Leadership Lessons We Can Learn from Generation Y

This week we turn our attention to Generation Y, those individuals with ages 21-31, the youngest members of our staff.  The reading is “Leadership Lessons We Can Learn from Generation Y” which appeared in the July 9, 2008 issue of Fast Company.

Bea Fields, author of this piece and Executive Coach, Speaker and Author as well as President of Bea Fields Companies, Inc., has some particularly good insight into what we can learn from GenYers.  In this article she suggests five things:

1.  Life is not all about work.  Life is about being happy, giving back to others, and having fun.  GenYers have watched the way their parents worked and want no part of that.  Using technology and their networks, they get 60 hours/week done in about half that time.

2.  Keeping up with current trends and technology is a must for success.  If you want to lead, you must use the most current tools and use them to your advantage.

3.  Diversity is king.  Accept people for who they are — get beyond race, ethnicity, color, and creed.

4.  Getting and giving feedback are critical for development.  GenYers want to know they are on the right path and how to do their work better.

5.  Building relationships is key to a leader’s success.  It takes a lot of time but is really worth it.

A related piece which may interest you is “Leadership by the New Generation” focuses on the coming generation of leaders and how their leadership style will be different from that of today’s leaders.

Have a great week.  .  .  .  .     jim