Courtney & Christine connecting

I recently found myself in an interesting position: Being the oldest person at my table at a professional organization’s awards event. Surrounding me were young professionals and college students in their 20s and 30s. As a Baby Boomer, I could have easily told myself “I don’t have anything in common with these young people.” That’s not my style. Instead, I considered it an opportunity to engage in stimulating conversation.

My conversation partner for the evening, Courtney, is a college senior majoring in marketing management/supply chain and a scholarship recipient. As we shared information during dinner, I was struck by her poised professionalism, intelligence and ambition. What impressed me the most: She is completing her fifth internship. That’s right. Fifth. With each internship experience, she has expanded her knowledge about different industries and marketing/supply chain functions.

I couldn’t help but recall some of the people who have participated in my communication workshops over the years. While discussing generational communication, invariably someone would say, “Generation Y has a sense of entitlement” or “That generation hasn’t had to work for anything…everything has been handed to them.” I wished those people could have been sitting with Courtney and me that evening. They would not have been so quick to judge her or her generation.

When you have an opportunity to converse with someone who is a generation or two younger than you, consider these simple tips:

Respect. When you show respect to another person, it will come right back to you.

Open your mind. Approach the conversation openly; don’t be judgmental. All too often, people make false assumptions about young people.

Listen. Really listen to their life experience. What is different for them? When it comes down to it, is there really that much difference between what they want out of their life and career than you did at that age? You had dreams once, didn’t you? Hopefully you still do.

Be interesting and interested. Keep the conversation moving between the two of you by being interested in what the other person is saying and by adding value to the conversation. Courtney was equally as interested in me, curious about my career path and life. We kept the conversation balanced throughout dinner.

Be open to new ideas. As I struggled to focus and snap our “selfie” with one hand, Courtney showed me how to use the volume button on the side of my iPhone to snap the picture. Brilliant! I welcomed the new approach.

I have mentored many young people throughout my career and will continue to do so. Anything that I can do to help launch their careers or provide guidance, I am willing to do. Courtney and I are now connected through LinkedIn and I anticipate great news and achievements in the months and years to come.

I learned a great deal about Courtney, her background, interests and dreams because we engaged in meaningful dialogue. What can you learn from someone who is younger than you? How can you open your mind and be fully receptive to the experience? How can you be supportive of their hopes and dreams?