Do you need to be hip?

How important is it that managers and leaders are hip?
Is it OK to manage the same way today that we managed in the 80s?

First, let's define hip. My Apple dictionary says to be hip means to be: fashionable, stylish, popular, all the rage, in fashion, in vogue, up-to-the-minute; informal trendy, cool, styling/stylin', with it, in, hot, big, happening, now, groovy, funky, sharp, the in thing, phat, kicky, tony, fly.

The etymology of the word hip is apparently a hotly debated topipc as written about in this Slate article. Here's a snippet:

The origin of hip (and its partner, hep; the words are related) is, unsatisfyingly, unknown. The term first appeared at the turn of the 20^th century, and quickly became widespread. Its meaning at this early point was "aware; in the know," and it was not widely used by African-Americans. It wasn't until the late 1930s and early 1940s, during the jive era, that the modern senses—"sophisticated; currently fashionable; fully up-to-date"—arose. (These senses did arise among African-Americans.)

Interesting. Back to the question - do managers need to be hip?

Well, I don't think it is critical that they buy the latest designer duds or are masters at IMing on My Space. That said, I would make the argument that being hip will help you succeed.

1. You need to connect with and relate to employees, peers, and customers. Unless you work for a senior center, staffed by senior citizens, with vendors run by seniors, you will encounter the elusive and mysterious creature called youth.

2. Many of the "up-to-the-minute" tools and  methods are very helpful for managing a business. Communicating via internal blogs, using wikis, training using iPods, IM for customers, podcasts for marketing, interactive websites, virtual communities, global business practices, viral marketing, going naked (authenticity) - and so on.

3. Being hip AND being sage (experienced) seems to me like a huge advantage. If you are both, you will be revered like the business treasure you are.

4. Being hip can be a lot of fun and make your career more interesting. Who wants to go stale like a left open box of Ritz Crackers?

Upping your hip quotient is easy - start paying attention to what people are interested in. Supercharge your curiosity. Ask a hip person to mentor you. I guess if you are reading this blog post, you are already on your way. If this post has been printed out and placed into your prehistoric plastic Inbox sitting on the outermost edge of your fiberboard desk, jump online and start participating in what's new and interesting.

What if you work for a prehistoric manager? Find a way to gradually help him or her evolve. Select tools and technologies that will help him or her simplify their lives without being too big of a jump. If your boss still has an admin assistant typing emails for him or her, it is probably too soon to jump into vlogging and the virtues of twittering at work.

What does it mean to be "tony" anyway? Aah, just looked it up - posh, basically. I'd much rather be fly (stylish, knowing and clever) or phat (excellent). You don't need to be posh, just aware and current in how you get work done and market your business.

Comments

[Wally Bock]

To me, at least, being "hip" is about style and fashion. It seems that you can use the latest management tools or the latest technology without being "hip" at all.

And I definitely don't agree that if you're not "hip" you've stopped growing or developing. My father lived well into his 80s, engaged with the world, curious, fascinated with new things. In fact one of the last sermons he preached was titled "No Stopping Allowed."
(http://www.bockinfo.com/churchandfaith/nostoppingsermon.htm).

With all of that, I don't think anyone ever applied the term "hip" to my dad. There are lots of people who are growing, developing and learning who are not "hip." There are lots of "hip" folk who've shut down the curiosity and tolerance engines in many parts of their lives.

[Lisa Haneberg]

Yes, I do see it differently. I think of constantly growing and keeping up with new methods as very hip.

Hip is a current mindset - fresh thinking and a willingness to be open to learn and try new things.

That said, I think the way we present ourselves plays some role too - not fashion labels - but how we define our look and what's professional.

[Mark Shead]

I think the idea of being "aware" is important. Being hip to me implies that someone is wishy-washy. They are going to try to jump at whatever is new and fashionable instead of looking at things from the long term perspective.

I've been in places where they tried to be "hip"" and it was a frustrating place to be. The direction was constantly changing to try to ride the wave of new trends.

[Lisa Haneberg]

Well, this is interesting. I think it is very interesting how we have so many different perceptions of what it means to be hip. No one is right or wrong, of course, it's all perception.

Personally, I do not associate being hip with being wishy-washy.

For both Wally's and Mark's points, their perceptions include a sense of being less that genuine or authentic.

If someone is not genuine or authentic, I would not see them as being hip. Hip to me means keeping up with how things are changing and being open to trying new ways and methods.

The differences are fascinating....

[Markus Eriksson]

Interesting blogging! I think and have always thought that one of the most important parts of leadership is to keep growing. Like Anthony Robbins says, if you are not growing, you are slowly dying, there is no status quo in nature.
But then I have always been thinking in terms of personal growth, communication skills etc. With the addition of the "hip" perspective it becomes interesting. The apple definition definitely includes up-to-the-minute etc and could well be about being hip in a personal growth way, but do you need to hip in the way of fashion. I do not think you need to dress in the latest clothing, but I think you need to be somewhat updated to be able to be truly empathic and a good listener for me one of the foundations of great leadership.
Also want to take the chance to recommend a new leadership site at http://www.leadershiptrainings.co.uk with good stuff on leadership training.