Successful leaders are forward thinkers. They
are always ready to face the future; and now, the future of our world is in the
hands of the millennial generation. By 2020, nearly 50% of the U.S. workforce
will consist of Millennials, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Another study predicts nearly 75% by 2025. In Canada, the forecasts are 75% by
the year 2028.
As millennials take on different jobs in a
variety of industries, they will begin to redefine the culture of the workplace
with their knowledge of technology, aspirations for personal growth and
attitudes toward employment. With this flux of millennials in the workforce, as
a leader, are you ready to lead generation Y?
If you are a leader who has millennials in your
team or organization, or if you are a leader who desires to attract millennials
to your organization, here are five tips on how to successfully attract and
lead generation Y.
1- CLARITY - Ensure the clarity of your mission and
purpose for your organization. The impact and goal of your organization should
be definitive. Millennials pay great attention to the mission statement of an
organization over anything else. They aren't simply interested in making money;
instead they are more interested in making a difference. This generation
thrives to make the world a better place through living lives of significance.
2- COMMUNICATION - Communication with millennials cannot
be directive or micromanaging, instead it should be about actively connecting
and coaching. This generation does not like to be told what to do, instead like
to be coached, mentored, led, or taught. Millennials are the first generation
with full and constant access to the World Wide Web their entire lives. This
means they are always connected and communicating. This is a generation that
doesn't switch off... they are always connected and alert. Therefore,
communication with them must be always clear and further more valuable.
"With Generation Y coming into the
business, hierarchies have to disappear. Generation Y expects to work in
communities of mutual interest and passion - not structured hierarchies.
Consequently, people management strategies will have to change so that they
look more like Facebook and less like the pyramid structures we are used
to." -Vineet Nayar, Vice Chairman and CEO, HCL Technologies, India
3- CULTURE - Create a culture that
offers a sense of belonging to something bigger than the self. With the world
growing smaller with advances in technology, millennials need a culture that
validates their status within this closely connected world. Create a
culture of opportunity and growth. The trajectory of your organization or
company must be always be toward the future. This generation does not remain
static.
"Our capacity to attract, retain and
manage executive talent does not depend on the compensation package, but rather
on our ability to create a sense of belonging to an organization that offers a
long-term relationship and a professional development opportunity, and that has
a clear conception of itself, of what it wants to be, and of how to achieve
it." -Armando Garza Sada, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Alfa SAB de
CV, Mexico
4- COMPASSION - Leaders for this generation
must be compassionate, caring, and relatable. Millennials connect better with a
leader if they share core values and common ground. Studies show that millennials
are more interested in products and services that help others. This shows us
that compassion is fundamentally ingrained within the characteristic and ethics
of this generation. Millennials are concerned with matters of character within
leadership; for example simple gestures of appreciation go a long way with
generation Y. Millennials don't just think about income. They think about making
an positive impact.
"The workplace and workforce are going to
change pretty dramatically as we look forward. The entire concept of work is
going to become more flexible. The skills needed in the workforce are going to
be less about IQ and a little bit more about EQ, because if you think about it,
a lot of IQ knowledge is going to be available at our fingertips through
hand-held devices and the computer and technologies that we have at
our disposal."-Deborah Henretta, Group President, Asia & Global
Specialty Channel, Procter & Gamble
5- CREATIVITY - Millennials thrive through
creativity and technology. Your organization must be up-to-date with technology
and open to alternative ways of thinking and processing. This tech savvy
generation lives in the realm of sharing everything. Millennials not only like
to share their creativity, ideas, and knowledge with others but in fact love to
learn from people around them. Therefore, knowledge and creativity should flow
seamlessly within your organization without boundaries.
The definition for leadership for millennials
goes beyond teamwork and achieving a goal; it is more about coaching and
mentoring rather than micromanagement and directive leadership. This generation
wants to be led toward significant works and valuable goals.
The constant growth of technology today has
provided millennials with more opportunities to grow personally and make an
impact globally through leadership ventures. Millennials are redefining the
American dream and what it means to be successful. They understand that success
stems from significance.
Now, as the millennials search for an
opportunity within your organization, understand that they too represent an
opportunity for you to change and growth within your leadership and
organization.
- Improve your leadership ability
to adapt with generation Y.
- Be more open to communicating,
connecting, and coaching.
- Create a culture that is
welcoming to millennials.
- True leadership is having
multiple generations working together successfully and passionately to
create significance.
As a forward-thinking leader, are you ready to lead this
confident, connected, and tech savvy generation?
Farshad Asl Top Leaders News Top Leaders Academy
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