Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds
Issue link: https://diversitywoman.epubxp.com/i/632328
d i v e r s i t y w o m a n . c o m W i n t e r 2 0 1 6 D I V E R S I T Y W O M A N 41 Jo Ann Jenkins doesn't let those who are over 50 of the hook, either. "We do it to ourselves," she remarks. "We say, 'Oh my God, I'm hav- ing a senior moment.' What does that mean? How are we thinking about age?" Tanks to advances in medicine and technology, we are living longer and healthi- er, she says. Why should someone today have the same concept of aging as someone did in 1930, when the average life expec- tancy was 60 years old instead of nearly 80? Reimagining age has many dimensions. Top of mind for many right now is the workplace, where baby boomers—the trailing edge of whom has already pushed passed age 50—and Millen- nials often have very diferent working styles and are trying to fgure out how to play in the same sandbox. Some baby boomers are inveighing against the Millennials, interpreting (sometimes misinterpreting) their work and leadership style as one of en- titlement instead of "earned." On the fip side, some Millennials see baby boomers as dinosaurs, unwilling to adapt to the tech- enabled workplace or hear new ideas. "I have spoken about the need for intergenerational work- forces and about how we should try not to pit the old against the young," says Jenkins. "Tere is a lot of value and return on investment by having not only those generations but also oth- ers paired in the workplace. We all have a lot to learn from one another." To that end, AARP has established Mentor Up, a program in which high school and college students train people over the age of 50 in the use of technology. Jenkins sees the increasing number of over-50 workers who will be in the job market in the coming years as an advantage for businesses. "Ten thousand people a day are turning 65, and this will happen every day for the next 15 years," she says. "Older workers are going to be here. I see that as a huge opportunity to address tremendous shortfalls in some employment sectors, particularly health care, the service industry, and other areas where there is a desperate need for skilled labor." One plus of at least some older workers is that they are not driven by compensation, she says. Instead, they are motivated by a desire to give back and to have meaning and purpose in life—the sorts of values and dimensions that add richness to the workplace. In some respects, Jenkins has reshaped AARP in her own im- age. Just as Jenkins never acknowledged society's expectations of what a young African American girl could do in the South in the 1970s, the organiza- tion is refusing to succumb to its reputation for being dowdy and predictable. It is increasing its membership and programming, embracing technology, and both accept- ing and initiating change. In recognition of her success in growing the organization and changing the national percep- tion of aging, Jenkins received the 2015 Infuencer of the Year award from the NonProft Times. According to those who know her well, this roll-up-the- sleeves and get-things-done approach is pure Jenkins. She is a straight shooter who doesn't mind being blunt when she needs to, and she approaches life and work with her arms wide open. KeyBank Foundation chairman and CEO Margot James Cope- land frst met Jenkins when they worked together with the Links Inc., a philanthropic organization made up primarily of women of color that creates educational, civic, and intercultural activities for the African American community, especially children in need. Copeland was struck by Jenkins' desire to dive into the organiza- tion's work in a hands-on way. "For someone of Jo Ann's stature, it's easy to write a check and hope something wonderful happens," Copeland says. "How- ever, it's far diferent when someone is generous not just fnan- cially but also with his or her time. Tat's the essence of Jo Ann. When she gets involved in something, she's fully committed at every level." Accordingly, AARP is throwing itself headfrst into the future. Tis past fall, the nonproft, in association with J. P. Morgan Chase, launched the AARP Innovation Fund, which is invest- ing $40 million in start-up companies working on technologies and products that are targeted to addressing the needs of the 50-and-over market. At the same time, AARP has never lost its focus on vulner- able older Americans. For example, it has partnered with NAS- CAR driver Jef Gordon in the Drive to End Hunger to help the nearly 9 million Americans age 50 and older who struggle to get enough to eat. "Te way I look at it," says Jenkins, "I don't want to be 30 again. I may want to look and feel 30, but I'm very comfort- able with my age. I am a more purposeful person because of the experience and wisdom those years have brought me. And I bet that most people over 50 would say the same thing. We are looking forward to the years ahead, not looking back on the days gone by." DW She is a straight shooter who doesn't mind being blunt when she needs to, and she approaches life and work with her arms wide open.