Declaration of Independence

Written by Randy Mayes

Let Freedom Ring!  What were our founding fathers thinking when they decided they were no longer willing to be subjects to the king? Talk about going against the grain. All they knew was a world with rigid caste systems. A world in which one person rules over others. Not because it was more effective or righteous but because that is how we have always done it.

Workers all over the country are declaring Independence Day. Empowered by the entrepreneurial role models they see on social media, Gen Z is redefining the concept of work. They don’t want to be like Mike (1980’s). They want to be like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, blazing new trails and experiencing flexibility and freedom. Growing up with technology, they now have data and resources we old timers never had.

Change is not just a possibility, it’s a certainty; and it’s happening everywhere I go. Old school leaders say, “We can’t find any help; people don’t want to work anymore” and “I’m constantly bending over backward to appease my staff”. Gone are the days when people needed your job. In today’s world, they can easily find another JOB or, better yet, make their own way. The bottom line is they don’t need you and your job anymore. You have to adapt or die or, at a minimum, become an irrelevant leader.  The world has changed, and it will never return to how it was. And I think that is actually a good thing.

Can you imagine how upset the royals were with George, Thomas, and Ben? The audacity of those young upstarts not honoring our traditions or playing by our rules. Let’s see where that gets them. Of course, you and I know the rest of that story. We are the wonderful benefactors of those unwilling to play by someone else’s traditions or rules. 

Consider for a moment that younger workers may be bringing on a new kind of revolution, one in which positional power no longer matters, one in which “power with” is more valued than “power over”. They no longer need your job, your traditions, or rules. What they do need are compassionate, caring leaders and mentors who will pour into their lives, understand their needs, and help them build a better future for everyone. It’s not just a choice, it’s a responsibility