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In my tenure as a community columnist, I have spent a lot of time writing about younger generations and leadership – about how we need to make room for young leaders in organizations across the Valley, about some common traits exhibited by younger generations, about how we need to be celebrating young leaders who choose to stay in our communities.
Last time, I wrote about how we need to be creating connecting points for young leaders that foster cooperation across a variety of fields.
Since I gravitate toward writing about being a Millennial and a leader, and issues connected to those parts of me, I realize that it is easy for me to be perceived as someone who dislikes older people. It could be easy for what I write here to come across as annoyance, or even anger, with those who have come before.
This is simply not the case.
The truth is, every generation sits on the shoulders of the generation that has preceded it. Young leaders like me can only achieve what we do because of the foundation laid by older generations. As such, it’s vital that young leaders, like myself, treasure the vision, passion, and accomplishments of previous generations.
My life has only ever been enriched by the presence of older, wiser people in my life; and truth be told, some of my closest friends in the Valley are 40 or even 50 years my senior. For most of the past six years, I have been shaped into the man, husband, pastor, and leader that I am by men and women who are years older than I am. To a great degree, what you read in these columns are reflections of what these people have taught me.
With that in mind, I wanted to share three things that older people – leaders and otherwise – have taught me.
First, they’ve taught me hard work. I’ve met few people who work as hard as some of the older men and women in my life. They’re dutiful, diligent and simply compelled to be excellent.
Previous generations understand, in ways that my generation does not, the value of hard labor, sweat and attention to detail. I was reminded of this when I became the new owner of my grandfather’s 2000 Chevy S10. This vehicle has been meticulously cared for; it looks like it just came off the line. In this small way, I am indebted to his care and hard work.
Second, they’ve taught me to ask good questions. A handful of mentors of mine – and if you’re reading this, you know who you are – have taught me that you should always ask more than you tell. This is how we honor people, grow in humility and demonstrate great love and compassion for others. As a Millennial, I sense in myself an ability to speak with more authority than I really do have, and the invitation to be a listener and a question-asker has helped to curb this nasty habit.
Third, they’ve taught me patience. As a younger person, patience is inherently more difficult; I frequently hope it will come easier to me when I hit my later years. Yet, the older people in my life remind me that it’s acceptable to wait – over and against my generation’s expectation of instant gratification.
I am, and have always been, a firm believer in the proverb that says, “gray hair is a crown of glory.” That’s why I have loved having mentors and friends who are older and so much wiser than I. That’s why I’m glad to live in a community that has benefited so much from the hard work of those generations that have come before me.
Tennant is a Warren resident. Email him at editorial@tribtoday.com.