What Are You Doing to Stay Relevant?

I read an interesting blog post today that discussed the question: how does Generation X (those born in early 1960s – late 1970s) stay relevant in a business world where your skill set is overhauled every 3-5 years due to changing technology?

Even though Gen X has a lot of experience, they run the risk of their jobs being taken by Millenials (those born in early 1980s – 2000s); 30-somethings who will do their job for less, and are more experienced with current tools and technology.

Gen Xer’s are still in the mindset of their parents; big companies are their saving grace. If you work for them long enough they will take of you, and than you get to retire & relax.

That’s not really the case anymore. We live in a world of such rapid growth & evolution of technology that we can’t think in old ways anymore. Like technology, we have to be in a constant state of growing and learning in order to survive and stay relevant.

Brian Solis, in his book, What's the Future of Business, refers to people that adopt this new mindset as Generation C – the connected generation. It includes anyone that “has embraced digital media and technology with the same passion and fused behavior as those natively raised up in it" - Millennials, and the “Always On” generation; their brains are developing differently. If Generations X and above want to maintain professional and personal significance in the years to come they have to rewire their brains to become Generation C; open minded and willing to embrace change.

Do you feel relevant in the business world today? Are you concerned that Millenials will sweep in and start taking the jobs? If so, what should you be doing to stay relevant and safeguard your position in the future of business?

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