Who’s attention span is shorter than a goldfish? Likely someone you lead.
Have you ever had a moment were someone has mentioned a statistic, and it really challenged your thinking of ‘what does it mean for me, and my career’?
This was the case earlier this week with the DCM Institute team attending the IPL Learning and Development Summit on the Gold Coast.
One statement from the summit has lingered with me: research suggests the average adult attention span has dropped by 73% over the last two decades.
Let that sink in.
Research from Microsoft Canada shows that over the past two decades, the average adult’s attention span has dropped from 12 seconds to just 8 seconds, shorter than a goldfish.
In a world where information is instant, notifications never stop, and the work seems to increase year-on-year, we are challenged to lead effectively. How do we capture attention, maintain engagement, and ensure meaningful learning and meaningful leadership?
For retirement village professionals, we’re not just managing staff and resident experience. We are shaping communities, and creating environments where residents feel seen, safe and supported. If our teams are switching focus every few minutes, we need to rethink the way we communicate, teach, and inspire.
Leadership in 2025 is about designing for attention. What does that mean, ‘designing for attention’?
Consider:
- How do you structure meeting to be crisp and impactful
- Different communication channels to deliver messages that resonate in seconds,
- Utilise systems that make it easy for teams to stay aligned despite distractions.
It’s about being intentional with every conversation, every training session, every community interaction.
The profound challenge for leaders today is that attention can no longer be demanded. We are at an age where we need to earn, cultivate and protect. The dawn of an ‘attention economy’- perhaps.
You may also like
Are We Still Really ‘Independent Living’?
Learning deserves KPIs too
