Leadership’s Future: The Other Side Of Millennials
by Miki SaxonThe problem with generational labels is that one size never fits all—they are merely convenient designations.
As with any large group, negative attitudes and actions often get more attention and press than positive ones and I’m no exception.
Leadership’s Future is often about Millennials—their sense of entitlement, expectations, impatience, and the parental intervention that fuels it.
My Millennial friends kid me that I’m ignoring a large number of their demographic, although even they don’t claim that it’s anywhere near a majority.
But they do have a point, so I’m offering up a new term to designate those who are chronologically, but not psychologically, Millennials.
aMillennial, because placing an ‘a’ in front of a word nullifies its meaning (see a-6).
I ran into a great example of the positive at AARP’s u@50 contest.
It wasn’t the first place winner that blew me away, but the second.
Her words are an inspiration for us all and a good lesson to remember that people change as life changes.
Your comments—priceless
Don’t miss a post, subscribe via RSS or EMAIL
Image credit: YouTube
July 9th, 2009 at 6:45 am
This is such a great point, Miki. While I know a lot of people my age who fit right into that spoiled millenial stereotype, there are just as many folks in my circle (and many more who I would love to meet!) who defy those negative characterizations. Love it. :-)
July 9th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Hi Rachel, I’m glad you liked it. I’ve seen the same generalizations applied to the Boomers and Gen X and they didn’t fit there, either. Marketers love homogenization, they think it sells more products and the media buys into it. Much easier than actually thinking:)
July 11th, 2009 at 4:58 am
Thank you so much for sharing that video — it was so powerful. I want to share it with every
a-Millienial I know! (nice term!)
I get tired of the stereotypes of generations. Technically, I fit into Gen-X by my age, but the descriptions of Gen-X don’t fit me at all.
July 11th, 2009 at 11:17 am
I agree. It’s hard to understand why it only took second place, it seemed far more powerful to me than the video that did take first (there’s a link in the post).
My nieces are also aGen-Xers, so I understand what you mean. There were millions of aBoomers, too, and on back, but the media and marketing love their labels and people do tend to buy into them.
January 21st, 2014 at 1:15 am
[…] the last few years I’ve written about what I call “aMillennials” and I still think the term is […]