Millennial: Its a Choice (OPINION)

I was thrilled to learn earlier this month that, no matter what our age, we can choose to be Millennials.

Millennials can’t be defined using birthdates. No one agrees on the time parameters anyway.

I learned that from Louis Patler, Ph.D., a New York Times bestselling author and business innovation researcher who recently visited Northwest Arkansas. His writing is powerful enough to have made Steve Jobs’ recommended reading list, and his latest book, “Making Your Own Waves,” will be published in spring 2016.

Patler said he prefers using the terms, “Transformer” and “Power Ranger” rather than Millennial.

What distinguishes those of the Millennial generation is having a core value of mastery, Patler said. Rather than seeking to gain authority, they define their power by mastering things that they love.

“Mastery means you’ve democratized power,” he said. “It’s about individual responsibility and achievement, not trying to get a blue ribbon or accolade. Not to be on top of the heap but to master.”

Patler spent three days in mid-June visiting up-and-coming places and people in Northwest Arkansas with his friend and guide, business coach Amy Robinson of Fayetteville, the founder of Tribe of Women. They toured Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Walmart Museum, and the soon-to-open Scott Family Amazeum, which features a tinkering studio for youth, to spur innovation and creativity.

They also visited companies including Arkansas Power and Electronics Inc., Picasolar Inc., Startup Junkie, Hayseed Ventures, Edges Inc., and Modthink and Rockline Industries, where Patler did some consulting.

Along with Jeff Amerine, Patler filmed segments at 8th & Walton in Bentonville for the Retail Edge program, which will air at 6:30 p.m. June 27 and July 11 on local NBC affiliate KNWA-TV.

Patler’s intent was to share insights regarding innovation, which he’s studied for two decades. Conventional ways of business have little use in today’s rapidly evolving, global economy, he said. His Innovating For Results program is used throughout the world, and clients at his B.I.T. Consulting Group include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, General Dynamics, Hewlett-Packard, Marriott Hotels and the NBA’s Miami Heat.

Patler explained that the best innovators take smart risks, and surround themselves with people offering complementary strengths, he said at an Elevate Speaker Series Event in Fayetteville.

Workplaces now have employees representing three to five different generations, each being distinct based on core values they hold. He often advises that companies look for employees with fresh ideas and energy, and who have an ability to look at something a little bit askew from what’s typical. Hire for what can’t be taught, such as when Southwest Airlines favored employees with a sense of humor, he said.

It’s also imperative to be ingenious in gathering resources, and Patler said this quality, in particular, is evident in the Northwest Arkansas business community.

“You’re good at this; you have a sense you’re all in this together … you do this instinctively and you know you have a much better chance at success if you all succeed,” Patler said.

Patler said people innovate best when they mingle, acquire each others’ skills and perspectives, and create a culture to reward innovation.

The larger a business, the harder it can be to cultivate innovation, as companies become subject to the sacred cows of politics, policies and procedures. “Our research shows these are rarely questioned and usually obsolete.”

Robinson, who knows Patler from her former community of Mill Valley, California, said there was a previous trend in the business world to “think like an entrepreneur,” but Patler’s research and programs go beyond this to help businesses implement innovation via behaviors and actions.

“Creating a company of innovators isn’t just about how to be a creative person; it’s how to do something active with that innovative thinking,” Robinson said. 

Robin Mero is content director for Bentonville-based Selling to the Masses, which serves as a destination for resources to help early-stage, consumer-product companies get and stay on the shelves of the country’s top retailers. She can be reached at [email protected].