Millennials Are Remaking America RU Ready?

Millennials Are Remaking America
R U Ready?
Morley Winograd
Michael D. Hais
California Association of Joint Power Agencies
September 19, 2012
Millennials Will Increasingly Dominate the
Adult Population of America in This Decade
99%
100%
90%
80%
80%
70%
61%
60%
50%
51%
41%
36%
40%
30%
30%
20%
17%
20%
24%
10%
0%
2008
2010
Percentage of Adults over 18
2012
2016
2020
Millennial Contribution to Adult Population
Millennials Behave Differently than Other Generations—
Not Just in Politics
100%
2%
2%
1%
46%
49%
52%
50%
2%
90%
32%
80%
70%
53%
60%
50%
40%
66%
30%
45%
20%
10%
0%
18-29 Millennials
30-44 Xers
Obama
Source: CNN national general election exit poll
45-64 Boomers
McCain
Other
65+ Silent
Defining A Generation
The aggregate of all people born over about 20 years (one phase of life),
who share:
Common Location in History.
Common Beliefs and Behaviors.
Perceived membership in a
common generation.
Distinctive behaviors created by:
Changes in child-rearing approaches.
Events experienced during maturation.
Changes in communication technologies.
Create 80+ year cycle of four distinct archetypes
Four Generational Archetypes
Cycle through History
Civic (GI or Greatest Generation, 1901-1924)
Adaptive (Silent Generation, 1925-1945)
Idealist (Baby Boomers, 1946-1964)
• Strongly adhere to their own personal values.
• Won’t compromise on fundamental questions of right and wrong.
• Use ideals as the driving force to provide meaning
in their lives.
• Independent dividers.
Image: Iris Friedheirm (Flickr)
Hollywood’s Coming of Age Movies Often Capture Generational Change
“Baby Boomer” features
48-66 years old in 2012
Large generation
Childhood in era of social stability, loosening standards
“Protest generation” during economic boom of 1960s and 1970s
Negative social trends
Ideological, socially polarized, leaders with a strong “inner compass”, an “Obi-wan” generation
“do the right thing”
DEFINING MOVIE: “The Graduate” Gen X Rejected Boomer Lifestyle Completely
Civic (GI or Greatest Generation, 1901-1924)
Adaptive (Silent Generation, 1925-1945)
Idealist (Baby Boomers, 1946-1964)
Reactive (Gen X, 1965-1981)
• React AGAINST what came before and reject
almost all of it.
• Cynical, anti-institutional young people.
• Entrepreneurial risk-takers in mid-life.
Image: (c) 2009 JupiterImages Corp
“Generation X” features
31-47 years old in 2012
Small generation
Childhood in era of social instability, loosening standards
Neglected, unwanted “latchkey” child
“Generation at Risk”, “New Lost”, “Slackers” in 1990s
Improved social trends
Apolitical (or conservative), self-starting, supreme
individualists, outsiders, a “Han Solo” generation
“just do it”
DEFINING MOVIE: “Ferris Buehler’s Day Off”
“Ferris Buehler’s Day Off” Captured that Rejection Perfectly
The Gen X Childhood
Divorce reached an all-time high
Single-parent families became the norm
Latch-key kids were a major issue of the time
Children not as valued – looked at as a hardship
Families spread out (miles apart)
Family size = 1.7 children (many only-children)
Perception of the world as “unsafe”
Average 10 year old spent 14 ½ minutes a day
with a significant adult role model
Gen-X Childhood in Movies
1964 Children of the Damned
1978 It Lives Again
1967 Rosemary’s Baby
1978 Damien—Omen II
1973 The Exorcist
1978 Halloween
1974 It’s Alive!
1979 The Brood
1976 Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby
1980 The Children
1976 The Omen
1981 Halloween II
1976 Carrie
1984 Firestarter
1977 Exorcist II: The Heretic
1984 Children of the Corn
1977 Eraserhead
1981 The Final Conflict
There is only one
thing wrong with
the Davis baby…..
Its Alive
1988 Child’s Play
Millennials are Today’s Civic Generation
Civic (GI or Greatest Generation, 1901-1924)
Adaptive (Silent Generation, 1925-1945)
Idealist (Baby Boomers, 1946-1964)
Reactive (Gen X, 1965-1981)
Civic (Millennial Generation, 1982-2003)
• Partisan unifiers.
• Upbeat, optimistic, group-oriented.
• Building new institutions using social network
technology.
Image: johsson, shanda.w (Flickr)
Note how Different Father/Daughter
Relationship is in “Devil Wore Prada”
Millennial’s Parents

The Baby Boomers chose to become older
parents in the 1980s while Gen X moms reverted
back to the earlier birth-age norm, which meant
that two generations were having babies.

Boomers rebelled against the parenting practices
of their parents.

They made conscious decisions not to say
“because I told you so” or “because I’m the
parent and you’re the child.”

Strict discipline was the order of the day for
Millennial parents.

They became friends with their children.

