Next Generation Leadership
How can a leader today prepare to work with the members of the next
generation? Better yet, what can leaders do to prepare for the future of new
technology?
I believe that it’s actually quite simple. First and foremost, stay on top of things. This means reading the news relevant to you and doing research on upcoming inventions, ideas, and strategies. Work to find these new technologies and allow them a space in your working environment. Trusting younger workers can make this process significantly easier. When all is said and done, this will allow you to connect with your younger employees and prepare them to lead.
The best possible way to stay on top of things is to work with younger workers. They will know more about the technology and new things than anyone else. If you cannot find any young workers willing to tag along and give a helping hand, your workplace has a serious hitch to overcome. Oftentimes, it starts with something little like creating a social media platform for your business on a new website. Or it could be something more complex like using a new coding language because one coding language is no longer used. Either way younger workers are extremely beneficial and a key factor in any working environment.
Staying on top of things does not mean spending an excessive number of resources on unnecessary technology. Technology you purchase should always be technology that will boost your working environment — it’s an investment. Maybe you think a better coffee machine will boost your workers morale or maybe a newer and brighter monitor for your research team will increase productivity. Either way, these simple purchases are examples of little things that accelerate your office’s technology. Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine what the right purchase is. When it comes to knowing what will be most impactful for your office, seek the thoughts and opinions of those around you. Regardless of what you choose to buy one thing is for certain — offices or workspaces stuck using old technology and old techniques will be stuck in the past. It is important to remain flexible and allow these new technologies to take place in your offices and work environment. It will also help accelerate your working environment into the future, allowing for younger workers to flow into your organization.
All these younger workers joining the workforce are entering just as naïve and
anxious as you once were. The last thing any of these new workers want (or need) is someone who they feel disconnected from telling them around. What they need is a leader who will believe and trust in them, and if you hire right, they will thrive off that trust alone. So, you do all of this for what? Younger workers? Why would having younger workers be important or any different from having experienced workers? Some may argue the inexperienced and “non-knowledgeable” workers are not worth the investment, but they would be far from right. Not only do younger workers have new skills that can complement and elevate the skills of more experienced workers, but
younger workers also bring in a fresh set of eyes and a whole new perspective on everything, allowing for and emphasizing diversity of thought within the workplace.
Young workers will allow you to broaden your horizon and reach different customers and clients by utilizing their expertise on new technology and the newer markets. Additionally, when your working days come to an end, if you leave a strong impact on younger workers, they may grow into leaders and take upon your techniques, ideas, and strategies, leaving you with an endless leadership impact.
