emerging leaders report 2011

Emerging Leaders Report 2011Engaging and Retaining Young Emerging Leaders

Alicia Cur*swww.aliciacur)s.comwww.emergen.com.aualicia@aliciacur)s.com aliciacurtis

http://www.aliciacurtis.com


http://www.emergen.com.au


mailto:[email protected]




2 Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders Today www.aliciacur8s.com

About the Author

Alicia Cur*s is one of Australia’s most experienced

mentors of young leaders. She has managed her own leadership development consultancy since 2002, working

with thousands of young people aged 12 to 35 years old.

Alicia’s talent is in developing engaging leadership

programs that inspire young professionals to step up in their careers and community.

She is a Professional Member of the Na*onal Speakers

Associa*on of Australia and received the Western Australian Excellence in Speaking Award in 2008.

Alicia also holds a Masters in Business Leadership.

Alicia herself has had a diverse range of leadership experiences including aMending the first Interna*onal Children’s Conference on the Environment host by the United Na*ons in 1995 when

she was just 12 years old. She then went on to co-‐found her own Children’s Conference in Perth

with three other young people when she was 13 years old. The organisa*on s*ll exists today as Millennium Kids.

Alicia has held many leadership posi*ons such as State President of the Na*onal Speakers

Associa*on in 2010, Na*onal Young Business and Professional Women’s Director from 2007 -‐ 2010

and she even ran as an independent candidate for the Federal Senate, being profiled on Sunrise and polling 7th out of 15 groups in the 2004 elec*on.

Currently, Alicia leads one of Australia’s largest and most ac*ve online communi*es for young

professionals called Emergen. This website ac*vates young emerging leaders through connec*on to

people and resources, providing inspira*onal educa*on opportuni*es and promo*on.

www.aliciacur*s.com

www.emergen.com.au



Execu-ve Summary

Young emerging leaders serve as a reservoir of talent and ambi*on that is ready to be harnessed by

innova*ve organisa*ons. This second edi*on of an annual report, that provides an understanding of the challenges and expecta*ons of young emerging leaders, gives organisa*ons the insight to effec*vely

cul*vate their next genera*on of leaders. Our analysis is based on a recent survey of 204 young professionals across Australia.

Demographics of Survey Respondents➡ 80% were the age of 30 or under with 63% female and 37% male➡ 35% work for a na*onal company, 32% locally and 31% globally

➡ 37% work for a company with 1 – 50 employees, 8% with 50 – 100 employees and 52% over 100 employees

Summary of Survey Findings➡ Lack of professional development opportuni*es as the biggest challenge in the workplace for young

professionals (24%) followed closely by a suppor*ve environment (23%).

➡ 33% said exis*ng qualifica*ons (age, skills, experience and length of *me at the company) were the biggest barriers to leadership roles.

➡ Opportuni*es to lead was the highest scored op*on to ensure success in leadership responsibili*es

and aspira*ons.➡ 36% acknowledged that managing people and projects was the biggest challenge they face in a

leadership role.➡ The top four employer quali*es were great culture and staff, opportuni*es for advancement,

training and development, and great pay.

➡ 56% said that either career development, promo*ons and moving into a leadership role, great culture or training and development would make them stay with current employer longer.

➡ 24% u*lize prac*cal experience as a method of upda*ng sod skills.

Key Recommenda9ons➡ Develop clearly defined pathways to leadership roles that involve increased responsibility and

influence.➡ Create internal systems that can review performance and provide regular, construc*ve feedback.

➡ Provide con*nuous training and development opportuni*es through a variety of methods that include mentoring, trying new roles, and u*lizing online resources.

➡ Iden*fy new and challenging roles or assignments.

➡ Foster a suppor*ve and engaging environment that provides flexibility.➡ Assess the current organiza*onal structure and address weaknesses in communica*on and

leadership.➡ Check with compe*tors in your industry to make sure your pay and benefits are fair.

➡ Share this report with senior management and key personnel.

