The world loves to talk to Millennials and Generation Z about learning how to conform to the “real world” they’re entering. But I think older generations have just as much they need to work on as the new generation. These are four things I’ve seen the older generation mistakenly do. (Not all – in fact some older folks are absolutely killing it.)
1. They don’t learn from younger generations.
I don’t think there’s a single person who would say we can’t learn something from older generations. But it’s fairly common for us to assume that learning should be on-sided – that only the older can teach the younger. That’s not true.
There’s so much older people can learn from the younger generation. Whether that’s a 40-50 year-old learning from me, or me learning from a 18-25 year-old, and on down the line.
2. They assume younger generations don’t understand.
While there are some things that can only be understood with age, I believe there are other things that can only be understood by certain generations. So while a younger person might not understand the matter from your perspective, they do understand it from theirs. Matters are rarely so simple that they can be fully understood by one perspective. Why not embrace their particular understanding and allow it to inform your own?
3. They feel threatened by younger generations.
A big fear the older generation has is that they will lose relevance or somehow fall behind. But the only people who fall behind and lose relevance are the ones who stop investing in others. You don’t need to feel threatened by those who are younger than you. Invest encouragement into them and they will always enjoy your input.
4. They expect the younger generation to get jaded.
If you ever long for the “real world” to smack someone in the face, that means you’re waiting for them to get jaded like you. People don’t have to get jaded with age. In fact, if you’re jaded, you don’t have to stay that way. Regain your youthful exuberance and join in with the young people. Have unshakable hope in the future and you’ll find a great opportunity to work alongside them.
Those are the four mistakes I’ve seen older generations make. What would you add to the list?
