Eat. Sleep. Rave. Repeat

In London last week I saw a guy with this slogan on the back of his t-shirt and it made me smile. It sent me back to the 1990s when I would do the same (eat, sleep, rave, repeat, not buy a t-shirt with a slogan on the back).

I saw it following a fantastic client lunch, full of idea sharing, laughter and stories where we reminisced about the 1990s being the last great decade.

Yet, the 1990s weren’t the last great decade for everyone. For some it was the 1980s, the noughties, the 2010s and some are living theirs right now (they just don’t realise it yet). 

These generational differences show up in the workplace regularly and for some people are a barrier to relationship building or - in extreme cases - collaboration.

The easiest way to bridge these divides is to share a little history with each other. This helps us all to realise that we are all products of our upbringing and the individual experiences that have shaped who we are.

I no longer eat, sleep, rave, repeat (well, except for last Saturday on a boat on the Manchester ship canal), but I remember exactly what it felt like. And that's the point. When I tell you about my decade, you learn something about who I am and why I think the way I do. You don't have to have been there. You just have to be curious enough to ask.

So the next time a generational gap opens up in your team - and it will - start with a question. Ask what shaped them, or what they'd never want to go back to. It costs nothing, takes five minutes and it's where every decent relationship starts.