In the next few years, Millennials will begin moving into more significant leadership roles within companies and organizations. But are we ready for it?
A few weeks ago, I ran across this article from Forbes that highlighted the leadership transition that Millennials are beginning to make. Here’s one of the most interesting lessons from the article: Millennials know they aren’t ready for leadership, but we want it anyway.
While I can admire our ambition as a generation to climb the ladder of leadership, it can also be a little concerning. We need to realize that becoming an effective leader doesn’t just happen. If we want to become a generation of great leaders, there are certain ideas we need to embrace today in order to experience success in the future.
3 Reminders for Millennials Before We Climb The Ladder of Leadership
Here are three reminders that will help Millennials lay a solid foundation as we begin to move higher and higher up the ladder of leadership:
1 – Embrace the bottom
Millennials are known for our drive and ambition. However, we’ve also grown up in a world where you can fill any need in an instant. Many Millennials are frustrated because we haven’t reached a certain leadership level by the time we’re 30 or experienced the same kind of early career success our parents saw.
However, we must remember that success without time to grow into it often leads to ruin (just look at today’s young celebrities as an example). Instead of being discouraged that we haven’t been given the opportunity to lead, we must learn how to embrace our time at the bottom, and take advantage of every opportunity to learn, to grown, and to mature.
2 – Enjoy the process of “growing into leadership”
There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going. The challenges and frustrations we’re experiencing today might not be easy, but they are helping us grow toward becoming better leaders in the future.
I recently finished John Maxwell’s “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.” In the chapter, The Law of the Rubber Band, he explains that the effectiveness of a leader is only as great as their ability to stretch themselves.
Many Millennials are living in a season of life where we’re being constantly stretched and challenged to do more. It can be painful. However, when we lean into a process of growth with everything we have, it causes us to grow in ways we never thought were possible.
3 – Remember who built the ladder
There’s one thing Millennials should remember as we begin to climb the ladder and take one more responsibility… each rung was built by someone who came before us.
Sir Isaac Newton was one of the most influential scientists in the history of the world. However, even he recognized that the things he was able to accomplish weren’t achieved by his merit alone. Here’s what Newton said in one of his letters to a friend:
“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”
– Sir Isaac Newton
As we begin to climb the ladder of leadership, we can’t forget about the men and women who helped build it. The best way to overcome some of the challenges between our generation and those currently in leadership is to value their contribution to the leadership ladder we will climb.
Really fantastic, Jeremy! I’m especially struck by embrace the bottom. When I first started working out of college I hated that I was the one to go on lunch runs for the senior partners but when I came back with lunch, I was welcomed to sit with them in their meetings while I ate my lunch too. I was often asked what I thought and was challenged to take it all in, have an opinion and grow. Yeah, the lunch runs were terrible, but I got a heck of a lot out of my time at the bottom.
That’s a great example, Alli! I think taking opportunities like that to learn and grow is something that can easily be missed if we focus on the negative. Kudos to you for recognizing it as an opportunity rather than a dump task.
Great reminders, Jeremy, for all of us. There are always times for us to learn from our “down” times so we can lead better in our up times. Through each step, engaging with those before us and those ahead of us will make us better leaders. Really appreciate your message here! Thank you. Jon
Thanks, Jon! Definitely try to “learn how to climb” the right way.