They explained things to their children,
actions, consequences, options, etc.) – they
wanted them to learn to make informed
decisions.
Millennial Childhood in Movies
1982 E.T The Extra-Terrestrial
1994 The Lion King
1986 Aliens
1994 Angels in the Outfield
1987 Three Men and a Baby
1997 Liar Liar
1987 Raising Arizona
1998 Rugrats: The Movie
1987 Baby Boom
1999 Big Daddy
1989 The Little Mermaid
1999 The Iron Giant
1989 Look Who’s Talking
2000 My Dog Skip
1989 Parenthood
2001 The Princess Diaries
1990 Look Who’s Talking Too
2002 Spy Kids
1990 Home Alone
2001 Monsters, Inc.
They changed her
1991 Little Man Tate
diapers. She changed
1993 Three Men and a Little Lady their lives . . .
1993 Searching for Bobby Fisher
2001 Harry Potter
2002 Big Fat Liar
2002 About a Boy
US Birth Rates Over Time
There are now:
• Ten million more
Millennials alive
than Baby
Boomers.
• Almost twice as
many Millennials
as there are
members of
Generation X.
The Millennial Generation is the
Most Diverse in American History
Percent of U.S. Population That Is African American, Hispanic, Asian Pacific
Islander, American Indian, and Other; By Age – December 2004
50%
 Millennials
 Generation X
 Baby Boomers
 Silent & GI Generations
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
1
6
11
16
21
26
31
Current Population Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, Dec. 2004
36
41
46
51
56
61
66
71
76
81
86
91
Millennials have the most gender
neutral attitudes in history
By 2016, women are
projected to earn 64
percent of associate’s degrees, 60 percent of
bachelor’s degrees, 63 percent of master’s degrees, and 56 percent
of doctorates.
Special—Just ask their “baby on board,” mini-van driving parents.
Sheltered—Thanks to most sweeping youth safety movement in history.
Confident—Highly optimistic, they boast about their generation’s power and potential.
Team-Oriented—Barney and school teaches them to be team players and
bond with their peers.
Achieving—Best behaved generation in decades.
Pressured—Pushed to study hard, avoid risk. Everyone gets a trophy. No
Winners.
Conventional—More comfortable with their parent’s values than any other recent generation, they support the idea that social rules help.
All of this positive upbringing shaped
the behavior and attitudes of the
Millennial Generation.
What Should Be America’s Energy Policy Priority?
80%
70%
71%
69%
63%
60%
60%
47%
50%
40%
40%
29%
30%
30%
25%
24%
20%
10%
0%
Total
Millennial
Gen X
Boomer
Silent
Developing alternative sources of energy such as wind, solar and hydrogen
technology
Expanding exploration and production of oil, coal and natural gas
Pew Research Center Feb 22-Mar 1, 2011
Generational Gap in Views on Global Warming
70%
64%
60%
50%
43%
40%
28%
30%
18%
20%
8%
10%
3%
0%
Yes
Because of
human activity
Total
Pew Research Center Feb 22-Mar 1, 2011
Because of
natural
patterns
Millennial
Don't know
Gen X
Boomer
No
Mixed/Don't
know
Silent
Stricter Environmental Laws and
Regulations Are Worth the Cost
57%
60%
57%
53%
54%
49%
50%
39%
40%
35%
37%
40%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Total
Millennial
Are worth the cost
Cost too many jobs and hurt the economy
Pew Research Center Feb 22-Mar 1, 2011
Gen X
Boomer
Silent
Millennials Are More Favorable Toward Government
Regulation of Business Than Older Generations
52%
51%
50%
46%
46%
48%
46%
44%
43%
42%
40%
38%
Government regulation of
business necessary to protect
public interest
Government regulation of
business usually does more
harm than good
Millennials
Source: Pew Research Center March 2011
Older Generations
Millennials Are More Favorable to “Big Government” Than Older Generations
53%
60%
54%
50%
39%
40%
30%
39%
20%
10%
0%
Favor smaller government, Favor bigger government,
fewer services
more services
Millennials
Source: Pew Research Center March 2011
Older Generations
Love Does Not Equal Marriage
Important Priorities of Millennials
60%
50%
52%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
0%
Being a good
parent
Pew 2010
Owning their own
home
Having a successful
marriage
Millennials’ Lifestyle Choices
“Ideal” Place to Live 0%
Big City
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
17%
9%
43%
Suburbs
31%
17%
Small City
Country
27%
17%
29%
Millennials
National Survey by Frank N. Magid Associates
Older Generations
45%
Burdened With Student Debt, Millennials
Are More Able to Rent than Buy
50%
48%
46%
44%
42%
40%
38%
36%
34%
32%
30%
Homeownership Rate for 25 to 34 Year Olds
50,000,000
40,000,000
30,000,000
20,000,000
10,000,000
0
2000
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
2005
2010
2015
Total Renter Households
Coming Next: The Multi-Generational Household Boom
66% of Millennials, (in contrast to about 50%
of
Boomers and 33% of Silents), believe it is a responsibility
of adult children to allow an elderly parent to live with
them.
41%
of adults ages 25 to 29 currently live with or have
moved back in with their parents temporarily because of the
economy. 17% of 30 to 34 year-olds also fall into this category
70% of survey respondents are considering
the possibility of accommodating extended family in
their next home purchase
19% said that they certainly will — with
children 18 years of age and older the primary
beneficiary of parental largesse.
Pew Research Center — 2012 Consumer Insights Survey of over 20,000 respondents
The Challenge and Opportunity of
Three Generations
Baby
Boomers
Contribution
to the
Workplace
Inspiration
 Motivation
 Values

Generation X Millennials
Creativity
 Bottom-line
orientation
 Taking risks

Teams
Technology
Consensus

•Challenge: blend the best of each generation
•The Key: become aware of and put aside
your own generational biases, and be able to
work collaboratively with other generations.
Millennials Are
Remaking America
Get Ready for
Them at Work Too
Ways to stay connected:
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Mike Morley
Facebook.com/mikeandmorley
Twitter: @mikeandmorley
www.mikeandmorley.com