New National Survey Highlights Divide Among Generations on How Well Prepared They Are for Adult Life
Atlanta, Georgia (PRWEB) August 02, 2017 -- Growing Leaders (http://www.growingleaders.com), a global nonprofit leadership training and development organization for the next generation and those who help shape their lives, released findings from their recent survey on generational preferences. The survey looked at how different generations feel prepared for adult life; whether they have an adult mentor preparing them for adulthood; how overwhelmed they are by daily life; and the role technology plays in learning.
The survey was conducted online by Harris Poll from June 28-30, 2017 among 2,264 US adults ages 18 and older. Some of the results are quite profound. Here are the highlights:
-70% of U.S. adults say children growing up today will not be ready for adult life (i.e., life after grade school)
-2 in 3 U.S. adults (66%) say that when they were in their teens, they had an older adult (other than a parent) who positively impacted their life. Baby Boomers age 65+ (59%) are significantly less likely to agree with this than all other age groups, but particularly Millennials age 18-34 (71%).
-Nearly 3 in 5 U.S. adults (58%) say they learn more information from technology than from people. Millennials age 18-34 (69%) are significantly more likely to agree with this than those age 45+ (50%).
-More than 2 in 5 U.S. adults (42%) regularly feel overwhelmed with everything going on in their daily life. However, the generational difference is significant with 59% of Millennials significantly more likely to agree with this statement than those age 45+ at 32%.
-3 in 4 U.S. adults (75%) feel they were taught well in preparation for adult life after grade school, but Baby Boomers age 65+ (83%) are significantly more likely to feel this way than Millennials age 18-34 (67%).
“Today almost one half of the world’s population is 21 years old or younger, and poised to lead our world into the future,” says Tim Elmore, president and founder of Growing Leaders. “What this survey tells us is we, as a society, have progressed into a new reality. Most of us don’t believe kids will be ready for adulthood when it arrives.
“While we recognize the need for face-to-face mentors, the younger people are the more they tend to learn from a screen. The younger we are the more likely we are to feel overwhelmed with life. Our young adults don’t need us for information but for interpretation. Adults must find a way to pass on timeless values and principles our young will need regardless of the complex world in which they live. We must build bridges of relationship that can bear the weight of truth.”
The survey also found significant differences among genders, including:
-33% of Millennial males strongly agree that they learn more from technology than from people, while only 19% of Millennial females strongly agree with this statement.
-35% of Millennial males strongly agree they were taught well in preparation for adult life, while only 21% of Millennial females strongly agree.
-More females in every age category compared to males regularly feel overwhelmed with everything going on in their daily lives, the highest being U.S. females age 18-34 strongly or somewhat agreeing (62%).
“We as a collective force of parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors must do a better job in helping prepare this future generation to be effective leaders, but also how to develop the critical skills that empower them to enter adulthood with the resilience, resolve, and purpose needed to succeed,” concludes Elmore.
About Growing Leaders
Growing Leaders is an international non-profit organization with a mission to equip today’s young people to become the life-giving leaders of tomorrow. Founder and president, Tim Elmore, and his team provide public schools, state universities, civic organizations and corporations with the tools they need to help develop young leaders who can impact and transform society.
Elmore has written more than 30 books, including the best-selling Habitudes™: Images that Form Leadership Habits and Attitudes, Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future, Artificial Maturity: Helping Kids Meet the Challenge of Becoming Authentic Adults and most recently, Marching Off the Map: Inspire Students to Navigate a Brand New World. Growing Leaders has delivered leadership training and keynotes to hundreds of academic, corporate and athletic organizations in more than 30 countries. Learn more at http://www.growingleaders.com, on LinkedIn here, and on Facebook and Twitter @GrowingLeaders.
About the Survey
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Growing Leaders from June 28-30, 2017 among 2,264 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Berry Brady, (703) 609-6643, berry(at)fulltiltconsulting(dot)com.
Berry Brady, Full Tilt Consulting, +1 703-609-6643, [email protected]
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