MODERN ELDER SHINES A LIGHT

The modern elder moves the life needle from aging to ageless.

Experience makes the difference.

They are flesh and blood resources doing what reference books have done to navigate an uncertain future.

By the way, an uncertain future is what we all have in store.

What is the best approach?

Knowledge@Wharton: Does older really mean wiser?

Chip Conley: There have been a number of studies on this, and they’ve shown very little correlation between age and wisdom. As a guy who’s 58, it’s hard to hear that, but there is some evidence that shows that it is not necessarily a correlation. What is correlated is that people actually make sense of their life and their mistakes and their experiences along the way. If you have a process for doing that, then age is correlated with wisdom because you create a pattern recognition.

Let’s unpack this a little more, beginning with pattern recognition. If you’re old enough to have seen the rise and fall of fads, business practices, even empires, then you’ve seen patterns.

Pay attention to details and things start to look predictable. Older means wiser if you see the direction and rate of slide when things take a downward turn.

If you can do something about it, or help in the process, you might be a modern elder.

How Old Is Modern Elder Old

“The modern elder is appreciated for their relevance, not their reverence, because they’re as much of an intern as they are a mentor.”

The ‘Old School’ era of my way of the highway has made way for better outcomes.

A Navy officer explained his command of young men and young women like this:

“If I give a young guy an order to do something, they go do it. When we review his actions he says he did it whether it’s done or not.

“When I give the same order to a young woman the review is more complete. She explains how she did the task, whether it’s done or not, and what she needs to complete it.”

Imagine sitting in the room with movers and shakers more interested in an outcome than hyping their own brand.

Take the same approach to every exchange of the day. Do you leave people more enamored of the time spent together, or just waiting to exhale.

Aging is hard enough without carrying the burden of poor judgment and bad decisions and expecting others to embrace those results.

When you have the chance to help younger people, do you bring your best self?

Asking for a friend.