A New Type of Leader
By 2025, Millennials will make up about 75% of the work force. And as Millennials take over the workplace, the qualities that define a "leader" will change.
For example, The Millennial Leadership Survey states nearly all, 91% of all Millennials, aspire to be leaders, and 43% of them are motivated to be the kind of leader that empowers others. This is a major departure from the leaders of today; Millennial leaders aren’t seeking to be trailblazers in just business, these leaders are looking to make a difference and change the world. They want to lead with purpose, inspire, and challenge others to find their purpose.
With Millennials at the helm, these are the new characteristics that will define the modern leader:
- Passion - Each leader finds a purpose for their action. When working at something you believe in, energy and enthusiasm becomes contagious. The drive that the leader feels will be apparent to the rest of the team, and will make working toward a goal a lot more appealing. Keeping a positive energy will keep the team working to their full potential.
- Trust - If you can't trust your team, they will never get the job done. Trusting them is saying that we can do it together and will earn you more respect in the end. Trust separates the true leaders from the micromanagers. No one likes a micromanager.
- Communication - This means not only delegating tasks but following up to see how the task is being done and to make sure everyone is trained properly. If you can't explain your aim, how will your goal be reached? Communicating is really the key to all leadership. It’s not only communicating, it's getting through to your team, make sure to form a connection.
- Accountability - When you're the leader, you're responsible for everything. It’s not about pointing fingers it’s about making responsible decisions and setting in-reach deadlines. If the team doesn’t make it, it’s because you didn’t get them there.
Some people say that leadership is a not an acquired characteristic, you’re either a leader or you are not. I hate to say it, but that's an extremely outdated way of thinking. As we will see as Millennials move to replace the old guard, anyone can find it within themselves to be a leader.
