Verbal Clones

Verbal Clones

I could be part of the problem. One of my all time favorite quotes is by Maya Angelou:

“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.”

I subscribe to that ideal but lately, not so much. I've been consumed by cynicism (sarcasm's evil twin).

In a meeting today it was so clear- I've been verbally cloning negative comments I've picked up around the office. Each clone is less intelligent than the previous one- so I've actually been perpetuating stupid.

If I really believe that I am a change agent then the narrative I'm telling should be a more compelling story. A better story.

New chapter- change for good. Don't clone.

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Fearless

Fearless

"People often hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they can not communicate; they can not communicate because they are separated." -Dr. Martin Luther King

The difference between millennials and boomers has captivated my attention. It's like reading a personality profile, only for an entire group of people.

When I entered the world of sort-of corporate America, I discovered first hand the generational issues that plague the workplace. Naively i wanted to be a part of the team. Self confidently I thought I brought welcomed energy. Innocently i was sure people would embrace a new employee. I wasn't totally wrong, but my young buck ideals were definitely off.

I believe there are a series of conversations that take place that are simply lost in translation between generations. It's the difference between the paradigm of boomer's 'pull yourself up by your own bootstraps' and the millennial's 'include me on the team- i want to add value and be a part of things'. Each generation has their own set of cultural norms that shape general ideas and behaviors.

How can we create a diverse workplace that celebrates the experience of boomers and the energy of millennials, without either generation being fearful of the other?

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