Leadership is a key component of any company and is often a root cause of financial distress in many cases. Dudu Myeni is a prime example of this, as is the current legal battle with the former leadership of Tongaat Hulett.
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about transitioning from an iconic CEO. The reality is that there is no fountain of youth, and some companies can actually benefit greatly from different ideas and a fresh approach being brought into their business.
Another reality is that business leaders are getting younger, not older. Are the leadership credentials of Millennials different to the leadership credentials of the generations that preceded them?
No major difference
Focusing on South Africa, an article by News24 points out that Millennial leaders in South African companies are little different from their older Generation X and Baby Boomer counterparts. This is according to the people they manage.
Even though worldwide studies have described people born in the 1980s and ’90s as caring and empowering, the 1 131 employees who answered questions about their managers at 19 companies said they hadn’t noticed.
The article adds that, if anything, younger managers “display less empowering leadership and transformational leadership than the leaders from the generation that preceded them”, say academics from Unisa’s Graduate School of Business Leadership.
No compelling evidence
The article points out that there is no compelling evidence that millennials lead in a manner different to other generations presently in the workforce, Carolyn Easton and Professor Renier Steyn write in the South African Journal of Business Management.
They add; perhaps generational culture is a much weaker predictor of leadership behaviour than the prevailing workplace culture – and perhaps leadership is just leadership, and the type of leadership displayed in today’s workplace is what is required now, irrespective of who fulfils that role.
The article adds that 19 Masters students at the Graduate School of Business Leadership asked staff at their companies – operating in sectors including telecommunication, financial services, media, manufacturing and electronics – to complete a questionnaire about their managers’ leadership styles.
These could be directive (telling staff what to do, how to do it, and when); transactional (using praise and reward to motivate); transformational (encouraging and inspiring); or empowered (allowing independence, self-leadership and participative decision-making).
Global difference
The article points out that Easton and Steyn said research globally had found millennial managers to be more authentic, democratic and transparent and to value teamwork, communication and respect as leadership traits.
This led them to hypothesise that millennial leaders in SA would display more empowering leadership – which emerged as the most dominant style at the companies studied – and that transformational leadership would be used equally by all generations.
The article adds that, to their surprise, Generation X managers born between 1965 and 1979 outscored millennials to a statistically significant extent in both areas that typify more progressive and modern management.
“From this, we can conclude that it is irresponsible to make a blanket statement that millennial leaders are seen to lead differently than other generation leaders in the workplace,” they say.
“Organisations involved in the development of millennial leaders should be aware that interventions should not blindly align to the stereotypes associated with this generation.”
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Hens teeth
The article points out that the scarcest leadership style identified by the employees who completed the questionnaire was transactional. Easton and Steyn said: “Directive leadership is less aligned with the democratic zeitgeist of the day.
“However, this may not be unaligned with the millennial workforce, in which the ‘parenting role’ of the leader may be acceptable or even asked for.”
When doubts kick in
There will be times when managers take a critical look at their management style and ask: am I making an impact? Is my team thriving under my leadership?
I recently read an article by the Harvard Business Review which details how managers should approach this crossroads.
Look inward and self-reflect
The article points out that, before you start judging yourself against others’ measuring sticks, turn inward. No matter how badly you feel about your performance, don’t ruminate: pause. While it can be very easy to spiral and think of all the “what ifs” and things that could have gone better, these thoughts won’t help you make decisions and changes in the long run.
Ruminating makes problems seem larger and more unmanageable than they actually are. Put a time limit on your ruminating thoughts; I recommend actually using a timer. Your self-assessment could be clouded by what others are saying about your leadership and work, so you won’t get clarity by thinking the situation to death. I coach clients to take 10 minutes for ruminating. When the timer goes off, it’s time to move on and brainstorm solutions.
Take a breather
The article adds that sometimes it’s good to take a more pronounced pause. If you have the time to take a break, go on a quick trip to clear your head.