** 9 key ideas for organisa9ons are listed in the Recommenda9ons sec9on on Page 19.

Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders Today www.aliciacur8s.com 3



Contents

Execu9ve Summary

Introduc9on

Survey Methodology

Challenges in the Workplace

Pathways to Leadership

How to Succeed in Leadership

Recrui9ng and Retaining Young Professionals

Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

Conclusion and Recommenda9ons

How can Alicia help your organisa9on?


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Introduc-on

One of the most cri*cal factors in an organiza*on’s success is its capacity to

equip individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary for effec*ve and empowering leadership. Young professionals serve as a reservoir of talent

and ambi*on. It is important for Human Resource and Talent managers to

be informed on how to develop these emerging young leaders by understanding what they value and what they expect from their employers

as they define their careers. In this report we provide an analysis of survey results for 204 emerging leaders throughout Australia.

In an ini*al survey completed in 2010 we found that the next genera*on of professionals are seeking opportuni*es that are challenging and embedded

in a suppor*ve and engaging environment. In our most recent follow-‐up survey we found that these sen*ments remain true.

Most young professionals are eager to contribute their *me and effort for the progress of the companies they work for. In addi*on, they seek

development of their skills and management abili*es through the guidance and encouragement of their colleagues. More importantly, the survey

results highlight the necessity of organiza*ons to create clear pathways to

leadership that allow emerging leaders to progress based on performance and not their age.

The opinions and comments of our survey respondents offer important

insight for companies who wish to harness the poten*al of their rising stars

and develop leaders that will guide their organiza*ons into the future.

Survey Methodology

The Emerging Leaders Survey was conducted online in November and

December of 2010. The survey targeted a sample popula*on of self

iden*fied young professionals. The survey was posted online at emergen.com.au, an online community for young professionals aged 20 to

35 who are passionate about excelling in their careers and community. The survey consisted of 15 ques*ons, several of which were open ended and

allowed respondents to give detailed, candid commentary. The ques*ons

centered on aMributes of the workplace, successes and challenges in leadership roles, and expecta*ons from current employers.

Most of the respondents are ac*ve members of the online network

emergen.com.au or a young professional network or associa*on. A total of

204 individuals responded to the survey ranging in age from 20 to 40 years


Young professionals

serve as a reservoir of talent

and ambition.

The opinions and comments of our

survey respondents offer important insight for companies who wish to harness the

potential of their rising starts.



old, with 80% under the age of 30. Sixty three percent are female and 37%

men.

Half of the respondents work for businesses with more than 100 employees and 36% work for business with fewer than 50 employees. There is an

almost even distribu*on of respondents working in businesses that are local

(32%), na*onal (35%) or global (31%). More than half of the respondents spend most of their *me in Western Australia, 16% in Victoria, 16% in New

South Wales, with the remainder residing in other states/territories in Australia.

The respondents work in a variety of industries with the top five being professional services, government, educa*on services, finance and

insurance and health care and community services.

Emergen.com.au

Emergen is a collabora*ve online community that ac*vates young emerging

leaders in Australia. It’s free to join and has a range of resources and ac*vi*es for young professionals.


emergenactivating emerging leaders



Challenges in the Workplace

Respondents were asked to describe the biggest challenges they face as a

young professional in the workplace. The most cited challenge was limited access to opportuni4es for professional development. Respondents

provided specific examples of skills or knowledge that they wished to

develop, including the following (in order of importance):

-‐ Managing professional rela*onships-‐ Managing projects and clients

-‐ Strategic career planning

-‐ Leadership-‐ Personal branding

-‐ Overcoming the learning curve-‐ Networking

-‐ U*lizing technology

Young professionals highly value opportuni4es to develop their skills and

experience. They are also eager to differen*ate themselves from their peers and to carve out a niche or special func*on in the workplace through their

unique skills and knowledge. Respondents also iden*fied preferred

methods of professional development which include mentorship, workshops, and opportuni*es to learn by experience. These preferences are

further explored in this report.

