But like most baby boomers, that number has no correlation to my self-perception. I am, in fact, wondering how a 32 year old man such as myself can actually have a 55th birthday.

This cognitive dissonance first surfaced about three years ago.  My wife and I, with some friends, went to the Oakland Coliseum to see a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young concert.  Prior to the start, I stand up, look around and am amazed by the crowd.  “Who are all these old people, and why do they like my music?”

Telling that story to my colleagues and friends, there is recognition of the phenomenon I refer to as DAS, or Delusional Age Syndrome.  We simply don’t think of ourselves as older, much less on the verge of (wait for it, wait for it) 60.  Although I hear that 60 is the new 35 – or is that the DAS talking?

There are a number of  implications of this phenomenon – besides the purchase of Harley-Davidsons by men of my generation. For our purposes, this post will focus on one specific consequence of DAS: Emerging Leadership.

As the Director of the Leadership Practice at La Piana, I have an increased interest in the topic of emerging leadership.  I believe that in order to truly develop the next generation of leaders for our sector, the first requirement will be for those of us in leadership to come to grips with the reality that we need to make a shift.  We need to appreciate that our role, our way of leading, is going to have to change in a very significant way.

We boomers, who love mastery and possibility, need to shift our attention and self-perception from being the doers, movers and stars, to that of mentors, teachers and sages.  We have learned a great deal over the past 20 years. (OK, 30 years – sorry, I have DAS.)  We are making a mistake and a disservice to our colleagues, to the sector and to ourselves if we don’t make the shift that allows us to pass on our hard-won knowledge to the next generation of leaders.

We need to make the space for emerging leaders to emerge.  If they push too hard, we will push back.  Be gracious; be open to the possibilities – we need to make the change in us to create the possibilities for them.

I plan on, need to, work for another 15 years.  Don’t try to tell me that 15 years from now I will be 70 – that would be too much to bear.  I do know that my role needs to shift.  My sense of self needs to shift – and I hope I can be more of a teacher, coach, and mentor to others.

CSN&Y closed that famous concert I spoke about with one of my favorite songs: “Teach your Children.”   I know that it was originally addressed to our parents.  We are now on the other side of that song.  Time for us to teach the next generation, and allow them to fly.

True to her reputation as a thought leader, she has again redefined terms in a recent blog post profiling “Four ‘Now Generation’ Leaders to Watch in 2010.” Beyond introducing us to the first few of a cadre of accomplished and innovative young leaders she will be continuing to profile throughout the month, she offers a wake-up call to our characterization of the so-called “next generation” leader by reminding us: the future is now.

“In 2010, the oldest of Generation Y will be 30 years old. No longer the ‘baby’ in the workplace, our peers, our organizations, and our communities are looking at us with hearts filled with hope to see what we will do, where we will take the crooked places in our world and make them straight. 2010 demands not that young people get ‘ready to lead’ but actually lead.”

Much in the same way that it is faulty logic to talk about how to “get ready” for a more diverse nonprofit workforce – diversity is here; if anything, we just all need to catch up – the “next generation” train has left the station. Young people have already begun to commit themselves to leadership roles, taking the reins of nonprofit organizations, and founding their own to fill in the gaps and create a more vibrant and future-ready social sector.

As these young leaders deploy technology-enabled communications and networking, they will build a dynamic community of peer learning and support that is sure to advance the sector as a whole. I can’t wait to see how it unfolds, and where it takes nonprofits next.

It is not surprising that some of the most lucid advocates for better talent management have come from the for-profit sector.  During a presentation at the recent Independent Sector 2009 Annual Conference in Detroit, Christine Rhee, Manager, American Express Philanthropy, implored nonprofit managers to do a better job ensuring that their employees feel valued in their positions and receive the feedback they need to continuously improve. Also at the IS conference, Michael Watson, Senior Vice President of HR at Girl Scouts of the USA (formerly of IBM, GE, and Time Warner) spoke of the importance of managers playing an active role in the development of their employees – even if it means moving on to jobs at other organizations.

The need for better communication about performance has been attributed to Gen Y ever since we all started trying to learn what makes them tick and how this would impact the 21st Century workplace. Whether influenced by the “helicopter parent” phenomenon, or simply the constant connection offered by the online communications environment, Gen Y workers crave continual appraisal that tells them both when they’re getting it right and where they need to improve.

So why is this seemingly so hard for nonprofits to provide? Is there a widespread assumption that commitment to “the cause” should serve as adequate motivation?  Or has the sector failed to invest the thought – and resources – necessary to develop performance management systems that facilitate meaningful feedback?

Those of us who may be reluctant to “indulge” Gen Ys and their need for feedback should consider the investment that much of the (admittedly better capitalized) for-profit sector makes in performance management. . The desire for meaningful feedback  is not exclusive to next generation workers. We all need and deserve clear expectations, stretch goals, recognition for a job well done, and constructive feedback to help us grow. And if that makes for a more personal, humane, and caring workplace – as well as improved capacity to meet our missions –  well then isn’t that what the sector should be aspiring to?

Download the Podcast with Beth Kanter and Michael Hoffman (.mp3, 4.5 mb) and tell us what you think.

If this young talent can work for a corporation, make a good living, and still do socially meaningful work, why would they choose to work for a nonprofit?