Millennials and Leadership. Are they Ready?

 

By Chuck J. Boddy, CAPP

Millennials, born between 1981-1995 (depending on who you ask), not to be confused with Generation Z born between 1996-2010, are now the largest generation and make up majority of the workforce.

In the past, there have been negative stereotypes about the generation being lazy, stupid, and entitled.  However, research shows that they can also be ambitious, entrepreneurial, and prefer meaningful work. Working from home and flexibility, especially since the pandemic hit, is something that can really win over their hearts when it comes to attracting and retaining them.

Baby Boomers are nearing or are well into their retirement years; therefore, there is a need to prepare millennials to fill leadership roles.  Although the much smaller Generation X is still around and will continue to move into leadership positions, it’s inevitable that many mid-level positions will need to be filled by the younger generations now as the Boomers head off to greener and warmer pastures.

But are millennials ready to be the boss? How can we develop our next generation of leaders?

Mentorship in and out of the workplace is a great way to help them prepare for leadership roles. Millennials thrive on networking and connecting, so mentorship is a great way to provide engagement and inspiration. Leadership training, constant feedback and recognition goes a long way with millennials, which helps with learning accountability and how to better measure success.

At the end of the day Millennials are here to stay, so adapting to a changing workforce and having millennials prepared to lead is essential to the success of any organization.

Chuck J. Boddy, CAPP, is Director for UMBC Parking Services. He can be reached at cboddy@umbc.edu.