How? Turns out they both get it wrong. Ouch!
A couple weeks ago, I pointed out some common misconceptions about millennials that drive me crazy. Turns out there’s evidence for that opinion –revealed research backs up my claims that millennials aren’t the genetically lazy, entitled bunch so many think they are. Turns out those folks span ALL generations.
Hey! And guess what?! Apparently, millennials have this whole ‘how old is old?’ thing completely screwed up as well. Imagine the possibilities if all generations were to stop putting people in a box in an attempt to “easily understand them” (the human version of a news story’s sound-bite) or predict them. Imagine the possibilities if we focused less on what’s wrong with each other and more on what’s right with each other.
Leadership and engagement isn’t rocket science, it just feels that way sometimes. And if it still feels that way, here’s a few simple, but painfully obvious, tips:
Start with a smile.
Move gently into a handshake.
Try a kind greeting such as “Hello.”
Then move smoothly into an open ended question of sincere curiosity designed to do nothing more than get to know a person, perhaps something like this: “Tell me about yourself,” or “Hey, cool hair, how do you think that would look on me?” 🙂
Anything, really, so long as it’s kind, and void of pre-judgment!
Remember, we’re all weird, ain’t no age got a monopoly on that. But below every weird, below every pre-defined box, below every snap judgement, is a pretty awesome person waiting to be discovered. Go get ‘em, Magellan!
