Leading Millennials Well

In the next 5 years, businesses will spend millions of dollars trying to connect with the generation known as “millennials”. That’s not scientific, but we all know it’s a fact because we’ve heard it a million times (right?).

Can one generation really be that different? Yes and no. If you think about the influx of social networks in our daily lives and the increasing use of technology, most companies don’t know where to start or what medium is best for reaching a “connected” generation.

So instead of dwelling on the same questions all big corporations and small businesses are asking, what if we focused our attention internally — to understand whom we work with and must lead daily.

From a millennial’s perspective, leadership is hammered into us. We see it everywhere now: “10 steps to… 5 ways to… 1000 gifs that describe…” I used to think leadership was a position handed to you after “sticking through it” in a “lesser” position. Now more than ever I believe leadership is an attitude and way of carrying yourself above all, which helps distinguish between good and bad leadership.

So why does leadership (good or bad) matter for the millennial generation? Because we all define leadership differently. And then there’s the classic ongoing debate about whether you are born a leader or can learn to lead. Many would say it’s a balance of both. There are plenty of counselors and coaches to help someone in a “position of leadership” lead well and some even seem predisposed with great leadership skills, growing up in a home with great leadership.

Whatever your stance in the debate, one thing remains constant:

You have to delegate well.

If you’ve ever spent time in a corporate environment (or maybe you are right now), you’ll understand how important this is. Too many times leaders forget they hired the people on their team to handle tasks within an expertise, leading to constant meddling. Meddling, otherwise known as doing someone’s job for them, is the first sign of poor delegation.

Poor delegation breeds discontent, but great delegation builds a foundation of trust.

Delegation takes effort. Sometimes a LOT of effort. Before jumping head first into a project, have a moment of clarity regarding the people best suited to handle what needs to be done. The results you’ll see from empowering versus meddling will never stop compounding.

When all is said and done, millennials really want to trust and be trusted. If you want to reach millennials, break down the barriers of trust and delegate with purpose.

Need some help engaging with millennials in your workplace? Join us for a Lunch Lesson happening tomorrow in Dunwoody – ‘6 Ways To Engage Millennials For Your Business.’

**Today’s Guest Post was originally posted on the HiveATL blog by T.R. Wilhoit. T.R. is an experienced digital marketer and community manager. He loves helping people discover better ways to reach their goals and connect to their audience.