Twenty-‐three percent of respondents named a lack of a suppor4ve

environment in their workplace as a challenge. Respondents acknowledged that this was a cri*cal element to their success and desire to


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“I’ve been lucky to be in a workplace

where I have respect from most colleagues despite my relative youth.

I’ve managed people

considerably older than myself and am

sought for advice by all kinds of colleagues,

including those significantly older.”



be “supported, nurtured, and pushed forward” by their employers.

Common complaints include:

-‐ Lack of recogni*on and credibility among colleagues and clients-‐ Limited engagement with senior level leadership

-‐ LiMle to no demonstra*on of respect

-‐ Not being trusted with or involved in sensi*ve maMers-‐ Not being considered for roles that require greater responsibility

Another significant challenge for young professionals is organiza4onal

culture. The aktudes, beliefs and standards of an organiza*on as a whole

determine how individuals and ideas develop. Respondents pointed out the following aMributes of their workplace as barriers to growth:

-‐ Lack of flexibility and resistance to innova*on

-‐ Limited opportuni*es for advancement or development

-‐ Office poli*cs or nega*ve environment-‐ Poor communica*on

-‐ Ineffec*ve leadership

Young professionals believe that they can thrive in an environment that

gives them “room to experiment and make mistakes.” They are also eager to implement new ideas and engage their colleagues toward more modern

and effec*ve systems of management and thinking.

Respondents cite their age and level of experience as a common barrier in

the workplace. Young professionals would like their colleagues to treat them as equals and seek to be “judged by performance.” They want the

knowledge and experience they already possess to be acknowledged and u*lized. Moreover, several respondents view their youth as an asset

because they can bring a fresh and unique perspec*ve to the table.

Another significant challenge for young professionals is personal

development in the areas of work/life balance, *me management and maintenance of focus and produc*vity. They described varying

commitments which include pursuing an educa*on, maintaining family

responsibili*es and engaging in self actualizing work. Young professionals desire both balance and sa*sfac*on in the work that they do.

Other challenges that were men*oned by the survey respondents include:

-‐ Receiving adequate pay

-‐ Dealing with gender biases/discrimina*on (par*cularly for women)-‐ Finding a suitable job

-‐ Mee*ng business objec*ves and expecta*ons


Young professionals desire to be

supported, nurtured and pushed forward by their employers.

“[I want to be] judged by my

performance, not age or experience.”



Pathways to Leadership

Survey respondents were asked to explain what holds them back from going

for leadership roles at work. Twelve percent stated that they had no hindrances to leadership roles and several were already in leadership

posi*ons. Thirty-‐three percent iden4fied their lack of qualifica4ons as a

barrier to leadership roles. These qualifica*ons included the following (in order of importance):

-‐ Age

-‐ Level of experience

-‐ Knowledge and skills-‐ Length of *me with company

Young professionals are aware that their age and perceived inexperience can serve as an automa*c disqualifica*on for leadership roles. They also

note that insufficient resources for training and development further hinder their ability to reach for leadership posi*ons because they have limited

opportuni*es to gain the necessary skills or experience.

In addi4on, 15% of those surveyed cited organiza4onal culture and

structure as a barrier to leadership. Common workplace hindrances include the following:

-‐ Compe**ve/aggressive environment-‐ Lack of apprecia*on and support


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“I believe being balanced also makes you a better leader

as you are functioning at a more optimal

level and also leading by example in regard to work life balance. ”



-‐ LiMle to no encouragement of demonstrated leadership or

innova*on-‐ Poor or ineffec*ve management

Young professionals associate leadership with the ability to contribute “new

ideas or ways of doing business.” When there is a lack of openness in the

workplace, they feel that their leadership abili*es are undermined. Young professionals are also weary of being perceived as “overly ambi>ous”

among older colleagues. Others survey respondents stated that poor leadership and management by senior colleagues did not provide a clear

path to leadership.

Twelve percent say their own lack of confidence or mo*va*on serves as the

primary barrier to leadership. Several respondents stated that their lack of confidence is rooted in a fear of failure or fear of direc*ng an older

workforce. Others acknowledged that they were holding themselves back

through self doubt, lack of energy or complacency.

