Independence, Hope & Leadership - When GenZ thinks outside the box

01 Jul Independence, Hope & Leadership – When GenZ thinks outside the box

Posted at 13:30h in EQ skills, Future of Work, GenZ, Newsletter by Karena de Souza 0 Comments

One can almost sense the anticipation: the excitement, the rapid heartbeat, the held breathe; opening the acceptance letter marked Juilliard. There was a whole lifetime of practice, preparation and hope frozen in that one minute as William and his parents waited to see what his future would hold.

I marked July 1 – Canada Day – by posting a wonderfully nuanced trumpet solo performance of the anthem ‘O Canada’ by William Leathers.

William Leathers’ performing O Canada

As you listen to William you will understand why he is one of only three trumpeters selected from across the globe to earn a coveted spot at Juilliard starting in the class of September 2018. (Congratulations, William!)

Independence

In doing a little background research on William I came across a few interesting facts – moments where this solo performer has consciously thought outside the box:

William took a #GapYear. He deliberately tailored his high school curriculum to allow him to accelerate his classes, allowing him a Gap year in which he focused on honing his craft as a musician.
When he was accepted to Juilliard, the tuition and residence costs for training in one of the world’s most exciting cities came with a hefty non-Canadian price tag. So William’s friends have started a GoFundMe or YouCaring page (link below) to support him, which is almost half-way to meeting it’s goal.

What I found so generous was the fact that William will be contributing 10% of all funds raised on his behalf, and 100% of all excess funds raised towards a scholarship fund for other young musicians who will find themselves in a similar position in the future. That is generosity, empathy and gratitude, all wrapped up in one.

You have to know the rules in order to break them

From this I learned not to put limitations on myself based on my age…

William understands rules. He understands expectations. As a musician he knows how to follow; as a soloist, how to lead; and as a performer, how rules create order.

William is also a Jazz musician. And as such, he has learned how to read beyond the lines. He understands the rules so that he can test, tweak, and break them. And in doing so, he creates something new and breathtaking.

In a recent interview with Life-Long Leadership Institute (link below), William was asked to name a leader who inspired him. It is worth reading his entire answer where he gives most credit to his father, but I was particularly struck by his critical thinking in this answer: “In 2008 when Barack Obama ran for the United States presidency, I noticed that although Hilary Clinton and John McCain were both older than he was, Obama became the president of the United States of America. From this, I learned not to put limitations on myself based on my age, but to understand that although I am young, I have the ability to be a leader.”

#GenZ Leadership & Hope

During the various graduation ceremonies this past week, it was inspiring to watch the collective GenZ talent, ready to set their mark on a new world. It is hard not to be infected by their enthusiasm.

Beyond intelligence, this cohort demonstrates empathy, compassion and a very deep ability to network with those around them, creating a tremendously strong net of support.

They use leadership to innovate new solutions. They use hope to encourage. They use creativity as they eagerly strive to solve problems – as demonstrated in Williams’ YouCaring page.

It is EQ skills such as these that will be the most distinguishing traits of survival and success for these ‘in-betweeners’, the GenZ born between 1995-2010, as they navigate their way between the old world order and the #Future of Work.

What better way to celebrate Independence?

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Karena brings her prior experience as a strategist to life as a parent. Looking 5-15 years forward, she talks to teens and young adults about the Future of Work, and how this transition will affect their current career choices. Through FUTUREcasting, she teaches GenZ to read signs and signals, watching to see if and when to course correct. She works with GenZ and anyone who influences them – parents, educators & employers.

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