It’s no secret that millennials are the biggest force in the workforce. Defined as workers age 22-37, they push companies to evolve. They drive a culture of mindfulness. They work hard and demand flexibility. They expect companies to invest in them and give back to their communities.

Millennials are also the newest generation of managers and supervisors. So how do they leverage their specific skills and mindsets to become effective leaders?

In my book Virtual Teams for Dummies, I talk about the differences between generations in the workforce. Drawing on our 20 years of leadership training experience, PRC recently launched a leadership bootcamp designed specifically for new leaders. It’s been inspiring to watch these young managers take on new responsibilities in a program built specifically for them. Here are a few key elements we included in our leadership bootcamp program:

• Moving from ‘Bud to Boss’ – Setting boundaries, having difficult conversations, clear communication, reinforcing accountability. Learning these skills is a difficult but necessary part of the transition to leader.
• Importance of emotional intelligence – The ability to identify and manage your own emotions – and the emotions of others – is essential for leaders today.
• Building a feedback, recognition and collaboration culture — Millennials genuinely want detailed feedback on their work and they want to provide constructive feedback. They are also comfortable sharing the spotlight with their team and encouraging their team to share their ideas.
• Manager as coach – Coaching is a skill learned over time, but a new manager should start early to learn how to motivate, give honest feedback and listen.
• Lifetime of skills development – Training is not ‘one and done.’ Millennials deeply value learning and development. Show them a roadmap of the ongoing skills they will learn.
• Incorporate mentorship – Support and facilitate mentoring relationships with senior leaders to model smart career decisions and help new leaders learn the policies, procedures and culture of the organization.
• Engaging content – Training and development materials for millennials need to be short and to the point, and utilize technology to its advantage.

Research shows that millennials consistently rank ‘opportunities to learn and grow’ as high on the list of importance when seeking a job. Take it from us, investing in your new managers will pay off – literally, with significant ROI in recruitment and retention. Enjoy this free infographic from PRC on our Leadership Bootcamp as a handy reminder! If you want to kick off 2020 with leadership development for new managers, contact us today for the details.