MILLENNIAL LEADERSHIP
3. Hang Out With the ‘Doers’
LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES
s l a i n Mille That
Need to Know and Execute Emad Rahim
W
hat is a Millennial, really? You hear this word every now and then, uttered by one pundit after another, relayed by traditional and social media alike. Simply defined, a Millennial is someone born between 1981 and 2000. Millennials are, in essence, the next generation, preceded by Generation X (1965-1980) and the Baby Boomers (1946-1964). Lately, companies and business leaders have spent much time and effort wooing Millennials – an understandable strategy given that this market is as diverse and forward-thinking as social observers have ever seen. But now that we know these Millennials are next in line to run the world in the years to come, what leadership skills and strategies must they develop to work and perform effectively? If you are a Millennial or have children who are Millennials, heed our top 10 leadership tactics to know and execute in the next few years.
“Understand the importance of ceding the limelight to your team members. 30
CEO MAGAZINE
You should cultivate the company of doers if you want to be a doer one day. Look around your community, at work, in your professional network, and identify those who are the rising stars in their respective areas. Earlier, we said you should read about the leaders of the past; now, we are saying you should emulate the leaders of today, learn from them, and apply the best practices they are implementing at work and in their private lives.
4. Cultivate Patience Author and philosopher Karma Peters says that patience is an important trait in leadership, not only because it appeals to your better angels, but also prevents you from making serious leadership mistakes that might cost you dearly down the road. Learn to wait for the right moment, at the right place, before making an important operational or business move. To be an effective leader, understand your interlocutors' priorities and make sure they mesh perfectly with your own aspirations.
5. Embrace Cultural Diversity 1. Do Your Homework To be an effective leader, do your homework. Simple as that! There is no shortcut to true leadership, unless you aspire to be a one-time leader, a flop. Go to school, get the education you need, and read as much you can, especially the biographies and leadership styles of those you want to emulate. Besides management skills and charisma, a leader also needs to know a thing or two about literature, culture and society, to name a few. The bottom line is: expand your horizon.
2. Learn the Ropes of True Leadership Learn the ropes of leadership by paying attention to your elders. They can be in your current company, at your local congregation, in your community... or in your house – we mean your parents. The goal is to learn how true leaders react when faced with challenges, from the simple to the complex. Sharon Weinberg, a Professor of Applied Statistics and Psychology at New York University, suggests that true leadership comes from experience, resilience and patience.
Expand your social horizon and learn about other cultures. In today’s economy, globalization is the order of the day. To hone your leadership skills, open yourself up to other foreign lifestyles and learn a thing or two about them. Familiarize yourself with the most popular leadership traits around the world, so that when your shining moment comes, you can adeptly cope with crossborder challenges and lead a global team.
6. Be Operationally Open-Minded ‘Operational open-mindedness’ means you believe there is more than one solution to a business problem – or a social problem, for that matter. The idea here is to recognize that true leadership does not have solutions to all