Running head: TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

Transitioning Millennials into Leadership

Jeremy Doyle

College of Saint Scholastica

Project Committee
Sponsor: R. John Welsh, Jr., Ph.D.
Reader: Erik C. Burns, MA MBA
Approved: April 11, 2014

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business
Administration and Masters in Management, The College of St. Scholastica.

UMI Number: 1555643

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TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

Acknowledgements
Foremost, I would also like to thank my wife for her continued support, love, and
guidance to encourage me to pursue further education. I would not have been able to successfully
complete the degrees without her. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to professor R.
John Welsh, Jr. and Erik Burns. Without their leadership and advising I would not have been
able to finish this thesis and the culmination of my dual masters degrees. Continually I find that
with the proper motivation and guidance anything can be accomplished. Finally, thank you to my
family and friends for their love and support this past year.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

Abstract
Organizations in the United States have a difficult task in managing the multigenerational
workforce that they are presented with today. Organizations need to understand and engage all
generations, however, a new challenge is presented with the Baby Boom generation retiring and
needing to fill the roles they are vacating. This succession planning should come from the
Millennial generation. Analysis of current literature and case studies resulted in the development
of a framework organizations can utilize to effectively transition the Millennial generation into
leadership roles. The framework developed outlines techniques organizations can deploy to
attract, retain, and develop these employees to fill these pivotal leadership roles.

Keywords: Millennial generation, leadership, succession planning, multigenerational

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Introduction to the Problem ...................................................................................................... 6
Background of the Study .......................................................................................................... 7
Statement of the Problem .......................................................................................................... 9
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................... 11
Rationale ................................................................................................................................. 11
Research Question .................................................................................................................. 12
Significance of the Study ........................................................................................................ 12
Definition of Terms................................................................................................................. 13
Assumptions and Limitations ................................................................................................. 14
Organization of the Remainder of the Study .......................................................................... 15
Literature Review.......................................................................................................................... 16
Generational Preferences ........................................................................................................ 17
Millennial Preferences ............................................................................................................ 18
Generational Conflict .............................................................................................................. 20
Attract ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Retain ...................................................................................................................................... 22
Development ........................................................................................................................... 25
Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 27
Introduction ..............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Research Design...................................................................................................................... 27
Procedures ............................................................................................................................... 28
Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 29

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

Reliability and Validity ........................................................................................................... 30

Ethical Considerations ............................................................................................................ 31
Summary ................................................................................................................................. 32
Summary and Discussion of Results............................................................................................. 34
Summary ................................................................................................................................. 34
Discussion and Conclusions ................................................................................................... 34
Limitations and Recommendations......................................................................................... 39
References ..................................................................................................................................... 40
APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................. 44

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

Introduction
Introduction to the Problem
The typical workforce is difficult to define in todays organizations due to the diversity
and multiple skills that are needed to accomplish business tasks, these are some influences each
corporation has in its population (Durkin, 2011). The traditional diversity factors are present in
the workforce such as gender, age, sex, religion, and so on. However, there is another form of
diversity that has an effect on how a business will conduct its operations. The staff to which an
organization is faced with managing can be difficult at times, and each generation has different
skills and needs in which they provide the organization. Effectively managing these generations
can be difficult. However, if done effectively it can increase the productivity as the goods and
services provided in todays economy is more about the skills and talents that the employee has
rather than the good or service the organization offers (Srinivasan, 2011). This suggests that in
the marketplace a consumer can acquire relatively the same product or service from many
different organizations. In that case, in order for an organization to set itself apart it needs to
focus on managing their talent in all generational cohorts of the organization.
Each generation has their own perceptions and preferences in the workplace with respects
to communication, the work habits, direction, and leadership among others. It is these
preferences that can create conflict in the workplace, and present a challenge for the leaders in an
organization to overcome. If a business does not address the conflicts and actively strive to
incorporate all generations into the workplace there will be lower production, increased turnover,
and frustrated employees which leads to reduction in profits (Deyoe & Fox, 2012). These can
create issues for companies. This is not isolated to one industry but rather across all industries.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

By 2025, it is projected that roughly seventy-five percent of the workforce will be

comprised of the Millennial generation (Dhawan, 2012). With this type of transformation the
majority of the work being completed in the workplace will transition from the Baby Boom
generation to the Millennials. The transition will not only take place for entry or even mid-level
positions but it will need to take place for the leadership roles as well. Organizations who do not
effectively attract, retain, train, and develop their Millennial generation employees will
effectively leave themselves in a difficult position when the remaining older generations begin to
retire.
Background of the Study
The typical workforce is difficult to define in todays organizations, due to the diversity
and multi-generational influences each corporation has in its population (Durkin, 2011). For the
purposes of this paper the generations will be defined as follows:

Traditional: born prior to 1946

Baby Boom: born between 1946 and 1964

Generation X or Gen X: born between 1965 and 1976

Generation Y or Millennials: born between 1977 and 1997

Me Generation: born after 1997

These generations could all be in the workplace at the same time and possibly presenting some
difficult talent management opportunities for the leaders of that organization. The workplace in
the United States has the majority of positions filled with Baby Boomers, however it is expected
that the Millennial generation will take the majority of the workplace by the year 2015 (Meister
& Willyerd, 2009). This suggests there will be a major shift in the preferences in the United
States workplace preferences in the next few years.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

