Sep 27, 2024
Written By: Dr. Jeremy Graves
Let’s get one thing out in the open. I am not a Millennial; I have never been a Millennial and I don’t claim to speak for them. I have, however, spent the last 10 years working with Millennials—as a professor, executive director, coach and mentor—specifically studying how multiple generations interact within the workplace.
Through my work, I have met some of the brightest and most engaging Millennial leaders on the planet. I have had the opportunity to coach several, while also taking a learning posture from many.
In my work with Millennials, there are four things I hear pretty consistently when it comes to their generation and leadership.
They Care About the “Why”
Millennials are a generation that has pushed the workplace to consider “why.” Why does our organization exist? Why do we do what we do? They want to tie their work into a greater purpose in their lives. They want to know that what their company does matters and that their role within the company is important.
It allows them to feel they are a part of something and not simply collecting a paycheck.
One of my students, Mike Smith, is a director of dry foods at a large-scale manufacturing company. He recently took both the CEO and VP of People out for dinner in hopes of learning why their organization exists. His logic was that if he heard it from the boss’s mouth, he would be better able to translate the “why” to his team and ensure buy-in at a deeper level. During dinner, he asked a list of questions about the company, its future, and how they make the community a better place by giving back. Mike said that dinner (which he paid for by the way) was worth the cost several times over because it created clarity for himself personally, as well as helped his team connect the dots of their work within the organization as a whole.
Many Millennials I have worked with have posed questions such as: If we were gone tomorrow, would people care? Would our work leave a hole, or would people move on without much thought?
They Value Collaboration
Millennials regularly talk with me about collaboration, and the need for more robust teamwork within the workplace. Most Millennials have grown up forming teams and working on projects together.
They have spent countless hours developing the tools necessary for productive collaboration, and they want to not only engage in cooperative work, but also to lead collaboratively. I’ve found that they even enjoy mentoring on a collaborative level, as it allows them to hear advice from multiple voices and perspectives.
One of my former employees, Amanda Brelsford, worked as a social worker for the Salvation Army, where collaboration helps her get the job done better. She routinely spends time working with her team and has created a culture of solving big problems through a team approach. She has taught them concepts such as brain swarming, six hats, collaborative thinking, and creative problem-solving.
She reports that allowing her team to lead out collaboratively has opened doors to greater teamwork and camaraderie, as well as increased buy-in to new initiatives she is leading within the Salvation Army.
Many Millennials have a fundamental belief that the more people who can engage around a topic, the better the opportunity for solving big problems. This is a generation that is not interested in easy fixes but is instead looking for ways to solve tough issues—and they understand that bringing more ideas to the table is the way to do it.
They Have Work Ethic
Many people use terms like lazy or entitled when it comes to the Millennial generation. Yet Millennials use words like drive, purpose, and passion to describe their work ethic. From my time working with and studying Millennials, and specifically Millennials in leadership, I’ve found that they work hard; they just work differently.
I worked for Millennial leader Wyatt Schroader, who is the executive director of the non-profit CATCH. Wyatt routinely attends events after hours and on weekends. He deeply lives the mission of CATCH, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and doesn’t feel guilty taking off early for an afternoon out with friends or a long weekend. He works hard, but values work-life balance, which is something that not all generations understand.
Millennials do this type of thing often. They find a rhythm for their lives and then jump into leadership around those rhythms. They have never been 9-5 people because life is not 9-5; life is 24 hours. They believe in working until the job is done and enjoying life in the process. They don’t hesitate when inspiration hits at 2 a.m. to get up to work on it. The Millennial generation works hard and plays hard—and finds time to do both with passion.
They Aren’t Afraid of Challenges
The fourth thing I hear pretty consistently is that Millennials are not afraid to learn and to step into leadership roles. As Millennials are moving into leadership positions, they are taking a holistic approach to leadership. They are looking for ways to grow their own leadership while also stepping up to the job.
For many Millennials, taking a learning posture is important—and they like to learn hands on and with a great deal of enthusiasm. They are not willing to sit around and wait to be noticed. They are stepping into leadership and doing what is necessary to see organizational, systemic, or cultural change.
Alex Gulipeo is one such Millennial. Alex was a client of mine who was hired as a customer service representative for a high-tech company in Boston. She was highly qualified but noticed that her team was struggling with vision and leadership. She began to conduct impromptu leadership huddles that eventually turned into project team meetings. Over time, the director of IT noticed Alex’s initiative and moved her into a leadership role within the department. Alex is an example of a leader who saw a leadership gap within the organization and stepped into leadership when it was needed. Her team grew and developed, as did Alex as a leader. It’s an example of a win for all involved.
Millennials aren’t afraid of leading the charge to bring change to our places of work, our universities, classrooms, and communities. This generation has a lot to teach us. The question is do we want to learn? I consider it an honor to coach, encourage, empower, and to learn from them. I am a far greater leader because of my interactions with Millennials in the workplace.
Jeremy Graves is a generational strategist, professor, author, speaker, and leadership coach. He is the author of Empower. Promote. Launch. [REPEAT] – Creating a Culture of Generational Leadership Using Four CORE Strategies. He helps leaders improve their cultures and create successful and engaged teams.