Much has been written about the Millenials and their strong desire to be independent. It is said that they are only loyal to themselves, self absorbed, entitled and challenging to manage. They have a short attention span, are looking to be entertained while at work and have a high need for power, while at the same time demonstrating an equally high disregard for authority. Millenials are said to suffer from ADS – Attention Deficit Syndrome. If you do not capture and hold their attention in the first few mintues, or maybe seconds, they are on to the next adventure. Their thumbs do the talking and they send text messages faster than you can think. The Blackberry Prayer is their constant companion and asking them to switch off their phones is like asking them to cut off their right arm. This description leaves many Baby Boomers shaking their heads in despair. What is the world coming to?
Technology is advancing exponentially and Baby Boomers who hope (or need) to survive in today’s business world will require to not only come to terms with twittering, tweets and what having a second life means, but also to rise to the challenge of creatively partnering with the next generation. America stands at a critical crossroads – we have all but lost our manufacturing base, the recession is eating our lunch, world demographics are shifting the power bases, globality and all that it means is upon us and we need all hands on deck, pulling in the same direction. This is not the time to lament our generational differences, but rather it is the time to team up and synergistically work out how we can be the best we can be, despite our age differences.