“How Not to Act Old”

Do you really care where you get good career advice?

You know those long flights where you find yourself re-reading the “Sky Mall” magazine for the twentieth time? Sometimes you just read the thing that is available at the time. Thus, my adventure through “More” magazine this weekend (“The best-selling magazine for women over 40”). I decided to read an article by Pamela Redmond Satran on “How Not to Act Old.” “The point isn’t to behave like a 26-year-old. It’s to learn how not to act like someone a 26-year-old might snicker at.”

Previously, we explored the generational differences of the Gen Y’s and the leadership implications they present on LiaV, but never listed the twenty-one simple things you can do today to better communicate with your Gen Y teammates (Warning: Based on the source, some are not work or male oriented!). Hints like not being the team’s history channel, losing the watch, vmail and txt etiquette, getting out of your chair, redefining “long term”, re-evaluating refreshments, thinking fun, not volunteering parental advice and typing with your thumbs are interesting hints into their world.

I personally felt pretty good that I made at least half of the suggested “male” oriented adjustments prior to reading the article based on observations we have discussed in the past. I dare you to remove your watch for the next week.

Do you seek insight from any source? Have you developed the skill to recognize good advice when you see it?


Note: The article is an excerpt from the forthcoming book “How Not to Act Old: 185 Ways to Pass for Phat, Sick, Hot, Dope, Awesome, or at Least Not Totally Lame” by Pamela Redmond Satran.

PS – Another thought on not acting old – just use Pamela’s blog.