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Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Video Games and
The Generation Gap




After attending the GLS conference in Madison, Wisconsin I came away with something profound about Generation Y and how technology has influenced their behavior:

"That the players were often confronted with moral dilemmas was my first
shock about gaming. Pong, Space Invaders, and Ms. Pac-Man weren’t that
complicated. Yet here was a group emotionally engaged in a virtual world
that could move them just as easily as my generation could be moved to
tears by movies or television. And in a step beyond anything my generation
had ever experienced, this new generation of video game players was
being forced to make not just choices but life-and-death choices in order
to win.

My second shock during the GLS conference came on Saturday evening.
After all the talks and the black-tie dinner, I grabbed a couple of
sodas with two friends and business colleagues my own age: Richard
Carey, of Richard Carey Associates, and Lee Wilson, of Headway Strategies.
We headed back to Lee’s hotel. He had one more thing to reveal to
me before he felt comfortable that I “got it.”
He set up his laptop and began to talk me through the creation of an
avatar in World of Warcraft. An avatar is a digital representative of a player
that interacts within a 3D environment. My head was spinning at this
point as I began to realize the ramifications of twenty years of gaming
technology and its influence.

As I began to move my character through the 3D world, it became
apparent that this was not only fun, it was addictive. All I had to do was
master a few navigation skills and the ability to toggle between the types
of weapons and things I could acquire. After an hour, I had accomplished
seven different quests and earned 150 points to be traded in for various
weapons, magic spells, and supplies. I could move on to the next level.
And then I asked Lee the obvious question: “What got you into World
of Warcraft?”

“I wanted to spend time with my kids.”

From page 75 of Liquid Leadership: From Woodstock to Wikipedia

Remember, Gen Y, Millennials, Gamers etc...do not view the computer as a device or a tool but a conduit to everything.

Something to think about huh?

Thanks again for reading...








Brad Szollose

Brad is the award winning author of Liquid Leadership: From Woodstock to Wikipedia: Multigenerational Management Ideas That Are Changing The Way We Run Things ISBN-13: 978-1608320554

"Liquid Leadership is a game changer" - TJ, New York


Brad Szollose Bio:


__________________________________________________________________

Who Is Brad Szollose?: 

Brad Szollose, host of Awakened Nation®
First things, first. How do you say Szollose?
It’s pronounced zol-us.

From founding partner and CMO of K2 Design, Inc. the first Digital Agency to go public on NASDAQ to international leadership development expert, Brad Szollose has worked with household names like MasterCard, American Management Association and Tony Robbins, to create leadership training programs for a new generation.

As an award-winning creative director, he has been the creative force behind hundreds of high-end corporate events, personal and consumer brands, and website launches. Brad is the recipient of the Corporate Identity Design Award and the Axiom Business Book Award along with various awards for website and print design.

Brad's unique management model was awarded the Arthur Andersen New York Enterprise Award for Best Practices in Fostering Innovation Amongst Employees (Workforce Culture).

Today, the world’s leading business publications seek out Brad’s insights on next-generation leadership development, branding and modern Management Strategies, and he has been featured (both print and online versions) in Forbes, Inc., Advertising Age, USA Today, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, International Business Times, Le Journal du Dimanche (France), and The Hindu Business Line to name a few, along with television, radio and podcast appearances on CGTN America, CBS, Roku Network and other media outlets.

Brad continues to challenge the status quo with the 10th Anniversary Edition of Liquid Leadership, and his new podcast, Awakened Nation®: a Deep Dive into Extraordinary Conversations.

After 35 years in New York City, he now splits his time between Las Vegas and Denver. In his free time, he enjoys hiking in the mountains, working Star Trek quotes into everyday conversation, and painting and drawing the stunning landscape of the American Southwest and The Rocky Mountains.