Generational preferences are shaped by the experiences they have endured. The
generational preferences are mere guidelines, and not all of the individuals in these generations
will exhibit these preferences. They are generally how each generation would prefer to work and
engage within the workforce. The Traditional generation is shaped by mainly the Great
Depression in which they developed a strong work ethic and loyalty to a company in which they
work for (Cekada 2012; Cook Ross Inc. 2004). This generation also respects management from a
top-down approach that they learned from their military background (Cook Ross Inc, 2004;
Jenkins, 2008). The Baby Boom generation declares a higher priority for work rather than their
personal lives, distrusts authority, and is extremely competitive (Cekada 2012; Jenkins 2008).
These characteristics were shaped by their upbringing in a nuclear family, the Vietnam War, and
the vast population in the workforce today among other experiences (Jenkins, 2008; Sherman,
2006). Generation X was primarily left to fend for themselves as children with increasing
divorce rates, the stock market crashed and there was a lot of time spent alone in front of a TV or
computer (Cook Ross, Inc. 2004; Sherman, 2006). Generation X then developed skepticism
toward the workplace because of the scandal they have seen, and are very self reliant as they
were left alone most of their lives (Jenkins, 2008; Sherman, 2006). Finally, the Millennial
generation who were raised in team sports and born with technology available at their fingertips
bring a need for social interaction, meaningful work, and an ability to multitask (Cook Ross, Inc.
2004; Jenkins 2008; Sherman, 2006). While these values show some basis for how the
generations view the workplace simply listing them out will not allow a manager to effectively
lead their team. Additionally, these are merely a basic understanding of the different generational
preferences. The preferences are simplistic, and each individual may exhibit some of the
preferences, not all and leading a team effectively takes more than the basic understanding of the

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

generations. With these differences organizations could potentially have challenges to work
through in conjunction with the transition of generational representation in the workforce. The
conflicts in the organizations would arise from the different preferences each generation would
exhibit.
Statement of the Problem
A multi-generational workforce could present difficult talent management opportunities
for the leaders of that organization. Each generation has a unique set of skills and values to
which an organization and manager need to fully understand. Furthermore, the workplace in the
United States has the majority of positions filled with Baby Boomers, it is expected that the
Millennial generation will take the majority of the workplace by the year 2015 (Meister &
Willyerd, 2009). Talent management can differ by industry as well, for instance, in the nursing
industry the hospitals are faced with increasing demand for nurses in an environment where the
supply is decreasing (Nelsey & Brownie, 2012). This succession of employees presents a
particularly unique situation for organizations where they need to manage the transition from one
generation to another while maintaining the production of their organization.
Organizations will have a challenging time transitioning the Millennials into leadership
roles, while striving to retain employees from all generations. Each generation brings its own set
of values and strengths to an organization. These values and strengths that each generation
develops can create conflict in the workplace as well (Cahill & Sedrak, 2012). These conflicts
can create a hostile work environment, ultimately leading to decreased productivity. In addition
to the conflicts an organizations will experience an increase in retirement from the Baby Boom
generation. In the United States ten thousand Baby Boomers are turning 65, and this will
continue until 2030 (Dunphy, 2011). This is a large amount of individuals reaching the

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

10

retirement age each day. With the vast number of employees reaching retirement age so quickly
organizations are going to need an action plan in place that will develop their staff to fill the roles
left vacant with the Baby Boom generation exiting the workplace. Traditionally this may have
been something that took a substantial amount of time and occurred naturally.
Furthermore, as outlined later in the paper, the Millennial generations could be more
difficult than others to retain as employees long term based on their work preferences and the
ability for organizations to meet those requests. The Millennial generation enters the workforce
technologically advanced, connected, and with an unmatched sense of entitlement (Herbison &
Boseman, 2009). Herbison and Boseman (2009) continue and stated, if we cling to what has
always worked, the Millennials will look elsewhere for their employment opportunities. (p.34).
Millennials do not show the same company loyalty that the previous generations have. The
generation requests as much from the employer as the employer may request of them.
Organizations will need to focus on programs that attract and retain talent for the long term,
rather than sticking to what may have worked in the past.
Ultimately this transition will call upon the Millennial generation to move into leadership
roles, while potentially leading individuals who may be representing the older generations.
Identifying the leadership preferences will allow for the transition to progress more smoothly by
allowing the current and future leaders an understanding of what the organization prefers in
leadership style. In conjunction with attracting and retaining talented Millennials, an
organization must understand the preferences of leadership. This will allow the future leaders to
understand how their leadership style best fits within the organization. Additionally the company
will be able to coach and develop the leaders to understand how to navigate their leadership roles
in the most effective manner possible.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

11

Purpose of the Study

Diversity and preferences in the workforce are becoming more complex, additionally the
workforce is aging at a rapid pace. No industry is exempt from these two factors affecting the
workplace. Initially organizations will need to identify programs and opportunities to attract and
retain talent within the Millennial generation. This task will be different than it has been
historically. New programs may evolve as the preferences of the Millennial generation are met
by organizations. This will be a necessity for organizations to attract and retain the right talent, if
they dont the Millennials will look for work at other companies. Furthermore, corporations will
primarily need to identify a transition plan to which their organization will be able to transition
the younger generational employees into leadership roles prior to all of the older generations
retiring so they can gain knowledge and experience from these employees. The mentoring and
The study will focus on the Millennial generation, their preferences, and how an
organization can work to effectively transition these individuals into the next leaders without
significantly disrupting a profitable organization. While the paper will focus on the Millennial
generation it is critical to understand the general preferences for each generation. With these
preferences there can be significant challenges for leaders in a company to work through, and
understanding the origin of the conflict will help alleviate the conflicts in the future. This will
allow companies to identify and incorporate a transition plan more effectively as the leadership
styles will then be identified.
Rationale
Once again, organizations are faced with a significant shift in the workforce. The shift in
the workforce has begun, however, may have been slowed by the economic downturn of 2008
and the health of the older generations. These older generations will not remain in the workforce

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

12

forever and at some point will retire. The study is intended to gather information from the field
of multigenerational workplace management and determine effective techniques to transition the
Millennial generation into leadership at an organization. Due to the significant shift in the
workforce population from primarily Baby Boomers to the Millennial generation organizations
need to develop strategic plans for attracting, retaining, and developing talent from within.
The intent of the study is to develop the framework for an organization to effectively
execute on strategies to attract, retain, and develop the Millennial generation. These strategies are
intended to be effective without the other generations leaving the workforce. Organizations need
a framework for tactics to use in the workplace, without them they would be guessing. The study
will identify these tactics that are shown to be effective with studies from experts in the field of
multigenerational workforce management.
Research Question
Within a service organization, where intellectual resources are most important, what are
the most effective techniques to attract, retain, and develop the Millennial generation?
Significance of the Study
Not many organizations have succession plans in place; only 35 percent of companies are
actively planning for their next leaders (Cairns, 2011). An organization might be able to get by
without some leadership roles, however, not every leadership role can be eliminated.
Additionally, there are certain roles that should not be left vacant for long. At the rate to which
employees are leaving the workforce, there are going to be leadership positions vacated. The
succession planning for an organization needs to include the Millennial generation, as this is the
generational cohort that provides the most abundant supply of employees. This is not to say all
leaders should come from this generation, however, the Millennials will provide roughly 85

