Next Generation Leadership

Employers who don’t adapt to the expectations of younger generations are losing top talent, as they leave for positions at companies with modern practices. Learn what companies need to do to fit into the new normal in the workplace.

Generation Y sees the world differently than any other generation in modern memory, and nowhere is this more evident than in the workplace. The shifts that this generation has seen in the economy, technology, and the world have changed what they want from life and work--which is not a 9-5 existence for forty-plus years, leading to a typical retirement at sixty-five.

What older generations call a poor work ethic from a spoiled generation, Gen Y sees as a different way of doing things.

Companies that take the time to listen realize that what Gen Y is asking for isn’t that crazy; in fact, it’s better in many ways such as:

• A demand for work-life balance isn’t a cry for fewer work hours--it’s a cry to be able to work from outside the office beyond a rigid 9-5 schedule (which can lead, to Gen Y employees working even more hours than you expected).
• Leaving a job after a couple years isn’t an inability to commit--it’s a need to learn more, expand their experience, and develop their career at a faster pace, which is helpful to companies that hire those individuals, including your own.
• Elevating nontraditional benefits over financial benefits is a step toward creating an emotional connection to the company where employees spend most of their time and invest mental and emotional efforts.
• The need to work for a company with a purpose reflects the power that social media has on the social consciousness.

Next Generation Leadership will explore what’s behind these shifts in the character of the emerging workforce. It shows that, as Gen Y assumes managerial positions, the nature of leadership and business will change over the next few decades in irrevocable and profound ways.

“'So many of the executives with whom I work are asking about what the next generation wants from leaders. That's exactly the question that Adam Kingl's new book addresses. Based on data rather than the usual folklore, it provides actionable answers for leaders and co-workers as we navigate this very different world of work - a world that causes us to question why we work and how we lead.'-Dr. Elsbeth JohnsonCEO, SystemShiftFaculty, MIT Sloan and The London School of Economics”

'So many of the executives with whom I work are asking about what the next generation wants from leaders. That's exactly the question that Adam Kingl's new book addresses. Based on data rather than the usual folklore, it provides actionable answers for leaders and co-workers as we navigate this very different world of work - a world that causes us to question why we work and how we lead.'-Dr. Elsbeth JohnsonCEO, SystemShiftFaculty, MIT Sloan and The London School of Economics
If you only read one book on leadership this year make it Next Generation Leadership by Adam Kingl (and then stand in front of a mirror and say: 'Dude, seriously, why do you only read one leadership book a year?') Kingl's thoughtful, insightful and engaging style makes this much more than a book on leading across generations - vital though that is. It perfectly captures the changing nature of leadership itself. The perennial truths, the current priorities, the evolving context are all skilfully explained, with a bias towards engaging the reader and providing practical support. Much as a great leader would, in fact. I liked that the book both challenged some notions of leadership and emphasised others, encompassing a wide range of issues from loyalty, team and development to agility, purpose and virtual working, all with a clear-eyed focus on the need to succeed as someone leading oneself, a team, or an entire organisation, in the third decade of the 21st century.The world needs more and better leadership, and that includes the ability to connect with others, especially the next generation; to provide a positive and open vision, and to be practical - understanding the big picture while also sweating the details. Adam Kingl shows the way forward: 'Skilled leaders meet people empathically and find a way to appeal to their deeper aspirations, hopes, dreams, and values. The good news is that these are evolving towards greater care towards people and planet.'Seriously, if you do only read one leadership book a year then this one might just change your ways.-Jeremy Kourdi

Adam Kingl is the Regional Managing Director for Europe at Duke Corporate Education, Duke University. He was previously the Executive Director Thought Leadership at London Business School. Adam's expertise is in leadership, culture, future of work, innovation, team dynamics, navigating generational differences, and exploring what the arts can bring to business. He was raised in Silicon Valley and now lives in London.

Employers who refuse to adapt to the expectations of younger generations are losing out on top talent, as they leave for positions at companies with more modern practices. Learn what companies need to do to fit into the new normal in the workplace. Generation Y sees the world differently than any other generation in modern memory. And nowhere is this more evident than in the workplace. The astronomical shifts that this generation has seen in the economy, technology, and the world have changed what they want from life and work--which is not a 9-5 existence for forty-plus years, leading to a typical retirement at sixty-five. What older generations call a poor work ethic from a spoiled generation, Gen Y sees as a different way of doing things. Companies that don't get on board risk losing the diverse, young talent that is critical for them to be able to compete. Companies that take the time to listen realize that what Gen Y is asking for isn't that crazy; in fact, it's better in many ways. A demand for work-life balance isn't a cry for fewer work hours--it's a cry to be able to work from outside the office beyond a rigid 9-5 schedule (which can lead, ironically, to Gen Y employees working even more hours than you expected). Leaving a job after a couple years isn't an inability to commit--it's a need to learn more, expand their experience, and develop their career at a faster pace, something that is helpful to companies that hire those individuals, including your own. Elevating nontraditional benefits over financial benefits is a step toward creating an emotional connection to the company where employees spend the majority of their time and invest significant mental and emotional efforts. The need to work for a company with a purpose is a reflection of the power that social media has had on the social consciousness. This book will explore what's behind these shifts in the character of the emerging workforce. It shows that, as Gen Y assumes managerial positions, the nature of leadership and business will change over the next few decades in irrevocable and profound ways.

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