#484429103 / gettyimages.com It hardly seems possible, but the time has come when high-potential millennials are assuming leadership roles
Scooped by Beth Kanter |
This research comes from surveys of managers of Millennials and offers advice on how to develop leadership skills.
Here’s the problem: They’re still young. And in many ways — judgment, emotional intelligence, perspective — they’re still immature. Fast-tracking their career path means that they necessarily skip essential skill-building and seasoning experiences that typically helped their older colleagues make wiser choices. To their credit, they know they need that extra support around critical developmental areas.
1. They are eager to learn and be coached
2. Raise visibility internally with communications and development projects
3 Leverage their eagerness to learn with on-the-spot, on the go coaching. A walk down the hallway is just enough time to praise, offer a tip, or insight that will improve their performance.
4. Bridge Generation Gap - they need help managing and working with older generations. Their informal, team-based, non-hierarchical approach to project management can be hard for older generations to tolerate. Their casual behaviors may be perceived by older co-workers as being disrespectful or insubordinate. All parties may need some guidance in finding common ground when it comes to change (or lack of change, for the millennials, in some instances).
5. Encourage innovative thinking - even ideas that might have been rejected 15 years ago.
6. Revisit assumptions on how and when work best gets done.
Thinking succession not only allows for smoother transitions, but when approached as a developmental but allows current leadership to grow into their next role as advocates, advisors, and mentors - roles that while part of leadership cannot always be top priority.