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

13

million to the population in the United States (Catalyst, 2012). This provides organizations with
an opportunity to plan and develop the talent within an organization, and identify the needed
leadership roles that need to be filled externally.
In order to fill the roles in an organization with the Millennial generation, organizations
are going to need to attract, retain, and develop them into the next leaders. Organizations may
need to develop benefits packages, or work structures that will allow them to attract the
Millennial generation to their company. These plans are not going to be the same things that
attracted and retained previous generations. Some of these programs may need to allow for
individual selection of benefits as needed. Once the corporations have hired an employee from
the Millennial generation, the work is not done. The challenge then is in developing a successful
plan to retain these employees.
An organization has a difficult task presented with the multigenerational workforce they
are presented with today. Corporations need to understand all generations to help prevent and
resolve conflict amongst the generations. Additionally, a new challenge is presented with the
Baby Boom generation retiring and needing to fill the roles they are vacating. This succession
planning should come from the Millennial generation. The study will indicate methods an
organization can utilize to attract, retain, and develop the next leaders in an organization. The
intent of the study is to determine appropriate methods to execute without reducing the
productivity, and keeping all generational cohorts engaged in the workplace.
Definition of Terms
Consistent with Durkin (2011), Cekada (2012), Cook Ross Inc. (2004), Houck (2011),
and Patterson (2005) for the purposes of this paper the generations will be defined as follows:

Traditional: employees born prior to 1946

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

Baby Boom: employees born between 1946 and 1964

Generation X or Gen X: employees born between 1965 and 1976

Millennials or Generation Y: employees born between 1977 and 1997

Me Generation: employees born after 1997

14

Assumptions and Limitations

This study is operating under the assumption that the organization has a staff that they are
able to identify leaders within. If the employer cannot identify leaders within the organization, or
does not have enough staff available to do so they would need to seek external candidates. This
article focuses on the generational cohort preferences and is applicable to the broad population.
The external candidates however typically need to go through a different process when being
hired into a company to ensure they are informed of the organizational policies and proceedures.
It is difficult to fully understand the rate at which the employees in the United States
workforce will retire. There are estimates, however, there are quite a few variables that will
affect how quickly or slowly the workforce will retire. The social security, retirement savings,
and health will all play a significant role in the retirement age and rate for the workforce in the
United States. Since it is difficult to determine the exact savings, or health of an individual or
generational cohort all together the study is limited to rough estimates based on the available
information. As this information changes over time the transition strategies may need to be
altered.
The preferences in a generational cohort are described later in the study. These are
generalizations for the generations. These are descriptors of the generations, not all individuals
born between the specified years of a generation will exhibit the preferences exactly the same as
the rest of the generation. In addition, there are individuals who are born close to the cut off

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

15

years for generations and may exhibit preferences from both generations as they have similar
experiences. The study is limited by these generalizations. It is a good starting point for the
workplace preferences in general, however, leaders in an organization should understand their
employees preferences more specifically to ensure successful execution to attract, retain, and
develop their employee base.
Organization of the Remainder of the Study
The remaining portion of the thesis will be organized into four main sections. The
literature review will gather and synthesize relevant information in the area of multigenerational
workforce management. The literature review briefly describes the four main generations in the
workforce today and provides the most in depth information on the Millennial generation. Next
the literature review provides information on conflict caused from differing views in generations,
providing an opportunity to understand some of the prominent conflicting points. Finally,
synthesis of the current literature on attracting, retaining, and developing the Millennial
generational cohort. The next section of the paper discusses the methodology. Specifically, the
theory and reasoning behind how the paper was compiled. Following the methodology is the
results that there arent any as this paper did not conduct original research, but rather synthesized
previous studies. Finally the paper outlines summary and discussion to provide clarity on the
framework an organization can utilize in transitioning the Millennial generation into leadership.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

16

Literature Review
A generation is a grouping of people who share similar birth years, history, and a
collective personality as a result of their experiences (Sherman, 2006). The workplace contains
up to five generations in it today, the Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, the
Millennials, and the Me generation. These generations have differing values and characteristics,
however an organization should engage all generations for an effective work environment
(Cates, 2010). By engaging all generations an organization does not miss out on the long term
knowledge and skills that some of the older generations bring, and the new ideas that the
younger generations bring. The workplace needs to effectively include all generational cohorts as
they each bring their own unique benefits to the organization.
The Baby Boom generation represents the largest generation in the workplace today,
however, it is estimated by 2025 that the Millennial generation will represent about 75% of the
workplace (Dhawan, 2012). Sooner than that the Millennial generation will represent the
majority of the workplace. They will not immediately take leadership roles, however the future
leaders will come from this generation, as they will represent the largest generation in the United
States workforce. Organizations need to develop a framework to effectively transition the work
expertise, knowledge, and leadership competencies from the generational cohorts retiring to the
younger generations that will be in the workforce for years to come.
Cairns (2011) stated that only about 35 percent of organizations have a succession plan,
to outline the specifics on how the organization will transition employees into leadership.
Organizations in the service industry should be determining their succession planning much
more deliberately, especially because the most valuable resource in these types of corporations is
intellectual property (Henry, 2011). Considering the imminent transition of the workforce,

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

17

organizations should be focused more on the succession planning now than before. The transition
may have been delayed by healthcare improvements, life expectancy extension, and the decline
in the economy and market over the last few years. However, there will be a need to transition
the leaders of an organization from the older generations to the younger. The next leaders could
come from within the organization or externally. If planning from within an organization should
attract, retain, and develop the talent accordingly.
Generational Preferences
A generation is a grouping of people who share similar birth years, history, and a
collective personality as a result of their experiences (Sherman, 2006). The workplace contains
up to five generations in it today, the Traditional, Baby Boom, Generation X, Millennial, and the
me generation. These generations have differing values and characteristics, however an
organization should engage all generations for an effective work environment (Cates 2010). Each
generation brings a general set of values and traits to an organization, which has been crafted by
the experiences to which each generation has been through. In Table 1 some basic characteristics
are outlined as shown by Cekada (2012), Cook Ross Inc. (2004), Houck (2011), and Patterson
(2005).
Generational Cohort Workplace Characteristics
Traditional

