How to Manage Millennials: How Are You Prioritizing Passing the Leadership Baton?
In May, I’ll be facilitating a workshop – Millennials: How to Attract, Engage, and Retain Next-Gen Leaders – at C12 Group’s Leadership Conference in Atlanta, GA. My co-facilitator, Brandon Schaefer, and I will address a topic that is weighing heavily on the minds of visionary CEOs, presidents, and business owners – How do we attract, equip and retain key leaders to fulfill our vision?
How can you use your years of gaining skills, experience, and wisdom to impact the lives of people in your sphere of influence?
There are two divergent pathways for leaders. Robert Clinton, in “The Making of a Leader: Recognizing the Lessons and Stages of Leadership Development,” reflects on his research business, non-profit, and church leaders.
Which trajectory are you on?
Pathway 1: Some leaders build amazingly successful enterprises, dreaming of a successful retirement of relaxing, golfing, travel, or spending time with hobbies. They believe that’s what they have been working toward – freedom to do what they want, when they want it, where they want and with whomever they want.
They are unaware that, in reality, they are still currently being prepared for the next stage of leadership, which can of the highest impact. They might not realize the significance of faithfully passing the leadership torch to the next generation.
Pathway 2: Clinton terms it Convergence, the stage at which you can, if you choose, have the most far-reaching impact of your life. This happens when all your experiences come together. Even in your current role, where you may feel like you are at the peak of your career, God is, in fact, preparing you for this climax.
Leaders Build Leaders
Top leaders are aware that the most significant legacy they will leave, in both their work and families, is of equipping the next generation of leaders.
Wise leaders have character, confidence, and collaboration as part of their leadership DNA. In Luke 12:48 Jesus tells his disciples, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (NIV). The Message translation provides an added layer of insight. “Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!”
We as business, sales, and non-profit leaders have indeed been given much. We live in the wealthiest country in the wealthiest time in history. We have greater gifts than many before us. Consequently, we have greater responsibilities. This includes being diligent in raising up the next generation of character-based leaders.
Now is an unprecedented point in world history. Millennials are stepping into a global economy that’s rife with trials as well as opportunities beyond what any previous generation has experienced. As a result, they face the unknowns with emotions that run the spectrum from eager anticipation to gut-clenching fear. Though wanting to make a positive difference, they lack the skills, knowledge, and experience to effectively proceed.
Our emerging leaders need the benefit of our deeply rooted character, confidence, and collaboration.
They cannot maximize their influence in a global community or ensure the best long-term results without the benefit of highly experienced leaders equipping and collaborating with them. We need each other in order to generate a positive influence – our experience collaborating with the advanced technical expertise and fresh insight of the younger generation.
Are you at a point of Convergence?
Millennials need us. And we need them. Countries around the world are undergoing rapid shifts, and millions of Millennials struggle day after day to gain solid footing. Amid the chaos of culture, values, and challenges to faith, next-gen leaders need each of us to pass on the baton of what we know.
When each of us, who is a builder of business and a leader of people, serve as mentors, young leaders will be able to run every good race with the best possible results. In return, we maximize our teams with the unique abilities Millennials contribute, mobilize them as leaders of character and realize the full legacy God called us to.
Hope to see you in Atlanta at Current C12 Marketplace Leader Conference – the largest gathering of Christian CEOs, business owners, and executives in the United States. Hear from 17 different speakers and presenters from multiple industries sharing proven best practices and practical advice in running a successful, God-honoring business
Pass the Leadership Baton!
Don’t drop your leadership wisdom baton by the wayside. Pass it to someone eager to carry it on.
Here are more articles to read on this topic:
Millennial Leadership: What is your Role in Passing the Baton?
Millennials and the Church: What is your Role in Passing the Baton?
This article featured in my January 2019 Newsletter
Leadership Lesson: Our emerging leaders need the benefit of our deeply rooted character, confidence, and collaboration.
Leadership Question: What are you doing to equip the Millennial in your life to receive the leadership torch from you?
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