The Importance of Trust in the Younger Generations.
Although slightly biased, I believe that too many people overlook the power of youthful energy and thought. There are of course negatives to youth like being naïve, unaware of certain things or possibly inexperience in a field of work/study. In my opinion though, all people carry these traits but the younger you are; the more pronounced they can seem. My argument is that all things considered, a young and inspired person can bring increasingly more to the table than an experienced person. Why? It is their ambition, independent thought, and time.
Not all youth have ambition, but the ones that do tend to not be appreciated to the extent I think they should be. First off, at what age do all have ambition? None. I will also point out that I believe this has been a case for not only us now, but human history. But in todays’ world, there is plenty of distractions that fifty years ago would never been dreamt of outside The Jetsons. Think of how easy it is to do something other than work related even while you’re at work. The internet and “smart phone” have allowed for more distractions than ever to be at your fingertips. This has led to people, young and old alike finding those distractions. This doesn’t mean we all do. Youth have more ambition than most and if they are doing something they enjoy, give them the chance to thrive. Ambition burns bright in the ones with a goal, and the youth have time on their side to set those ever-increasing ambitious goals.
Within a business, I believe never-ending evolution is necessary for survival. While an experienced person brings comfort in the task being done “properly”, what happens if as a business owner; underneath your feet todays’ consensus on how this task should be done is shifting without you or others noticing? This can lead to the slow (or ever increasing) deterioration of what you have worked so hard for, your business. The youth will not know the task as well as the experienced, but they have a more open-mind to change. They might even have the idea on how to approach the task differently buried inside themselves! Just needing the proper motivation to find it. This is what I mean by independent thought, because we all have it. But the youth have a mind that hasn’t been bogged down with how the task was done in the past. Having a youthful person can bring about much needed change solely because they never did the job how it’s been done. They can help evolve a business if you’re willing to listen and be a source of motivation for them.
With all of that said, I believe the most important thing is that they have time on their side. Through all the faults in being young, time trumps all of these potential negatives. Patience is a virtue, and while youth might not show it; if they are anything like me, they use this to their advantage constantly. When someone experienced is closing in on retirement, it can lead to work-related decisions being made for the short-term benefit while hand-in-hand leading to the long-term detriment of the overall organization. This is not always the case, but it is something that should be talked about more in todays’ culture. Personally, I would rather have a young person make mistakes and learn from them over and over than; having something done right today, but feeling little pressure for changing how things are done going forward. You could think of it as wet cement getting ready to dry vs. sand yet to be mixed into the concoction to make cement. Is the wet cement you are getting ready to pour worth it over the sand itself? I would personally say no. Why? Because the sand can still go into many things besides cement, giving you a better chance to take the opportunity of change when it comes to light.
I could ramble on about this, but truthfully it is something that has been on my mind since I was very little. I think believing in the power of youth in any walk of life leads to better outcomes in the long-run. It gives younger people an easier path to finding support. It also can help develop their ambition through positive reinforcement of the idea that being unique is a beautiful thing. This leads to a more motivated person, and youthfulness can encourage them to stay motivated for longer. If I could choose, I would want a room full of young and naïve people with unique ideas than a room of experience but engrained in how the business has always operated.
Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts and I hope you can take something from this with you into practice within the real world. Look to help the younger people around you because they are the ones who will develop our bright future in the years ahead.
Riley Sisson
Branch Manager, RJFS
Any opinions are those of Riley Sisson and not necessarily those of Raymond James.
