It’s no secret that Millennials are one of the largest generations in history, and makeup over 35% of the workforce. Though this age group consists of some of the most technologically-savvy in history, it often makes headlines for the less-than-desirable stereotypes, such as job-hopping, and requiring constant feedback. But, as with all stereotypes, those are exceptions and not the norm.
Millennials are, however, evolving into one of the largest groups of leaders in history, filling management positions before many Gen Xer’s ever dreamed of holding them. And it hasn’t happened by accident:
Millennials in the workforce have put in substantial time and effort to be recognized as the Emerging Leaders in today’s workforce. These individuals possess some key qualities that set them apart from their peers, and their predecessors have no qualms passing the baton to them.
5 Top Millennials Leadership Qualities
Here is a list of the top 5 millennial leadership qualities.
1. They are Strategic
Millennial leaders understand that in order to solve problems, they need to plan ahead. They realize that the problem won’t be solved effectively if they strike fast and look for an easy solution.
They study the problem and determine the desired result, creating a plan and timeline before any execution takes place. Millennial leaders are efficient, productive, concise, and prioritize the steps to their projects.
2. They Value Great Training
As leaders, Millennials understand that their most important role as a manager of people is to provide effective training. They understand their subordinates and get to know them as individuals – deciphering their motivations, inspirations, and how they like to be rewarded.
They encourage questions and work to develop both group and individual skills. They work to develop relationships and don’t rely on digital communication for feedback. They take the feedback and create clear, actionable goals to be followed up on regularly.
3. They Recognize Different Perspectives
Millennial leaders are self-aware and recognize that unconscious bias plays a role in many decisions, so purposefully work to avoid it. They choose to hire talent that is different from them so that a variety of perspectives will be apparent in the finished product.
They communicate with their team often and effectively, creating clear expectations. They often hold kickoff meetings, status updates, and debriefing meetings, and listen carefully to the differing perspectives of their team. Decisions are based on sound knowledge, not gut reactions.
4. They Value a Work/Life Balance
One of the proven necessities of an effective leader is the ability to have downtime to recharge and refresh. This prevents burnout and leaves the Millennial leader with the necessary balance in order to have an optimal quality of life.
Never underestimate the importance of unplugging and enjoying family, hobbies, exercise, making beer money or just plain silence. With the prior planning and delegation of duties, work is left running like a well-oiled machine.
5. They are Adaptable
One of the sure signs of high emotional intelligence is adaptability, so it is no surprise that the Millennial leader excels in this category. After all, he or she grew up in an era of constantly evolving technology and challenges to every norm that Baby Boomers and Generation Xer’s became accustomed to!
This leads to added efficiency since the company won’t delve into chaos just because something unexpected occurred in one department. The Millennial leader is nimble and thinks on his or her feet, coming up with an innovative solution to the problem, and spurring a culture challenging any status quo that ever existed!
What is a Millennial Leader?
Brandon Mitchell examines what has shaped the millennial generation and how they, in turn, are shaping the world.
Millennials in the Workplace Are Both Entitled and Hardworking
So what about Millennials in the workplace?
Did you know that Millennials want to have a say and contribute their ideas?
They resist doing repetitive or boring work. They want to have a life outside of work, and expect enough flexibility to allow them to fulfill both their personal and professional commitments.
But entitled doesn’t mean lazy. Millennials work long hours, don’t expect work to stop when they leave the office, and are quite motivated. They want to contribute beyond their job descriptions and move up in the organization.
- Minimize repetitive work and engage Millennials in the workplace to improve processes so everyone’s work is more efficient.
- Make use of their willingness to work long hours, but don’t take advantage of them.
- Encourage employees’ desire to contribute ideas, and appreciate their willingness to speak up. Promote a psychologically safe culture at work.
Do Millennials Prefer Environmental Companies?
These days, there’s a lot of pressure placed upon businesses and fintech companies to become greener. With the environment under threat from carbon emissions, plastic, and landfill waste, the government has introduced many measures in an attempt to tackle the problem.
It isn’t just the government that’s concerned with an office’s green credentials, however. For many job seekers, the decision of whether or not to work for a company often comes down to how green it is. So, do green credentials affect your decision to work within an office environment and what do green credentials actually say about a business? Or do you only care about working for a high-paying job?
Do Green Office Credentials Matter?
Several studies have been carried out to determine just how important green credentials really are to millennials. All of them have shown that the younger generation is concerned with the environment and they actively seek out businesses which are considered to be eco-friendlier.
Green credentials can even impact which college millennials choose to study at. What’s most surprising, is that the majority of millennials stated in a survey that they would be happy to take a pay cut to work at a more responsible company.
