Exactly two years ago I wrote an article about my generation, the Millennials, which was based on how the song “Waiting on the World to Change” by John Mayer has become an anthem for our lives.
But when it comes to making a difference, we don’t make the time or perhaps we fear we don’t really count in the grand scheme of life. Is it possible that my generation is a generation of benchwarmers? Are we perfecting standing on the sidelines for the game of our lives?
When I was in Jr High I switched social groups like they were a pair of shoes. Whichever group benefited me for that moment I was best friends with. I am not proud of the fact that I was self serving and inauthentic but over time I grew out of that shallowness to become the independent woman I am now who does not rely on a group. Sadly, not everyone else learned when they were 14. Many of the people who fall under the scope of Generation Y are contributing to the chaos that is known as the “fad”. Or what I like to call, jumping on the bandwagon. This behavior can offer immediate and untraversed entertainment; such as Memes, flashmobs, fro yo cupcake bacon shop, but it also means what is good today can be gone tomorrow.
Make. It. Happen.
Those are three words that are missing from this generations vocabulary. There are a few innovative leaders and creators but for majority we have become a generation of followers. Moving onto whatever best serves our current interests.
What this will mean for you:
- One day you are hot and the next day you are not. The life cycle of fads have become increasingly more volatile which means your business can immediately become unsustainable.
- Communities, as a whole, will be difficult to create because of the image associated in the unfamiliarity. No one wants to be the sucker with “no friends” to display. This will have greater effect on offline communities since Generation Y is losing their real time networking skill set. Their mindset is so consumed by online life that ability to communicate outside of 140 characters or wall posts is weakening. As popularity increases online, in actuality, they are becoming introverts offline.
How to reverse the cycle:
- All it takes is a few good men. I cringe even typing that line but in order to move followers they need a dynamic leader.
- Business must find their Ashton Kutcher. Brand advocates.
- Study Invisible Children as an example: A couple of RVs filled with a handful of young, passionate, gregarious & unique students and have them travel to college and high school campuses. They wanted awareness but instead started a movement. Soon overnight sit ins on government lawns with thousands of participants were happening nationwide to protest a problem no one knew existed two months prior.
- Hot keywords: Community, Experience, Engagement. In order to build a community you must provide an experience that will allow for engagement. However, the experience cannot overwhelm the community or engagement otherwise your business will be about creating a “high” which can be easily overturned by the next.
Currently I am working with a local non-profit who is finding their Generation Y brand advocates wander off and from my research it is because the non-profit places too much emphasis on the experience. As I partner with them in establishing a sustainable community I will keep this blog posted on ways to partner with Millennial’s. USA Today labels us as young, smart and brash. Used properly we are a generation to be reckoned with.
