Wired for Innovation: Tapping the Full Potential of Millennials and Gen Z

Wired for Innovation:Tapping the Full Potential of Millennials and Gen Z

June 22nd 2016

@ilonadougherty

@ilonadougherty

4

@ilonadougherty

@ilonadougherty

Youth voter turnout has gone up 46.8% in Canada in the last 16 years.

@ilonadougherty

Start viewing young people as a solution to social and economic challenges.

@ilonadougherty

"The purposeful and organized search for changes”

Peter Drucker, 1985

Definition of Innovation

@ilonadougherty

9

@ilonadougherty

Young People: 15 – 25 years old

Millennials Born early 1980s to mid 1990s 20-35 years old

Gen Z Born mid 1990s to present day 0-19 years old

Definition of Young People

@ilonadougherty

11

Creativity Curiosity Challenging the status quo Collaboration Observation Vision

What makes an innovator?

@ilonadougherty

12

Creativity: Instinctively experimenters Curiosity: Molded by experience Challenging the status quo: Risk takers Collaboration: Attentive to social stimuli Observation: Height of brain power Vision: Everything is possible

@ilonadougherty

Why young people are wired for innovation

13

Looking for deep meaning More collaborative Heightened brain power

The Bonus: Millennials & Gen Z Traits

@ilonadougherty

14

@ilonadougherty

Foster intergenerational partnerships between young innovators & decision-makers.

@ilonadougherty

@ilonadougherty

Focus on the impact a young person has, not just what they are being taught.

@ilonadougherty

Rethink what ‘experience’ means in the innovation economy.

@ilonadougherty

“Young people’s selfless drive and enthusiasm earned them the respect and admiration of a country.”

@ilonadougherty

Ilona DoughertyManaging DirectorThe Youth & Innovation Research ProjectUniversity of Waterloo

ilona.dougherty@uwaterloo.ca@ilonadougherty