If that’s not feasible, the next-best activity is walking. Take a walk without listening to a podcast or book. I recommend that clients take one slow, leisurely walk a day, with no noise or stimulation. Look at the trees, the houses in your neighbourhood, or any other sights in your path, and let your mind wander. Let things bubble up. You’ll gain insights into how to be a better leader and what actions to take. Make sure to have a place where you can record these ideas as you walk — the more specific the idea, the better. For example, you may record a voice memo: by the end of the week I will meet with the sales managers and go through their specific successes and issues. I will not let anyone reschedule meetings. I will report what I learn to leadership in our Tuesday meeting.
Get the facts
The article points out that, once you’ve taken a deep look at yourself, it’s time to gather external data so you can know which metrics you as a leader are aiming for — and if your teams’ negative assessments are well-founded.
First, look at your reviews and think through your one-on-one meetings. Ask yourself:
- What areas do I need to shore up?
- Has one area for improvement come up more than once?
- Have I made an honest effort to make the changes leadership has suggested?
The article adds that many leaders trip up here; they resist making difficult changes and put them off until “tomorrow.” Begin by looking at changes you’ve resisted making. Ask a lot more questions of your manager so you can begin shoring up your areas of improvement. If you took a 360, use this source to get even more clarity. Bolstering your developmental areas is where the detailed work has to happen; create a very specific plan to move forward. That means taking every area that you need to focus on and creating benchmarks to measure success so you’ll know whether or not you’re improving.
Evaluate your role within the company culture
Perhaps a culture clash is contributing to your lackluster leadership performance. Does your style of management fit what the company needs?
The article points out that, for example, if you’re in a culture that values getting work done quickly with some mistakes instead of thinking through every issue, your job is to get the work done and forget the extra analysis. If this isn’t your style, recognize that you must adapt to the company’s stated culture and work values. Simply saying “This is who I am” won’t get you the changes that you want. You must accept that there are times you will need to make changes, whether you like it or not.
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Expand your sphere of influence
The article points out that you should examine where you need to work on influencing and making deep connections with your peers — and just as importantly, your directs. Ask yourself these questions:
- Where can I make better calls for the group?
- Do I come to meetings as prepared as I need to be?
- Do I ask the uncomfortable or hard question?
- Have I cultivated relationships not only with peers and others whom I “like,” but also with peers who are more difficult to influence?
The more you cultivate your sphere of influence, the more positively others will view your leadership. You’ll also better understand the personality dynamics at play in your workplace and be more capable of evaluating the feedback you receive from others.
Enlist outside support
The article adds that you’ve done internal work to bolster your leadership, and you’ve enlisted help from within the organization.
Now it’s time to look externally. Do you have a mentor you can lean on for learning and advice? If no one comes to mind, look through your LinkedIn profile. Find someone outside the office who can give you candid, unfiltered ideas and solutions.
Re-examine your fit
Unfortunately, even after taking dedicated steps to improve your performance, the fit between you and your organization may not be right.
The article points out that perhaps it’s time to look for a new opportunity. You can only decide this after a lot of thinking and work, and it’s never an easy choice. Take your time; don’t make a snap decision. Ask yourself these questions:
- Is this the right organization for me?
- Do I want to be a leader within this organization?
- Am I happy and having fun?
- Do I want to grind and work through these issues?
Adapting to change
The main takeaway that I get from reading these two articles is that I find myself questioning if things have really changed over the past two years?
The landscape has definitely changed and there has been a fundamental shift in the way that consumers interact with products, how they make purchasing decisions, and their expectations when it comes to the companies that they spend their money with.
But has this not been the case since time began? Throughout history, there have been events that have fundamentally changed consumer behaviour. How have companies coped with this change in the past? There is no empirical evidence to suggest that Generation X leaders are more robust and have a greater level of mental fortitude than their Millennial counterparts?
Its about adapting to change and the seamless transition between leaders. I go back to my article about iconic CEOs. How do these companies survive and retain their popularity/profitability? It comes down to three elements:
- A leaders ability to adapt to change;
- Focusing on the core values of the business (mission, vision, value); and
- Blending their own unique ideas without disruption
I feel that Millennial leaders are different to their previous counterparts and this value will be recognised as the world becomes more digital and companies have to embrace hybrid marketplaces. Digital natives will eventually rule the world.
The Mystery Practitioner is an industry commentator that focuses on the shifting dynamics and innovative thinking that BRPs and turnaround professionals will need to embrace in order to achieve success in their businesses.
