3 Things Millennials Can Learn From Their Older Coworkers
When you spend time with seniors, they will help you see the forest from the trees
Photo Credit : CNBC
Actors Robert De Niro and Linda Lavin on the set of "The Intern"
The workplace is becoming multi-generational. As a millennial, you may find yourself working alongside your seniors.
People of different ages have diverse priorities and goals, and if not managed effectively, they might begin working at cross purposes. Yet as a millennial, you shouldn't see your elders as out-of-touch but as mentors who can guide you to success at work.
Here are three things you can learn from working with seniors:
Prioritize face-to-face meetings
Make it a point to schedule in-person meetings with seniors. You could also book a recurring monthly lunch with someone who serves as your mentor.
Let's face it, millennial are generally more comfortable with new technology. They communicate with each other through social networks and apps on their mobile phones. While some 40 percent of seniors own a smart phone, they grew up in a time when people prioritized meeting each other, both personally and professionally.
When you work with someone who is senior, they want to see and hear from you in person. Don't just send emails.
Be early
Show up before your appointment is scheduled. It can take seniors more time to get ready for a meeting or obligation. When you're late it sends the message that you don't respect the effort that they're making. For example, Herschel Garfein, a multi-Grammy award-winning composer recently collaborated on a recording Mortality Mansions, in which he set the poems of Donald Hall, an 89-year-old who served as the U.S. Poet Laureate, to original compositions of music.
"It's a five-hour drive from Brooklyn to Don's farmhouse in New Hampshire. I would always allocate an extra hour for the drive. Each time I showed up, he would cheerfully remark, 'Right on time!' The one time I was a few minutes late, he said nothing — but I got the message," said Garfein. "I have started to arrive early for other appointments, and it makes a good impression."
Slow down
In our professional lives, we are so busy sending emails and writing reports that we forget to recognize the world around us. We fail to take the time to create meaningful and lasting relationships.
When you spend time with seniors, they will help you see the forest from the trees. They'll give you more perspective and share experiences to put what is happening in your life into context. And above all, they'll help you not take yourself so seriously. You might start to notice the smaller things and start to have more fun.
This article originally appeared on : CNBC
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