In our post-modern world with its laser like focus on addressing social injustice, the word ‘privilege’ automatically rings alarm bells, with those groups feeling excluded from ‘privilege’ believing themselves marginalised, powerless and discriminated against. In the areas of gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation this has become increasingly evident over the past 30 plus years, but younger people feeling everyday discrimination or disadvantage from older, more senior and presumably white workers appears a relatively new development.

The Queen is not letting her 95 years of age define herself. There is no fading away for this oldie. And doesn’t everyone love the fact. Her dissing of politicians as potential non-attendees at the Glasgow Climate Change Summit has won universal praise and attracted much favourable media coverage. Now, she has also declined to accept her country’s ‘Oldie of the Year’ award stating that she doesn’t believe she meets the criteria. Someone’s not following the older person script and just quietly fading away from public view.

Companies have enthusiastically embraced talent management initiatives in the belief talent represents a major source of competitive advantage, but they have failed to significantly improve workplace diversity. The question is now whether the unquestioned belief in the talent mantra is becoming a roadblock to improving business innovation and productivity?