Divergent Views/Common Ground: The Leadership Perspectives of C-Suite Executives and Millennial Leaders

How can organizations enhance performance in the wake of an extensive, ongoing departure of baby boomers from the US workforce? With each passing day, millennial leaders assume an increasing role in steering both the nation’s economy and the organizations that comprise it. Yet the subject of their leadership lacks adequate research, with widespread assumptions painting an often inaccurate picture. As such, this research sheds light on their leadership values and preferences; where they agree with and differ from other leadership cohorts and generations; and in light of the findings, what steps organizations can take for enhanced performance.

In most companies, millennials are already a significant percentage of the workforce, so it’s important for current leadership to understand common ground and areas of divergent thinking. We give an overview of the differences among generational cohorts based on interviews, surveys, and focus groups in 14 organizations. Our research confirmed our hypothesis that differences are more likely attributable to life stage than inherent generational differences. We learned that, generally, millennial leaders aren’t that different from other generations and from CEOs, but there are important caveats. For example, millennial leaders may be fearless, or unafraid to speak up, but they’re also risk averse.