Training Our New Leaders
They might be working at Starbucks now, but pretty soon, Gen Y will be leading your company. Right now, Baby Boomers are retiring quickly; as a result, Gen Y is getting increased responsibility much earlier in their careers. Preparing Gen Y to lead is essential to the success of your organization.
They might be working at Starbucks now, but pretty soon, Gen Y will be leading your company.
Right now, Baby Boomers are retiring quickly; as a result, Gen Y is getting increased responsibility much earlier in their careers. Preparing Gen Y to lead is essential to the success of your organization.
You need to prepare your future leaders. Here’s how.
Communicate with them
Let them know that you are grooming them for leadership. Not only do they want to be communicated with openly, but Millennials like their jobs to evolve to include more responsibility. If they can’t see or don’t know they are heading for something bigger, your future leaders might get bored and leave you. Make sure they understand where they are on your succession plan, and most importantly, that they are on it.
Mentor them
Teach through mentorship. Gen Y is big on collaboration and community, making them perfect for mentee/mentor relationships. This is also a great way to be sure you capture the talents of Baby Boomers before they retire and leave with all their insights.
Meet them online
Millennials are tech savvy; they are online. Increasingly they are learning online. They can and will lead from afar. Gen Y wants to be able to interact whenever and wherever from their mobile devices. Create mobile learning platforms where they can communicate with others, sharing ideas and learning. Social media platforms are great places to post training videos for on-the-go Millennials to watch when it’s convenient, and allows you to reach them at all times.
Teach them soft skills
A report published by Boston College Center for Work & Family suggests that soft skills training can help Millennials head toward leadership roles by fostering mutual support and understanding. Develop skills that will help them with the following:
assimilate into your work culture
work with team members assertively and diplomatically
learn how to receive and process feedback
set long-term goals
develop strategies to combat misconceptions about Millennials to effectively leverage their strengths
It’s also important to provide intergenerational training to build a sense of community within your teams.
The future leaders of your organization might be just walking through you doors today or tomorrow. Keep in mind that leaders come from all ranks. Be prepared to give them the tools they need today to be the best leaders they can be tomorrow.