Modern leadership



As we focus on this issue among our emerging leaders, it is fun to look at the defining characteristics of different generations.  I choose to focus particularly on Millennials (a.k.a. Generation Y), as they are generally considered to be people born between about 1981 and 1996, making them roughly 30–45 years old in 2026.  One interesting feature of this group is that it bridged the analog and digital worlds. Most Millennials remember life before smartphones and social media, but they were also early adopters of the technologies that transformed society.  They remember dial-up internet and flip phones, and they witnessed the rise of Facebook, Google, and YouTube.

Their arrival in the world of business was interesting as well. As Millennials entered adulthood, they experienced periods of economic disruption, including the dot-com bust, the 2008 financial crisis centered on the mortgage-lending industry, and the skyrocketing cost of housing.

In the actual place of work, Millennials are often associated with wanting meaningful work and a strong workplace culture.  They look for mission-driven organizations, work-life balance, corporate social responsibility, and flexible work arrangements.  Not all industries have been able to adapt to these movements, but the trends seem to be moving in this direction as the Millennials drag everyone else on this path. And when companies don’t get on board, Millennials leave. Baby Boomers tended to stay with one employer for 10 to 20 years.  Millennials stay 2.5 to 5 years. 

In general, Millennials tend to be highly collaborative and value teamwork, feedback, and professional development. They also value transparency from upper management. They are the generation that drove social media marketing, e-commerce adoption, and subscription services. One very interesting shift that Millennials have fueled is the trend to research purchases extensively online before buying.  They trust peer reviews much more than they trust traditional advertising.

Millennials are in the stage of life where many own or manage businesses, lead nonprofit organizations, serve on boards and committees, are elected officials, and are looking for community impact opportunities.

At the Chamber, we strive to have a collaborative, mission-driven, flexible work/office culture that is family-friendly.  Until I started working on this article, I was not sure I realized how much credit I owe to our Millennials for driving the adoption of these corporate cultural values. So I say, thank you for that. Perhaps, as the Gen. X’er that I am, I can say that old dogs can learn new tricks…occasionally. But don’t let that go to your heads, because we, Gen. X’ers, are still always right! Or maybe that’s just first-borns…More therapy might be needed!