Generation Y Journey

We live and do business in a dynamic environment; there are new and important issues to be dealt with each day. Gen-Y leaders are an energetic and motivated group of people ready to create positive change. Their skills, abilities and characteristics represent both a change in workforce demographics and change in the manner in which business is conducted. It is important for managers to understand exactly what makes a Gen-Y leader in order to more effectively attract, develop, promote and retain this new breed of leaders.

Aggressive, Advancement Focused In this pool of talented young professionals, the ones who truly aspire to be leaders are aggressively goal-oriented. With this eagerness, Gen-Y leaders will strive to work faster and smarter at achieving small goals in order to gain more responsibility within their organization. As they gain responsibility, they strive for continuous learning through mentors, new perspectives and creative challenges to become experts in their field (as well as other fields). Gen-Y leaders also have high expectations of their employers and expect them to be focused and engaged in their professional development in order for them to move vertically through the organization.

Self-Conscious It seems that the dominate player is no longer the employer, but now the employee. Gen-Y leaders are aware that they possess a unique blend of skills and abilities and have many career options. It is now the employer’s responsibility to align work with their interests and passions. Gen-Y leaders are confident in their abilities, have a strong understand of technology and are well connected (in part due to the emergence of social networking). These characteristics will be critical for the success of companies in a dynamic businesses environment.

Change Catalyst Gen-Y leaders will not tolerant doing things for the sole reason of “that’s the way we’ve always done it.” They are not afraid to challenge the status quo. Gen-Y leaders are aggressive and want to make a significant impact as soon as possible. They will address the most challenging issues facing an organization or society. A group-oriented approach with a mix of generations and expertise brings new perspectives and promotes creative responses from Gen-Y leaders.

Tech Savy Technological competence is this generation’s core competency. The first generation to grow up with personal computers and the internet, Gen-Yers have a deep understanding of how technology can provide positive change on a large scale. Taking social networking to the next level, two Gen-Y entrepreneurs have demonstrated how technology and creating change work together.

o coolpeoplecare.org Shows people how they can make positive differences in their community and throughout the world. With its short “Tweet-like” articles, the tips provided are simple yet meaningful.

o MakeMeSustainable.com Demonstrates how anyone (including entire businesses) can become sustainable. The website allows the user to keep track of their carbon footprint with the overall goal of creating “a community of people concerned with their environmental footprint in order to network, spread the word and effectively mitigate their individual and communal impact.”