I’ve been in the workforce development business for almost 40 years. Many of my colleagues could say the same in their fields of expertise. In business, we often wear our years of experience as a badge of honor—proof we know what we’re doing and can get it done.

Now, there’s a new group of leaders emerging. Most of them don’t have decades of experience, but rather years or just months.

Despite this, they’re playing a pivotal role in our region. Instead of turf wars and vocal debates, they’re quietly organizing events and movements many of us don’t even know exist. They communicate differently than we do, using social media as a way to build relationships and rally support. Their conversations center around terms most of us have never heard: TEDx, Ignite, Dirty Feat, Trebuchet Day, LHHC, Spotlight, GRC and YSG.

They have passion, momentum and growing power. This demographic is ripe with strong young female entrepreneurs and male counterparts who support them. It is a community of diversity and equality that believes in stepping up to make change, rather than talking about it, and there’s one major thing we can do to help them transform Greater Lansing.

Get out of the way.

Now I’m not saying we don’t have valuable attributes to bring to the transformation table, and one of the critical things supporters of this movement tout is that “young” isn’t an age—it’s a mindset.

But much of the time, our antics, bureaucracy and tactics frustrate them and discourage them—and this is a demographic that votes with its feet. We may never sense their growing unhappiness with the status quo, they will just quietly disappear as they leave for Madison, Minneapolis, Austin and Chicago. They’re desperately working toward change and many of us don’t know it. Just because we don’t play in their circles doesn’t mean the conversations aren’t happening, and the way we react and engage in these conversations can make or break Greater Lansing.

We can work together. We can make room for a new generation on boards and committees and respect their ideas. We can lend financial support and help open doors they may not be able to open themselves. We can provide mentorship and develop real relationships, despite differences of opinion and leadership style.

It doesn’t mean you have to give up your place at the table; it means making a new or bigger place for someone with a different perspective than you. And it means genuinely listening to what they have to say and respecting and valuing their input.

Change requires a level of compromise on everyone’s part. Just as they’re not going anywhere, neither are we for a while. We have the opportunity to work together, forge new territory and become a more inclusive community—and we must.

We are in a unique position economically and cannot simply wait for the national rebound to pay off in Michigan. We must be proactive and make significant and meaningful changes to return to prosperity. And really, change is what the next generation is all about. We must be prepared to include them, or get out of the way, because change is coming whether we embrace it or not.

		Douglas E. Stites is the chief executive officer of Capital Area Michigan Works!, a network of resources that partners with businesses to develop recruiting and retention strategies and partners with job seekers to enhance education and career opportunities. On the Web at www.camw.org.