Why Millennials Are Teaching Baby Boomers How To Grow A Beard

Why Millennials Are Teaching Baby Boomers How To Grow A Beard
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Intergenerational codependency. Two hard words that seem to be the definition of something hard to understand. Many believe this is a negative thing, which we need to get rid of. The concept of this codependency is new and it’s challenging for many people. To make sure you are going to understand this perfectly right from the beginning, here is an example.

Case study: intergenerational codependency

In the company I work with we have a mixed team when it comes to ages: we have people in their 40s, 30s, 20s and one 54 year old, as well as a 19 year old. There are many times when our baby boomer comes up with brilliant ideas, but he never gets to present them in front of anyone outside the company. Why? It’s our millennials’ job to present the ideas, like he owns them. This might look very insulting for the baby boomer, but he knows our company has to be represented by a bearded millennial who knows how to wear a man bun. These days, companies look for a fresh face when it comes to partnerships. They are looking for a millennial to trust, as they have a strong belief anyone older is not able to completely understand how the Generation Y driven society works.

Generation snob

I call these people generation snobs, because they need to have a fresh face to trust, even if they know very well that a millennial lacks the experience needed for a project. But they are looking for the enthusiasm a young, bearded fellow or mermaid haired gal can bring on board.

If we take a look at Google, which has a support group for their over 40 employees we get a hint that intergenerational codependency is a reality. Google’s Greylers aims to promote age diversity in the company, where the average employee age is 29. In Silicone Valley tech savvy professionals in their late 20s are already scared younger millennials are going to take over their position.

This is how the reverse mentorship is rising in companies all over the world, as an attempt to make intergenerational codependency easier for all the people involved.

How to grow a beard in the age of millennials

The principle of reverse mentorship is strange, considering the definition of regular mentorship. In this new age, millennials are teaching baby boomer, not the other way round. Millennials are now teaching their peers – who can easily be their parents and grandparents – how to solve problems and boost sales. The millennials are teaching baby boomers how to grow a beard, as I say it. Sounds like sabotaging your own career? Perhaps, but if you have to be “parented” or “mentored” by a younger individual in order to achieve professional success, why not do it?

After all, when baby boomers were the cool kids we were still tied to static phone lines. Now we are carrying smartphones, a device millennials were born to use. From this perspective, being taught by a millennial does make sense, because someone who is now the IT person can train you how to become successful in a world dominated by millennials.

But millennials also need baby boomers

While millennials are not taken aback by what they tried in the past, they lack the knowledge to complete a project on their own. They need support from baby boomers and they need their experience, in order to succeed. Life is unpredictable and millennials know this, but they haven’t tested this on their own skin. Yes, they grew up with the recession and they saw how economy crashed, but apart from their huge student debt, they haven’t felt how cruel life can be.

Baby boomer had felt it and know how to tame a hurricane when they see it coming. They know there are no lifehacks and tips everywhere, they know sometimes you just have to adapt to what life gives you. This is why intergenerational codependency is a good thing for both millennials and baby boomers.

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