By Dr. R. Balasubramaniam

Walking into my office every morning feels like stepping into a time machine — one that malfunctions frequently, swinging me from one era to another without warning. On one side, my peers in their sixties nod sagely, discussing “policy frameworks” over their morning tea, while on the other, the younger crowd debates whether oat milk or almond milk is superior in their overpriced coffees. The contrast is stark, and my survival hinges on my ability to adapt.

The language barrier: More confusing than a policy draft

Every day, I add a new term to my growing vocabulary of “Young People Speak.” Just when I had mastered “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out), they moved on to “rizz” (which I initially mistook for a new economic policy). I nodded wisely when someone declared, “That report was giving major slay energy,” before discreetly googling whether “slay” was good or bad in this context.

When I was younger, gestures were simple — handshakes, nods, the occasional pat on the back. Now, I find myself deciphering cryptic fist bumps, elaborate high-fives and something called “dapping up,” which involves a level of coordination I last saw in military drills. A failed attempt at one left me awkwardly holding a colleague’s fingers mid-air, like an uncompleted peace treaty.

Office politics: A new arena

Gone are the days when workplace politics involved whispered discussions and strategic alliances. The young brigade operates with fearless transparency.

They have no qualms about questioning authority, dismantling hierarchy, and openly discussing their career ambitions in the middle of a meeting. “I plan to have your job in five years,” one bright-eyed 25-year-old announced casually over lunch, while I choked on my salad. The older generation would have at least waited until I finished eating before launching a coup.

The culinary minefield

Lunch used to be simple — rice, dal, chapati, maybe a side of curd. Now, I must navigate a menu that sounds like a UN climate summit — quinoa, chia pudding, kombucha and “plant-based protein alternatives.” One day, I mistakenly referred to tofu as paneer and was subjected to a passionate lecture on the environmental impact of dairy. Another time, I tried ordering something safe — only to be informed that “avocado toast is so 2022.”

Mentorship: The currency of loyalty

Despite the daily challenge of keeping up, working with these young minds is exhilarating. They do not just work; they dive head-first into problems, question everything, and refuse to accept “this is how it has always been done” as an answer. Their energy is infectious, their optimism unshakable — provided they are assured of three things:

1. Mentorship — They crave guidance but despise micromanagement. They want feedback but in WhatsApp-style brevity.

2. Care and love — Recognition must be immediate and preferably in the        form of GIFs.

3. Food and coffee — No war, no battle, no government initiative can move forward without an endless supply of coffee, delivered within a 500-metre radius at all times.

The joy of the chaos

While the older generation values structure and patience, the younger one thrives on disruption and speed. The challenge is in finding balance — like being a bridge between a solid past and an unpredictable future. Some days, I long for the familiar comfort of my older peers and their deep institutional wisdom. Other days, I find myself learning a new TikTok trend just to stay relevant in a team brainstorming session.

At the end of the day, the joy lies in the fact that both generations — one with its wealth of experience, the other with its boundless enthusiasm — are working toward the same goal. If I must learn a new slang word every day and risk the occasional food experiment, it is a small price to pay for the privilege of leading and learning from the best of both worlds.

And if all else fails, I just nod, sip my coffee, and say, “That’s giving major impact energy.” It works every time.

[Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, the Founder of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement, is currently the Member-HR at the Capacity Building Commission of the Government of India, New Delhi.]