Where Are the Old People in Your Diversity Program?
Posted on Thursday, January 21, 2010 by Frank RocheMy son, Matt, has a 98-year-old statistics professor this semester. Professor Ernest Kurnow has been teaching in NYU’s business school since 1948. Matt’s delighted to have him as a teacher. We should all be so lucky.
Where do old people fit in your diversity program? Do you even talk about them? In the next two decades, 80 million Baby Boomers — those born from 1946 to 1964 — will move out of the workplace. Sure, some want to go. But should all of them? In our youth-obsessed culture, what do we miss by not having older people around as teachers, mentors and friends?
I know that Ralph Roberts, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast, still goes to work every day in his signature bow tie. He’ll be 90 years old this March. Are there others out there in companies? If not, why not? (Being around older people makes you live longer, by the way.)
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Here’s a video of Professor Kurnow from a couple of years ago talking about teaching and mentoring.
fran melmed
Jan 21st, 2010
my first job in the city was in comcast’s marketing department. i well remember ralph striding by in his customary attire. and applying his customary grace, the grace that turned a small cable company in mississippi into comcast. what’s the old saying — he’s as shrewd as the day is long.
if that’s not reason enough to keep old(er) folk around, there’s always self-preservation.
f
Nathaniel
Jan 21st, 2010
Great point. This is something that we don’t seem to think about. There is so much to learn for older generations. A 98 year old professor, that’s amazing. Even sitting down for a coffee and just listening can be a great experience.
Frank Roche
Jan 21st, 2010
Nathaniel, I was lucky in a strange way that my dad’s dad was quite old when I was born. He was born in 1892, and had seen a lot. The invention of the airplane. And the telephone. WWI. The Great Depression. WWII. And so much more…and he was a great storyteller. I loved that as a young guy. I would love to have a 98-year-old professor. I’d consider it a gift.
Frank Roche
Jan 21st, 2010
Fran, that’s a great story about Ralph Roberts. I really admire him, what he’s built, and what he’s meant to Philadelphia. Imagine all the knowledge and stories he has.
Nathaniel
Jan 22nd, 2010
Wow. Your father must have had some amazing stories and a lot to teach. I had some older professors in school. I wish I spent more time listening to them.
Jason Seiden
Jan 22nd, 2010
You gotta watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFQkMAPVoIo
It’s a Craig Ferguson monologue about the problem with our deification of youth… and it’s GREAT.
Frank Roche
Jan 22nd, 2010
Jason, that is terrific. “Don’t be young and stupid, that’s not what you want to be.”
I love Craig Ferguson. What a great thought about it. Thanks for the link.
Bill Strahan
Jan 23rd, 2010
I am sure that Ralph and Prof. Kurnow would get along great. What a ticket to see the two of them and the others from teh NY Times series in a panel discussion.
Frank Roche
Jan 25th, 2010
Bill, I would pay good money to go listen to that. That’s where real learning could happen.