The debate on the age of Jamaica’s new Prime Minister reminded me of the cliché: Age is just a number”. This is meant to say that age should not matter regarding life and circumstances. Unfortunately, this is one cliché that is used unrealistically as age really does matter in all aspects, mainly work, love and relationships.
In the case of the Prime Minister, it is argued that at age 39, he is simply too young to run the country as experience teaches wisdom which is vital and tantamount to such a role as being the leader of a country. How many tertiary graduates hear the words “you lack experience” in a job interview or “you have the qualifications but you are too young for the position.” It is crushing to hear those words uttered as all the hard work, sweat and tears into your education will not give you your dream job as your age is a factor and a deterring one.
It is a paradox as the young will never gain the experience if not given a chance to work to gain said experience. Some will disagree that the naiveté of youth is not suited for a leadership role with critical decision making that can make or break a company’s bottom line.
However, it is youth that grasp new innovative methods and strategies to take a company into the future. It is the enthusiasm of the youth that will spur others into action and motivate all as well. While experience is an invaluable tool, it may also be a double edged sword.
The experienced may cling to the known, the comfort zone and may be unable to grasp new ideas and to think outside the box. The policies and procedures that are established as the mainstay may remain as a foundation without so much as seeking newer fresher methods in which to achieve aims and objectives.
How do we bridge this gap between new and old, inexperienced and experienced? One solution is quite simple. The creations of mentorship or internship programmes are an ideal for blending these two factors. Companies should embrace and maintain these programmes in order to create a dynamic workforce to meet the challenges and objectives in an ever changing world.
As to the situation of the Prime Minister, he should ensure he balances his cabinet and advisors based on qualifications, experience and what each member may bring to the table rather than party loyalty or the reason of demographics as it pertains to gender.