Baby Boomer

Generation X

Practical

Optimistic

Skeptical

Patient, Loyal and Hard Working

Teamwork and Cooperation

Self Reliant

Respects Authority

Ambitious

Risk Taking

Rule Followers

Workaholic

Work-Life Balance

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

18

As the table shows there are many different characteristics to which each generation brings to an
organization. These characteristics are what make each of the generations unique, but can create
challenges for the leadership as they determine ways in which they can engage the aspects of all
generations that would benefit the organization.
The Traditional, Baby Boomer, and Generation X have a preference to work in
organizations that have leadership styles focus on the top down or hierarchical in nature (Balda
& Mora, 2011). This preference stems from the experiences with the generations in the military.
Decisions in these organizations come from the top, and the employees left to execute on the
directions provided from leadership.
Twenge (2010) reviewed multiple studies on generational differences over time that
found differences amongst the generations with respects to work-life balance, altruism, work
values, social values, and job satisfaction. The results compared the Traditional, Baby Boom, and
Generation X against the Millennial generation. The older generations are more work-centric
focusing on longer hours in the office over time at home (Twenge, 2010). Traditionals, Baby
Boom, and Generation X seem to be less satisfied with work, however Generation X and the
Millennials will embrace new opportunities if presented with them (Twenge, 2010).
Millennial Preferences
The workplace in the United States has the majority of positions filled with Baby
Boomers, it is expected that the Millennial generation will take the majority of the workplace by
the year 2015 (Meister & Willyerd, 2009). The transition in employee generations force
organizations to understand the preferences more so for the Millennial generation as they are the
least understood at this point. While the data continues to be gathered there are some themes
about the Millennial generation that are evident in the current workplace.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

19

The Millennial generation is shaped by their upbringing receiving constant care and
attention, involved in teams and groups, and self-confident (Balda & Mora, 2011). The
Millennial generation tends to be well educated, often times beyond high school, have a sense of
entitlement and self-worth that can bring increased productivity (Herbison & Boseman, 2009).
Millennials bring a significant knowledge and understanding of technology because they grew up
with technology in every aspect of their lives (Herbison & Boseman, 2009; Balda & Mora,
2011). Regarding work, Millennials have higher work satisfaction than previous generations at
the same age, prefer a position that offers work life balance, and dont show a decreased work
ethic than previous generations (Deal, Altman & Rogelberg, 2010). Millennials are not as
interested in the working overtime and not being paid for it (Twenge, 2010). The Millennial
generation prefers to have careers that provide the opportunity for meaningful work, although
they are not higher on altruistic values than other generations (Twenge, 2010). Finally, these
preferences lead to the Millennial generation needing relationships and open communication
from all individuals in their networks (Balda & Mora, 2011). These generational preferences
may not be present in all individuals in the Millennial generation.
Integrating these preferences into the organization will cause challenges with the other
generations. The communication preferences particularly can cause conflict in the workplace.
The Millennial generation prefers to innately understand the business strategies from all layers of
the organization from the entry level positions to executive business strategies. This
communication preference is different than in previous generations, where they prefer the top
down communication technique (Balda & Mora, 2011). The challenge with leadership will be
keeping the appropriate levels of communication between all generations and not appearing to
favor one over the other. Social networks bring an added level of communication into the

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workplace. Millennials are accustomed to using social media in their communication it adds
another layer of accessibility to the individuals in the organization. Organizations that have been
successful at integrating the added communication amongst all layers see an increase in
productivity. Balda and Mora (2011) stated the organizational competitive advantage in the
workplace today is found in collaborative and participative culture that fosters open
communication amongst all levels in the company. These preferences not only create challenges
to engage and retain the Millennial generation, but they create conflict amongst all of the
generations.
Generational Conflict
The workplace is increasingly becoming more age diverse with the older generations not
retiring, possibly due to economic or health reasons, and the younger generations continue to
enter the workforce. Generationally above discussed the preferences amongst the generations,
and these preferences directly correlate to the conflict organizations are facing in the current
workplace. When businesses do not focus on engaging all generations, and reducing the
generational conflict they ultimately reduce the profits they would realize (Deyoe & Fox, 2012).
When an organization can resolve the conflict and generate a workplace to which all generations
cohesively work together they are getting the job done more effectively, and all generations are
learning from the other (Deyoe & Fox, 2012).
Time management is a contentious point among the generations, the Baby Boom
generation prefers to work long hours and stay to get the job done, where as the Millennial
generation would prefer to come in complete the task and have more free time available (Deyoe
& Fox, 2012). Additionally, the workplace as seen by the Traditionalist and Baby Boom
generations is a place that you go to, and the workplace as seen by the Generation X and

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

21

Millennials is seen as anytime and anywhere rather than a specific place (Cahill & Sedrak,
2012). These workplace preferences and time management create significant challenges for
leadership at an organization to manage. The technology advancements create the ability for
workers to work from anywhere and anytime. The Millennial generation, accustomed to using
technology, expect to be able to work from anywhere and anytime.
Communication preferences create another conflicting point for leaders and
organizations. Regarding feedback in the workplace the Traditionalist feel no news is good news,
Baby Boomers prefer occasional feedback, Generation X think regular feedback is acceptable,
and the Millennials prefer constant feedback (Cahill & Sedrak, 2012). Additionally the
Millennials prefer communication openly from all levels within the organization, and other
generations prefer top down communication techniques. These differences can create challenges,
especially when leaders and employees are of differing generations. Specifically when leaders
expect the employees to wait for communication rather than constantly having open
communication about strategy within the office. To the same respect the other generations in the
workplace view that communication should be shared when leadership deems it appropriate.
Attract
Organizations need to become increasingly creative when it comes to attracting the
premier employees from all generations. To accomplish this employers are supplying multiple
options to employees where they have some ability to choose (Cahill & Sedrak, 2012). These
options, for instance, allow employees to select from healthcare coverage options, or to opt out
and retain the matching from the employer as a part of their wage. With multiple options the
employee has more freedom to elect the plans that meet the needs of their lifestyle at any given
point in time.

