Today’s generation of future leaders expect continual growth
opportunities. Put them in anything that resembles a dead end job
and they’re history. Instead, senior leaders will benefit most if
they meet the challenge by providing bench strength building
tactics. Here are a few ways to prepare, engage and retain your
future leaders:
Listen to what they have to say.
Bright, young, talented people have ideas of their own. While they
may lack experience, they want an environment in which they can
express their ideas without hearing, “We’ve tried that before.”
Listen to what they have to say; encourage their creative thinking
and address roadblocks in a manner that provides positive historical
insights rather than door-closing comments.
Recognize and Reward.
Everyone likes a boss who shows appreciation; this generation even
more so. Find ways to provide short-term performance-based rewards.
Get to know their individual underlying motivations – they will be
different for each person. Reward them accordingly. While one
person may feel appreciated with group recognition, another may
prefer a subtle note of thanks in your own handwriting. I know one
division president who still has the handwritten note of gratitude
that his boss wrote to him more than fifteen years ago.
Encourage entrepreneurial thinking.
Create opportunities for forward-thinking individuals to come up with
their own solutions; then let them own them. This fosters
accountability and ownership of decision-making.
Share the spotlight.
No boss ever accomplished results alone. Give credit where credit is
due, including those who work hard to support behind the scenes.
Don’t presume experience comes only with age.
While seasoned employees may have longevity on the job, that doesn’t
always equate to the only valued experience. Recognize the
employee’s performance—not how long they’ve been doing it. Don’t
send a message that infers good decisions can only come with age.
Create an open, fun environment.
When the work environment is tense and punitive, who gets excited
about coming to work everyday?
Tell the truth.
Provide timely and consistent feedback. Employees would rather
receive a candid assessment of what they’re doing well, what needs
improvement and where problems may be lurking. Telling the truth
pays big dividends in the long run—for you and for them.
Provide growth opportunities.
As the boss, it’s your responsibility to stretch your employees in
order for them to grow. Do this responsibly by delegating tasks that
draw upon strengths; then monitor progress and commit time for
questions and follow-up as needed.
Yes, this is a unique time of multi-generations in the workplace.
But, don’t get too hung up on all the assumptions about differing
values in these diverse generations. Research by The Center for
Creative Leadership found that overall people express the same values
across all age groups. People across all generations cited family,
integrity, love and self-respect among their top five values.
Leaders who are credible, trusted and farsighted are also valued
across generations. Loyalty hasn’t changed as much as we are led to
believe either. The Center’s research indicated that younger people
twenty years ago changed jobs at about the same rate as younger
people today. It’s really all about the work environment, engaging
your employees and management’s commitment to build its bench
strength. That’s your role as the leader. 
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