Your average new employee, fresh out of college, has likely experienced a lot more than you had at their age.
Here’s a summarized overview based on available data from Common Sense Media and the primary forms of media:
- 1980s: Television, radio, cassette tapes, early video games. Average: 3 hours a day.
- 1990s: Television, radio, CDs, video games, beginning of the internet era. Average: 6.5 hours a day.
- 2000s: Internet, mobile phones, MP3 players, DVDs, gaming consoles, continuing TV and radio. Average: 6.5 hours a day.
- 2010s: Smartphones, social media, streaming services, YouTube, video games, continued presence of TV. Average: 7 hours a day.
- 2020s: Smartphone usage intensifies, social media platforms, streaming services dominate, virtual and augmented reality start entering, continued influence of YouTube and video games. Average: 7.5 hours a day.
This presents a significant leadership challenge.
How do you lead people who may know more than you?
Perhaps not on specific work-related topics, but about life in general. And if they lack certain knowledge, they can quickly find the information they need.
Given the sheer volume of information they have consumed up to this point in their lives, they are making connections between concepts and ideas that previously took others much longer to realize.
No wonder the younger generation has strong opinions about life, work, and careers that might contradict your views.
You can bridge the gap by seeking to understand their perspective and being open to their new ideas.
This will enable you, as the presumably older leader, to focus and shape their efforts towards the greater good.
Empower them to develop their sense of self and lead.
