The other day I received the following blog post from Leadership Guru Cheryl Cran
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My Prediction 5 Years Ago Has Come True!
I hate to say I told you so……but when I first told an audience 5 years ago that in the future Baby Boomers( I call them Zoomers- a boomer who refuses to age) would not be retiring at 65 I would receive groans, rolled eyes and disbelief.
Well……current research says that 43% of zoomers surveyed will NOT be retiring as planned.
I was basing my proclamation on the fact that the values of Gen Y and Gen X were shifting the workplace environment and that Boomers knowledge would be needed and financially they would need to continue to work.
Well here we are—- in a new economy that has transformed the balance of financial security for all of us. For those boomers who had their retirement in stocks or mutual funds that money has disappeared. The result is a radical shift in what the future looks like and many zoomers are making major decisions right now to stay in the workforce or to create new sources of income.
Here’s a new prediction- the challenges of having three generations in the workforce are here to stay for at least a few more decades! We will no longer be focusing on the differences between the generations rather companies will be focusing on innovation and creativity by harnessing the unique thought patterns and ideas of each generation.
Fast forward to 2012 and we will be experiencing a new world that is based on connection between all generations, value of contribution to the entire globe and profit for all contributors.
The opportunity for all of us right now is to embrace the changes, acknoweldge how we may be personally blocking progress and to take positive control of the future.
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Smart observation Cheryl! It’s funny because I just received an email from a client that I know would put some of my colleagues over the edge! He is with a Fortune 100 company…and I found it fine!
“Travlin 2day but will b in tch w u tues or wed of nxt week. Thank u and we wll tlk soon.”
He is an “Xer”. I am an “Xer”. How do you think his Baby boom clients/partners/employees would respond? Would they understand? I think success will come to those who learn to speak each others language, be open to different working styles, and embrace the diversity in the generations rather than complain about it.
Sell more – In any economy to any generation!
Colleen