So, it appears green credentials do matter within an office environment; particularly when it comes to attracting the right staff.
What Do Green Credentials say About a Business?
So, what is it that attracts people to an office with green credentials? Well, largely it’s the fact that a business that is focused on doing its part for the environment is one which cares about more than just making money. It shows they are committed to making a difference, something the younger generation pay attention to.
The Benefits of a Green Office
There are a lot of benefits that come from running a green office. If an office takes part in a recycling program through First Mile, for example, it could save a lot of money on waste management. It would also obviously be helping to significantly reduce landfill waste. Investors are also much more likely to lend to green-friendly businesses, allowing for much greater growth.
Overall, green credentials do matter in today’s offices, especially when it comes to attracting young, fresh talent. Workers want more than just a pay check at the end of the month – they want to work for a company that’s helping to make a difference to the environment.
So, environmental companies do need to start developing their green credentials if they want to stay relevant and successful in today’s marketplace.
Moving on.
Hard Work Won't Make Millennials Successful — But Doing This Will
Are you a Millennial leader or a Millennial in the workplace? Or a Boomer learning about Millennial traits in general? Either way, it's important to learn about how you can become more successful.
There’s an important difference between working hard and working smart. In the first case, it’s possible to extend huge amounts of effort that, in the end, net you absolutely nothing.
In the second case, your odds of being rewarded for your efforts are vastly improved. Working hard does not always pay off; the following four examples will are proof positive of that fact.
You Don’t Like Your Work
Walking into work every day with enthusiasm for what you do makes all of your efforts well worth it. On the other hand, dreading what you do or having no real stake in it renders it pointless. At the end of the day, you should feel fulfilled and optimistic about the work that you have completed.
That feeling, in and of itself, is highly beneficial. Most of the time, it pays off in spades in the form of promotions, advancements and increased income.
You Don’t Believe in What You Do
Do you ever find yourself belittling the work that you do? If so, you probably don’t believe in it very much. If you’re of the mentality that it’s just a way to bring home a paycheck, you’re doing things the wrong way. You should believe in the mission that’s behind the work that you do.
That way, you’ll work harder to achieve it and will be proud of what you accomplish. All of the hard work in the world can’t make up for being unenthusiastic about your job.
You’re Stuck in a Go-Nowhere Job
If your job is nothing more than an endless, repetitive loop with no end – or promotions – in sight, why put forth extra effort on it? Working harder won’t free you from such an interminable situation. If you’re not careful, you could end up being one of those people who’s dedicated the best years of their life to a job that, in the end, has produced no real value.
Be mindful of how much effort you extend; pay attention to whether or not it’s actually getting you anywhere. If it’s not, you might want to jump ship sooner rather than later and start a new job soon.
You’re Working on the Wrong Things
When you work on innovations and improvements, it’s easy to put forth a ton of extra effort. After all, you’ll get to see your ideas come to fruition. Working on mindless tasks that don’t produce any added value, though, can drain the life out of you.
Furthermore, extending extra effort on idle tasks won’t get you any positive benefits in the long run. Look for work that inspires you and that allows you to be innovative and proactive – your hard work will pay off enormously in such cases.
You Aren't Networking
If you are on the job search then you must know the importance of constant and deliberate networking. On paper, you may have everything that your ideal employer wants. If you don’t know the right people, though, even the most well-polished resume and spot-on experience in the world isn’t going to help.
The importance of networking simply can’t be overemphasized. Or you can simply be networking to develop professional or social contacts, but that comes with it.
Even after you’ve landed your dream job, it’s still crucial to maintain good networking habits. By doing so, you’ll be able to advance your career in a more efficient and effective way. Look to use successful networking sites that could make all the difference.
You Aren't Prepared for Interviews
When you are a recent graduate and do not have any experience with a job interview, it can be a challenge to ace your first job interview. As you will be applying for entry-level jobs, there might be a number of candidates with the same qualifications interviewing for the same position.
In order to stand out from the crowd, it is essential that you make the best impression in the interview. Follow these job interview tips to confidently prepare and excel in your first job interview after graduation or at any time in your career.
Millennials and Leadership? Go Get It!
Despite the myths and stereotypes associated with Millennials, these tech-savvy leaders possess a hunger for success, career advancement, strong resilience, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to be agile in an ever-changing and complex society. They believe in true relationships and connecting with their colleagues on a personal level.
They look for companies with a clear purpose and vision and have a strong appreciation for a company prioritizing its employees and the customer experience over profits. Perhaps all generations could learn a little more from this special group in the workforce. Next, learn why hard work won't make you successful but doing this will.