Another 12% of respondents blamed barriers to leadership on the lack of opportuni*es. This was oden due to a small business size or flat

organiza*onal structure which resulted in liMle room for promo*on or

growth.

Four percent of respondents stated that they did not pursue leadership opportuni*es due to other *me commitments or distrac*ons. Other

reasons that were given by respondents include the following:

-‐ Leadership opportunity not appealing

-‐ Market condi*ons-‐ Already heavy workload

-‐ Cultural barriers

“Management aren’t always open to new

ideas or ways of doing business”

How to Succeed in Leadership

In the 2010 survey, respondents were asked to describe what they would

need to help them succeed in their leadership responsibili*es or aspira*ons at work. The top responses provided by survey respondents were mentors,

training or skills building, more opportuni*es, stronger leadership and support from colleagues. These categories were in the 2011 survey for

respondents to rate each one on a scale of 1 to 4, from least helpful to most

helpful.

The results reveal that young professionals find opportuni4es to lead the

most helpful followed by strong leadership, training and development, support from colleagues, and a mentors in and outside of the workplace.

This year, opportuni*es to lead replaced mentors as the most requested way to support young professionals succeed in their leadership

responsibili*es or aspira*ons. Young professionals are seeking prac*cal experience within their workplace to develop their leadership skills. To be

trusted and supported with leadership opportuni*es is a key strategy to

engage and retain emerging leaders.

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“How do I succeed? I work on being

proactive, learn from mistakes and do my

best”



To shed light on the young professional’s experience in leadership roles,

survey respondents to elaborate on the challenges or frustra*ons they face as a team leader, manager or in any other kind of leadership role.

Challenges in Leadership %

Managing people and projects 36%

Support and guidance from colleagues 15%

Organiza4onal culture 8%

Exis4ng structure or leadership 6%

Communica4on 6%

Balancing workload 6%

Decision making 5%

Recrui4ng and training quality staff 4%

Level of influence 3%

Age/Experience 2%

More than one third of respondents stated the biggest challenge being the management of people and projects. The most difficult aspects of this

responsibility include the following:

-‐ Keeping staff mo*vated and performing

-‐ Engaging and organizing team members-‐ Handling diversity and varying personali*es

-‐ Leading older staff-‐ Delega*ng tasks and responsibili*es

-‐ Maintaining commitment to quality and deadlines

Many of the survey respondents understood their role as a leader as being

one which they were responsible for “execu>ng the business strategy.” Others also stated that their success was “largely dependent on the

performance of others.”

FiTeen percent of respondents raised the issue of support and guidance of

colleagues as a challenge in leadership roles. They view the lack of advice and recogni*on as a limita*on. This was experienced in various forms such

as not having access to a mentor, ideas not being taken up or sugges*ons

not taken seriously. Others also cited a lack of trust, respect and credibility as impeding their leadership ability.


“There is no right or wrong way to

manage a staff member, everyone has

their own style and they have to find it.

You can’t just pick up a manual and know it.”

“The biggest challenge is older staff who are resistant to change

and don’t appreciate having a leader

considerably younger than them.”



Eight percent of respondents held

the o rgan i za*ona l cu l tu re responsible due to an ingrained

resistance to change that dilutes their capacity to lead. Another

6% of young professionals blamed

the poor organiza*onal structure and leadership that was not able

or willing to respond to new ideas or issues.

Six percent said their greatest challenge was balancing the

work load that comes with leadership. Areas of difficultly

include *me management and

conflic*ng obliga*ons. Others acknowledged decision making as

a challenge when required to share informa*on, manage

finances, resolve problems or

make judgment calls.

Other challenging areas for young professionals include recrui*ng

and training quality staff, lacking

the appropriate level of influence, and handling biases due to age,

gender or inexperience.

