Professionalism

Millennials Enter the Primary Season

January 09, 2008

 

After yesterday’s Noon presentation in Denver, I flew to Los Angeles. As soon as my flight landed, I grabbed a taxi, rushed to my hotel, and turned on the television. Throughout yesterday’s early morning newscasts, nearly every political prognosticator I heard felt certain Senator Barak Obama would win the New Hampshire primary. I can only begin to tell you how curious I was to learn whether they were right. Like nearly everyone else, I was surprised to see that Senator Hillary Clinton had won.
 
Make no mistake about it. What we are seeing in the political arena is the exact same clash of generations that is taking place in virtually every workplace in America. Baby Boomers are desperately trying to figure out what makes the Millennials tick and what messages will resonate with them. At the same time, lots of Boomers are struggling with the realization that the Millennials don’t want to be just like them.
 
Make no mistake. The Millennials will have a major impact on the 2008 election. This year, the Democrat’s presidential candidate will either be a person of color or a woman, and that is directly related to the fact that Millennials, as a group, are completely comfortable with diversity. They couldn’t care less whether someone is white, black, pink, purple or green. Nor could they care less about another’s sexual orientation. Millennials view homosexuality the way my generation viewed being left- or right-handed; people are just born that way. (Message to Karl Rove: You will never be able to use gay marriage as a wedge issue again.)
 

The Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary also suggest that Millennials are civic-minded. I anticipate they fully intend to become involved in the electoral process. This fact alone is a huge generational differentiator. Ever since 18 years olds were given the right to vote—just before the 1972 election—voting results have consistently shown that while America’s youth “talk’ politics, when it comes down to taking time to actually go to the polls and vote, they just haven’t, at least not in significant numbers. This year, I predict that will change, too.  


 




 



comments powered by Disqus

Related Things You Need to Know

 

When Not to Speak Up
Developing Allies at Every Level

Allyship may be the “missing link” that can help organizations ensure inclusion actually occurs.

 
When Not to Speak Up
When You Need to Get to "Yes"

Because of covid-19, many employers will have a unique opportunity to discern how well their summer hires manage conflict. My contacts indicate that this year’s summer associates and interns have been assigned to group projects. Disagreements are inevitable when any team goes through the process of forming, storming, norming and performing. Additionally, since most summer hires will work from home, they will need to negotiate with family members or roommates over who gets access to the best printer, the extent to which background noise needs to be minimized during Zoom calls, and who and when someone can just walk into their workspace for a quick chat.

 
When Not to Speak Up
Proving You're a Professional During a Shortened Summer Program

Because so many summer associate and internship programs have been significantly curtailed, the students who will participate in these shortened programs must avoid unforced errors. Like never before, summer hires will have very few opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities. How they handle one or two assignments will create critically important impressions.



Learn More

Mary Crane books

Order Mary'sbooksto learn the 100 things interns, new hires and summer associates need to know to succeed.


Let Mary Know

 

Do you have questions or want to see Mary speak at your school/employment? Reach out to Mary for more info.

Contact Mary