Meaningful work...

Good morning! I ran across the following article on CNN.com this morning:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/09/law.overview/index.html

I don't think this is a feeling solely among those reaching retirement. It's a feeling prevalent among anyone who works. We all know that we spend the majority of our life at work. So it's only logical that we wonder what we are spending so much time doing and if it really matters. In the end, does it really matter how many widgets we sold or how many books we balanced if a few miles down the road one finds children living in poverty?

A few months ago, I had the privliege of meeting Dr. Nat Irvin. He wrote an article about the rise of what he calls "Thrivals". It's an interesting article: http://www.mba.wfu.edu/apps/files/thrivals.pdf.
It argues that minority members of the Generation Y are some of the most accomplished and educated this nation has ever seen. This summer while leading a workshop in Nashville, TN for some very accomplished minority college students, this became apparent. These young adults often get a bad rap because of the way they dress, the music they listen to, and the way they talk. Do not underestimate them.

To that point, a few months ago the Harvard Business Review published a lengthy article (aren't they all?) about the differences among the generations. I'll post the link when I find it. In the article it stated that Generation Y is very connected to family and community and is interested in making a difference rather than clocking in hours behind a desk. Food for thought....especially in a post 9/11 world.