Issue 21

• Whys Insight
• Whys Perspective
• Whys Strategies
• Whys Cracks
• The Buzz

Word to the Whys

“Don’t be against things, so much as for things.”
~ Colonel Harland Sanders, Founder, KFC

“You do not have to be superhuman to do what you believe in.”
~ Debbi Fields,
Founder, Mrs. Fields’ Cookies

"No child, employee or citizen should ever have to choose between competency and character in their leadership.”
~ Mark Sanborn,
Author of UPGRADE and President Elect of the National Speakers Assn.

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You know the world's gone mad when the best rapper is a white guy, the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest guy in the NBA is Chinese, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the USA of arrogance, and the Germans don't want to go to war! - Anonymous

Up until 9/11, the Whys were said to be a generation without a defining cause. Traditionalists suffered through the Great Depression and rallied together to win WWII. Baby boomers were stained with the blood of Viet Nam and the shame of Watergate. Generation X matured with the AIDS epidemic and joined hands to win the Gulf War.

The profile of Gen Why, on the other hand, has been that of a techno-savvy, pierced and tattooed rapping urbanite with way too many toys and too little respect. However, that stereotype is disappearing as fast as the tanks of the Republican Guard.

Make no mistake, Generation Why is fully engaged in the War in Iraq. It is shaping how they see the world – and how the world sees Generation Why. Eighteen year olds can choose to be either pro-war or anti-war, but there is little room for indifference. Thousands of Whys are on the front lines in Baghdad. Thousands of Whys are holding protest signs on college campuses.

Having lived through Columbine, Clinton-Lewinsky, the Oklahoma City bombing and September 11th, Whys are no stranger to crisis. In each of these situations, they became victims and spectators and were forced to wrestle with the aftermath of something they had nothing to do with.

However, Gen Whys are not bystanders in the War in Iraq. They are playing a significant role in this historical event as it unfolds. And although they are deeply divided on this issue, it is one that will eventually bring them together and forge their identity as a generation.

“To be a manager, you have to start at the bottom.
No exceptions.”
Henry Block, Founder and CEO, H&R Block

Thanks, Henry. And speaking of starting at the bottom, that is precisely where we find Generation Why this April 15th. They are at the bottom of the heap when it comes to contributing to America’s tax base.

As they enter our workforce, most 16 to 24 year-olds serve in entry level jobs with entry level pay. As a result, they account for a much smaller portion of the total income tax picture than do their greater wage-earning Boomer and Xer counterparts. But this does not mean the IRS gives them free parking, or even a ‘get out of jail free’ card.

Even if they are due to receive a refund, federal law demands that every wage earner must file a return or an extension by April 15th. And while no one is particularly fond of ‘mandatory compliance by a predetermined deadline’ – it truly goes against the very nature of the Generation Why mindset.

With that in mind, how will Whys approach April 15th?

They’ve seen parents and employers try to outmaneuver the IRS to pay less tax and they’ve heard much political rhetoric regarding tax cuts. So while they may not have a firm grasp on how to win – or even play the tax game, they do know that people their age are donning chemical masks and carrying sophisticated weapons - paid for by US tax dollars - and that those lives are on the line for us.

Look for Generation Why to take an active role in the shaping of our future tax system and its intricacies.

Gen Whys have heard the Chicken Little “Sky is Falling” routine since they were infants. They know that things are not what they once were, and that life in the fifties, sixties, and seventies was simpler, safer, and perhaps happier. But that does not give them much comfort now. They want to know that the future holds promise, and they are drawn to optimistic people.

At the root of meeting all the challenges you encounter, you must truly believe in yourself, your company or organization, and the opportunities each new day brings. Avoid false and or empty affirmations, but be diligent in your search for the silver lining in every situation. Then share that enthusiasm through warmth, a smile, and an occasional hug and you’ll see it come bouncing back at you in multiples as if you were staring into a magnifying mirror.

Joe Millionaire’s Bachelorette Survives Fear Factor

I recently was sent a copy of the Trinity High School (Washington, PA) newspaper where students were candidly sounding off about the new plethora of reality shows on television. Being bored to tears with them myself, I was under the assumption that these shows were targeting a different demographic, and that it was perhaps the influential Gen Whys who served as the primary market for this unique brand of TV. I was shocked to discover that of the 23 student responses, 19 were extremely critical of reality television, using comments ranging from “they are not reality at all” to “they suck.”

Obviously these shows are not striking a chord with this skeptical, hard-to-read and even harder-to-entertain generation. Recent ratings reinforce the fact that Whys are not big into television. Could it be that they are bored with mindless programming that portrays itself as real?

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