Not done yet

Some Boomers have spent decades working with computers and other digital devices, many with coding skills to go behind the graphical user interfaces (GUI) we’re accustomed to.

—  Who are the darlings of the tech world?

Granted, the pace of change is increasing exponentially, and young minds are hatching the next big thing – at this very minute.

Baby Boomers (those born between 1945 and 1965) can’t take credit for inventing the computer, but they’ve certainly brought it to the masses. Of this generation we can name Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and others who as ambitious young guys in the 1970s made indelible marks on the world. As a result, Apple and Microsoft are household names globally.

While more Boomers retire, there are some thought leaders and young social media moguls today who would gladly put them out to pasture. But there are several facts worth noting.

—  There are Boomers and GenXers who possess decades of tech experience. This can prove valuable in figuring out legacy systems going back as far as the fifties in case data has to be retrieved.

—  Millennials/GenZ are more tech-savvy; they never knew a time without the Internet and smart devices. Yet at the same time many of them seem to be ruled by their devices. Of course, Boomers and GenXers may have inherent workaholic ways compared to their more casual young counterparts, but they've also spent many years in face-to-face human interaction, which is different from emailing and the brevity of texting. Some of the younger generation have an outright paranoia about speaking to someone on the phone.

—  For Boomers, a greater richness of life experiences can also be a plus, which is a positive in mentoring younger colleagues.

—  Legendary General Electric Chief Jack Welch (no relation to yours truly) saw with the advent of the Internet the need for intergenerational relationships among his employees. They paired up as mentors to their older colleagues with the goal of bridging a knowledge gap to ensure success for all.

—  So, I want to be careful not to be misconstrued as someone trying to paint younger generations with a broad brush of negativity; after all, I’m the father of two talented Millennials! We have a lot to share with each other.

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