If you thought the workplace was becoming unrecognizable, the ultimate change is upon us! Baby Boomers (Yes, it’s considered an insult call them Boomers), the generation who’s dominated leadership roles for decades, are approaching retirement. With this shift, the generation known as the digital natives are now the largest working demographic across the globe - Millennials. This shift presents a unique challenge: a potential leadership gap.
In today's lightning-fast technical world, where first impressions are now made in milliseconds, Millennial leaders' agility and digital fluency is a great disposition to lead from with the continued evolvement of automation, hybrid work, and the entrance of Gen Z. With five generations sitting at the same conference room table, only those who embrace multigenerational idiosyncrasies and are willing to redefine workplace cultural norms have authentic influence and lasting impact. One thing is certain, leading by title and supervising based on “what was done in the past” will lock even the most seasoned leaders out of transformative conversations. The best-case scenario for any leader is to be informed and trusted to make decisions without the fear of generational backlash.
Where do Millennials fit into this dynamic? As more of us are moving into leadership roles, we are setting the tone for the entire workforce. Here are the gains taking place in the workplace due to Millennial filling the leadership gap:
Leveraging Digital and Physical Approaches
There is a common misconception (that we’re finally starting to shed) that millennials are slackers who live and breathe for the praise of simple tasks. In reality, what we care about most is transparency. One of the methods by which we promote transparency is through the art of leveraging digital and physical business solutions to create rich, interconnected experiences. We’ve done this though:
Personal branding in social media
Hybrid networking
Utilizing e-commerce with brick-and-mortar
Remote work and co-working
Wellness tech
In every realm of business, Millennials’ knack for integrating digital efficiency with real-world presence is redefining what a "balanced approach" means. We’re proving that you don’t have to choose one over the other; you can embrace both to live a fuller, more connected life.
Collaborative Culture Shift
Millennials’ very presence is ushering in change to stagnant corporate cultures. Our more casual approach and desire to be involved in multiple groups shouldn't be mistaken for a lack of focus. Instead, this trait brews a culture of collaboration that all generations are invited to cultivate. In a study outlined in the American Management Journal, researchers found that employees who engaged in small talk with their coworkers were more satisfied with their jobs and had better relationships with their colleagues. Millennials are driven by bringing a strong sense of community and inclusivity to the forefront to flatten hierarchies and demolish silos between established groups and departments. This is a revolution in workplace culture to promote everyone's voice being heard, the free flow of ideas regardless of rank, and teamwork making the dream work! This offsets high turnover and quiet quitters better than any other approach.
Collaboration is no longer just a buzzword—it’s an essential part of the millennial-led work culture, fostering spaces where brainstorming is encouraged, failure is part of growth, and every team member feels connected to a common mission. Through this new culture, we aren’t just making work more engaging—we’re setting the stage for a future that’s agile, inclusive, and ready for anything (hello AI!).
Speaking the Language of Gen Z
Although Baby Boomers and Gen X are preparing for the latter phases of their careers, their impact and structural norms still have influence in today’s environment. This, of course, has caused major tension amongst the youngest generation in the workforce, Gen Z. Their urgent need for change and justice at work is seemingly a direct attack against the foundation of workplace norms that was built by older generations. I am constantly in the middle of conversations between older generations about who feel disrespected and leery about having direct conversations and Gen Z who feel like they must follow outdated performance metrics arbitrarily. Because Millennials were recently the new kids on the block and we have spent considerable time in our careers both in digital and physical methodologies, we are the pathway of empathy between the two generations. We have the most multigenerational agility to hit the sweet spot to help the older and younger generations adapt to the direction society is evolving into.
No generation is perfect, and Millennials are no exception. Despite our strengths, we must continue shedding outdated behaviors we subconsciously adopted to prove ourselves in the early stages of our career. This includes focusing on fast-tracking our path to the C-Suite, information hoarding, and overselling our abilities at the expense of the needs of the team. With the guidance gained by collaborating with our predecessors, we’re readily embracing traditional leadership qualities like accountability and results, while also integrating softer skills like conceptual thinking and conflict management to give every generation a lane to shine in.
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