Recrui-ng and Retaining Young Professionals

An employer’s success in aMrac*ng and retaining poten*al talent rests on its

ability to align its goals with the values of emerging leaders. Survey respondents were asked to rate the quali*es they seek in an employer on a

scale of 1 to 10, 1 being least important and 10 being most important. We found the most important quality to young professionals in our sample is

great culture and staff. Other important quali*es include opportuni*es for

advancement as well as training and development.

Employer Quali4es Ra4ng

Great culture and staff 8.76

Opportuni4es for advancement 8.47

Training and development 8.11

Work/Life balance 7.99

Great pay 7.47

Corporate social responsibility 7.24

Company brand 6.59

It is cri*cal for employers to note that while pay is important to young professionals, it is not the most important aspect that they look for in an

employer. Employers should seek a more robust strategy that provides worthwhile opportuni*es in a suppor*ve and engaging atmosphere.

More than anything, young professionals are looking for a great culture and team of staff. Young professionals have high expecta*ons of their employer,

they expect to be trusted and supported by managers who have an interest in their career prospects and work sa*sfac*on. Young professionals see

their workplace and work colleagues as a second family. They want inspiring

role models to aspire to and work in teams that support each other.

Opportuni*es to advance and professional development also rated highly. Young professionals are craving the opportuni*es to be challenged and

broaden their experience. They can do this by advancing in their career or

by taking up professional development opportuni*es.


“Money isn’t anything without the

time to enjoy it.”

“I want to enjoy my work and believe I

am doing something decent for the

future.”



When asked how long respondents intend to stay with their current employer, 44% of our survey respondents expected 1 – 2 years. When

comparing these responses to our last survey results, we found that there is a growing trend toward less 4me commitment to employers. There was

a significant increase in respondents who intended to stay for 1 year and a

significant decrease in those who intended to stay for more than 5 years.

If employers are interested in reversing these trends, it is impera*ve that they align their reten*on strategies with the values of young professionals.

We asked our survey respondents what would make them want to stay with

an employer longer, the most cited response was opportuni*es for advancement in the form of career development, promo*ons and moving

into a leadership role.

Important Incen4ves to Stay with an Employer %

Career development, promo4ons, moving into a leadership role 21%

Good people, great culture 20%

Coaching, training, mentoring, learning 15%

Opportuni4es, challenges, interes4ng work 10%

Fair pay 10%

Rewards and recogni4on 9%

Work/life balance and flexible hours 6%

Be`er benefits 4%

Be`er management, leadership, vision 4%

Nothing 2%

More resources 0.4%


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“I want to work for a business that cares for and develops

their staff the same way they care for

their clients.”



These responses were also compared to the results from the previous

survey and we found that several priori*es have shided for young professionals. When comparing the top five incen4ves from both survey

samples we found that opportuni4es for advancement and great organiza4onal culture have increased in importance. Young professionals

aspire to work in an organiza*on that “cares for and develops their staff”

and ac*vely “reward loyalty and ini>a>ve.”

Top 5 Incen4ves in 2011

1. Career development, promo*ons, moving into a leadership role

2. Good people, great culture

3. Coaching/training/mentoring/learning

4. Opportuni*es, challenges, interes*ng work

5. Fair Pay

Top 5 Incen4ves in 2010

1. Opportuni*es, challenges, interes*ng work

2. Career development, promo*ons, moving into a leadership role

3. Fair Pay

4. Rewards and Recogni*on

5. Good people, great culture

“If I feel the company is genuine in it’s

objectives and stays true to them, I would

definitely respect them more. For me to stay longer with

an employer depends on whether

I have ownership over my role.”

Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

Young professionals have made it expressly clear that they wish to

contribute in the workplace through the development of their skills and leadership abili*es. Survey respondents were asked how they update their

leadership skills and only 2% said that they do not ac*vely update their

skills. Twenty-‐four percent of respondents preferred upda4ng their skills through prac4cal experience such as project management, new roles,

volunteer leadership or external prac4ce such as freelance or community work.

Social learning was the second most preferred method with 22% of respondents sta4ng that they would like to develop their skills through

observing or shadowing colleagues, having a mentor, receiving feedback

or networking. Young professionals would also like to receive informal training opportuni*es through conferences or seminars either internal or

external to the workplace.

