I recently gave a talk at the assisted living facility where my 86-year-old mother lives. About 25 residents turned up, and I came prepared with a structured set of questions aimed at extracting deep insights and personal stories of their lived leadership experiences. I thought the triumphant conclusion would be a collection of unique lessons they would want me to pass on to the leaders of today.
However, the discussion went in a different direction very quickly, revealing a generational divide in how we perceive and approach the concept of leadership. I encountered resistance to labeling and dissecting their experiences, such as the retired doctor who remembered organizing other residents to protest long hours that he knew were affecting patient care and a former schoolteacher who had been a pioneer in introducing bilingual education in her school district. These elders questioned the purpose behind analyzing and labeling actions that, in their view, were not leadership as much as necessary responses to perceived needs of the moment.