Are Millennials Still Relevant?

 In one of his recent blog posts, the world-famous executive coach Marshall Goldsmith lays out what he sees as the “five must-haves of future leadership”: thinking globally, appreciating cultural diversity, demonstrating technological savvy, building partnerships, and sharing leadership. (I like the list, though I’d add two critical ones Marshall missed.)

But something surprised me about the post: Marshall’s exhortation to Millennials: “Millennials, speak up! You need an ‘equal say’ in your company’s future leaders!”

Are we still talking about Millennials as if they are some mysterious youth cult: difficult to understand, important to please, and representing (often ambivalently) the still-nascent hopes of our future civilization?

The reality is, Millennials are getting old. Fast. 

The generally agreed-upon definition of a “Millennial” is someone born between 1980 and 1995. That means that more than a few Millennials are heading into middle age, having already celebrated their 40th birthdays. The youngest of the generation will soon be cresting 30 and facing all the mundane challenges that that decade presents: settling into a career, settling down, having children, fewer Instagram-worthy vacations, no longer being the most limber participants in their hot yoga classes.

Millennials don’t need to have an “equal say” in their companies’ future leadership, because increasingly they are their companies’ current leadership!  (Many of my clients are high-growth technology companies where anyone over 40 is downright ancient. I admit that once in a while I have a flashback to that classic sci-fi movie Logan’s Run.)

Many corporate Boomers are already retired or on boards; GenXer’s are (still) quietly just getting things done, often more as entrepreneurs than corporate types; and Millennials who chose business careers are dominating middle management ranks and starting to overtake the executive suite.

Don’t blink: before you know it, most CEOs will be … Millennials!

I see two take-aways here:

1.    We need to start thinking differently about Millennials … and Millennials need to start thinking differently about themselves. If we’re talking about Millennials as if they’re the generation of youth, setting a different path, and catalyzing new ways of thinking and doing, well, we’re outdated.

2.    We need to start thinking more about “Gen Z” (born in 1996 or later), whose generational leading edge is now in its mid-‘20’s. This generation is already becoming the trend-setters, the influencers, and the culture-determiners. They are likely to be quite different from Millennials, as many early studies suggest: (for example, here, here, and here): more pragmatic, frugal, and authentic; less self-absorbed and obsessed with social media; more interested in real-world life than on-line life; socially engaged and purpose-driven; and (given all of the above) potentially less prone to anxiety and depression

It’s still too early to tell what exactly Gen Z will be like, and how they will change our culture and workplaces. The reality is likely to be heavily influenced by this global pandemic, already the defining event of Gen Z, and we should can expect will start to look quite different when Z takes over. (And not just in the kinds of jeans they wear, although that meme is telling as well as quite funny.)

Change is coming. What are you doing to anticipate it? Here’s one idea—adapt Marshall Goldsmith’s cry as: “Gen Z, speak up! You need an ‘equal say’ in your company’s future leaders!” (Though I don’t think we’re going to have a lot of with Gen Z being shy about their thoughts.)

And finally, as a Gen X myself, I can’t resist a parting shot: I am quite looking forward to the imminent rise of “OK, Millennial,” uttered in a dry sarcastic tone and with an accompanying eye roll. Karma is a boomerang.