Enjoy Every Part of the Clam

When I was 18, I moved from Ohio to Boston, on the US seacoast, to attend MIT. My dietary history until then was typical of the US heartland — I knew much more about beef than seafood. Within two weeks, a fellow freshman, a Bostonian, introduced me to the Fried Clam Dinner.

"Watch out for the soft parts," he warned me. "They're the guts — not good to eat." I followed his advice, and enjoyed the clams. And the french fries, too — but I already knew about them.

Weeks later, I returned to the "clam shack" with another group, along with a different native of Boston, who this time warned me: "Watch out for those long stringy parts," he said. "They're tough, and not very good to eat. Eat the bellies."

And so I learned that you can enjoy every part of the clam. And I have, from that day to this, with no ill effects.

People at work come in a variety of ages. In different organizations, one age group or another might be favored. In some, youth confers status and years can be a liability — opportunities are offered to the young, and their contributions are valued most. In others, years confer status, and youth is a liability.

Valuing people by age can be as silly as avoiding one part or the other of a clam. People of different ages
are different. And those
differences are all valuable.By rejecting or limiting those of the "wrong" age, we hurt both those we reject and the organization, too.

Here are some common stereotypes, and some alternate ways to think about them.

Older people aren't as committed

As our lives progress, they can become richer. Work becomes a smaller part of our lives than it was in young adulthood. But with that richness comes perspective that can enhance performance. Commitment becomes a more reasoned choice, especially for those who have previously committed to ill-fated efforts. Experience tempers the passions.

Younger people are too brash and impulsive

Since younger people tend to have less invested in the way things are, they're more comfortable with upsetting the status quo, which often needs upsetting. And we're indebted to the many who just didn't know any better than to attempt the impossible — and succeed.

Older (younger) people don't understand (are hooked on) computers

Many of us use the computer to divide us — we see different approaches to its use as failings. We believe that older people don't understand email, or that younger people are email addicts. The truth may be otherwise, of course. Some of us try to use email for things it cannot do, while others avoid it even for things it can do. We can all learn from each other.

Ageism at work can be difficult to detect, even when we're committing it ourselves. But reminders do help — keep a clamshell on your desk. Both halves.  Top    Next Issue

The article you've been reading is an archived issue of Point Lookout, my weekly newsletter. I've been publishing it since January, 2001, free to all subscribers, over the Web, and via RSS. You can help keep it free by donating either as an individual or as an organization. You'll receive in return my sincere thanks — and the comfort of knowing that you've helped to propagate insights and perspectives that can help make our workplaces a little more human-friendly. More

Your comments are welcome

About Point Lookout

Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and found it useful, and that you'll consider recommending it to a friend.

This article in its entirety was written by a human being. No machine intelligence was involved in any way.

Point Lookout is a free weekly email newsletter. Browse the archive of past issues. Subscribe for free.

Support Point Lookout by joining the Friends of Point Lookout, as an individual or as an organization.

Do you face a complex interpersonal situation? Send it in, anonymously if you like, and I'll give you my two cents.

Related articles

More articles on Personal, Team, and Organizational Effectiveness:

Renewal

Renewal is a time to step out of your usual routine and re-energize. We find renewal in weekends, vacations, days off, even in a special evening or hour in the midst of our usual pattern. Renewal provides perspective. It's a climb to the mountaintop to see if we're heading in the right direction.

When You Think They've Made Up Their Minds

In tough negotiations, when attempts to resolve differences have failed, we sometimes conclude that "they've made up their minds," but other explanations abound. Keeping an open mind about why other people seem to have closed theirs can help us find a resolution.

Learning

What have you learned today? What has enriched you, changed your understanding of the world, or given you a new view of history or the future? Learning something new every day is a worthy goal.

Mitigating Outsourcing Risks: I

Outsourcing internal processes modifies the usual risk configuration of those processes, but it also creates a special class of risks that are peculiar to the outsourcing relationship. What are some of those risks and what can we do about them?

Ending Sidebars

We say that a sidebar is underway in a meeting when two or more meeting participants converse without having been recognized by the chair. Sidebars can be helpful, but they can also be disruptive. How can we end sidebars quickly and politely?

See also Personal, Team, and Organizational Effectiveness for more related articles.

Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout

Coming December 13: Contrary Indicators of Psychological Safety: I

To take the risks that learning and practicing new ways require, we all need a sense that trial-and-error approaches are safe. Organizations seeking to improve processes would do well to begin by assessing their level of psychological safety. Available here and by RSS on December 13.

And on December 20: Contrary Indicators of Psychological Safety: II

When we begin using new tools or processes, we make mistakes. Practice is the cure, but practice can be scary if the grace period for early mistakes is too short. For teams adopting new methods, psychological safety is a fundamental component of success. Available here and by RSS on December 20.

Coaching services

I offer email and telephone coaching at both corporate and individual rates. Contact Rick for details at rbrenogMhuqCxAnbfLvzbner@ChacigAthhhYwzZDgxshoCanyon.com or (650) 787-6475, or toll-free in the continental US at (866) 378-5470.

Get the ebook!

Past issues of Point Lookout are available in six ebooks:

• Get 2001-2 in Geese Don't Land on Twigs (PDF, )
• Get 2003-4 in Why Dogs Wag (PDF, )
• Get 2005-6 in Loopy Things We Do (PDF, )
• Get 2007-8 in Things We Believe That Maybe Aren't So True (PDF, )
• Get 2009-10 in The Questions Not Asked (PDF, )
• Get all of the first twelve years (2001-2012) in The Collected Issues of Point Lookout (PDF, )

Are you a writer, editor or publisher on deadline? Are you looking for an article that will get people talking and get compliments flying your way? You can have 500-1000 words in your inbox in one hour. License any article from this Web site. More info