“The world is more malleable than you think and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape…That’s what this degree of yours is — a blunt instrument. So, go forth and build something with it.” — Bono, singer for U2, 2004 University of Pennsylvania commencement
4 Ways to Help Different Generations Share Wisdom at Work
Right now, commencement speeches are being given, quoted, lauded and judged. After graduation, people still seek this kind of wisdom and inspiration. Millions of Americans watch inspirational talks online, go to conferences, and hire coaches – but they often don’t look in their own workplaces. Yet, wisdom is not in short supply here. There are now five generations working alongside each other – an unprecedented opportunity to learn from such a diverse range of experiences. But there’s not always an obvious path for people to share with and learn from each other. Companies need to create more avenues for intergenerational wisdom sharing. Four ideas are: daily team huddles to discuss learning, recognizing the role models in your organization, developing mutual mentoring programs, and creating Employee Resource Groups focused on sharing wisdom.