The next leadership challenge

The millennials are getting old. Does this surprise you? It does for many of my audiences when I say this. Speakers and trainers are still talking about “the problem with the millennials,” and have not considered the truth that every generation will always consider the next generation as “problematic,” especially if they cannot understand them. Millennials today are in strategic positions poised to take over leadership roles, and many of them already are. So rather than harping incessantly about “the problem with the millennials” why not prepare and train them to become the next generation leaders?

I work with millennials and I have millennial kids. They are brilliant and are known as the digital natives. When led properly, they will surprise you with what they are capable of doing; and when trained correctly, they surprise the older generations with what they can do. So rather than harping on how to manage the millennials, why not consider the reality that the millennials are now poised to be in strategic leadership positions and should be trained on how to lead the next generation called Generation Z? One more thing, and we need to watch out for this. Many millennials do not even understand themselves. An HR practitioner lamented that when a millennial speaker was invited to talk to their people on the topic about managing the millennials, the material presented by the speaker caused more problems and confusion among the millennial workers in their organization.

Have you ever seen and heard young people argue their case on TV? It usually starts with: “Let me tell you this…” One young early Gen Z lady said: “Do not say, ‘it is not the truth.’ You may say it does not fit in your opinion…” Truth to them becomes relative. And then the young people argue, shout and scream with intense anger in their eyes. They have not improved their arguments; they have just intensified their angst. We are entering another generation of people whose feelings matter more than their reason, and the media feeds off on this. Be prepared because the millennials will have to be trained to lead another generation of people that are incredibly emotional, fragile, and cannot argue intelligently.

The west has already concocted a term for Generation Z. They are called “snowflakes.”

The dictionary’s definition of a snowflake, when used as a slang is: “Someone who believes they are as unique and special as a snowflake; someone hypersensitive to insult or offense, especially a young person with politically correct sensibilities.” Young people who turned adults in the 2000s are known to belong to the snowflake generation—a generation of individuals who take everything too sensitively, and believe that they are special beings who deserve special treatment.

1Dessidre Fleming writes an article entitled: 4 Signs To Tell If You Are A Snowflake Millennial And Therefore, A Generational Jerk. She gives the following examples:

“I’m having a bad day, so be nice to me because I deserve special treatment.”

“I belong to a rich family, so be nice to me because I deserve special treatment.”

“I’m a woman, so be nice to me because I deserve special treatment.”

“I’m a gender minority, so be nice to me because I deserve special treatment.”

Basically, be nice to me because no matter what you may say, think, be, or do, it is I who deserves special treatment.

Generation Z is now entering the workplace and many of them may have an attitude fed them by social media that bashing and offensive comments are the norms, while certain university professors who have not trained them to argue with reason teached them to accept cliches and bumper sticker slogans as wisdom and knowledge.

This is the next leadership challenge. We need to brace ourselves for this eventuality. I am of the persuation that current leaders, including the millennials may not have the capability to handle this group. I would suggest that HR people, L&D and trainers should start reading up on materials pertaining to this incoming generation of workers. Better still, interact with the college and university students who will be joining the work force soon and learn how to lead them.

George Bernard Shaw says: “Youth is wasted on the young.” But when they are not led properly and they come and waste company resources then the damage may be irreversible.

(Attend two exciting and inspiring days of leadership training with Francis Kong. His highly acclaimed Level Up Leadership seminar-workshop will have its last run for the year this Sept. 10 and 11 at Makati Diamond Residences (near Greenbelt 1). For registration or inquiries contact April at +63928-559-1798 or register online at www.levelupleadership.ph)