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Leadership and the generational shift
Every generation wants change
As every new generation reaches maturity – and the working world – we see the same warnings, criticisms and headlines anew…these young people don’t want to work; they are killing the housing market, ruining pensions and changing the way business is done – but is change always bad?!
Let’s look at the realities of generational shift – in business, in leadership, and in the positive impact fresh blood can have – before the fears of Gen Z overwhelm their potential!
Someone saying “let’s try a new approach” can seem like they’re really saying “you and your ways suck, old bro!” – especially when your reaction is rooted in fear of losing touch with the rapid changes we are all facing. Business, in any age and at any age, is essentially about monitoring the successes (and failures) of everything we do – and adapting our output to meet the changing and evolving needs of our customers.
Leaders who can predict, and respond to, these changes – who can proactively adapt their business to meet those changing needs – are successful. Not because they are young, and certainly not because they want to sabotage traditional business methods, or because they don’t have the focus and knowledge that serious business requires.
We know that – thanks to the 24/7 news streams, social media and bombardment of content – many younger people have grown up in a world where attention spans are shorter. They exist in a world where information and knowledge is just the touch of a screen away; some worry that this makes them flakey – but we can actually see that, when people have access to all of the world’s knowledge, they internalise and appreciate it far more. These new, fresh workers – the leaders of tomorrow – might seem easily distracted, but in reality, they are simply used to seeing fast responses to their needs, and to finding quick, efficient answers to their problems. This adaptability and streamlining of thought can be a huge benefit to modern business.
Rather than seeing this as a short attention span, see the positives of a person accustomed to getting answers, finding solutions, and working around challenges rapidly – because your organisation can only benefit from responding to customer needs more efficiently, and predicting those needs before they come to you.
Young leaders have new ideas
Some long standing leadership teams, those who have been in positions of power for decades, can find that they have been repeating the same patterns in their work. They worked out what worked early on, and just…kept doing it. For years. Apparently without really thinking about what they do – or why they do it. The “way things are done” remains steady, because it’s the way things have always been done…
Of course, there are positives to a steady routine – but younger leaders entering the workforce aren’t looking to change things simply because they can, or because they feel entitled and self-important. It isn’t about their own ego at all; they can simply see new, effective methods, have an innate understanding of new technologies, and have their finger on the pulse of global communications – so they can see what everyone else is doing, what’s working, and what’s not.
This gives them the ideal combination of skills, experience and knowledge to bring impactful, successful ideas into your organisation.
Rather than brushing it off as nonsense, or seeing their desire for change as a criticism of your current leadership, or way of working, take the bold step: trial some of their suggestions. You never know, it could revolutionise your organisation, and free up time for your team to explore other new revenue streams, or just to commit to better customer service.
Of course new doesn’t always mean better – but if you never try new things, you’ll never progress.
Don’t keep things the same out of fear, or the world will change around you and you – and your organisation – will be left behind.
Shake things up
Bringing one new leader into an established team can make it hard for them to achieve any significant change, or for that change to be effective – because they’re battling uphill against a very reluctant wall of “we have always done it this way” and “we see no reason to change”…the underlying anxiety from established leaders who fear that this younger colleague will show them up or leave them behind can become a barrier to success for all!
Change is daunting – but it is also progress – and progress is what holds the interest of your existing customer base, attracts the next generation of customer and new talent into your teams, and keeps you at the forefront of your industry.
When you bring a new Leader on board, rather than letting anyone put barriers in their way, look at the bigger picture. Re-delegate some of the responsibilities the existing leadership team share; shuffle employees into new teams, let them share new projects and bounce ideas around, blend the knowledge and experience you already have in your workforce and see where it takes you.
Sitting on your hands because you’re afraid of what might go wrong doesn’t protect you from change – it just prevents you from reaping the rewards it can also bring.
If you are looking for ways to support your Leaders and Managers in their ongoing development, want to embed positive change in your culture, or are ready to recruit the next generation of future leaders, we can help. You can email us on hello@askeurope.com or call us on 01234 757575 to book a no-obligation conversation about your leadership development requirements,