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To attract employees who are seeking opportunities to have more control over their time
management organizations are offering flexibility within the workday itself. Corporations are
offering job sharing, remote working arrangements and flexible working hours, or seasonable
months off to accommodate some work-life balance needs (Cahill & Sedrak, 2012). Technology
has enabled organizations to expand their reach and hire talent that is needed to fill the gaps as
individuals can telecommute rather than needing to physically be in an office to accomplish the
needed tasks. This additionally allows for the individuals to manage their work hours to meet
their lifestyle more effectively, and allows an organization to offer work-life balance methods to
their employee base.
Retain
Organizations should identify the high potential individuals they would prefer to retain
and ensure that they are deploying the appropriate methods to retain these employees. In
managing high potential talent there are different ways in which an organization can do so.
Luenenburger, (2012) suggested that one in three of the employees who are high potential are
disengaged in the workplace, and are thinking of leaving within a year for another organization.
This disengagement presents a problem for employers who need to retain the current high
potential talent they have. There is a three step process in which employers can use to engage
their employees by evaluating the engagement level, setting clear goals, milestones, and metrics,
and evaluate the progress in which adjustments can be made (Luenenburger, 2012). Additionally,
Luenenburger (2012) stated that employees who can use their top talents every day are six times
as likely to be engaged in their jobs. Srinivasan (2011) described his talent management tactics in
a four-tiered approach providing professional and personal development, providing a higher
purpose, giving a work-life balance, and having a woman friendly workplace. Additionally,

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

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there are a few factors to which arent explicitly expressed but should be considered such that an
employer should understand humans evolve as do their goals and ambitions, and beneath the
physical nature of a human there is a need for harmony which can create lasting commitment
(Srinivasan, 2011). Both studies show that to retain talent an organization should be focused on
the engagement of the employee. Without engaged employees they are very likely to leave, thus
increasing costs to hire, recruit, and train new employees.
Organizations must also understand that the talent will not remain around forever and
there should be a plan of succession, or talent management plan in which they have in place to
prepare for events where employees leave the company for retirement or to pursue other
opportunities at another organization. Knowledge in todays economic environment is a
competitive advantage for many organizations, and the dissemination of this knowledge is
critical in maintaining that advantage for the corporation and can be done by developing
capabilities to absorb, retain, develop, organize and transfer this knowledge (Mu, Tang &
MacLachlan, 2009). The information that is being transferred from one employee to another or
one group to another should be carefully considered as not all individuals need to know the piece
of information and it should be delivered in a manner that individuals can understand and retain
the knowledge (Mu et al. 2009). Knowledge is critical to an organization; there could be trade
secrets, or information that an organization doesnt want to get out to the public for a particular
reason. However, employees need a certain level of knowledge and knowledge transference in
order to compete in their industry, as organizations competitive advantage is the employee,
which is substantiated by the studies completed by Mu et al. (2009), and Srinivasan (2011). GE,
much like other corporations decided that it would offshore its manufacturing operations to
Korea, later with pressures from the market to keep costs down they moved the manufacturing

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

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back to Kentucky next to their research and development location (Immelt, 2012). This radical
move was made to maintain the organizations functioning departments together in one location
and provide an opportunity for the entire organization as a whole to learn and develop products
that cost less to produce and are produced more efficiently (Immelt, 2012). For GE the
knowledge transference was easiest done if the functional jobs were all in one location, this
increased their communication amongst the roles in the company. With increased
communication every employee owns their production numbers, and if there is an opportunity to
develop the product in a more efficient or lower cost method the employee owns that project as
well (Immelt, 2012). This tactic combined with the developed culture for open communication
among all members of the organization allowed for increased productivity and collaboration to
innovate the process.
The Millennial generation, in particular, expect the organization to be invested in their
development and focused on their ideas as stated by Cahill and Sedrak (2012) and Balda and
Mora (2011). This stems from the Millennials need for open communication, and their no fear
attitude when communicating with individuals at any level of the corporation. Organizations that
offer open forms of communication from all levels will be able to engage the Millennial
generation in particular, this in turn will motivate the Millennials (Balda & Mora, 2011). By
keeping the communication open, and allowing them to work with some autonomy the
Millennials may be more loyal than some of the older generations (Balda & Mora, 2011).
Ultimately the goal for the organizations is to retain their top tiered talent in all levels, and in
particular the next level of leadership will come from the younger generations as the Traditional,
Baby Boom, and Generation X retire. Thus, the focus will shift to retaining the Millennial
generation.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

25

Development
With the vast number of employees that will be at an eligible retirement age,
organizations need to fill leadership roles earlier in careers than previously completed before.
Organizations are enrolling Millennials into internal mentoring programs, internships, rotational
programs, and other fast track to management programs (Cahill & Sedrak, 2012). Filling the
roles with the appropriate candidates allow organizations to control the development for the
employee, and provide enough advancement opportunities to potentially keep them employed for
the long term.
Mentoring programs have been utilized significantly within organizations. Ferri-Reed
(2012) stated that the older generations should use mentoring programs to mentor the Millennial
generation so they fully understand how to communicate within an organization and understand
the hierarchy that exists in organizations today. This method focuses on mentoring from the top
down, which isnt necessarily the preference of the younger generations. Kulesza and Smith
(2012) suggested approaching mentoring from a different method, by allowing for mentoring
from all parties involved. This method will enable open lines of communication from all
individuals in the mentoring relationship. It is suggested that the biggest benefits the younger
generations can provide are with respects to technology, where the older generations can provide
knowledge and experiential learning to the younger generations (Kulesza & Smith, 2012). This
mentoring relationship achieves two benefits for the organization, it will allow for open lines of
communication and additionally provide a method to share knowledge among all parties
participating in these relationships.
Millennials have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and today organizations are set apart
by intellectual capital (Henry, 2011). The development programs that organizations are

