4 ms·

There are exceptionally talented 20 year olds. There are none with significant leadership experience.

BlargMcLarg 4y ago
The percentage goes up only marginally with age/experience, and that still doesn't keep cultures from hiring older people with zero experience into leadership roles. The culture specifically opts to select older individuals despite there being enough young people with natural leadership skills in contexts where both populations have no experience. Appeal to age runs deep in our species.
vlovich123 4y ago
None is a bit bold. My college buddies (& lots of people in that peer cohort) founded companies in their 20s and I think they tended more often than not to demonstrate lots of maturity and leadership skills. Certainly more than some stories I’ve heard leaders of bigger tech companies.
- klyrs 4y ago
  Your parent said "leadership experience," and you responded with "leadership skill." I won't take sides, but I see people talking past each other.
  - mcculley 4y ago
    Correct. I chose the words “significant” and “experience” deliberately.
    - vlovich123 4y ago
      My point still stands either way you interpret it. A 26 yold has had 4 years to build leadership skills at college (or even earlier) and another 4 in industry. That’s 8 years of experience which feels substantial. Think about it. There are kids who come out of high school with more coding experience because they got attracted to it at a very early age. There are also kids who do similar kinds of things around leadership.
      - mcculley 4y ago
        I replied to the comment you wrote about “20 year olds”.
jnwatson 4y ago
I’m 45 now and over half my leadership experience was before 20. You can run a fraternity, a marching band, a 800+ member charitable organization project before 20.
- eastbound 4y ago
  Maybe you’re a father? Own a flat? I’m 40, little CEO, father, house owner and voter, and it feels way to young to own any of these responsibilities ;) Man we have the world in our hands, what do we do now…

The percentage goes up only marginally with age/experience, and that still doesn't keep cultures from hiring older people with zero experience into leadership roles. The culture specifically opts to select older individuals despite there being enough young people with natural leadership skills in contexts where both populations have no experience. Appeal to age runs deep in our species.

vlovich123 4y ago

None is a bit bold. My college buddies (& lots of people in that peer cohort) founded companies in their 20s and I think they tended more often than not to demonstrate lots of maturity and leadership skills. Certainly more than some stories I’ve heard leaders of bigger tech companies.

klyrs 4y ago
Your parent said "leadership experience," and you responded with "leadership skill." I won't take sides, but I see people talking past each other.
- mcculley 4y ago
  Correct. I chose the words “significant” and “experience” deliberately.
  - vlovich123 4y ago
    My point still stands either way you interpret it. A 26 yold has had 4 years to build leadership skills at college (or even earlier) and another 4 in industry. That’s 8 years of experience which feels substantial. Think about it. There are kids who come out of high school with more coding experience because they got attracted to it at a very early age. There are also kids who do similar kinds of things around leadership.
    - mcculley 4y ago
      I replied to the comment you wrote about “20 year olds”.

jnwatson 4y ago

I’m 45 now and over half my leadership experience was before 20. You can run a fraternity, a marching band, a 800+ member charitable organization project before 20.

eastbound 4y ago
Maybe you’re a father? Own a flat? I’m 40, little CEO, father, house owner and voter, and it feels way to young to own any of these responsibilities ;) Man we have the world in our hands, what do we do now…