My goal as a leadership communication researcher is to discover the success patterns of business, professional and entrepreneurial ‘Millennials’ – especially the ones who are entering leadership roles in their respective career fields.
What is rapidly becoming apparent as I conduct interviews with those in the Millennial Generation who are currently focused on developing successful careers is a consistent theme of wanting more than success. They want significance.
To ‘Millennials,’ significance has a generational meaning. It’s not about money, title, position, power or celebrity. It’s about making a difference to others in their communities.
Here’s what four ‘Millennials’ have to say about significance and what it means to him or her personally:
Jason: ‘I am interested in personal success – the leader I can become – not material gain.’
Becca: ‘I make hand puppets and give them away to kids who are sick while I’m looking for a job. When the kids put on a hand puppet, they start to laugh – and laughter is healing.’
Gretchen: ‘I always thought I was born in the wrong generation because I care about people. I’m studying to be a nurse and I’m thrilled to be working with patients – especially women and children.’
David: ‘I love teaching English. The kids are difficult at times and the parents are even more difficult at times, but being able to speak and write English well is important to the kids and their futures. I know I matter.’
The quotes provided are indicative of what most ‘Millennials’ are saying to me during the interview process to date. They are eschewing the well-worn path to success of the Baby Boomers and following their hearts. Each appears to have an instinctual need to create a life worth living and one that does more than serve the self.
If you are a ‘Millennial’ in business, the professions or in the entrepreneurial world and you are interested in participating in a research study on the success patterns of your generation, please contact me, Eroca Gabriel, at treatconsulting@yahoo.com. I will provide you with additional information.
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