As John Gardner observed many years ago, “We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.” One such opportunity—unprecedented in human history—is how baby boomers choose to spend what has traditionally been called their retirement years.
We form an unusually large cohort that is eager to be of service on a part-time and flex-time basis as we "age in place." Put us to work as part-time volunteers, or hire us as independent contractors and consultants. Who better to take the lead in addressing a great variety of problems that need fixing?
And, coming out of the pandemic we're no longer bounded by geography, for we have experienced first-hand the extraordinary power of video-teleconferencing.
It's no secret that we possess considerable assets. We possess a deep reservoir of experience and the ability to make creative connections. We can reconcile contradictions, think systemically and resolve conflicts. (See Six Ways to Celebrate Experience.)
Young adults bring a passion for justice and social change, an ability to work “24-7” for a cause they can embrace and connect far better with youth culture. They're also tech natives, no small factor. “Just give us our first opportunity to join the workforce,” they ask.
Working together, we can unleash a great number of untapped sources of innovation -- the synergy of two underutilized sets of human resources. The result is a win-win-win:
In the end, it's nothing short of what Bill Drayton, the founder of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, calls a “pattern changing idea."
We form an unusually large cohort that is eager to be of service on a part-time and flex-time basis as we "age in place." Put us to work as part-time volunteers, or hire us as independent contractors and consultants. Who better to take the lead in addressing a great variety of problems that need fixing?
And, coming out of the pandemic we're no longer bounded by geography, for we have experienced first-hand the extraordinary power of video-teleconferencing.
It's no secret that we possess considerable assets. We possess a deep reservoir of experience and the ability to make creative connections. We can reconcile contradictions, think systemically and resolve conflicts. (See Six Ways to Celebrate Experience.)
Young adults bring a passion for justice and social change, an ability to work “24-7” for a cause they can embrace and connect far better with youth culture. They're also tech natives, no small factor. “Just give us our first opportunity to join the workforce,” they ask.
Working together, we can unleash a great number of untapped sources of innovation -- the synergy of two underutilized sets of human resources. The result is a win-win-win:
- It’s a win for older persons, through giving us new opportunities for more healthy and productive living.
- It’s a win for young adults, especially in launching them into the world of work.
- And, it’s a potentially transformational win for communities and causes we can serve.
In the end, it's nothing short of what Bill Drayton, the founder of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, calls a “pattern changing idea."