Every semester, I assign what creative professionals call a “passion project.” My university students studying advertising art direction, branding, and graphic design must generate and execute an idea for a self-directed project. The project cannot be for a brand, as are most other projects that professors assign to students. Most often my students follow their arts-related interests, such as photography, painting, illustration, or graphic novels, however, many pursue other subjects, such as philosophy, politics, social causes, or environmental issues.
For her project, Gianna A. arranged and conducted a fashion swap. Dozens of students brought in unwanted clothing that was in good condition to swap with their peers. The faculty happily joined in, too; a couple of us are devoted fashion followers. Gianna’s goal was to educate us about the perils of fast fashion. If you’ve ever cleaned out your closet only to load up a huge bag or two of clothing to throw out or donate, imagine all the fast fashion that ends up that way. Did you know that 85 percent of clothing is in a landfill or incinerator? Even much-donated clothing is dumped. This unwanted fashion often ends its journey by causing an environmental catastrophe: it might take hundreds or thousands of years for all that trashed clothing to biodegrade.
According to the New York Times, “More than 60 percent of fabric fibers are now synthetics, derived from fossil fuels, so if and when our clothing ends up in a landfill . . . it will not decay. . . . Nor will the synthetic microfibers that end up in the sea, freshwater and elsewhere, including the deepest parts of the oceans and the highest glacier peaks.” Also, the fast fashion industry depends upon low-wage workers who make the clothes at one end of the world, and other low-wage workers process the returns. According to data compiled by an advocacy group, of the 75 million garment workers worldwide, it’s estimated that less than 2 percent make a living wage. Thanks to Gianna’s project, I stopped purchasing fast fashion and in fact, have curbed my conspicuous consumption across the board by a significant percentage.
Led by Elena P., a student team, Mara R., Molly M., and Brittany D., worked together on an aesthetically impactful project about body image. Their concept was to inform and advocate for size inclusivity and body positivity by conceiving and designing a new sizing system for the fashion industry, doing away with crushing words such as “extra-large” and “plus-size.” They gave acute consideration to the damage language can do. Whether it’s the environmental cost of fast fashion or how to speak about our bodies, my Gen Z university students mentor me.
Some researchers are exploring Reverse Mentoring (RM) to link generations active in the workplace. Jack Welch, the chairman and C.E.O. of General Electric from 1981 to 2001, popularized this model. As a tool, RM aids in managing age diversity, where seasoned executives are mentored by younger employees who are native to new and emerging technology and social media. Reverse mentoring can foster and build a new form of knowing, what some refer to as “collaborative knowing.”
With Gen Z now in the workforce, there are several generations working together–Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and many from the Traditionalist (or Silent) Generation who have stayed active and returned to the workforce by desire or need. No matter to whom the appointed title of leader falls, all of us can mentor or lead by design.
For a multi-generational leadership model to work, a specific workplace culture must be in place, one that fosters respect, listening, and collaboration. Some level of commitment by management is necessary for this to work well.
Here are five directives to harness multi-generational leadership capabilities:
1. Be humble.
When someone is a designated leader, it’s easy to fall into a posture of authority, proudly displaying their expertise and skills. There’s a cost to any degree of arrogance, especially when working with young professionals or people senior to oneself. Remaining unpretentious and magnanimous likely leads to more cooperation and employee satisfaction.
2. Be tactful.
When working with multi-generational teams, it’s essential to be diplomatic due to differences in vantage points. Develop the ability to deal with others without turning a discussion or work session into a harsh debate, by employing tact and dialogue. The United States Institute of Peace has a useful comparison of dialogue and debate, which I highly recommend. Here are a few highlights:
- In a dialogue, one listens to the other side(s) in order to understand, find meaning, and find agreement.
- Dialogue enlarges and possibly changes a participant’s point of view.
- Dialogue opens the possibility of reaching a better solution than any of the original solutions.
3. Be inclusive.
Collaborating with a diverse group of people, an inclusive group, offers greater possibilities and fresh perspectives. When working on a diverse and inclusive team, seize the opportunity for civil and open dialogue with teammates. Dialogue with others, especially with a diverse group of people that gives you different and multiple perspectives, could spark recognition of better goals or ideas. Too often particular groups of people are excluded from discussions about an organization’s goals.
4. Be flexible and open.
Be receptive to different viewpoints or opinions. Listen, and don’t shut down when someone else’s view doesn’t line up with your own. I’m not suggesting you need to listen to misinformation; rather, be open to new experiences and to what intelligent people and experts have to say. Again, engage in dialogue, not debate.
5. Be available.
Don’t work in isolation; interact with others. Leaders might tend to limit conversations with colleagues and junior staff about work matters. Now that remote or hybrid work is here to stay, we all must try to engage everyone. None of us should ignore employee experiences. In the creative industries and universities, I’ve worked with imperious executive leadership who utter decrees and do not engage. That’s old-school leadership, to say the least, which won’t cut it if you want a multi-generational team to cooperate and produce.
We all desire to find fulfillment in our careers however fulfillment doesn’t only come from doing your job successfully–it also comes from finding meaning in your organization. As the Gen Zers I know do, remember to say, as often as possible, “I appreciate you.”
