The XYZ’s of Leadership

THE XYZ’S OF LEADERSHIP IN THE MULTI-GENERATIONAL WORKPLACE:

Successful leaders are forward thinkers. By both nature and intent, they are always ready to face the future.  And now, the future is here.  Our world is in the hands of the millennials (also known as generation Y, born between 1980-2000).  Sandwiched between the Baby boomers and the millennials are the generation Xers, those born between 1965 and 1980. 

Poised to enter the workplace in the next few years is generation Z, those born after 1997, also known as the iGen, because they are the very first generation to grow up with technology and the internet from the time they were born. The iGen has never known a world without the internet.   

The U.S. Bureau of Labor predicted that by 2015 millennials would represent the majority of the workforce. By 2030 this closely connected, tech savvy generation will make up 75% of the workforce.

 Generation X now accounts for 51 percent of leadership roles globally. With an average of 20 years of workplace experience, they are primed to quickly assume nearly all top executive roles. Coming up right behind them, nipping at their heels, is generation Z. 

The impact of this cannot be ignored. 

As millennials and other generations take on different jobs in a variety of industries, they will redefine the culture of the workplace. Their knowledge and use of technology, aspirations for personal growth, core values and attitudes toward employment are clearly different. This influx of millennials and other generations makes for a new, multi-generational workforce, unlike any before it. This presents some new challenges for the leaders of today and tomorrow. At the same time, it creates a whole era of new opportunities. Learning to lead across these different generations will be critical to success in the future of the global workplace. 

No longer will a one-size-fits-all approach work for management and leadership. If I don’t change my style to fit the group I am leading, I won’t be an effective leader and as a result we won’t have the same impact and growth. 

Leaders will be required to learn to adapt their styles to manage these different generations accordingly (Leader-SHIFT).

For example, Millennials are much more concerned about the vision and purpose of a company or organization. They want to feel part of a bigger vision—they are interested in making a difference in the world. They are looking for a sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves.  While the generations before them prefer structure and accept authority, Millennials do not respond well to being micromanaged. Communicating with them needs to be about connecting, mentoring and coaching, instead of telling or directing all the time. They are also the first generation with constant access to the internet. Many of them have had cell phones since childhood.

Generation Xers on the other hand, are the bridge between the Boomers and Millennials. They are a purpose driven generation. They are digitally savvy, eager to lead and very committed to their career. They are very loyal to their employers, make great team leaders, love to learn and grow while impacting the people around them. They also have a strong preference for being coached. Limiting or micromanaging them will have a negative effect on their performance. They thrive on the opportunity and authority to lead teams and build their legacy. 

Ironically, generation Z has more similarities to Baby boomers than Millennials in some ways. They like planning, financial stability, privacy, and believe in hard work. Having never known a world without the internet, their idea of problem solving is to rely on Google, YouTube, and social media. Environment is very important to this generation, so creating and providing a flexible, fun and creative working environment is critical to engaging them. They also respond well to coaching as a leadership style, particularly when they are asked questions that make them part of the solution.

While there are certain traits all generations have in common, there are significant differences that cannot be overlooked. Leaders who get out of their own comfort zones and learn how to adapt their styles to these differences will reap the rewards going into the future. 

“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

True leadership is having multiple generations working together successfully and passionately toward a common goal to create significance. The leaders of today who recognize this now, will become the exceptional leaders of tomorrow. These generations are on fire and ready to take over the world. Are you ready to lead them into the future?