If you look at management over the last hundred years, its culture has changed drastically with each generation. We can learn from these shifts, and it points to what the youngest members of the workforce value.
In the past, management culture was focused around institutions. People worked for the same company the entirety of their careers, were rewarded for their long-term commitments, and found financial safety in their retirement packages. As Baby Boomers entered the workforce, management culture moved from being institutionally driven to being individually driven. It was the emergence of individuals dominating the spotlight, like an athletic superstar or a maven of the corporate world.
If we look at more recent generations like Millennials and especially Gen Z, they are highly skeptical of institutions. In fact, they are ‘anti-institution,’ and often fight against them. They hold up a magnifying glass to old processes, looking for improvements, and are outspoken in their discontent toward restricting hierarchical processes.
Additionally, their faith in individuals has been devastated. They have seen parents or friends divorce, corporate leaders embezzle money, and sports celebrities cheat with steroids. What they do strongly believe in is ideation and transformational ideas.
What does that mean for our organizations as we continue to usher in younger generations? It’s important to have a strong institution and great leaders, but our vision and strategy must be driven by transformational ideas. At OneHope, that looks like including transformational ideas to appeal to younger audiences to champion the mission of God’s Word. Every Child.
How do these shifts in management preference influence your day-to-day?