Many of the respondents ac*vely develop their sod skills outside of the

workplace through reading, formal educa*on and self development. Young professionals access online resources such as blogs and also refer to books

and ar*cles to stay relevant on current issues and develop their competencies.


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“I recently approached a well known figure in the industry to discuss

him acting as a mentor. Results so

far have been positive, he

convinced me to speak at a

conference and that I needed to move on from my employer,

which I did!”



Methods of Leadership Development %

A mixture of mentoring, online and experien4al learning 38%

Mentoring 22%

Formal educa4on 16%

Experien4al learning programs 16%

Online learning programs 4%

Other (prac4cal experience) 3%

To iden*fy which methods appeal to young professionals to develop their knowledge and skills in leadership we asked them to select from a list of

op*ons. Almost 40% of respondents preferred a mixed method of mentoring, online and experien*al learning.


Conclusion and Recommenda-ons

This report offers a robust analysis of emerging young leaders to the benefit

of organiza*ons that seek to employ them. Their candid responses deliver a clear message to organiza*ons about what they value and have to offer in

the workplace. Young professionals want their employers to offer a

challenging and suppor*ve environment that purposefully guides them towards professional and personal development in a balanced approach.

This younger workforce is eager to grow and take on leadership roles that

will allow them to try new ideas and move their organiza4ons towards

greater innova4on and efficiency. However, they face significant barriers due to the lack of opportuni*es in the workplace as a result of their age or

perceived inexperience and ambiguous or nonexistent pathways to leadership and development.

In light of the challenges that exist in the workplace, young professionals are moving toward limi*ng the *me they commit to an employer as the job

market picks up once again. Although this may cause more hesita*on when hiring young workers, employers ought not to be disheartened as there is

much that they can do to curb this trend and increase the produc*vity and

loyalty of this workforce.

The following are our chief recommenda*ons based on the survey results:

-‐ Develop clearly defined pathways to leadership roles that involve

increased responsibility and influence. Organiza*ons must ensure that these pathways are based on performance and not age. It must

be evident to young professionals that upward mobility is possible and aMainable.

What to do? Organisa4ons can create a shadowing program for emerging

leaders to spend 4me with senior leaders to get insight into possible future career paths ways.

-‐ Create internal systems that review performance and provide

regular, construc4ve feedback. Mangers must be aware of and recognize the work of young professionals and provide guidance

through one-‐on-‐one discussions or regular performance

evalua*ons. By celebra*ng their accomplishments and refining their skills, young professionals can become a greater asset in the

workplace.


Young professionals want their employers to offer a challenging

and supportive environment that

purposefully guides them towards

professional and personal

development in a balanced approach.



What to do? Instead of conduc4ng quarterly professional development

plans, organise a monthly performance review that focuses clearly on construc4ve feedback and on one development ac4vity per month.

-‐ Provide con4nuous training and development opportuni4es

through a variety of methods that include mentoring, trying new

roles, and u*lizing online resources. Organiza*ons must build flexibility into the workplace that will allow individuals to take

advantage of these opportuni*es.

What to do? Create your own Emerging Leaders Program by connec4ng

five of your top senior leaders with a small group of your rising young leaders. Each quarter, senior leaders and young professionals could come

together to build partnerships to share knowledge, discuss new ideas and promote communica4on.

-‐ Iden4fy new and challenging roles or opportuni4es. These professionals want to be excited and passionate about the work

they do and feel undervalued when they are given stagnate and monotonous work.

What to do? Create a couple new leadership posi4ons (champion roles) based on the strengths of young professionals such as social media,

learning and development or community engagement/volunteering.

-‐ Foster a suppor4ve and engaging environment. By iden*fying and

reducing persistent nega*vity, resistance to change and discrimina*on based on age or gender, employees can begin to

build trust and respect for each other and forge connec*ons that lead to greater produc*vity.