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

26

deploying to fast track the development of the Millennial population are similar from one
organization to the next. There is typically a core curriculum that provides the participant on
opportunity to learn skills that are transferrable between all departments such as communication,
basic leadership competencies, critical thinking, basic finance, technology, and mentoring to
name a few (Henry, 2011). Henry (2011) described the second grouping of development as track
curriculum where the participant has the opportunity to develop role specific competencies. For
example if the development program is for a finance role they would learn finance competencies,
technology leadership roles would focus on the needed technology competencies. The third
grouping of development for these participants is the department curriculum that provides
development opportunities focused on department specific roles (Henry, 2011). These programs
are becoming an integral part in development for the next leadership within an organization as
they plan and prepare to fill these roles when the current leadership exits the workforce.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

27

Methodology
This will be constructed as a case study research project. The case study research
methodology is the most frequently used in business, organizations, and management research
(Latham, n.d.). This will allow the thesis to draw from multiple studies, articles, books, and other
resources available with relevant information. By compiling the articles the thesis will provide an
in depth understanding of the main generational cohorts, in particular the Millennial generation.
In addition it will allow for analysis and application of the methods utilized in previous research.
The references drawn upon will be chosen based on their merit. Primarily the study will
consist of peer reviewed journal articles. The articles typically have a literature review where the
author discusses the background to their study. This allows for the ability to understand the topic
more completely. For this study it allows to ensure the article contains applicable material. There
will. The main benefit this has is to bring multiple views on the topic together in one paper.
This synthesis allows for further interpretation and analysis of the multiple studies that
are selected. With multiple studies the reader will gain additional insight into the analysis of the
data from previous studies. There can be limitations seen from these studies however, especially
with the dates to which they are published, and the background research being used. The
workforce is changing rapidly, and the older the information is the less accurate it can be. To
help alleviate this limitation the articles will be chosen based on their merits described in this
section. This section will outline the methodology of the study.
Research Design
The case study research allows for multiple studies to be analyzed together where they
may not have been before. This allows the researcher to draw from multiple sources and often
times draw new conclusions based on previous research by cross referencing multiple studies

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

28

focused on the same or similar hypotheses (Eisenhardt, 1989). Case studies allow for
triangulation of theories with the researcher identifying the interrelated aspects of studies
(Zivkovic, 2012). The interrelatedness of the studies allows for additional analysis by the case
study. Analysis that may not be completed with a quantitative or qualitative direct study due to
the additional time spent gathering data.
The design of the study was intended to review the studies focused on the multigenerational management, generational cohort preferences, and the mainly the Millennial
generation. Gathering the research conducted and scrutinizing the studies provide an opportunity
to synthesize the results and draw conclusions among the articles. Ultimately, the synthesis
provides an opportunity to focus research specifically on the desired topics, choosing the
appropriate articles and summarizing the findings. Due to the size of the field, utilizing this
design allows for analysis in multiple areas rather than only being able to focus on one specific
generation due to time and resource limitations. For instance the synthesis of previous research
studies provides the opportunity to gather basic information on all generations as well as specific
information on the Millennial generation. Without this design the study may have only been able
to focus on one aspect of one generation, and would thus reduce the accuracy of conclusions
drawn from the results.
Procedures
Eisenhardt stated there is an eight-step process to completing an effective case study
research study. The eight steps include defining the research problem, selecting cases, crafting
instruments and protocols, entering the field, analyzing data, shaping hypotheses, enfolding
literature, and reaching closure (1989). The steps outlined by Eisenhardt provide a roadmap for
an effective case study analysis. Primarily the process focuses efforts in specific phases to ensure

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

29

that the researcher provides appropriate setup and analysis of the data to synthesize and draw
accurate conclusions. Without a framework the researcher would not be selecting appropriate
studies. This creates issues in determining the conclusions because, a study needs to have
accurate information gathered to be able to accurately draw conclusions.
The cases for this study were selected specifically to gather results around a multigenerational workforce. In an effort to select recent relevant cases the searches were elected
using the oldest publish date of 2004. The cases gathered provide results and analysis focused on
a multi-generational workforce, and the challenges that are present for leadership in managing
the staff. This paper aims to synthesize the results and analysis of other articles to determine the
most effective way to transition the Millennial generation into leadership roles. This is not a feat
that will happen overnight, but this study provides the framework to determine how to transition
Millennials into leadership roles within the organization. The intent is to develop the framework
within the discussion based on the studies and information gathered. The framework would
provide a starting point for the current leadership within an organization that is supported by the
literature in the field of multigenerational workforce management.
Data Analysis
This study is designed to review and interpret the results from previous studies to
generate a framework for organizations to effectively transition the Millennial generation into
leadership roles. The data provided within the studies is abundant, however, they do provide
summarization and analysis of the data which affords the opportunity to understand the data
without needing to comb through all of the data gathered (Eisenhardt, 1989). The framework
includes themes are utilized from multiple studies provided to ensure a well rounded, and
effective framework. Where themes overlap it provides additional support for the effective use of

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

30

the tactics within an organization. The intent where the literature is contradictory is to analyze
the studies and determine the accurate results which should additionally have support in the field
from other completed studies.
Reliability and Validity
Case study research is presents an additional benefit to validity of the results. According
to Eisenhardt the case study research is inherently valid due to the ability of the researcher to
review the results from multiple studies and understand multiple sides of the arguments (1989).
In reviewing the cases with an external viewpoint the case study research project can be
composed with less biased synthesis in the results. As stated before, this allows the researcher to
review multiple viewpoints and studies in one area and determine the most accurate results from
previous studies (Eisenhardt, 1989). Within the synthesis itself the intent is to provide
information from all viewpoints, and the discussions and conclusions to describe the accurate
studies and provide an explanation on for why they are used.
It is the intent of this study to select prior case studies, articles, and materials that contain
their own reliability and validity. Primarily the case studies used have been peer reviewed to
ensure reliability and validity. The studies are selected from multiple viewpoints, and intended to
provide a broad perspective on multi-generational workforce management. The benefit that this
provides is twofold. First, the researcher is afforded the opportunity to review many more studies
than would have the time or ability to if they were conducting their own original research. This
fosters the ability to understand the topic in more depth and detail. Secondly, the synthesis
allows the researcher provide more accurate conclusions. This comes from the ability to review
differing viewpoints and articles on the same topic. Upon careful analysis of the research studies

