Fifty-seven and full of fucking advice...
Yesterday was my birthday and two things happened. The first was I got to spend a wonderful evening with my daughter and received well wishes from friends, and the second was I got to listen in on an interview.
To the first point, and I believe this says it all, "I would like to say I am so blessed to have a wonderful family, and wonderful friends; I am so very grateful."
To the second point, I have a little more to say (this is not an aspect of being fifty-seven as it seems I've always had something to say). As part of my birthday celebrations, I found myself at one of my favourite "mobile office" spots crunching numbers, doing analysis and developing plans when two people sat down next to me and started to conduct an interview. As a quick aside, I would like to remind everyone that if you conduct a business meeting in a public place, people will be listening; sometimes they are just curious bystanders, but sometimes they may be competitors. I am just saying.
It was an interview for a sales position, with a woman who was looking to advance her career and the sales manager looking to fill a vacancy. They were both Millennials; the woman was on the tail end of the demographic and the sales manager was one of the first to hit the workforce. They seemed to be discussing an industry I was somewhat familiar with so I did what anyone in my position would do, I began to multitask. As my numbers started to take shape their interview progressed.
It was pretty standard stuff as interviews go and he was doing an average job. Since I have interviewed hundreds of people and hired at least seventy, I have earned the right to be a little "judgy". My interest was fading with the two beside me as my numbers started to speak to me; that was until the sales manager moved away from his standard interview format and started to expand on his philosophies, and thoughts on success. As their interview ended I fought the urge to turn to him and say, "You know, if I was your boss I would hire her and fire you. You are simply awful".
I didn't say that of course because my business was in front of me. This is why I wanted to though.
- He openly criticized team members that the rep would be working with.
- He was, in a very public forum, discussing details of the business, including sales territory size and quotas. Frankly, I don't know how they could justify a rep.
- He eluded to the expense account as a component of her compensation, and even went on to propose what salary she should ask for.
- He suggested that the work isn't really that demanding, and in the summer he played a fair bit of tennis, and worked less than thirty hours a week.
In all of this, his greatest sin in my mind was he made it clear he was a process guy, and although he would ensure that she got trained (and ticked the box), there was no indication of any competency development, career development, and what that meant for her.
He was a people manager who obviously didn't really care about his people.
Maybe this is just reflective of the collaborative nature of the Millennial, the new ways of doing things, and their belief they have it all figured out (which in fairness, sometimes they do). Maybe this is really more reflective that I'm into my fifty-eighth year and I just don't get it anymore; it is a youth culture after all.
I'm not sure that is it though because there is something important to remember, "I know what it is like to be young, but you don't know what it is like to be old." In all of this, I am not suggesting that the sales representative and sales manager would not find their way. I am just suggesting though that having insight into experience and sage advice can sometimes make finding your way a little easier.
Go find someone who is at least fifteen years older than you and make them your mentor. In the case of the interview I witnessed, it would have helped the sales rep ask better questions and definitely helped the sales manager not say so many "stupid things". And one last thing, you can't use your parents, because although they love you, it doesn't mean they know what they are talking about.
There you have it, fifty-seven and full of fucking advice; if you are a Milliennial, go get a mentor.
iamgpe
"
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Comments
Graham🐝 Edwards
7 years ago #12
I suspect you are 100 % spot on Franci\ud83d\udc1dEugenia Hoffman. Thanks for reading.
Graham🐝 Edwards
7 years ago #11
Thanks for the comment Phil Friedman is a great mentor! Jim can be a little salty with his language, but remember, when you and I are close to 100 we will be talking like that too. : )
Graham🐝 Edwards
7 years ago #10
Thanks of the comment Venita Crow... To try and answer your questions the reason people are obsessed with Millennials is because it is a huge demographic that has entered the workforce. What makes them noteworthy is that their makeup is so different from the baby boomers and the Gen X that these groups are struggling to understand the Millennials, how to deal with them, and how to lead them. This isn't really a Millennial problem as they know who they are... this is everyone else's. I'm obviously not a Millennial but have had the privilege to work with dozens of them. Regarding advice... I thinks it's human nature to like to share; some with more credibility than others. There have been countless time where I have thought I knew what I was talking about... and really didn't. Good thing I have matured... lol I would say 41.
Graham🐝 Edwards
7 years ago #9
Thanks for the comment Kevin Pashuk. There is a bit of "the circle of life" with mentors as you say. I like your t-shirt saying btw.
Graham🐝 Edwards
7 years ago #8
#4 Thanks for the comment Harvey Lloyd. Friend of mine got an MBA a long time ago and I asked him shortly after he finished it what he really got out of it. His answer was, "The opportunity to fuck up faster". His point was his MBA opened some door faster but he still had to go through the natural learning curve. I'm a big believer in education but ultimately how you leverage it... and based on my experience the universe doesn't spend much time thinking about how educated someone is. Yup, I got philosophical... haha
Graham🐝 Edwards
7 years ago #7
Thanks for the comment Ren\u00e9e \ud83d\udc1d Cormier You are right it isn't about age because we can all use a mentor or a leader. Thanks.
Graham🐝 Edwards
7 years ago #6
Thanks for the comments Adam Weedy. I totally agree with you... I have also heard the comment "You own your career" rarely ever heard it explained what that actually means. Maybe it's because they would have to discuss development and what leaders are doing to help with that.
Graham🐝 Edwards
7 years ago #5
Thanks for the comment Don \ud83d\udc1d Kerr and sorry for your loss. Yes, sadly it is all part of this human condition we call life.
Phil Friedman
7 years ago #4
Kevin Pashuk
7 years ago #3
Harvey Lloyd
7 years ago #2
Unfortunately i sense that our education systems has stated that getting an "A" equals success. Knowledge and acronyms after your name somehow magically involve success. Certainly they are pluses in this day and age. But the larger issues is independence vs interdependence. At 50+ i realize that i have to be interdependent in order to be successful. Education anticipates you already understand this model as they pour knowledge into the heads of people.
don kerr
7 years ago #1