Brian Reese

Let me begin by saying that I don’t like definitions of leadership. Why, you ask? Because everyone has one, and we’re not likely to agree on a standard definition anytime soon. The last time I checked, there are literally thousands of definitions… To me, how one defines leadership is not nearly as important as the “what” and “how” of leadership…aka “what” highly effective leaders do and “how” they do it. Ultimately, the effectiveness of a leader is defined and measured by his/her ability to do two things: 1. To achieve exceptional organizational results 2. To build high-performing teams that win Therefore, the “what” of leadership is the ability to achieve exceptional organizational results and the “how” of leadership is the ability to build high-performing teams that win.

Hint: It’s not with free craft beer and pizza…although that might actually work. As a member of the millennial generation (Gen Y), which I define as those born between 1980 and 2000, I feel a unique calling to help employers recruit and retain top millennial talent. In doing so, you will improve communication across all generations, reduce turnover among your best employees, boost morale and productivity, and increase your bottom line. Okay…you’re busy, and you’re wondering why you should care. You should care because your company can’t afford not to. Gen Y is entering the workforce at a rapid pace, and we will be 75% of the workforce (that’s 112 million workers in the U.S. alone) by 2025. We’re also the first generation in history to have ZERO expectation of lifetime employment. And 90% of us make the decision to stick with you or dump you on the very FIRST day at your company. You need Gen Y...and you need us to stay. One of my goals is to help clients realize that millennial retention begins BEFORE you even start recruiting them. The retention process begins in your corporate recruiting strategy. You want to develop processes and procedures to attract the right millennial talent. If you’re an employer, you might want to make the following 10 “Gen Y Magnets” part of your corporate recruiting strategy. These magnets work for companies small and large. They also work whether a single person or an entire department is involved in your recruiting.

In 2016 and beyond, businesses face an unprecedented set of new challenges. In the next 12 months, businesses will have to contend with new government regulations, an increasingly multi-generational workforce, and new technologies. Many aspects of day-to-day leadership will have to change just to maintain the status quo. These uncertainties significantly affect today’s workforce, especially employee engagement and productivity. In fact, 83% of employees surveyed say they are currently looking for a new job or plan on looking for a new job. (Salary.com)