What to do? Create a focus group to analyse the culture in your organisa4on and ac4vely work on ideas to create a posi4ve atmosphere

and eliminate discrimina4on.

-‐ Provide flexibility in work schedules and encourage employees to

take advantage of external opportuni*es or ac*vi*es. Young professionals enjoy developing their skills through volunteer

opportuni*es or ac*ve par*cipa*on in community work. This will also contribute to beMer work/life balance.


This younger workforce is eager to

grow and take on leadership roles that will allow them to try new ideas and move

their organisation towards greater innovation and

efficiency.



What to do? Become involved in or ac4vely promote volunteering

opportuni4es in the community such as community board posi4ons or hands on volunteering. Not only will your emerging leaders enjoy the

volunteering but they will build their skills too. Alterna4vely, find out what your young professionals are involved with already and promote

within your organisa4on.

-‐ Assess the current organiza*onal structure and address

weaknesses in communica4on and leadership. Young professionals thrive in an environment where they know they are following strong

and capable leadership. It is important that managers clearly

ar*culate goals and involve individuals at every level of the organiza*on.

What to do? Work on communica4on ideas or avenues that are fun and

entertaining but also communicate important messages. You could create

an entertaining magazine style communica4on, a video, year book or podcast series.

-‐ Check with compe*tors in your industry to make sure your pay and

benefits are fair. Explore opportuni*es for other incen*ves such as

publishing papers or interna*onal travel.

What to do? At the next leadership team mee4ng, invite five of your emerging leaders to join you to contribute five interes4ng incen4ves that

could be put into prac4ce over the next 12 months.

-‐ Share this report with senior management and key personnel. It

will allow them to get a beMer understanding of the challenges that their young professionals face. Follow this up by discussing as an

organiza*on what you can do to tackle the most common problems.

Just being aware of these issues may help in terms of providing talented young people with respect and recogni*on.

What to do? Organise a cross-‐department think tank to understand this

report and implement five ideas in the next six months.

Organiza*ons have access to tremendous poten*al in their young leaders. By understanding the value of young professionals and following the simple

sugges*ons put forth in this report, companies can harness this poten*al

into success. Through thoughpul considera*on and investment, mangers can ensure that they aMract and retain the brightest young minds.


Share this report with senior

management and key personnel. It will allow them to get a

better understanding of

the challenges that their young

professionals face.



Need help implemen-ng these ideas?

Alicia Cur*s can help your organisa*on effec*vely

implement the recommenda*ons in this report from facilita*ng focus groups to developing e-‐mags or

videos for or with your young staff. As an example Alicia regularly provides the following services:

1. Emerging Leaders Programs

Alicia can develop and facilitate a customised leadership development program for your young

professionals. The basis is eight workshops, all of

which have been developed from the unique challenges facing young professionals in the

workplace, then the program can include other ac*vi*es such as excursions, showcases, speakers,

prac*cal challenges and more.

2. Mee4ng of the Minds

Bring together eight young professionals to foster and mentor at a monthly

Mee*ng of the Minds. These sessions are unlike any normal workshop, they focus

on the individual workplace challenges of par*cipants and provide monthly accountability on their professional goals in a safe environment. Mee*ng of the

Minds are three hours long and run monthly. They challenge par*cipants to share their goals, overcome their workplace challenges and review their learning and

development plans.

3. Management Presenta4ons

Alicia can present the findings of this report to your senior management and

facilitate a think tank session to gather the strategies to ignite the high poten*al

employees in your organisa*on.

4. Emergen Membership -‐ Complimentary!

Encourage your young profess iona ls to reg ister for Emergen -‐

www.emergen.com.au for a wide range of resources, events and opportuni*es.

Alicia can provide all these AND MORE. Contact Alicia to start the conversa*on about how to engage your emerging leaders.

Contact: Alicia Cur*s -‐ 0413 565 338 or alicia@aliciacur*s.com





aliciacurtisP.O Box 7273, Karawara WA 6152

+ 61 8 9313 [email protected]







emerging leaders report 2011

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