One popular baby-boomer meme that’s been floating around for a few years declares: “The best part about being over 40 is we did all of our stupid stuff before the internet.”

And while this may be true, boomers in the marketing and advertising space did a lot of really smart things before the internet, too. Capitalizing off of that history of knowledge, while still maintaining relevance in today’s digital environment, was the topic of discussion on Thursday at a PromaxBDA: The Conference 2016 session on “Lessons from the Corner Office: The Boomer’s Guide to Staying in the Game.”

The first step, according to Marla Provencio, executive vice president of marketing and CMO at ABC Entertainment Group (who also happens to be a boomer), is to keep your mind and your ears open.

“You’re learning things every single day,” she said. “Listen to people. It’s a great talent,” she added.

Part of being a skilled listener is honing an ability to build up and rely on a team of professionals who may oftentimes be a lot younger than you.

“I have worked around so many people who are so much smarter than me, in so many areas, especially social media, and the thing is, I learn from them, I bring them into my office and I ask questions. It’s a thing called ‘reverse mentoring,’’ Provencio explained.

When launching a show, she always makes sure the producers understand that she relies heavily on her team of experts.

“I don’t pretend to tell them to come to me for everything, I tell them we have a team. I make sure I bring them into the forefront,” she said.

Provencio encouraged boomers not to be intimated or put off by younger people in leadership positions. “I now have a person to whom I report who is younger than me, but I never look at it that way. You learn from every single person who comes into that role,” she said.

Although relying on a team is important, Frank J. Radice, expert in residence at Definition 6, pointed out that the onus is on boomers, too, to keep current with the latest technology and trends.

“Make sure you understand that if it’s new and it’s out there and it can affect how you communicate with people, you should attempt to use it and understand it,” Radice advised.

But it’s also imperative, while learning from those younger than you, not to discount your own experience or lose sight of your value as a professional. “You’ve spent a lifetime becoming good at something,” pointed out Radice.

“There’s so much growth and potential on both sides,” Provencio added. “I feel that no matter what your age is, who you are, what job you hold, there is a relevance to you, you bring insight.”

For many boomers, Radice said, understanding the difference between mistake and failure is what distinguishes them in the workplace.

“It is not ok to fail. Failure is way different than making a mistake. In the real world, everyone does not win the baseball game and everyone does not go home with a trophy,” Radice said.

Boomers have learned to cope with that reality better than their younger counterparts through decades of experience.

And perhaps most important for any marketing professional, regardless of age, is never to lose a sense of excitement and anticipation for what comes next.

“Embrace this time. It’s an exciting, exciting time,” encouraged Provencio.

[Photo courtesy of Image Group LA]

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