Will Millennial Lead C-Suite?
Millennials- Juvenile, Vibrant, Highly educated employees born in the dawn of the digital era, may seem like a bizarre breed, but the future of any company depends on understanding their intellect and using it in the right comportment. We have been hearing about how the world changed during the growing years of these Millennials. The internet followed by the digital age paved the way to character description of the beliefs, values, expectations and above all the identity of this generation.
Numerous researches and surveys clearly pointed towards –
• Agility in workplace,
• Significant and Momentous work
• Express growth
Is what these millennials desire for!
On the cons side, we have thought leaders talking about scenarios that have hit this generation such as –
• Appalling parenting,
• Reduced social skills
• Poor attention span
But the fact is- the baby boom generation will soon give way to these millennials to take up higher positions in the C-suite. So, it is the right time to leverage the strengths of these Millennials. Recruiting them, giving a patient ear to their viewpoints and teaming them with skilled and qualified members of your team may act as agents of game-changing novelty or transformational change.
With a wider exposure to digital innovations, social trends, startup spaces, changing consumer trends, crowdsourcing, virtual communities of interest - Millennials could actually be the C-suite’s secret weapon for innovation.
Not only the Meme Generation has a fresh take on the perspectives but they also engage with the world in a very diverse manner than the Gen X.
Patter the millennial attitude –
As the ascendant inhabitants, millennials give the real insight in the shifting scenarios of how the business should work. How?
• Most of them have an entrepreneurial bent of mind
• They contempt bureaucracy, distrust big institutions and are cynical about authority.
• For them, nothing is impossible.
• They care about social skills, human suffering and have a strong value system to save the planet.
For C-suiters, instead of being repellent to the thought process of these millennials, learning from their fresh ideas can be the paramount approach.
They say, “If you can’t beat them, join them”
Here are some strategies which the senior management of an organization should apply to connect and groom these young leaders –
1) Millennials are growth seekers: Unlike Gen X, Gen Y views professional as well as personal development in a very different perspective. Giving them varied opportunities to learn, grow and use their potential to its fullest will serve as an appetite-booster for them.
2) Empower their belief system: Millennials are that workforce, who will dedicate their expertise and aptitude to an organization that values them. They are okay to work for less with a company that matches their belief system and ideals. So give them the freedom and culture that aligns with their values and goals.
3) Be open to new ideas: Even if you don’t understand the digital language, those slangs or what people love about the new app – listen and be open to the new information that is flowing. It’s okay to learn from a younger colleague. It may not motivate you to get into things but will surely give you a piece of dominant society.
4) Engage these collaborative learners: The Gen Y, also commonly known as “Me-Me” generation is not all about themselves. They are great collaborative learners, who easily acclimatizing and connecting with other generations. Encourage them to know, participate and work together as a team for the success of an assignment. Engage them in a different aspect of business and they will thank you all their life.
5) Encourage their enthusiasm for transformation: Providing them with the power to restructure the corporate landscape could be a great move. This workforce does not believe in fixed office hour job. They like the flexibility to be more creative. For them, some days working remotely just refreshes them from the daily work routine inside the four walls. Embrace these changes by finding a balance between flexibility and control.
Lastly,
Millennials are a vital element in any business growth. These digi-savvy people are the powerhouse of ideas in today's dynamic environs. If you want to grow your business, unleash their potentials and understand their viewpoint. These young minds have an immense mobilizing energy. They love to dream and think outside the box.
Their only mantra is – “Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