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

31

completed they will be able to draw conclusions that may not have been derived before due to
the specificity of the previous studies.
Ethical Considerations
The studies intent is to synthesize data, discuss, and design a framework for transitioning
Millennials into leadership. No participants were used in this study all of the research was
gathered based on previous case studies, articles, and materials. These materials were screened
for unethical biases.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

32

Results
The purpose of this qualitative meta-synthesis was to answer the research question: What
is the most effective way for an organization in the United States to transition the Millennial
generation into leadership? To provide an answer to this response a meta-analysis case study was
utilized. This study gathered findings, synthesized the data in an effort to provide a foundational
framework for an effective transition of the Millennial generation into leadership within an
organization. This is a critical issue for organizations with the Baby Boom generation nearing
retirement age they will need to develop the Millennial generation into leaders with less time
than has been historically allotted.
Summary
Based on the research and the population numbers in the United States it is estimated that
the Millennial generation will become the majority of the workplace in 2015 (Meister &
Willyerd, 2009). This is a generalization amongst all industries in the United States, and may
vary from one industry to another. Organizations in the workplace today are changing rapidly to
keep up with technology and continually provide additional products and services to their
customers. These changes organizations are navigating through in an ever changing marketplace
are primarily externally based. Transitioning the Millennial generation into leadership is a
challenge all organizations will face as the Baby Boomers continue to retire.
The workplace today is comprised primarily of four generations, the Traditionalists, Baby
Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. The older generations, Traditionalist, Baby Boomer,
and Gen Xers prefer to work in an organization that is hierarchical in nature (Balda & Mora,
2011). These lead to other preferences within the organization which have shaped the way
business has been done in the United Stated. Cekada (2012), Cook Ross Inc. (2004), Houck

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

33

(2011), and Patterson (2005) outline multiple characteristics as outlined in Table 1. These
characteristics have been shaped by the experiences the individuals have encountered. The
Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, and Gen Xers tend to work longer hours, and focus more of their
time and effort on work. Most importantly the older generations typically prefer to only have
communication when it is necessary, and feedback primarily when performance needs to change.
The Millennial generation preferences come from their upbringing of which the
individuals were involved in teams, exhibit self-confidence, tend to be well educated, and have a
sense of entitlement (Balda & Mora, 2011; Herbison & Boseman, 2009). The Millennials have
been provided an upbringing that involved teamwork and group activity in addition to the
expanding technological era which leads to an increased self-confident individual who exhibits
higher productivity levels. The Millennial generation prefers a work life balance that allows them
to have time to spend with family and friends. The Millennials prefer to have open
communication amongst all levels of leadership and consistent feedback provided to them.
These preferences exhibited by the generational cohorts add to the conflict within the
organizations. A significant conflicting point is the work-life balance amongst the generations.
The Millennial generation views work as something an individual does, and the older generations
tend to view work as a place you go, in addition the older generations prefer to work longer
hours (Cahil & Sedrak, 2012; Deyoe & Fox, 2012). In addition the generations have differing
viewpoints on what they would like to receive feedback for. The older generations would prefer
to be left to complete their work unless something is wrong, whereas the Millennial generation
would prefer to have constant feedback regardless of their performance in the organization
(Cahill & Sedrak, 2012). There are additional conflicting points amongst the generational

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

34

preferences in the workplace, however the research indicated the work-life balance and the
communication as the two major conflicting points.
Summary and Discussion of Results
The purpose of this qualitative meta-synthesis was to answer the research question: What
is the most effective way for an organization in the United States to transition the Millennial
generation into leadership? To provide an answer to this response a meta-analysis case study was
utilized. This study gathered findings, synthesized the data in an effort to provide a foundational
framework for an effective transition of the Millennial generation into leadership within an
organization.
Summary
The goal of this case study was to provide a synthesis of the previous research completed
with regards to the multi-generational workforce in the United States. Within the meta-synthesis
the study intended to increase the validity, reliability. The study is intended to create a synthesis
of the studies to determine where they are similar and where they differ. This allows for this
study to create a more complete analysis than the individual studies on their own merit.
Discussion and Conclusions
The generational cohorts are different in their preferences. While the Millennial
generation has differing expectations than the older generations, it is another change that
organizations will need to navigate in the marketplace today. The intent of this study was to
develop a basic framework to which organizations in the United States could adapt to their
particular workforce effectively. The findings developed a basic understanding for organizations
on the preferences the Millennial generations may exhibit around their desires in the workplace.
One of the primary challenges organizations will face in the workplace today is the conflict

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

35

amongst the generations due to the differentiation of preferences. Finally, the study determined
some best practices for organizations to attract, retain, and develop the Millennial generation into
leaders of tomorrow.
The Millennial generation has developed their own perceptions, and preferences of what
the workplace should be for them, much the same as every other generational cohort before
them. Due to their upbringing the Millennial generation is self-confident, prefers teamwork, and
require constant feedback. These preferences allow the Millennial generation to have typically
higher productivity than the other generational cohorts because they have the confidence and
ability to utilize other individuals when needed. The need for feedback allows for consistent
alteration of their tactics in the workplace, continually making them more efficient and better at
the tasks they are accomplishing. Millennials prefer to have a career that provides an opportunity
for work life balance, as well as accomplishing meaningful work. This doesnt indicate that the
Millennials have a lower work ethic, they just prefer not to spend all their hours at work each
day. With the efficiencies, ability to use technology, and team-oriented aspect it allows for more
work to be accomplished in a shorter amount of time.
The Millennial generation does present challenges to an organization. The need to work
on meaningful tasks can be difficult to provide on a daily basis. Organizations will need remedial
tasks done from time to time, and there will need to be individuals available to do these tasks, as
well as the meaningful work. Additionally the Millennials have a desire to understand the
strategies and direction of the organization. Leadership does not necessarily have the ability to
disseminate the strategies of the organization. Meaningful work and the desire to understand the
organizational strategy can cause conflict in the Millennial generation.

