Stop with the Gen Profiling!

Okay that’s enough generation profiling…from all gens to all gens..

I’m tired of hearing people talk about Gen Z’s bad social skills or the Millennials sense of entitlement. I am tired of hearing my generation talk about the industries future like “chicken little yelling about the sky is falling”. (Google it up if the reference went over your head.)

I’m also tired of Gen Z and Millennials believing that just because they exist that they are our peers and deserve to have our jobs. Put in the time, gain the skills and then take my job if you’re better. Which BTW is my goal, get you better than me and the old guard presently running the biz.

I am not writing from some 60’s hippie, Kumbiya point of view. I’m writing because we each need the other to grow creativity, survive and offer up quality entertaining content to our audiences. 

Most current generations think the next generation is flawed. They believe that the new gens opinions are outrageous and dangerous.  

Most younger gens think the prior gens are obsolete and have no value for “todays” world.  

Knock it off.  We need to survive together so we can thrive together.  

In the creative industries it becomes even more acute that each generation rely on other.  The younger generation will offer up fresh ideas and fill the ranks as the operators of new tech. The established gen has experience.  They have knowledge that can only be acquired by “doing”, by trying and failing and trying again until you succeed.  They set the standards and the new gens modifies and improves on those standards once they truly understand them.

If either carry an existing bias it’s impossible to hear and evaluate the others input. That bias evaluates the idea based on the person and not the merit of the idea. Wrong!

Who is this post written too? I’m not sure. 

Maybe it’s to the newbies. (yea I called you newbies.  For those of us living this life for decades you are new to it) 

Maybe it’s to the lifers who need their cages rattled and step away from the statement, “this is how we do it!” 

If you’re reading it and go, “wow that makes sense”.  Then it was written for you. 

If you’re reading this and think, “this is nonsense”… then you need to rethink your position!

Neither group needs to embrace the other outside of professional interaction.

(although that might not be a bad idea. Kind’a get to know each other without the conflict of professional pressures) 

Professionally, interacting by sharing and listening will definitely benefit the industry and more importantly it will absolutely benefit the you.