The Generation Gap
Leading, Mentoring, Supporting the Next Generation of Leaders
Many of the men and women I speak with seem perplexed and frustrated with how to bring the next generation along. They realize there’s a difference in how you manage and mentor this younger generation and they know they’re not quite getting it right. The inability to retain the Gen X and Gen Y’s for more than three years is a clear indicator they’re not hitting the right buttons.
What is frustrating for women, particularly, is they feel as though they worked hard for many years, sacrificing a great deal to open doors for the next generation of women – and they fully expected those women to just walk through those doors. When they don’t, the boomer women think their younger counterparts are throwing away huge opportunities.
There is another critical concern regarding this whole topic which is fast approaching. By 2010 the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a shortage of 10 million workers. One fifth of the country’s large, established companies will lose 40% or more of their top level talent in the next 5 years when the Boomers retire. That translates to a major leadership vacuum directly in front of us, and the Gen X and Gen Y’s are the pipeline to fill these open seats. For companies to remain competitive and fuel the pipeline of future leaders, today’s leaders and their organizations will need to address this issue from a strategic, company-wide basis as well as one on one.
In my work with many corporate clients, I am seeing a clear delineation between the generations. Given the upcoming leadership vacuum, it is mission critical for these companies to figure out how to effectively bridge that gap to develop their next generation of leaders. To accomplish this, it is important that we throw away our assumptions and, instead, develop an understanding of who this generation is, what they want, and how they respond best.
First, don’t assume this generation doesn’t want opportunities. They do. Don’t assume they don’t want to work hard. They do. But they are shaping a more healthy work environment, one which values an integrated lifestyle. They want a “whole” life. They don’t want any opportunity for the sake of opportunity. They want meaningful work, they want to be acknowledged and they want to have an impact within their organization. They are not all about the money.
They are inclusionary. They value teams, collaboration, and connectedness. They see themselves as valued as much as other members of the team. And, they value the relationship with their managers.
How then to lead this next generation? Recognize that they are different – which means you can’t give them the same advice you got twenty years ago. Do give them a vision of a long-term career with your company. Talk with them about multiple experiences they can have that will develop a marketable profile within the organization.
Get to know them – what are their aspirations? Concerns? Motivations? Where do they get their greatest satisfaction? Build bridges and relationships. Acknowledge them and care about them. Create the environment for them that they value.
And, remember, all of the work and sacrifice to provide opportunities for this next generation will be well worth it. Once we recognize the many positive values this age group brings to the table and blend those attributes into the corporate culture, we will achieve a real win-win for everyone.
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