Sometimes it feels depressing to have spent years developing wisdom and knack, only to have it overlooked by the dominant culture of the day. We’re bombarded with an emphasis on the new, the tech, the next thing. Novel approaches can be important, but so can maturity, experience and all that’s built up through years of practice.
Here are 8 reasons why experience might not always be valued today.
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Focus on What’s New and Shiny
Nowadays, people always discuss the newest trend or the most cutting-edge technology. They all try to talk about the most trending gadgets, apps or business models. Innovation might be great, but there needs to be a place for traditional, tried and tested methods.
Media’s Obsession with Youth
Look around today and there are plenty of ads and TV shows that cater to young people. With their boundless energy and new potential, young people are allowed to take center stage but that also means older generations can feel excluded. Their experiences start to lose significance through the message that the media sends out: once you reach a certain age, your experiences are no longer of interest.
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Keeping Up with Technology
This is often reflected in the job market, which continues to value (and over-reward) those capable (or willing) to learn new digital tools or platforms. People who’ve been in the business a long time but fail to adapt to new technologies tend to get left behind.
Chasing Quick Success
All the emphasis today seems to be on seeing quick results. Nowadays businesses and organizations are often driven by a thirst for immediate outcomes. If everyone appears to be rushing for quick wins, patient and careful planning might seem somewhat overlooked — which is often the factor that builds the foundation for long term success.
Changing Workplaces
The way that we work has changed drastically in recent years. There are now more jobs that are less traditional and more flexible, and more new ways of doing work. Employers are looking past a lack of experience and focusing on hiring people who can adapt & learn at a lower cost to the company.
Prioritizing New Voices
If everyone listens to new ideas and voices, it may help with diversity and growth — but it might also lead to experienced people being ignored. Looking for diversity can be expanded by also seeking different opinions from experienced people on things we want to do. We must strive for balance between new and old.
Generational Gaps
Different generations often have different ways of working and communicating. Younger people might prefer more digital and fast-paced approaches, while older generations might value more traditional methods.
Older workers can find it particularly frustrating when the methods that helped them to succeed for decades are suddenly dismissed as outdated.
Short Attention Spans
There’s something about the pace of modern life that makes it harder to value deep understanding and years of slowly gained experience. Faced with a world of instantaneous information and ever-shortening attention spans, people appear to have lost patience with the slow build.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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