(She seemed to know a little too much about it - perhaps she was sneaking it away to push on all the buttons while her brother wasn't doing his homework.
) After her description, I made the comment, "You know, when I was a little girl we didn't have iPhones.
To send messages, we didn't text.
We just passed handwritten notes to each other.
" She then looked at me in confusion, as if I had a third eye growing out of my forehead.
Clearly, I just blew her mind.
It was at that moment that I realized, too, that this young woman would grow up knowing:
- That it is common for people to walk around with a piece of metal (i.
e.
Bluetooth) sticking out of their ear - That you can arrange a pizza delivery from a handheld device
- You don't have to go to the library to browse through encyclopedias
- There is never any need for White Out
- 80's music is comparable to the Golden Oldies
Of course, she couldn't relate to me.
She has no context.
It would be like someone asking me to imagine life without Scooby Doo.
I can't.
It was an integral and essential component to my after school routine.
I know that many professionals struggle with relating to their colleagues from different generations.
Obtaining someone's worldview is a great way to start.
The next time you feel that you are encountering a multigenerational issue in your workplace, stop for a second and ask yourself some key questions to help you put yourself in the other person's shoes:
- Who were some of their role models in their generation?
- What significant events occurred during their formative years?
- What technology emerged when they were teenagers?
- What music did they listen to when they were younger?
- What was the first car that they drove?
- What were the economic circumstances that shaped their perspective?
If anything, a healthy appreciation for the individual will allow you to express greater patience and empathy, which will serve you well on your journey to provide inspiration and to have greater influence in your workplace.