Dear Millennial's (and all the "Not-any-als", Baby Boomers, Gen X’ers and those who wish to remain anonymous…)

First of all, I owe you an apology.

I was delivering a talk last week about how the Digital Age has happened at such a rapid pace (specifically 20 years, in comparison to the Industrial Revolution(s) at 40-80 years respectively), and about the fact that we have not been able to adjust fast enough, which has resulted in chaos.

The audience was mostly made up of Gen X’ers and Baby Boomers – with a smattering of Millennials hiding out in the corners.  

In my talk, I was referring to the chaos in the way we as humans are adjusting to the complete transformation of our world since the dawn of the Digital Age.  Specifically, how we are adjusting (or not adjusting) to the transformation of our systems of production, management and corporate and government systems as technologies merge and become digitized, and the world catches up with new digitized systems and processes.

It’s been quite a ride so far, and we are definitely experiencing some hiccups.

While I was walking through the three waves of the Digital Age and the Tsunami that was social media - making us all feel better about the trauma we have endured in keeping up - all the while maintaining some semblance of our sanity (and this is questionable), a young woman at the back of the room raised her hand to ask a question.

“I just need to ask you, what is your fixation with us millennial's?”

She looked around at that moment and realized that she was surrounded by Gen X'ers and Baby Boomers but proceeded with her questions and comments anyway.  

I then responded by giving her my "opinion" about why I don't think that the definition of demographic cohorts work in our new fast-paced digitized world. I talked about the fact that demographics are out the window and that we all just need to get along.

I need to apologize to you Danielle, and your fellow Millennials, because I did not really answer your question. 

You brought up something very important, and something that I can now see is not getting the attention that it deserves.  

You Millennials are everywhere, and more than that - you are doing some amazing things!

To Danielle's point, it seems like Millennials are being told that they “lack communication skills,” and that the don’t have the same “work ethic” as other generations, and the fact is, we “Non-Millennials” do seem to have a fixation on you, and not always in the most positive light. 

Before I do attempt to answer the question properly this time, I must point you to the article that Danielle wrote and posted to LinkedIn earlier this week.  

I did have the pleasure of speaking with Danielle after my talk (and therefore hopefully have redeemed myself), but I wanted to make sure that she gets the credit that she deserves for asking some tough questions, and more importantly, for opening up a conversation that needs to be had. 

This article is in fact, a response to Danielle's post (a must read for any Millennial, GenX’er Baby Boomer or whomever or whatever cohort you identify with or were born into).

In her article “Dear Non-Millennials” (Some Millennials) Danielle answers her own question, and also takes the conversation a step further speaking to both Millennials and non-Millennials alike:  

“It feels like we’re everywhere because social media doesn’t have an off button. The fact is my generation did something phenomenal, something yours didn’t; we turned the noise up so loud you couldn’t silence us even if you wanted to, so it feels like we’re everywhere when really we’re not.”

Right? They did that! 

Danielle goes on to defend herself and her fellow Millennials by pointing out that they are not stupid, and they are tired of being told that they are.

I get that…I mean I really GET THAT!

This brings me back to the chaos that we are experiencing today as a result of the short 20-year evolution into the Digital Age.

In writing my upcoming book The New Conversation Economy, I found myself looking at what is really causing the chaos at this time in the Digital Age.  What is really causing brands to die and businesses to close all the while new "Digital-First" brands like Uber, Airbnb, Amazon and Wayfarer seem to be thriving?  

I found that it isn't the technology or "social media" that is causing the upheaval – it is the humans.

Change is happening at a slightly different pace across the globe, but happening at a rapid pace nonetheless. One challenge that is consistent is our struggle generationally to work together and manage the change that is happening faster than any other time in history.

There are some of us adapting, and others who are resisting.

This is the cause of the fear and chaos, it is not the new Technology or the new systems, it is us!  The "humans".

So, Danielle thank you for standing up last week and asking just the right question.    Thank you for calling us out.  Thank you for asking us why we are so fixated on you “Millennials," and why we are not giving you the chance to be part of managing change and levelling up as technology continues to change the world. 

Perhaps it is time for the rest of us to take a step back, press the pause button, and see that we need the "Digital Natives" as much as they need us.  We are all in this together and the pace of change is not slowing down any time soon.