One of my favourite commencements speeches of this past year was presented at Grinnell College by British novelist, Zadie Smith. She reflects on what she, as a Gen Xer, was thinking and planning when she graduated College back in 1997. And now she provides sage advice, realising that today’s Millennials are much better equipped to take her advice than she would have been. As someone only a few years older than Zadie, I endorse her message, and recommend you to 16 minutes this holiday season to listen to her wisdom.
We need to listen carefully. Her words point us to the path that Gen X leaders will be taking us down in the next decade or two, once the last gasp of the Boomers has proven problematic. The Millennials need the Xers to lead, and to lead this way:
