2016

EMERGING LEADERS IMPACT ON COACHING

NCSU BUSINESS COACHING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

WESLEY CARTER, GAIL FERREIRA, DALE SMITH, MICHAEL SLEDGE

JULY 2016

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Table of Contents

Introduction .............................................................................................................. 2

Values……………………………………………………………………………....2

Learning Behaviors .................................................................................................. 4

Communication ........................................................................................................ 6

Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 8

References ............................................................................................................... 11

Appendix …………………………………………………………………………12

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Introduction

When thinking of emerging leadership, it is hard not to think of Millennials and how they

may significantly influence the Coaching profession. They are the largest demographic since the

Baby Boomers and will be the largest generation in the workforce within a few years. When

considering Millennials and their future contributions, a number of factors are important to

understand. Their values, learning behaviors, communication and styles all seem important to

this generation’s future effect on the perception and utilization of Coaching.

Values

When researching Millennials’ values the World Wide Web is a significant contributor.

Sir Tim Berners-Lee (2015), a British computer scientist, founded the World Wide Web

Consortium to develop open web standards, which eventually became the Internet in 1994. Born

between 1980 and 2000, Millennials were the first demographic to grow up with technology

(Brack & Kelly, 2012). They are resourceful, tech-savvy, and our most educated demographic.

Access to the Internet’s steady flow of information during their formative years

influences how millennials approach work. They prefer meaningful work over financial reward

and consider themselves citizens of the world, and as such, readily entertain the opportunity to

work overseas. The need for personal enrichment and fulfillment fuels their desire to integrate

personal with professional. They value flexibility and informal work environments.

Millennials spent their childhood engaged in structured afterschool activities (Klass &

Lindeberger). Hence, they are accustomed to being coached and receiving feedback. This is

evident in their expectation of the same from their employer. Millennials value coaching and

mentoring in lieu of traditional management (Brack & Kelly, 2012).

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The inherent speed and access to information has influenced their perception of time.

They value shortcuts and hackers (Gillenwater, 2015). This generation of natural hackers are

driven to find solutions to global problems (Croke, 2014). Millennials desire efficiency,

flexibility, and agility. They place little value on 20th

century workplace norms.

Millennials are expected to represent 46% of the workforce by 2020 (Brack & Kelly,

2012) and 75% of the workforce by 2030 (Fromm, 2015). Thus, they are the most influential

population. Their average tenure at an organization is two years versus seven years for Baby

Boomers. They are efficient problem solvers because they developed critical thinking skills

amidst the plentiful resources of the Internet highway.

According to Croke (2014), millennials value belonging, recognition, and the need for

ease. They are socially conscious, embracing the one-for-one philosophy of Toms Shoes and

other demonstrations of purpose driven corporate responsibility. For millennials, social action is

a badge of honor. This demographic perfected humblebragging on social media and seeking

recognition to feel unique (Crowe, 2015; Fromm, Lindell, & Decker, 2011). They share ideas,

images, and accomplishments real time. Millennials leverage examples of personal recognition

to build social currency. Generally, their default action is to take the path of least resistance.

This need for ease is often misinterpreted (Croke, 2014).

Millennials value experiences over things (Kadlec, 2015). They crave sensory stimulation

(Palley, 2013). To market to millennials, retailers must offer exclusive events, custom shopping

experiences, and products that enhance connections, such as, travel and entertainment (Cowling,

2015). “Millennials want to make the world a better place and the future of work lies in

inspiring them” (Poswolsky, 2015, para. 1). Ultimately, millennials want their environment,

experiences, and contributions to align with their values.

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Learning Behaviors

Personal Learning

Sources for learning by Millennials are overwhelmingly gained through social media and

the web. Research conducted by Kim Beasley found that social media, email and online word-

of-mouth (chat programs like Skype) comprise the most popular channels for young adults’

seeking news (Beasley, 2014).

Friends are also a powerful component for Millennials seeking information, whether the

interaction is online, in person or through social media. They trust information coming from

friends but also from other young people as well. The importance of friends’ opinions can be

seen when a Millennial is contemplating a purchase. Word of mouth about a product is a

powerful influencer: just look at how many likes a brand gets from online shoppers.

Figure 1

Figure 1 indicates how Millennials get their news but also indicates how they look for

information (YPulse, 2014). Questions could include help with a health issue, developing a skill,

or fixing a leaky faucet. The familiarity with online resources is part of how they live. They

Sources for News

Print-Radio-TV

Internet

Social Media

Word of Mouth

Other

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navigate the web at lightning speed and multitask while on line. They have learned not to accept

just one view and are more open to ideas and group thought as a result. They will listen but want

as much information as they can get to verify accuracy. This has allowed them to develop

critical thinking skills, show ability to work in teams, and be collaborative.

Social media has had a profound effect on this generation and has taught millennials how

to connect and network. This accessibility has often provided opportunities to connect and

develop comfort levels with strangers. There is almost a fearlessness on questioning and asking

for other opinions and help. Blogs have contributed a proliferation of “points of view” and have

become a source for professional and personal exchanges. This has reshaped how relationships

are developed and how information is disseminated.

Work Learning

The employment landscape is changing as well for this generation. According to a UNC

Kenan Flagler study, Millennials want different things from employers than previous generations

(Brack, J. & Kelly, K. 2012). Understanding that this group is the most educated to enter the

work force and are comfortable with the constant use of technology will be critical for

employers. Diane Spiegal, CEO of The End Result, a corporate training and leadership

development company, writes that Millennials want the following from their employers (Speigal,

American Express Open Forum, 2011):

1. Coaching. Millennials were raised with constant coaching and feedback and expect it to

continue in the workplace. Coaching will keep Millennials engaged in their work (Meister &

Willyerd, 2010).

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2. Collaboration. Millennials are natural collaborators, particularly when the group’s purpose and

goals are understood. Spiegal recommends that employers be clear about deadlines and any

business boundaries the group should be aware of.

3. Measures. Millennials were raised with a lot of structure and measuring systems and are

accustomed to understanding how they will be judged and assessed. They expect these metrics to

continue in the workplace, so employers should define clear and consistent job assessment

criteria.

4. Motivation. Millennials want a work environment that is comfortable which inspires them to

contribute without fear of being criticized. They prefer to follow leaders who are honest, have

integrity and who treat them with respect. Leaders should let Millennials know the big picture so

they understand their roles.

Communication

The communication patterns for millennials is multidimensional, but consistency in research

suggest that millennials are pretty straight forward about their desires for communication. Price

Waterhouse Cooper published the “Millennials at Work, Reshaping the workplace article in 2011

after conducting an online survey of more than 7300 graduates across 75 countries, they found

that millennials are quite comfortable with technology (Millennials at work, Reshaping the

workplace, 2011). They are the first generation to grow up with broadband, laptops,

smartphones as well as social media and their expectation is that technology is to be used

extensively in every phase of life. 41% of millennials surveyed felt more comfortable using

technology to communicate rather than face to face contact (Millennials at work, Reshaping the

workplace, 2011). This has caused some conflict with other generations within the workplace

who are more comfortable with face to face contact. There is also an expectation that

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technologies that empower their personal lives will also drive communication and innovation in

the workplace. 59% stated that state-of-the art technology was important to them when

considering a job and 78% said that technology access makes them more effective at work

(Millennials at work, Reshaping the workplace, 2011). All of this has had a profound effect on

businesses seeking to attract millennials. There is more consideration and focus on access to

technology with agencies developing virtual teams and telework environments to align with

millennial attitudes (Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010).

Millennials have specific views about workplace communication beyond technology.

They generally welcome and expect detailed, regular feedback and want praise for good work

(Millennials at work, Reshaping the workplace, 2011). 51% questioned said that feedback

should be given very frequently or continually on the job and only 1% said that feedback was not

important to them. Organizations seeking to attract Millennials will need to set clear

expectations for job performance and plan on giving regular and structured feedback (Millennials

at work, Reshaping the workplace, 2011).

Other aspects of millennial communication is the need for regular access to their

supervisor and the requirement for access to high level information within the company (Myers

& Sadaghiani, 2010). They desire involvement with transparent agencies that discuss goals and

strategies throughout the organization, despite the level (Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010). Another

generality found is that they are happy learning from more experienced employees, are team

oriented and like the process of team decision making. This translates into a business necessity

of developing social environments that foster collaboration and seek input for decision making

(Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010).

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Based on the data presented, there are strong indicators that coaching will be embraced

by millennials. The desire for consistent support and recognition, the need for supervisory

connections with real time feedback and the comfort of communicating virtually rather than in

person could be unique challenges in the workplace. Coaching could provide a linkage to help

assimilate this group into a diverse work environment with its own unique needs and challenges.

The communication patterns indicate that millennials will need support for managing

intergenerational interaction, handling disappointment and assistance with compromise in the

workplace.

Conclusion

Mobile, connected, constant, engaged, purposeful, collaborative, flexible and direct

would provide a summary of traits used to describe the generation of American workers known

as Millennials. Their styles and methods of learning reflect the environments and times in which

they have come of age. Coaches and leaders of all generations should take the time to

understand the uniqueness of this group as they seek to engage and motivate them to be

successful.

Millennials don’t remember a world without cell phones, computers, and the web (Nevid,

2011). They have acquired much of what they know about life and wisdom through the use of

technology and are masters of the smart phone. Accessing information anywhere and at any time

is expected.

They grew up engaged in numerous extracurricular activities, many of which were sports

related and had coaches. They are accustomed to and prefer constant and frequent feedback on

how they are doing and they don’t want ambiguity. Give it to them clearly (Klass, n.d.) No

generation since the 1960’s has been more socially conscious and many of these Millennials

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have spent countless hours involved in activities that they believe matter in making the world a

better place. Work is a key part of their life, not a separate activity and they want it to count.

They have also been overachievers throughout their childhood and early adult life. Keep them

engaged and they will deliver (Meister, 2010).

Group projects and team based activities were a way of life for many of them throughout

their formal educations and extra-curricular activities (Nevid, 2011). They know how to work

with others and often prefer this kind of approach. Don’t ask this generation to punch a 9 – 5

clock. Getting it done wherever and whenever is natural to them (Halliga, n.d.). Multi-tasking is

a way of life and they prefer learning in bit sized chunks, best served up in a multi-media, social-

media style (Fayad, 2015).

So what does this mean for the coaching profession? Really good news! Coaching can

become an integral part of the millennial’s career development plan. Millennials indicate that

they want to work for companies and organizations that give them a say in their career

development. Traditional career-paths where meeting milestones for certain competencies

indicate the promotion readiness of an employee are of little interest. The opportunity to choose

and influence individual skill development and determine the future with an organization would

be important to a Millennial. Additionally, if you don’t promote Millennials and give them

increasing responsibility to learn and expand, the loyalty factor diminishes significantly and their

desire to stay and be a part of the emerging leadership pipeline. The profession of coaching fits

comfortably into this space and should be a significant contributor to emerging leaders in the

future.

Finally, we have identified and included in an appendix a few assessment tools that

would be beneficial to emerging leaders when confronting challenges at work and in their

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personal lives. The first one is an adaptation of the “Wheel of Life”, the second is the “360

Tool” and the final is the “Reframing Tool”. All of which would be useful in determining how

Emerging Leaders are viewing themselves and how others are viewing them. Each of these tools

gives a little different perspective and since we understand that Millennials desire feedback,

these tools would be excellent for the growth they are seeking and could be prominent support

mechanisms for coaches to help with this process.

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References

Beasley, K. (2014). How Do Young Adults Find Their Current News Stories? Retrieved from

https://kimbeasley.com/2013/12/young-adults-find-current-news/

Berners-Lee, T. (2015). History of the Web. World Wide Web Foundation. Retrieved from

http://webfoundation.org/about/vision/history-of-the-web/

Brack, J. & Kelly, K. (2012). Maximizing Millennials in the workplace. UNC Kenan-Flagler

Business School. Retrieved from http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/executive-

development/customprograms/~/media/DF1C11C056874DDA8097271A1ED48662.ashx

Cowling, N. (2015). Millennials want experiences, not stuff: Can brands deliver. Marketing.com.

Retrieved from http://www.marketingmag.ca/consumer/millennials-want-experiences-not-stuff-column-164421

Croke, B. (2014). How to engage millennials? Appeal to 3 core values, 3 core traits.

GreenBiz.com. Retrieved from https://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/10/24/engage-

millennials-and-gen-z-appealing-values-and-traits

Crowe, P. (2015). Here are 7 things millennials value most. Business Insider. Retrieved from

http://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-millennial-values-2015-5

Fayad, A. (2015, July). Retrieved from ELM: www.elearningmind.com/our-millennials-

ourselves-why-we-should-all-learn-like-gen-y/.

Fromm, J. (2015). Millennials in the workplace: They don’t need trophies but they want

reinforcement. Forbes.com. Retrieved from

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jefffromm/2015/11/06/millennials-in-the-workplace-they-

dont-need-trophies-but-they-want-reinforcement/#39c1b98e5127

Fromm, J., Lindell, C., & Decker, L. (2011). American millennials: deciphering the enigma

generation. The Boston Consulting Group and Barkley. Retrieved from

https://www.barkleyus.com/AmericanMillennials.pdf

Gillenwater, R. (2015). Why Millennials in the workplace ‘don’t care,’ and 4 things you can do.

Entrepreneur.com. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246437

Halliga, B. (n.d.). Inc. Hiring. Retrieved from Inc.: www.inc.com/brian-halligan/how-

millennials-think-and-what-to-do-about-it.html

Kadlec, D. (2015). What millennials can teach baby boomers about happiness. Family Finance.

Retrieved from http://time.com/money/4030036/millennials-boomers-buying-

experiences/

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Klass, T. L. (n.d.). Retrieved from Business KnowHow:

http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/millennials.htm

Meister, J. C. (2010). Mentoring Millenials. Harvard Business Review.

Myers, K. K., & Sadaghiani, K. (2010, June 25). Millennials in the Workplace: A

Communication Perspective on Millennials Organizational Relationships and

Performance. Journal of Business and Pyschology, pp. 225 - 238.

Poswolsky, A. (2015). What millennial employees really want. Fast Company. Retrieved from

http://www.fastcompany.com/3046989/what-millennial-employees-really-want

Millennials at work, Reshaping the workplace. (2011). Retrieved from Price Waterhouse Cooper:

https://www.pwc.com/m1/en/services/consulting/documents/millennials-at-work.pdf

Speigal, D. (2011, July 20). American Express Open Forum. Retrieved from

www.americanexpress.com: http://www.openforum.com/articles/why-hiring-millennials-

is-good-for-your-business

YPulse 32 Broadway #1604, New York, NY 10004 (2014). Study: Millennials and News, Fact

Checked; Retrieved from (YPulse Insight, 2014)

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Pizza and Your Potential! G. Ferreira 7-2016 Appendix 1 Pizza?? Well what better way to “Slice up” the Wheel of Life. And it is something that everyone loves! This Pizza tool is an adaptation from the Wheel of Life. For Millennials in particular, their challenges at work center around how they work in comparison to other colleagues and how they demand different things of traditional organizations. As described in our research, we have learned that Millennials as emerging leaders need guidance and feedback with challenge opportunities and a culture for exploration of new ideas. In order for them to explore these opportunities and create a playbook of action items, they really need to examine their level of satisfaction with what is being provided in the workplace.

Areas of

Challenge

What is a

concern?

Priority

How

Important?

Motivation

What drives

you?

What’s

working/ not

working?

What’s

holding you

back?

Goal

What do

you want

from this?

What does

Success look

like for you?

Strategy

How will you

start?

What options

are you

considering?

Action Steps

What will

you do first?

When will

you do this?

How will I

know you’ve

stepped

forward?

The Wheel/Pizza has all of the major “wants” that a Millennial/Emerging Leader is seeking. These categories are always changeable by the client too. Understanding their level of satisfaction with each will help them begin their journey.

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Emerging Leader: _______________________________ DATE_____________________

EXAMPLE

8

9

7

2

4

5

8

6

EMERGING LEARDER WHEEL INSTRUCTIONS The 8 sections in the Wheel represent areas of focus.

Please change, split or rename any category so that it’s

meaningful and represents a balance career for you.

Next, taking the center of the wheel as 0 and the outer edge as 10, rank your level of satisfaction with each

area out of 10 by drawing a straight or curved line to create a new outer edge (see example)

The new perimeter of the circle represents your ‘Wheel’ Is

it a bumpy ride?

Dialogue about

Career

Personal Growth & Learning

Feedback and

Frequency

Collaboration

Learning

Guidance an

Alignment of Values

0 10

Opportunities for

new challenges

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Appendix 2

360

http://www.360mirror.org/thnk#information

360 Mirror is a comprehensive 360° leadership development tool. It is developed by THNK to

provide insights into your creative leadership skills. In only a few steps you’ll learn about your

strengths and learning edges, resulting in the ultimate chance to enhance your unique set of gifts.

Offered in collaboration with the THNK School of Creative Leadership, the 360 leadership

assessment gathers feedback from individuals familiar with your leadership to offer a perspective

on your existing skills.

THNK: This global program helps leaders to further develop their creative leadership skills and

master the process of breakthrough innovation. Learn with and from each other in this

transformational experience.

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Appendix 3 Reframe Tool

THE ART OF THINKING DIFFERENTLY

When we’re stuck on a problem or in a situation, sometimes all we need is another perspective.

This new perspective can help us to come up with a new approach or solution. Reframing can be

used both for professional and for private problems. Do you want to:

Rethink the relationship with your parents, partner or boss

Come up with new products or services

Create a new way to help people in your community

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