Scott's Live Keynote at MCON12
Catherine Porto is a student at the University of Notre Dame studying Economics and the Great Books program. As an intern at the Case Foundation, Catherine is exploring how mobile social media can increase civic engagement.
MCON2012 got off to an exciting start with Scott Gerber’s keynote “The Entrepreneurial Spirit of Millennials.” Gerber spoke strongly about the generation’s expectations and reality, and how starkly these seem to contrast. He addressed the common Millennial stereotypes—lazy, arrogant, impatient, and entitled—but interestingly, Gerber didn’t refute them. In true Millennial fashion, Gerber took a new approach to the conversation—he accepted these stereotypes as true, and transformed them into strengths.
Gerber did an exceptionally good job of reconciling Millennials’ alleged laziness with their impatience. Both of these aspects would be reiterated later in other MCON2012 sessions. As Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation, told Peter Panepento, editor at The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Millennials embody a Fearless attitude—they act urgently and impatiently when addressing causes they care about. On the other hand, they are often accused of “slacktivism,” the worry that Millennials only commit minimal, fleeting efforts to solving problems. These two assumptions had always confounded me—the slacker Millennial who is also committed to solving the world’s problems is an individual I have yet to meet.
The conflict, Gerber explained, comes from Millennials’ nuanced sense of entitlement. Millennials have been raised to think that they’re important, and if uninspired by their job they won’t put forth any effort. On the other hand, Millennials work tirelessly when they feel their work is important, and this work ethic will manifest itself in unexpected ways. Social media has transformed Millennials from a 9 to 5 generation to a 24/7 generation, and Gerber believes campaigns “must think of ways to […] inspire […] that 24/7 mentality, rather than saying this person’s lazy and doesn’t work as hard as they should during the hours of operation.”
Organizations must realize that social media allows Millennials to work beyond the traditional corporate routine, or they risk overlooking a large aspect of the Millennial generation’s impact.
To truly engage Millennials, Gerber suggests campaigns create real-world dialogues over social media that empower individuals to spread the word. Gerber pointed to the Fix Young America campaign, in which he plays a key role, as an example of Millennials’ ability to use social media to rally around an engaging message. The campaign has reached more than 300 college campuses, and inspired thousands of individuals across the country to rebuild the economy and overcome youth unemployment.
Speaking on Millennials’ potential impact on brands and organizations, Gerber said “We can unite behind a single cause, positive or negative, and take you out or put you on the highest pedestal imaginable…And it only takes one of us to start a revolution.” The energetic delivery of Gerber’s speech mirrored the takeaway of his keynote—when inspired by the right message, Millennials can be the excited, innovative leaders of major social change.