This spruce sapling was planted in the hollow trunk of a deceased maple tree. Spruces and maples are friends in the forest. The Spruce gives the Maple moisture during its winter dormant months, and the maple lends the spruce defensive chemistry to repel pests during the months when it needs it most. Year round, they’re partners.
Curiously, this partnership occurs as an older generation is retiring while a younger generation is rising. As a timely metaphor for 2024, our Baby Boomers are transitioning leadership roles to Gen Xer’s and Millennials. Because the transition isn’t abrupt, the incoming youth has an opportunity to plant their roots in the soil of their elders.
The overlap serves an essential function. The elders are eager to share their accrued knowledge with the incoming youth. The 30-something/40-something ‘youth,’ craves the accrued knowledge of their predecessors, if for nothing more than to soothe their imposter syndrome anxiety.
Whether student to teacher, mentee to mentor, or VP to C-suite, remember to treasure the window of opportunity to establish new roots. Nourish yourself in the lessons of the departed. Sooner than you think, some whippersnapper will get planted into your soil.
