Ok Boomer, Shift Happens: Now What?

Our world is full of shift. Full of it.

Now more than ever: and it's compounding daily.

And the companies that will still be around by 2030 are already preparing for it.

They have their shift, together.

The shift I am talking about is all over the place and likely began when you were but a baby, Boomer.

Yes, I am talking to you Boomers.

Executives, chairwomen, VPs, leaders, managers, titans of industry!

I mean there is literally shift everywhere.

Elections, hurricanes, fires, wars, pandemics, stock plunges, and relevant TikTok challenges included... but what I am talking about is a much, MUCH bigger shift.

I know some of you see it, and I know it probably scares you.

(Hopefully, by the time you're done reading this I can help scare the shift OUT of you)

Stick with me here...

The reality is, even if it does bother you, say even concern you, you can't show it.

As the captain of the ship, you have to set the tone at the top.

Fearless. Steady. Confident. Assured. Authentic. Strong.

That's why they pay you the big bucks and fancy perquisites.

Which can be lonely... and very very difficult when you're literally swimming in shift...

OR

You might be covered in shift right now and not even know it!

Know who does know it?

Who can see it plain as day?

Your head of HR.

Your VP's of various departments.

Your mid-level managers.

Your board.

Your spouse.

Likely even that new hire fresh talent top of his or her class.

(They can see it, most people can. And it's ok.)

Maybe they've even tried to bring it up to you?

But this shift is so painful, so subtle that doing so shuts you down...

Or just pushes you to work harder, longer, and faster so you can avoid it...

But the time has arrived when avoiding it will be too late.

We have hit the point of no return, and it's time to get your shift together.

If you want your organization to continue to thrive, let alone survive.

I mean literally still exist in a decade.

You must know about this RIGHT. NOW.

Not just acknowledge it, but you need to take action.

We all deal with this shift, every day.

But the ones who will make it through the other side of the shift sandwich have already started to invest in taking action NOW.

Maybe this morning you arrived to find your inbox full of shift.

Annoying proposals your board is insisting on pushing forward.

Frustrating and devastating restructuring as you review QIII earnings reports...

The paranoia of the masses surrounding such a contentious election year...

The ever-increasing weight of thinking through your exit, and the exit of your executive leaders...

All smothered by many more pressing fires that prohibit you from planning for your future, now...

Slow. Subtle. Consistent.

The chaos of the urgent prohibits you from investing time in the future.

You feel like you finally find time to plan for the future, only to be sucked back into the problems of the present by another phone call... meeting... or email...

And you know what?

I don't blame you. I really don't.

Nor do I envy you. You are a leader, and that comes with unmatched and often misunderstood stress that very few can handle.

I cannot empathize. I am not even old enough to have the experience to be in the position of authority you're in and the pressure that comes with that.

But I have listened to many leaders like yourself.

I've taken the time to step into the shift with them.

Leaders of fortune 500 companies. CEO, CMO, COO, CTO, VPs, heads of departments etc...

Public, private, ranging from $400M annual revenues to market caps of $7B+

And they all agree: This is hard. This is terrifying. They feel alone and stuck.

I hope you take heart in knowing while you may feel similarly, you're not the only one.

Here is the tidal wave of shift about to hit the shore:

Boomers will be gone from the workforce by 2027, and there aren't close to enough Millennials to fill their place once they all retire.

Surely GenX will fill the gap, right?

All of our 40-55 year old mid-level managers VPs and SVPs will save the day!

Yes (and no).

(This will feel familiar if you've read Freakonomics)

Because of birth control, the Vietnam war, and Roe V. Wade all happening so close together:

HALF AS MANY generation Xers were born compared to the amount of humans born in both Boomers and in Millennial generations.

For every 1 GenX leader, there are 2 Millennials.

Translation? They already have climbed the ladder.

The 60% of Boomers who have left the workforce already AS OF TODAY have already been replaced by 100% of Generation Xers.

There are no more GenX leaders available to fill the soon-to-be vacated Boomer positions.

