Brad Szollose

By Sania Jamil In an age where generational stereotypes about Boomers and Millennials are thrown about without clear understanding, the tension displayed by managers holding onto the “old ways” of leadership is visible. How does one lead in a time when hierarchies themselves are being destroyed? This new age fueled by technology and its workforce requires an entirely updated set of best practices and a leader who is self aware enough to adapt and change, rather than fear the bumpy business terrain ahead of us. Brad Szollose, the authority on helping companies understand generational issues, coined the term “Liquid Leadership” to describe what it takes to succeed as a leader today: adaptability, transparency, and strength. Szollose is a recognized thought leader, entrepreneur, business coach, and speaker who specializes in transitioning leaders from the Industrial Age to the Information Age, and his advice is not based on theory. Szollose has bootstrapped over 8 startups, one of which he took public in an IPO on NASDAQ, which was worth over $26 million. Based on his experience, here are his 7 best practices (multigenerational management ideas) that define what it means to be a liquid leader today. 1st Law: A Liquid Leader Places People First Despite all the technology available to leaders today, they must understand that people are and will always be the most important asset of any company. “Baby Boomers tend to isolate themselves from younger people and treat them as expendable ‘kids’, while Millennials tend to undervalue the experience of Boomers and ignore them. Generation X, on the other hand, showed up on time, wore suits, and did everything the Boomers told them to do, and now are being overlooked for leadership positions for some reason,” noted Szollose. “Liquid leadership is about being inclusive—creating opportunities for all generations to thrive within an organization.” 2nd Law: A Liquid Leader Cultivates an Environment Where It is Free and Safe to Tell the Truth Micromanagement will be the death of a misguided leader in today’s marketplace. Szollose said, “When responsibility is shifted to the individual—when people are given the freedom and power to manage their time and solve problems—the result is that no one wants to let down even a single member of their team.” It also means you must teach people how to manage themselves in this day and age. Szollose refers to Valve Software’s employee handbook… “A fearless adventure in ...

Don't make them the forgotten generation. By David Burkus Author, "Under New Management" David sits down and interviews Brad Szollose "There's a lot of talk about Millennials today, much of it about the challenges and opportunities presented by Millennials entering the workforce. But as important as those discussions are, they're missing something...a big something. They're missing a whole generation: Generation X. When we talk so much about the back and forth between Baby Boomers and the Millennials, the Generation X employees get stuck in the middle. I recently interviewed Brad Szollose, author of Liquid Leadership and an expert on cross-generational leadership issues, and the conversation inevitably fell to what to do about the problems facing Generation X...fast becoming the forgotten generation. "Generation X is a smaller portion of the population," he said. "They...

According to Brad Szollose, cross-generational leadership expert in NYC and author of Liquid Leadership, “You can’t put someone in a leadership role assuming they have the skills to lead, only to train them 10 years later. If you want Millennials to succeed, invest in their leadership development today.”

"Over the past 10 years,” Szollose adds, “There has been quite a bit of pressure on charities to run more efficiently, just like a regular business. That's why many charities both in the United States and Europe are turning to former CEOs and directors from the private sector." Lack of vision and efficient operations impacts millennials as employees and as donors.

Brad Szollose, cross-generational learning and development consultant in New York, award-winning author of Liquid Leadership and cofounder of K2 Design, Inc., said that although he is part of the baby boomer generation, in his experience as a CEO, he saw the need to tap into the millennial generation. The biggest mistake, he said, that an industry leader can make given population trends is to ignore the younger, diverse workforce and the potential it can have for a CEO, who may not be able to predict trends the way millennials can. “I think a lot of boomers don’t see themselves as older and going to retire soon. They need to understand that that’s going to have to happen, and they need to consider how the new generation can fill in,” he said. “[Employers] have to start taking younger people seriously, because they may be bringing to the table that secret sauce that can make you more innovative and stand out in your industry.” In terms of trying to find a way to attract employees in this age and racial bracket, Altman said the best strategy is simply to hire a millennial in HR and in managerial positions.