The youth of today is a total different breed from when I was growing up. Young men and women have a real since of urgency about life. They want to obtain a job sooner. They aspire to be their own bosses. Their drive is to make something of themselves is much more aggressive than people born in the early 80’s, 70’s, 60’s and so forth…in my opinion. Information is abundant these days. It is easier for millennials to do research and study up on topics that interest them. Through the digital space and local leaders, for instance, millennials get an opportunity to piece together what they want their life to be. Afterwards, they begin the necessary steps in order to achieve that life. A recent study revealed that most millennials wish to become a leader. Out of 412 millennials surveyed, over 90% of them aspire to lead, 52% of that group were women. Although many of us may think money is the motivation, that’s incorrect. The study announced that the biggest motivator for millennials is to be able to empower others to be great. Yes, 43% said they want to “empower others to succeed,” 5% said money and 1% are motivated by power. Millennials seek a life a purpose. They ultimately want to inspire others; attack life with excitement and passion. “The Millennial Leadership Study,” conducted by Virtuali and WorkplaceTrends.com, also revealed the need for flexibility and work-life balance in most young adults. Most concluded that they’d rather “have a life” while working, instead of making loads of money. Here are some additional highlights from the survey: Millennials already think they have the right skills to become a leader. 58% of millennials said that the most important leadership skill is communication, which 51% said was one of their strongest skills. 55% of millennials said that the most important leadership skill is the ability to build relationships, which 66% said was one of their strongest skills. Millennials have weak leadership skills they might need to improve. 43% of millennials said that their weakest leadership skill is having industry experience and 41% said technical expertise. Millennials want to learn online and have mentors. When asked what type of training would be most effective for their development as a leader, 68% said online classes and 53% said mentoring. Only 4% of millennials said University courses. Millennials prefer to have fewer managers. 83% of millennials said they would prefer to work for a company with fewer layers of management. Companies need to create stronger leadership development programs. 55% of millennials surveyed said they aren’t satisfied with the leadership development opportunities offered by their company and 39% said their company suffers from poor leadership. Millennials say that the biggest problems with their company’s leaders is their ability to develop others (39%) and communication (50%). Millennials zest for life is commendable, but we can’t disregard the negative possibilities. However, if there’s maturity in play, becoming a great leader can be achieved sooner than one would think.