And when Boomers all finally exit the workforce in 5 years.... some 40% of unprepared Millennials will be sitting in deep shift...

Up to their untrained, terrified, unmentored necks in shift...

Unqualified, they will be forced to take positions of the Xers that get promoted once more, or stand beside them taking the same jobs with 10-15 years less experience.

This matters why?

This leaves a gaping hole in the workforce that boomer-vacated positions will bring to fruition in 5 years.

Imagine a 35 year old working alongside a 50 year old trying to get up to speed for a very similar position.

Soon you will not have to. It will be tbe norm.

Or imagine companies realizing this too late, cutting jobs and adding more to the plate of those who have the experience needed...

We're talking about departmental restructuring and potential corporate structure collapse like never before seen.

Talk about a back-breaking, miserable ACT 3 for the careers of Generation Xers... goodness...

And to think this was avoidable...

(It still is, keep reading)

It's simple math, and it's bigger than all of us.

And it's coming one way or another...

But let me switch gears here for a moment.

Cheeky word-play and lighthearted humor aside, let's get real as I close this out.

Succession planning and leadership development are hard to talk about.

Damn near impossible for most.

And for true, legitimate reasons.

We're not just talking about the 'future of a company for next generations' and so and so getting that promotion now that Bob is retired...

Though that is also very true.

To you, the seasoned leader, even more so for you founders out there, we're talking about much, MUCH more.

You are saying goodbye to your baby, your people, your tribe...

Memories, failures, camaraderie, successes, friendships, stories...

It is the culmination of the years you said yes to hard things so you could provide for your families, and the regrettable things you said no to in order to do just that.

Your morning drive. Your parking spot.

Your radio show and Starbucks order...

The photos, art, statues, relics, and treasures that line your shelves and tell the story of your career... your service...

The way that door creaked in your office.

How the elevator chimed when it hit your floor.

Or how the sun hit your desk at 3 o clock reminding you you're one hour closer to seeing your wife, or husband, and kids...

The late night plane or jet rides back home from crucial cross-country meetings so you can sleep in your own bed with your partner.

It's how you've invested the majority of your waking hours for the vast majority of your life.

It is a massive part of who you are.

It's very very deep and very very hard to begin to imagine letting that go.

The reality of retirement is highly emotional and very difficult.

You also have more life to look back on now than perhaps you do years ahead of you.

For any of us, this reminds us of our innate humanity, with all its beauty and its severe mercies...

If you are reading this, and you are a leader potentially facing retirement here soon, and after a long career...

I just want to take a moment to say something to you:

I see your bravery. You are seen even in your fears.

Your story matters. Your leadership is invaluable.

Your sacrifices are not in vain.

Your purpose is more needed now than ever.

I can say this with confidence because this is my dad's story, and this is the story of our phenomenal clients who have bravely taken control of their story; their leadership legacy.

It's not too late yet, now is the perfect time.

I can help you and your organization harness your legacy...

Capture your collective intellectual capital...

And your irreplaceable company knowledge...

To pass it onto current and future leaders of your company.

Let's connect the most experienced generation in history with the most educated generation in history.

So this impending, generational shift isn't something to fear, but a platform for unseen growth and the stage upon which you can exit well.

Best news?

Doing so will cost you a fraction of what it will cost if you continue to do nothing.

Literally a tiny fraction.

So what kind of leader are you?

The leader who ran toward the fire and prepared for it to protect & empower the next generation of leaders...

OR...

The one who was too scared to admit it was there and let it burn down everything just after you left...

If you are a leader, and any of this rang true to you, please shoot me a message, I'd love to listen to more of your career journey.

Or maybe you have a great succession plan in place, I'd love to learn more about how your organization is planning for this shift.

If none of this is news to you, I congratulate your foresight and your company is lucky to have you!

Consider passing this article onto a fellow leader who might need to hear this again, or perhaps for the first time...

So... Boomers.... we're clearly in deep shift... and I can help.

What will you do about it?

-Max Zoghbi, CEO at Understudy