A colleague with five Millennial children – who are thus far parenting six post-Millennials – reminds me that California public policy professionals have a bridge to build.

A strong, stable bridge to the next generation from our generation of elected officials, executive and legislative employees, advocates, trade association executives…the whole Capital Village.  We have our work cut out for us.

What is called for is the well-communicated return of civility and comportment.

Of course.  Obviously.  Especially because this next gen also includes voters.  All of the above are disaffected and disinclined.

The PGA (Professional Golfers Assn., I’d better explain in this context.) is addressing somewhat the same problem.  Convincing Millennials to tune in for life.

It’s nearly Spring, nearly golf season.  So the Wall Street Journal interviewed Joe Acuri, the PGA’s brand new chief marketing officer, explaining “the landscape for the Tour is growing more complex.” Complex landscape.  Yes, that would describe California public policy generally and the Cap Village specifically.  I found transferrable concepts in Acuri’s Q&A with the journalist.

First, “…how fundamental the power of your ideas is….”  The power of ideas.  Let’s focus on ideas, progress and remove the aspersion-casting.

Followed by this essential task for all of us: “…create authentic and engaging connections with your consumer….”  Wonderfully applicable words!  We are charged with the incredible responsibility and opportunity of building that bridge to our Millennials, authentic and engaging connections with your consumer, who, in our cases, is the next gen and voters.  Funny thing, we have an election this year to begin rolling the stone up hill.

Then Arcuri has this to say about our challenging operating environment, which now has “a higher degree of unpredictability….”  Certainly, but we’re all professionals here.  The weather is increasingly volatile both outside and inside, and it’s our long-term job to make unpredictable, changing climates understandable.  And approachable.  And improvable.

How? Arcuri has advice we can take out of context, because it works so well: “What you have to get really good at is real-time storytelling.  You need to be very nimble week-to-week on the story lines that are occurring.”  NOT storytelling in the once-upon-a-time sense, but storytelling in elevating critical, difficult issues in an understandable context that explains and motivates engagement. One way to begin, he tells us, is to “capitalize on the moment.”  Indeed.  Be creative, be honest, use your words and make your stories accurate and compelling.  Remember persuasion and rhetoric from college?

A final thought.  “…to future-proof the Tour, we need to make sure we’re attracting and growing new fans.”  Future-proof?!  What an impossible but worthy concept – pursuing Millennials to engage in future-proofing California.  In future-proofing, we on the natural attract and grow new colleagues and voters.  You know, if we future-proofed together as a grand collaboration, civility and comportment become inevitable.

We, all of us, must take the time to articulate a personal path forward for honest, open debate leading to resolution of complex issues.  Working with Millennials to future-proof the future.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-pga-tours-plan-to-get-moreand-youngerfans-1519096201