The time for intergenerational leadership is now.

The time for bold and intergenerational leadership is now ?- the World Economic Forum.

In my last newsletter article , I discussed how intergenerational leadership is a solution to help solve for the Future of Work. I promised that I would continue the dialogue to discuss more regarding "how" to implement intergenerational leadership. The truth is most of this work, is self-work.

In addition, with a gigantic thank you to diverse Chiefs and Gen Z for sharing their experiences, expertise, and insights about intergenerational leadership at the Boss Me In Invite a Gen Z Chief Tour stops (NYC, London, Chicago, Los Angeles, with Miami and San Francisco coming soon), these intergenerational diverse women formed new ideas, learnings, and thoughts. We created positive action together. You can find more of a recap of these events in the?Boss Me In ?newsletter and social media regarding insights; however, I wanted to provide some tips based on experience (there are a lot; therefore, I will go slow here), whether through Boss Me In, or serving 2,000 young persons with the help of 1,400 diverse adults in my last role.??

The truth is that much of the work begins with us as leaders. The ultimate answer to leading in this new world with intergenerational teams is to practice, go beyond your comfort zone. We know that Gen Z demands authenticity, transparency, innovation, growth, and more, but how do leaders shift, grow, and change to empower Gen Z, have healthy and happy teams, and thrive? I don't have all the answers, as I've made many mistakes; however, I have dug into this method of leadership, practiced often, and continue to grow, learn, and change.

So, where do we start?

Well, first off,?remove the mask.?When I say young people appreciate, respect, listen to, and trust authenticity, they do. Now, I don't blame leaders for having masks; we, as women, have been taught that is what needs to be done in the corporate world. Many of us try to belong and fit into a culture that wasn't made for us to succeed, to be healthy and thrive, or where many of us have yet to be considered inclusively. But the truth is, that mask has made many people sick, literally. Consider why the Great Resignation happened, why there has been quiet quitting, etc. Yes, many people want more purpose-driven work (and so do Gen Z!), but I know that women have been tired, exhausted, and burnt out having to wear masks in the corporate setting where masks are required. Not their fault.

Second,?how do you become "authentic"?in the workplace? This means we have our reputations, years and years of experience, and hard work to protect, power and influence cultivated and respect from our peers, cohort, and colleagues, often making great sacrifices, strides, and hard work at hand here. Well, it's the way of this new world. It's what young people demand. It creates trust and credibility in a new way for young people. There is no other way, as we have dumped onto our young people so many issues, lies, and problems. There is no buffer or any room whatsoever not to be authentic. To be vulnerable, to be honest, to be real, to not have all the answers all the time. This is a hard shift for some because some may perceive vulnerability as a weakness when, in fact, we have been brainwashed not to realize that vulnerability is a great strength. To empower ourselves as women to be our true selves and to feel more balanced, energized, and honest with ourselves will resonate and come through more for this new world and make our selves feel more at peace, therefore allowing us to lead better. To share our true selves, isn't that a beautiful thing? So, the answer is to be yourself, be honest, communicate, and practice authenticity. Here are 5 tips from KelloggInsight on how to be an authentic leader.

The third point for today:?CARE. Young people want to know that you care, like genuinely care, and they can small when you're not being genuine. They want to know that you are thinking about their wellbeing, you care about them as a human being. And here's where it get's even more complicated, this caring not only needs to be consistent, but changes everyday, as people's lives especially young people's can have different obstacles, issues, events or emotions on a daily basis. Here's a great article from Gallup , on what young people are looking for in leadership.

Go to?Boss Me In ?to learn more, whether through its Speaker Series, mentorship program, or support in other ways. Boss Me In bridges intergenerational women together to solve for the Future of Work, creating inclusivity, connection, and health, where everyone can win, together.

P.S. While I don't agree with every "assumption" here about categorizing the generations,?see an infographic overview breaking down the categories of generational differences ?in the workforce created by Purdue Global.

#FutureOfWork #IntergenerationalLeadership #GrowthLeadership #Leadership #GenZ #Authenticity #Growth