Leadership needs to change. Employees want to be listened to. Like any relationship, if you won’t listen to your employees and make changes, then they will find someone else who will.
These challenging times offer opportunities to many groups of people previously side-lined from leadership positions because of social or other reasons. Indeed, I believe it will become increasingly difficult for many companies to justify expending resources (never mind carbon footprints), on frequently flying in staff from one part of the world to another when there are pools of local, talented leaders & potential leaders, who are simply not being fully utilised. Studies show that more and more people (especially Millennials and Zillennials), favour organisations and brands with teams that look like them or at least, share some of their values whether it’s human rights, equality, climate change, mental wellness and more.
These young people are not just raising awareness of, but are ready to march and highlight issues which previously would have been deemed “too controversial” for many organisations to discuss in public. In addition, whether it is in The USA, Asia, Europe or Africa, millennials and zillennials are no longer willing to simply sit back and be lectured to, by generations of people who, in their eyes, have done more to destroy the planet, stoke disunity while often, benefiting from unfair practices and unfair playing fields. Young talent have huge megaphones and are willing to use them.
Leadership therefore needs to change. Employees want to be listened to. Like any relationship, if you won’t listen to your employees and make changes, then they will find someone else who will.
Don’t make the mistake as many often do, that these issues are only important to millennial employees. Perhaps you manage a cross-generational team made up of millennials as well as, the “sandwich” generation (middle-age adults (often in their 40s and 50s) who are caring for both elderly parents as well as their own children). They too are looking for changes namely flexible working too. This is why, those in senior HR and other leadership positions, need to listen, communicate, recruit, and lead, according to the new norms or risk losing talent to competitors. Click HERE to read more of my coaching blogs & tips.
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