10 Things I Have Learned from a Baby Boomer (In less than six months)

Have you ever noticed the generation gap that exists in most industries?  It seems like the more technology we create, the further the chasm between my generation, Gen Y, and Baby Boomers.  Perhaps this is because many Gen Y feel that the Baby Boomer outlook is outdated and slow.  Perhaps it is because many Boomers feel that Gen Ys lack experience and are mostly smarty-pants.  Either way, I personally believe that we have a great deal to learn from each other.

Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting and befriending author and speaker Karen McCullough.  Karen also happens to be a Baby Boomer.  Last week, Karen created a blog post about how we met, and what she has learned, since we began to partner on projects.  I’ll let you read Karen’s post to get the back story.

Karen and my friendship demonstrates the true power of collaboration.  While she has learned from me, as a Gen Y, I have definitely learned a great deal from her, as a Baby Boomer,  as well.  Here are ten things that I learned from Karen-

1. Put yourself into everything that you do.  People want to connect with you, the person, not the expert.
2. Humor makes everything better!  If you can incorporate a little humor into your presentations, marketing materials, social media and everyday interactions, people will love you.
3. Step out on faith.  Don’t always worry about the how, just do it!
4. Technology is awesome but always have a backup plan.  You never know when the Internet will go down, a service will stop working, etc.
5. Boomers should always have at least one Gen Y in their circle, to keep them fresh.
6. Don’t be afraid of looking foolish.  When you are genuine, you are vulnerable.
7. Professional speaking is a craft.  Anyone who wants to be successful as a professional speaker must continually work to stay current and unique.  No matter how big you get, you can never rest on your laurels.
8. Many Boomers are excited about embracing technology; they just need someone willing to show them the practical application of it.
9. Don’t be afraid to spend money.  Great training often takes a great financial investment.  However, it pays off!
10. Young voices matter.  The world can learn a great deal by listening to Gen Y.