Beyond Boundaries Without Measure — Generational Transformations
In my first class at Chicago Booth, the professor gave us a children’s “hidden pictures” puzzle. The professor explained that it represented business strategy and to be successful you must identify all the missing items which symbolize changing trends. The inability, or unwillingness, to do this is the #1 reason businesses, industries, and people become obsolete and fail.
To me, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests represent more than just police brutality and the systemic discrimination of black people because corrupt cops killing innocent black people is not new. Nor are the marches, protests, riots, signs, or dialog.
In responding to the Black Lives Matter protests, most firms are following the usual process — we support black people, we invest in black people, we hire black people, we love everybody equally. Well, this is great and long overdue, but it is only one component of the events that have played out. So, to the people who are just becoming aware of this nightmare in the black community — welcome, let’s talk.
And during our conversation, let’s also discuss how the BLM campaign represents a massive generational transformation with the maturing of Gen Y (aka Millennials) and Gen Z (aka Zoomers, Linksters, iGen — yes, it’s time to start talking about this newest member of adulthood).
As an X/Y cusper born in 1979 (aka Xennial) I often joke we are the “forgotten generation”. My X-side was taught to be conservative, hardworking, and to conform. I have been told constantly not to “rock the boat” because “I’ve been doing this longer than you”. This has led to maintaining the status quo as Xennials were just told to sit down and shut up.
This approach has not done the world any favors. Black people are still being killed at higher rates than their peers, women are still being harassed with little hopes of justice, 4-year-olds know how to navigate iPads better than 50-year-olds, and the suppressed emotions to avoid “rocking the boat” continue to erupt in protests supporting various causes.
Meanwhile, Gen Y and Gen Z advanced the MeToo movement and the Bernie Sanders campaign. They are leading Digital Transformation, Environmental Sustainability, and now Diversity Transformation. These are grassroots efforts led by a large segment of the population with one very loud and clear message: We are young but we are not children. We are the future and you WILL start listening to us. By any means necessary.
The transformations they are leading are long overdue across several fronts: from the equality of women, to the equity of black people, to the acceptance of all members of the gay community, to the preservation of our planet. These transformations are being driven by a digital revolution whose message is being controlled by the most tech-savvy digital natives. These natives have mastered the internet and all social media platforms for the mass distribution of boycott messages, protest coordination, and amateur video-taping of discriminatory behavior — all in a matter of seconds.
We are at the intersection of diversity and digital transformation. First, it was MeToo, now it is BLM, but are firms ready to support tomorrow’s causes? To prepare we must do a better job of listening to the thoughts and requests of these generations before their ideas become mandated actions forced upon businesses for survival. Or, businesses can ignore them and become obsolete.
There is a massive societal shift underway at the crossroads of diversity, technology, and generational transformation. Follow me as I share reflections and insight to bridge the multi-generational communication gap.
**Previous blog posts can be found at: https://www.beyondboundarieswithoutmeasures.org/blog/posts
