This is NOT another “Millennials-Decoded” Article

A tale about the path to critical thinking and independent thought. 

Let us step into the shoes of a 7 and ¾ year old so we can experience this story from a different perspective.

Scene 1: The Kitchen

We were both in the kitchen.  My daughter was doing her homework and I was preparing dinner. "Mummy, what is xx?" she asked, not even looking up from her page, fully expecting (demanding, even) the answer.  

"Oh I don't know sweetie - what do you think?" I countered.

She peered at me, incredulous at my nerve. "But you've been to university, so you must know!" She parried, with a clever glint in her eye - appealing to my Middle Class pride in academic achievement.

"Yes darling, so I did [emphasis on "I" as in me Nicole] and perhaps you might too - if you choose."

I snuck a look at my Pumpkin - incredulity turning to indignation (bordering on the self-righteous kind).  I peppered her with more questions, encouraging her not just to think, but to think critically. 

On a mission now to inspire in her the delight in chasing questions down the winding, less travelled road (albeit guided - after all she is only 7 and 3/4s) to finally arrive at the answer herself.

There was no delight. 

Her indignation turned to vexation.  Little does she know that mummy has watched The Matrix - think Morpheus with Neo – and is ‘unplugged from the Matrix’.

Her vexation turned to frustration. She flung down her pencil and folded her arms - all puffed up and glaring at me. Tears threatening but not falling - she's strong like that - stubborn perhaps (where ever did she get that from?).

Then she delivered her verdict. "You are an abnormal mummy! You are not doing what mummies are supposed to."  I burst out laughing, hugging her frustration and laughing some more. I explained that I wanted her to use her brain, to think independently, question and think critically, make connections, earning the answers and not expect someone (mummy or other) to hand the answers to her on a plate.

No my darling you will not be spoon-fed how to think!

“This is a good thing”, I promised her through hugs, “even though it doesn't feel so right now”.

My husband and I, together with our community of carefully selected tribe members - an assortment of family, godparents and friends, - are whole-heartedly invested in raising what Seth Godin calls a "free-range" kid.

Or as he explains, "how to raise kids who don’t measure their worth in the famousness of the college they get into or the number of digits in their SAT score but in fact can point to a trail they leave behind. A trail of projects, a trail of connections, a trail of overwhelming expectations with the big promises that they make and deliver on. That cycle can’t start when they are 24. It has to start when they are 9.”

OK, maybe we are starting a bit early at 7 and ¾s; but when you listen to this podcast you may think again.  This quote is just one of many thought-provoking and call-to-action quotes in Brian Clark’s New Rainmaker podcast discussion with Seth Godin on “Stepping Up and Making it Happen”.

Now this podcast has me thinking and joining disparate dots. 

Free-range kids turn into free-range adults.

Free-range adults might just create a free-range community. 

Could this lead to a pool of potential free-range leaders or free-range employees looking to gift their talents and commitment to free-range organisations?  Before we know it this tribe of 7 ¾ year olds will be eligible to start contributing and making a living from whatever they choose to do.

I believe that solely focussing on trying to understand how Millennials think and decode what they want is a distraction at best, and a divisive mistake at worst.  Connectivity, collaboration and engagement is not just the desire of Millennials but of a cross-generational tribe of working ‘disruptors’ who want to live differently, do meaningful work and make a difference.

The current definition of ‘diversity’ doesn’t seem to fully describe the scope and impact of our transforming world.Thomas Koulopoulos’ Inc. article, “How to Seize on the Single Greatest Global Shift in 5,000 Years” is an intelligent piece on this topic with practical steps on how to take advantage of these new business opportunities.It is definitely time to ask and answer 2 questions:

1.   What am I doing to prepare my business to get ready and prosper from this shift in the collective mind-set?

2.   What am I doing to get prepped?

After asking and answering those 2 questions, it’s time to take ACTION! 

The opportunity for an interesting and free-range world with innovative and different thinking at its heart is tantalising.  Perhaps we are entering a new era of Generation ‘D’ – Disrupters!

I say, bring it on!