The Greatest Generation?

I did not spend long at Sapphire - but in a 24 hour period I felt like I had borrowed a time machine which allowed me to span a century.

Tom Brokaw, the former NBC anchor, a featured speaker brought tears to my eyes as he described "the greatest generation" - the subject of his best seller. The generation which grew up during The Great Depression, then fought the Second World War, and then instead of expecting to be pampered after those major sacrifices brought the world the post-war boom. (He also wove in how the country's turmoil in 1968 was so similar to what we face today)

His speech made me wonder how my generation will be viewed by future ones.

I kind of got an answer from a conversation with Dan McWeeney, one of the youngest Enterprise Irregulars. He is a wunderkind who worked for Colgate, got assigned to a tour at SAP Imagineering and now works for Adobe. Dan sees what corporate America has done to my generation - used and abused it - and is wary of long-term corporate life. But Dan has a certain way about him, that you just know he will do fine no matter what twists and turns his career takes.

I got a very different perspective as I shook Dr. Kagermann's (SAP co-CEO and long-term steward) hand for probably the last time as he heads to retirement. Over the last 15 years I have met him on several occasions and always appreciate his open and even-keeled approach (within the bounds of his fiduciary responsibilities).

2 generations separate Dr. Kagermann from the one Brokaw described. Another two separate Dr. Kagermann from Dan. It is rare I get to appreciate in a 24 hour period fine specimens across that wide a spectrum of generations.