entering into a new season of our society when the largest generation we had known (the Baby Boomer Generation) is now beginning to transfer responsibility to the new largest generation known to humanity (the millennials).
What does it mean to transfer responsibility? Well, baby boomers are retiring from their jobs and some of them are already dying because of age. Someone(s) needs to take over their responsibilities at corporations, small businesses, churches, schools, non-profits, and homes. Are the millennials willing and able to take over those responsibilities? The answer is, “We hope so.”
Many millennials are well educated and have many new ideas to offer to make life better. Many of them don’t see themselves doing 9 to 5 jobs for years and years. Some millennials already had multiple careers in their short life span. Baby boomers used to do internships with the idea of getting a permanent job. Millennials are happy to have internship after internship in various fields so they can experience more than their parents did. Unfortunately, many older people are making it sport to throw potshots at the new generations.
It seems like the millennial generation is a little bit of a cultural punching bag.
Audie Cornish
Baby boomers must teach and trust
Many older adults are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to save what appears to be the end of society as we know it. Baby boomers need to have more faith in the new generations. Young people are just as smart as previous generations. They have different ideas and see work-life balance differently than previous generations but that doesn’t necessarily make them wrong. They will adjust as they face the challenges of running this world.
Baby boomers need to take a different approach to this transfer of responsibility. It’s better to teach & trust rather than panic. Teach a younger person about the challenges of life that everyone has to face such as having or not having money to deal with medical emergencies. Or, investing time and effort into a business and watching it go “broke” because a new technology was invented. Or, getting married and having a child who is born with disabilities that require someone to stay at home to care for her or him (and not be able to change jobs every few months).
By sharing and teaching about the realities of life, Boomers will rise up to the challenge of educating our future leaders while empowering these new generations for success.
