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“It takes two to tango.”, so they say. Someone who leads and someone who follows. For a very long time this was also the belief in business: there is a leader and then there are followers. Yet, over the last years, the strict rules and boundaries of leadership loosened up because millennials are taking the (work) floor and it seems that they do not agree with the old rules of leadership and the strict hierarchy. Millennials want to be valued, are looking for a deeper sense in their work and do not want to be held hostage by rules from the past and by a philosophy of work that is not theirs. According to
Redefining leadership
Like in dancing, there are also certain rules in leadership. Especially when it comes to ballroom dancing these rules have existed for hundreds of years. Let’s take waltz as an example. The first notions of it date back to the 18th century and the steps of it did not change much. On the other hand, the way people dance it, the so-called style, evolved over time. Therefore, it is not surprising that new generations also call for new leadership styles. At the core, the basic steps will stay the same. It is still about working together and having the company’s mission and vision at heart. Yet, the how is challenged. Millennials see themselves as leaders, no matter if they have a leadership position or not. Leadership means for them to take over responsibility and to empower others.
Redefining work
One could even go one step further and say that millennials define work differently and therefore also have a different vision of leadership. Work does not only represent a means to earn money. Work means to have purpose, to do good and to contribute to society. Money (the pay) is still important but so is the culture of the company and flexibility. In other words, their work needs to fit into their holistic view of life and happiness and they have to identify with it. That is why they will not work for a company that does not represent the values that they believe in or businesses that do not walk the talk. As mentioned earlier, they are also less loyal to their employers if they see that they do not match their expectations and will act on their discontent.
Manage the manager
Coming back to the dance metaphor, I will share a secret with you. It is not only about following the leader and knowing the steps, it is also about managing the leader. I have been dancing for many years now and if I learned something it is the fact that it is about dancing together, it is a team effort. It is about giving the other person freedom to express him/herself, empowering them and trusting each other. If I had not given you the dance metaphor, the previous sentence could have been also a definition of leadership or relationships. When it comes down to management and leadership, this is what is at the core of it. It is not about who is the leader and who is the follower. It is about working together, following one bigger mission and empowering each other. The basis for it is trust and clarity on responsibilities. Ego and power games should be left aside as they are toxic for the success of a project and only hinder people to grow and develop.
Communication is key
Another key factor of successful leadership is communication. Millennials want to have their say but they also expect feedback from their manager. It is a two-way street and it goes hand it hand with the wish for a flat hierarchy and personal growth. Millennials do not only expect to be given feedback, they also want to give feedback to their management as they feel entitled to do so. Leadership is about having your say and it goes in both direction, up and down.
The future of leadership
It is very likely that Generation Z, which is the generation following the millennials (or so-called “Generation Y”), will be even more demanding in terms of freedom and more radical in terms of loyalty – 61% of the respondents would leave their company within two years if their employers would not change their behaviour. Hence, it will be even more important to make sure that leaders adapt and are aware of the needs and expectations of Generation Z employees. Mindful leadership could become the new leadership style where leaders are very much aware of what their employees want, meet them on an equal footing in a non-judgmental way and create together a workplace where hierarchy has no place and where purpose and mindfulness take the floor.
Let the music play.
Sources:
2018, Best Work Inc., 2016 – 2017 Millennial Leadership Development Survey
2018, Deloitte, Deloitte Millennial Survey 2018, https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/About-Deloitte/gx-2018-millennial-survey-report.pdf
