Jeff Orr, MBA, MSL, TEDx Speaker, Author, Millennial Leadership Expert
Judging people is so 1980s, right? We live in such an enlightened world that to judge anyone based on what they wear, how they talk, whether they show up to work on time..., I mean, it is so unfair. No one knows this better than my Millennial friends, who for the most part, still haven't connected the dots between their actions and how older leaders perceive them.
But there is another group of Millennials who do seem to get it and get it successfully. Leaders. Amongst the throngs of stereotypical "I-need-my-latte-no-whip-half-caff-or-I-can't-work-today" twenty-somethings, there is a special group of leaders who are ready to make your organization soar. These young innovators are just waiting to get a seat at the table and help you build a company that has impact and significance. They are hungry to learn, grow, and test their leadership wings. The problem is, you can't seem to find them. Or, if you do hire them, they quit and go off to another company before you can develop them. All is not lost, my young Padawan...
There is some interesting research from Qualtrics and Accel from 2017 that suggests a shift in Millennial behavior from the standard job-hopping to a slightly longer-term approach to their work if they are engaged by you in the first 90 days of employment. What does that mean? Isn't giving them a paycheck enough? Isn't the job responsibilities enough? Was it enough for you as a young leader or did you want more?
Millennials have grown up in an instant world of endless information and possibilities. They have a Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C. If Plan A doesn't work out fast enough, they look to another company to help them with Plan B. They won't wait around for you to engage them. Think outside the box. Think outside traditional job responsibilities and about roles instead. Let your young innovators innovate. Mentor them to solve challenges. Let them test their leadership wings.
Give them a seat at the table and pour into them. You will find an incredible resource of talent and ideas that will help you build the organization of your dreams. And theirs.
Jeff Orr, a TEDx speaker, is an expert in leadership and he coaches executives, business owners, and individuals with the tools and skills to lead more effectively, build high-performing teams, and experience true success in their careers and personal lives. As a dynamic and energizing keynote speaker and corporate trainer to Fortune 500 companies, Jeff has helped thousands grow in their leadership to impact their organizations and communities. Jeff engages his audience through humor, real world stories, and a genuine care for the people he speaks to, helping them to build lasting success internally and externally. He is also author of the highly acclaimed book, Succeed In The New Normal. Through his coaching company, InDemand Leadership, Jeff empowers his clients to experience internal growth, which then translates into sustainable external success.