Pick up the darn phone: I know, you’re one of the texting generations. You’d rather text, chat or maybe email. I use texting, Facebook Messenger, Signal, Twitter, Telegram and hieroglyphics to communicate with young people. OK, that last part we now call emojis. I’m adaptable. Try it. In the business world, you need to get hold of people. Many of them are older than you and actually use phones to, you know, talk.
But there’s more than just preference. You can’t tell inflection or tone in a text. A sarcastic comment that triggers you (and we know that happens a lot) might actually be a joke you would have laughed at… if you heard it out loud. Texts and emails are also easy to ignore. Get someone on the phone and you can pin them down. It has more immediacy. It is more personal.
The Washington Post has other advice, "The new phone call etiquette: Text first and never leave a voice mail." I know this will shock you, but the Post is wrong.
Yes, you have to work: McJobs are fine when you are young. But they don’t pay enough for the nice things in life – like food other than Ramen. Don’t just take Boomer advice on that. The most accomplished people are the hardest workers, no matter their age. Taylor Swift spends hours on each performance and earned her spot at the pinnacle of the music industry. Her possible boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, also worked (ewww, that word) his butt off becoming the best at his position in the NFL.
And then there’s Mr. Beast, the IRL Jimmy Donaldson. The YouTube phenomenon is just a workaholic 25, but he built a global brand for his videos, his charity and his food products called Feastables. He’s no slacker. Try it.
But hard work isn’t enough. The old expression is true, it’s not what you know, it’s who. Network, make friends, especially those who are good at either bringing in money or who know those who can. It’s the real reason people go to big-name colleges.
www.foxnews.com
But there’s more than just preference. You can’t tell inflection or tone in a text. A sarcastic comment that triggers you (and we know that happens a lot) might actually be a joke you would have laughed at… if you heard it out loud. Texts and emails are also easy to ignore. Get someone on the phone and you can pin them down. It has more immediacy. It is more personal.
The Washington Post has other advice, "The new phone call etiquette: Text first and never leave a voice mail." I know this will shock you, but the Post is wrong.
Yes, you have to work: McJobs are fine when you are young. But they don’t pay enough for the nice things in life – like food other than Ramen. Don’t just take Boomer advice on that. The most accomplished people are the hardest workers, no matter their age. Taylor Swift spends hours on each performance and earned her spot at the pinnacle of the music industry. Her possible boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, also worked (ewww, that word) his butt off becoming the best at his position in the NFL.
And then there’s Mr. Beast, the IRL Jimmy Donaldson. The YouTube phenomenon is just a workaholic 25, but he built a global brand for his videos, his charity and his food products called Feastables. He’s no slacker. Try it.
But hard work isn’t enough. The old expression is true, it’s not what you know, it’s who. Network, make friends, especially those who are good at either bringing in money or who know those who can. It’s the real reason people go to big-name colleges.
Boomers were right! 5 things about adulting no one wants you to know
Every generation thinks it's cornered the market on brains, but you have to know what to do with them. Which is why wisdom matter. So let me offer some.