Stop trying to swaddle those who were born wide-eyed and ready to run

If you were born around the 1960s or 1970s, you probably remember: babies were born with their eyes closed, took days to see the world, and spent weeks swaddled like little "burritos" — supposedly for protection and adaptation to their new environment. The world around them was the same way: slow, wrapped up, protected by rigid processes and very well-defined boxes.

Cut to 2026. Today, babies are born with their eyes wide open. They look directly at the medical team, interact within the first minute, and immediately begin mapping their surroundings. Birth has changed, stimulation has changed, the world has changed. In today's workplace, the generational clash happens in exactly that same way.

Leaders shaped by the "swaddling" school of thought — where the rule was to wait your turn, respect the unspoken hierarchy, and pursue linear stability — are now trying to manage talent that walks through the door wide-eyed and ready to go. When I started my career, secretaries put up enormous barriers just to get you in front of a director. In some cases, they would correct you by saying, "I believe you mean you'd like to speak with Dr. So-and-So," because addressing someone by their first name was considered inappropriate — any director-level position was automatically treated as a "demigod" and given the title of "Doctor," whether or not they held a doctorate or were even a physician or lawyer. It was a hierarchical, deferential culture.

These new professionals have no interest in submitting to hierarchy and waiting two years before they can share an idea and have a voice. They don't care whether someone has a doctorate or what hierarchical titles or social positions they hold. They want to engage, transform, and see the impact of their work right now. The mistake many companies make is trying to swaddle those who were born free and wide-eyed.

The future belongs to leaders who know how to channel the solid foundation built by those who came of age in the 60s and 70s to guide the energy and open vision of those arriving today.  Have you been trying to "swaddle" your new talent, or have you been giving them space to face the market head-on? As a leader, do you maintain open communication with the new generation? And for those of you from the newer generations — do you feel that companies are better prepared to welcome you, or do you still feel swaddled?