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

36

Conflict across generational cohorts will cause turmoil if leadership does not proactively
find methods to engage all generations. The workplace conflict stems from communication, work
life balance, and time spent with management. The preferences exhibited by the Millennial
generation are not necessarily accepted by all generations in the workplace today.
Communication preferences can be a primary driver in conflict, and because of this conflict they
can make it difficult to resolve the conflicts that arise. To alleviate these conflict points the
current leadership in an organization will need to continually reinforce the communication
culture. Even if this is something that will change over time, the leaders need to reinforce the
culture. Time spent in the workplace will be another conflicting point amongst the generations.
The older generations believe that the work is to be done at a location, while the younger
generations believe that work can be done from anywhere, at any time with the availability of
technology. Technology offers the ability for work to be done elsewhere, this availability is a
benefit to all generations, as they gain understanding of how it can help them the older
generations will appreciate the benefits of working from elsewhere if necessary. These conflicts
could be problematic if the current leadership does not plan and prepare to resolve them quickly,
before they affect the production in an organization.
Technology presents another challenge for a company attempting to hire employees
today. Access to information about an organization is becoming easier for the incumbent
employees, which can deter, or attract the candidates organizations are looking for. Attracting the
Millennial generation is a critical piece of the strategy current leadership needs to deploy in order
to effectively bring in the appropriate talent onboard. Corporations can offer flexible options to
select from with respects to benefits. This offers the flexibility for an incoming employee to elect
the appropriate coverage, and work options that would suit their needs and desires. These

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

37

elections would show the flexibility and availability of an organization to provide an adequate
work life balance to an employee. These flexible options are more attractive to the younger
generations as they become aware of what their needs are both within and outside of the
workplace.
Once the employee has been hired, the current leadership needs to work to retain the
employee long term, especially if the employee is one that they deem to be a next leader.
Leadership can provide that by offering flexibility within the workplace, they could offer job
sharing, additional training opportunities, leadership seminars, and flexible work hours. This
would provide an opportunity for the Millennial employee to work on what they deem as
meaningful work, and offer the flexible work-life balance they would like to have. In addition to
the meaningful work the Millennial generation wants to have their opinion and thoughts heard
and see results from them. Hearing the ideas and providing feedback is key for the current
leaders to provide the Millennials. By providing feedback, whether it be instant or after some
thought, provides an opportunity for the leader to understand more about the Millennials
thoughts and keep them engaged in the workplace long term. This would continue to allow the
Millennial generation to come up with ideas and thoughts, while providing an open forum with
leadership discuss the direction of the organization. The concept is to allow the current leaders to
provide a work life balance, understand the thoughts of the Millennial generation, and continue
to provide a forum where there is open communication amongst all levels in the organization.
Providing these avenues will keep the Millennial generation engaged and aid in retaining them
for the long term.
The development of talent is crucial to the execution of successfully transitioning the
Millennials to leadership roles in an organization. Millennial individuals typically have a need to

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38

acquire knowledge or to know something about many different topics. This is something that can
be very beneficial to organizations today as they are working toward educating the younger
generations on how to become leaders in their corporations. The most effective technique to
engage and educate the younger generation is to provide a mentoring atmosphere where they can
be the mentee but also become the mentor. This would accomplish a couple of things. First, it
provides the opportunity for the current leadership top mentor the younger generations, and
provide focused energy and direction for them. This will also provide an opportunity for the
leader to gain some knowledge on items they may not know as much about. Finally, it will
provide an opportunity to the younger generation to understand what a mentor is, and allows for
the current leader to provide feedback to the Millennial. This feedback will allow the Millennial
to understand how to become a leader in a closed setting, with specific feedback, from someone
who has been in leadership within the organization. Additionally, by providing an opportunity
for the Millennial to be in an open communication setting rather than in a lecture setting, this will
keep them engaged and aid in retaining the employee long term. The primary challenge is fast
tracking the leadership development of the Millennial generation. An organization could do this
by providing mentoring relationships across multiple leadership roles within the organization.
Additionally, a resolution would be to have established leadership development programs where
the next leaders in an organization can be trained, and exposed in ways that were traditionally
not available. Ultimately, the organization needs to provide leadership mentoring to the
Millennial generation in a much shorter time frame than was traditionally afforded.
The transition into leadership for the Millennial generation could be a difficult transition
for an organization to navigate. However, there are some methods that can aid in easing the
process. The current leaders need to understand the generations and the conflict that are present

TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

39

in the workplace today. This understanding will allow them to be proactive in resolving the
conflict and aid in keeping all generations engaged. To transition the Millennials into leadership
an organization needs to take specific measures with respects to attracting, retaining, and
developing their talent. If they do not execute on all three strategies they will not be prepared to
have the Millennial generation become the next leaders in their organization.
Limitations and Recommendations
The intent of the study was to develop a framework for how an organization in the United
States can transition the Millennial generational into leadership in a strategic method. This was a
literary review, and did not study one specific organization. While the study did develop a basic
framework for how to make this transition it was not able to study the framework specifically in
a business setting. Additionally, the tasks are general in nature, and work to develop the specific
steps and timeframe should be taken when deploying the tactics in an organizational setting.
It is recommended that further research be done around the effects the Millennials will
have on the other generations in the workplace. The study did provide some insight into the
generational preferences, there should be research done around the effects on the older
generations as the Millennials transition into the leadership roles ahead of them. This will be a
contentious issue, as the older generations are accustomed to waiting for their time, rather than
being propelled into leadership ahead of someone who has been with the organization for a
longer period of time.

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TRANSITIONING MILLENNIALS INTO LEADERSHIP

44

APPENDICES
Table 1
Generational Cohort Workplace Characteristics
Traditional

Baby Boomer

Generation X

Practical

Optimistic

Skeptical

Patient, Loyal and Hard Working

Teamwork and Cooperation

Self Reliant

Respects Authority

Ambitious

Risk Taking

Rule Followers

Workaholic

Work-Life Balance

Risk-Averse

Competitive

Informality