I was lucky to have a friend lend me Geeks & Geezers to read, as this book tackles at a granular level the different leadership tactics of generational leaders in America. The main thrust of the book is leaders are defined by the era they grew up in. The “Geezers” studied were defined by the leadership of WWII, and this translated into many avenues of their lives. The “Geeks” on the other hand grew up in the fast paced Screen Age, where age is nothing but a number. Leadership is a product of many things; environment and pace of life being two important ones. The question I have to ask is, “What will my generation be known for?”

My main gripe with this book is that one can get a better understanding of the leadership journey by reading Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces, a book I have already discussed. But this book is an easier read, and has more relevant examples, so it should not be discounted.

The environment a future leader is raised in is important. However, Bennis and Thomas argue that it is not necessarily the home environment that is truly important but the environment of the society. What is happening in the world around the future leader? Where do they get their lessons from, who are their heros, what are their favorite books, is anything monumental happening in the world? These are the questions to ask, and you might be surprised with many of the answers.

Bennis and Thomas argue that one important trait that all types of leaders have is a desire to be constantly learning. Something this blog tries to promote as well. Once you stop learning, you can no longer be leading the pack. You will fail and not get back on track. While “Geezers” grew up during WWII, and learned how to obey orders and trust experience, “Geeks” grew up with computers and the Internet learning that age matters little, they must create or die. These are important distinctions and explain the generational gap quite well. The main difference between the environments is the pace of life.

“Geeks” grew up in a world that changed overnight into a freight train without brakes; “Geezers” grew up walking to school uphill both ways. As such more is possible for the “Geeks” than “Geezers” and their goals display this. Because “Geeks” have more time (because everything goes fast they can fit more in,) they are also more likely to desire a work-life balance than any “Geezer” before them. The best part is that many “Geeks” found this. “Geezers” grew up in a world that moved slowly but consistently forward, requiring them to look to heroes of the past to show them what was possible, “Geeks” have no such limitations or hero worship. What will my generation seek?

My generation has a chance to be the answer to the “Geezers & Geeks.” We have been given many lessons. The world has continued to increase in speed, gotten smaller with globalization, and marred by the thirst for national security in the wake of terror. We have seen a “Great Recession” and the rise of Social Media. We herald the genius, and mock the conformists. A time of great acceptance of individuality has arisen; will we squander it?

I hope my generation learns to unplug sometimes and enjoy the world beyond the screen. I hope the crucibles we have faced will show us the folly’s of fear, and give us strength to tackle all the problems we will face in our lives. We are closer now than ever before, but humanity has never seemed so distant. I hope we continue to learn, to read, and to challenge assumptions. We have grown up on the shoulders of giants, and we must ready ourselves for the next generation of leaders. What kind of world will we give them? The choice is ours, and the crucibles are looming. What do you want the world to look like?