I'm a regular reader of Fast Company. It's a monthly magazine that appeals to young entrepreneurs and covers technology, business and design. I do not have a business degree and I'm not behind a startup. The magazine appeals to me because of its creativity and the way it encourages readers to think in new ways. It regularly features innovative companies, creative people and masters of design. We can all learn from them!
Robert Safian, the Editor of Fast Company, has coined a term that he has used in a few articles: generation flux. The attraction of this term is that it is not confined to a particular age group, such as a term like Generation X would be. It's beyond Generations X, Y, and Z. It's beyond any age specific group. Safian describes Generation Flux as "the group of people best positioned to thrive in today's era of high-velocity change.
Fluxers are defined not by their chronological age but by their willingness and ability to adapt. These are the people who are defining where business and culture are moving. And purpose is at the heart of their actions." Adaptation! It’s been with us forever. It was the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus who saw that all was flux. Generation Flux are building mission into their career and their business. Safian describes modern business as pure chaos. GenFlux consists of people who adapt to and even thrive in that chaos. "This is less a demographic designation than a psychographic one. What defines GenFlux is a mind-set that embraces instability."
In his November 2014 article, "Find Your Mission," Safian’s basic point is that in a world of rapid change and great uncertainty, the greatest competitive advantage of all may be at ones very core, namely, our mission. What he is speaking of isn’t radically different from Jesus’ reminder that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The people who are often most engaged with life are those who have discovered their passion and move with it.
Generation Flux succeeds when it finds its mission and goes with it. Safian uses the illustration of Oscar-winning Jared Leto. He is an actor, a musician, an entrepreneur and a tech investor. Safian points out that Leto embodies the blurred lines of modern careers. Leto says of himself, "I don't compartmentalize. Whatever you're doing, you should be passionate about. If you're not, then say no." He has found his heart’s treasure.
Safian points out that in this age of flux, people's sense of connection with their workplace has been declining. Once upon a time, someone was hired by a company and could expect to retire from there, perhaps having risen a few notches in the hierarchy. Not any more! We need to find a sense of connection with something more internal, something that brings meaning. Of course, not all of us are fortunate enough to choose meaningful and engaging labour. Many people have to work boring and monotonous jobs – McJobs – just to find housing and put food on the table. But for those who have been fortunate enough to look beyond their basic needs, the motivation to do more and to give more to the world can be defining characteristics.
Surveys have shown that most young people today would give up some financial reward in exchange for making a difference in the world. A young man from the graduating class of Harvard Business School was chosen as the student speaker at convocation a few months ago. Casey Gerald spoke of what he called "the new bottom line in business … the impact you have on your community and the world around you. No amount of profit could make up for purpose."
Alas! There are many business people who would say the opposite, but there are increasing numbers of startups that are rooted in purpose. Safian stresses that, "Finding ones mission is not an end point." Now one has to live it. Not to compare him to Jesus, but Jesus would say that finding our treasure isn’t the end point. We have to use that treasure and not store it up. Generation flux is not restricted to Hollywood stars or Silicon Valley biggies. Even I can be part of this generation!