by Jerry Mpufane (@JerryMpufane) My outlook for the younger talent today is that they have lots of opportunity. South Africa has more than doubled its middle class in the last 10 years, so progression is a realistic possibility; social mobility is increasingly achievable and ambitious; talented young people have a better chance of seeing their dreams fulfilled; and adland is on a mission to transform itself, so the doors of opportunity are opening for a wider and more diverse skillset.
Generational impasse
Why, then, are we at what appears to be a generational impasse when it comes to handing over of the torch?
Millennials are often accused of being impatient, self-entitled, narcissistic, tough to engage and impossible to lead. They place individuality ahead of community and they value extrinsic affirmation and constantly seek praise in order to get it. Modern society dishes it out to them much easier than it did to previous generations, thanks to the immediacy of social media. This generation is in constant need for likes, fans, followers, and heaps of praise on a constant basis. Because the highly addictive “likes” have become social currency, the millennials find any form of criticism hard to take. Shying away from criticism has meant that they shy away from real-world connections with peers and superiors who might dole it out.
In my experience as a mentor, I find that they prefer being receptive rather than engaging, especially when it comes to constructive input. As an example, they enjoy the mentoring session when I’m doing the talking, doing the work and giving the feedback, but they disappear when given assignments, then try and reappear behaving as if it’s all forgotten. They want feedback, but only if it is positive!
Plenty of positives
These are the negative perceptions but there are plenty of positives to consider, too.
Bentley University in the US conducted a study among millennials and concluded that they are nimble, independent and entrepreneurial. They are motivated by personal values and aspiration. They are confident in their abilities and strive for career success.
My time as an intern goes back 20 years. Back then, opportunities and resources were very limited and, in contrast to the millennial experience, the trappings of the modern world were all new. The internet, email, and ‘going online’ were all brand-new concepts to me. My ability to connect with the perceived rock ’n roll ad world would have to come from traditional avenues. I deliberately sought out the counsel of my colleagues, both positive and negative. Our clients were the source of inspiration, as well as opportunity, and so I researched them and made sure I knew lots about their world. I revered my bosses, who were very much my heroes in the workplace. I was mentored by some of the best women our industry has produced; they encouraged me to acquire a ferocious appetite for knowledge and honed a work ethic that would require many late nights and weekend hours to complete tasks so that I could be assigned ever meatier ones. I had a clear sense of mission and a great desire to fulfill it.
Big believer in transformation
I’m a big believer in transformation, and that the work environment must advance forward as cultures evolve. Change is a good thing. So, in order to bridge this generational gap, I think we need to harness the positivity of the millennial psyche and combine it with some tried-and-tested values. Loyalty, authenticity, balance, responsibility and community, among others, will forever be trending.
The Bentley study also showed that the majority of the millennials have an ambition to own their business, as opposed to seeking employment.
When is it wise to work independently vs being a part of a community, and working individually vs being an integral part of a team? Is it wise to break out on your own before you gain any experience? How do you achieve success without a support system? Can you derive joy outside of the friendships and camaraderie of community? This is not a ‘either/or’ question, but rather a choice.
A remarkable generation
Millennials are defined by the HUSTLE. They do not wait for opportunity. Millennials pursue new forms of work and experiment with everyday life. Local economies would not exist, were it not for the pursuit of what’s outside the normal.
Millennials are a remarkable generation and arguably smarter than many before them. They have access to significantly more information than previous generations. But they mistake their high self-esteem for experience and would do well to merge their information dividend with some traditional values. And we would do well, as the older guard, to access their agility and entrepreneurial verve.
Jerry Mpufane (@JerryMpufane) is the chairperson of the M&C Saatchi Abel JHB Group of Companies; vice-chair of the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA); a Loerie Awards board member; and a judge for Bookmarks, Loeries and PRISMs. His monthly column on MarkLives, “On My Mind”, discusses the stuff that keeps him awake at night.
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I don’t know about South Africa being alive with possibilities when a huge percentage of our youth who fall in this so called millennial group are unemployed. From my vantage point it doesn’t really look like upward progression is a realistic possibility for many. Maybe in the author’s world things are a lil different.
Also, this millennial thing. Sometimes reading the descriptions of this group of people leaves me wondering if this person exists, as defined, in the South African context. You can’t tell me young people from each and every country are all going through the same things, face the same challenges etc. It always sound to me like when we talk about millennials we are essentially talking about the minority that is on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook – in my opinion they don’t represent the majority. In fact I’ve always been skeptical of how generations are defined, for example, you can’t tell me South Africa experienced a Baby Boom in the same period as America – that seems preposterous to me.
I expect better researched articles from this site. Like the previous commentator, I fully agree that we need to exercise some caution and be more responsible when discussing millennials. This article is based on the findings of an American study and, like most discussions about millennials, it is a long list of highly publicised generalisations that offer no real insight or in-depth understanding of this market. This is a description of a millennial in America, not Africa or South Africa. Generational theory originated in the USA and its premise is how a particular time and place affects that particular generation’s world view. So, you can see how this is problematic.
Litha, if you are already, or if you want to be a Strategic Planner we should chat.
The site can give you my email address from this post.
Mshengu already works with us.
So you’d be in good, independent thinking company.