Igniting the Jetpack: Cross-generational Leadership in the Millennial Age

By Adam Esposito and ?rn Almarsson

Much has been written about Millennials in the workplace recently. Common complaints include impatience, entitlement and an apparent lack of long-term commitment. Such claims often originate from older workers adapting to their changing environment, specifically the growing presence of the Millennial demographic at work. However, given that age gaps and generational divisions at work are not novel, why discuss cross-generational leadership and communication now?

As the authors will suggest, due to today’s accelerating pace of innovation and technological advancement, the differences between generations are becoming more noticeable—the proverbial generation gap is widening. But with attention to cross-generational communication, these gaps can be bridged. In fact, these differences can be converted into strengths, perhaps even tapped as a wellspring of creativity and engagement.   

In this article, the authors—both scientists in the biotechnology/pharmaceutical industry—discuss a potent strategy for cultivating cross-generational communication. Their own generational gap affords them a unique perspective for examining these phenomena.

One is an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience, the other is a Millennial with 5 years of experience.  The veteran manages a team of about 50 people, many of whom are Millennials.  The authors even share the same birthday exactly a quarter century apart, a metric often used for delineating generational boundaries. 

They discovered this coincidental connection while enjoying hors d’oeuvres at a company function the year they turned 50 and 25, respectively. Their conversation turned to the question of what makes cross-generational collaboration and shared leadership work well, and how it can improve.  It was during this conversation that the veteran divulged his concept of the “jetpack.”  

“That’s so Millennial…” 

It is rare to see a company within which a single generation fills all roles; perhaps this exists in infotech startups and some small companies. However, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, among others, cannot succeed as single-generation endeavors for two main reasons.

First, long product development cycles are the norm—a decade is considered a good record—requiring a large amount of specialized work from a range of skill levels.  Secondly, the intricacy of product development demands coupling substantial historical and experiential knowledge with state-of-the-art skills from the sciences and engineering.  

In other words, you need some gray hairs among the bright eyes and bushy tails. Naturally, these realities bring together recent graduates, battle-hardened executives and all sorts of phenotypes in between. The age range in a company can therefore be a quarter to a half a century or more. 

Bring on the communities of Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Xennials, Millennials (sometimes called Gen Y) and Gen Z youth! These groups are all active in the workforce today*.   

*Today: in 2019.  Adapted from “Which Generation are you?” By Michael T. Robinson <https://www.careerplanner.com/Career-Articles/Generations.cfm>

Summiting the peak: dialogue on communication and leadership 

Returning to the authors: X is a Gen Xer and Y is a Millennial.  

Y: “Over the last 5 years, you’ve built a team of 3 into a team of 50 people. Many of those new hires entered directly from college or graduate school. We, so-called Millennials, have caught a lot of flak for being sensitive, entitled and therefore difficult to manage. How do you effectively lead Millennials without discouraging them?”  

X: “It’s easier than you think. Millennials are full of energy that can be quite productive when directed thoughtfully.”  

Y: “So, how do you lead an allegedly impatient group?”  

X: “I believe the ‘impatience’ stems from, to paraphrase the public speaker Simon Sinek, the Millennial’s ability to ‘see the top of the mountain and their desire to summit.’ Unfortunately, those early in their career may not appreciate the arduous trek required to achieve that peak. No real shortcuts are available. So, leaders need to tap into that energy without allowing the impatience to devolve into discouragement.” 

Y: “And how do you direct their energy along effective project and career paths?”  

X: “It’s like we’re all climbing that metaphorical mountain together. Everyone is winding their way up the pass at what can sometimes feel like a snail’s pace. It is often an uneven journey, and it can be hard to see the peak up ahead. But we know it’s there.”    

Y: “And when folks get tired of trekking, especially the impatient ones?” 

X: “This is where careful leadership from experience comes into play. The leader’s experience is almost like a jet pack, we can elevate above the trees from time to time to reassess our position and distance to the peak. We let the team know if they are headed in the right direction and come back down to update and encourage the team. This way, we keep the goal within reach, even if we are not yet above the tree line.”  

Y: “The tree line?”  

X: “The tree line represents the moment the team’s altitude (progress!) is high enough so everyone can see the peak. No more trees are obstructing the view. We are close to our goal and we know it. Before this moment, leadership can be trickier, hence the need for the jet pack, which is really the experience and perspective. When it is effectively and patiently shared, then I think young people will follow along and feel connected to the mission.”  

Y: “That makes sense. But what does the ‘jetpack’ actually mean? How does a leader ignite their jetpack?”  

X: “It’s in small part gray-hairs and gravitas, but mostly it’s about humbly sharing the wisdom of experience and the perspective that it brings. Finding the right times to scout the path ahead to look for ways around obstacles, and when to reflect on what we have accomplished. The team will give you signals when this is needed—you need to be looking for these signals—because the most important thing a leader can do is to help sustain the team in terms of perspective and energy. Without the team, and necessary diversity of experience within it, very little is actually achievable.” 

Final Thoughts  

The conversation sparked further discussion over the ensuing months and has evolved into an ongoing dialogue. Eventually, they covered myriad topics all surrounding the central theme of generational pain points. The authors hope to elaborate upon these strategies in future posts. 

As illustrated by the metaphorical jetpack, bridging leadership and communication gaps is far from straightforward. It requires careful attention to generational nuances and avoidance of excessive stereotyping. One must find ways to reflect on what the gray-haired folks have learned while using the energy of the Millennial spirit to create a pathway for new ideas. If leaders and employees-alike remember this, teams can adapt new strategies for effective communication and ultimately drive more productive companies.  

Together, we can achieve that summit. Onwards and upwards!  

References:   

1. Robinson, Michael T. “Which generation are you?” 21 October 2017. Web. 20 May 2018. https://www.careerplanner.com/Career-Articles/Generations.cfm 
2. Sinek, Simon. “On Millennials in the Workplace.” YouTube. Excerpt from an episode of “Inside Quest.” 29 October 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU