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CaSE aPPLICatION 1 CHAPTER 12 • Leadership and Trust 407
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Developing Gen Y Leaders

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ow important are excellent leaders to organizations? they will need to lead the company in the future. It starts
Well, the answer,in theory of course, would be very with a very specific recruiting strategy for hiring Millennials
Himportant. However, the answer as practiced by count- and continues with a yearlong “Welcome to Deloitte” pro-
less organizations might indicate otherwise. Only 38 percent of gram. This program is all about teaching this age group
organizations have a formal client- management skills and
frontline leadership develop- team-building skills, and offer-
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ment program in place. It’s Excellent leaders have to be ing professional development
important for organizations developed and cultivated. opportunities. And, not surpris-
to commit to strong leader- ingly, it’s done largely through
ship development, and it’s social media using interactive
particularly important for organizations to begin grooming experiences such as role-plays, simulations, games, and a tool
their Gen Y employees to move into critical leadership posi- to help these employees track their first-year tasks.
tions. Why? Within 10 years (by 2025), these Millennials are At Facebook, the first Millennial-run organization to
set to comprise 75 percent of the global workforce. That’s why become a Fortune 500 company, leadership development is
organizational leadership development programs are absolutely designed around the needs of a fast-moving, fast-growing com-
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essential. Let’s look at what some companies are doing to pany. The head of leadership development at Facebook says
prepare the next generation for leadership. that the only way leadership development works there is by
3M’s leadership development program is so effective that making it consistent with the types of engineering tech types
it has been one of the “Top 20 Companies for Leadership” in that comprise the company. Engineers are concerned only with
six of the last seven years and ranks as one of the top 25 com- “what works.” And it’s the same for any type of leadership
panies for grooming leadership talent according to consultant development to be successful here; the focus has to be on what
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Hay Group. What is 3M’s leadership program all about? works. Also, since Facebook is an extremely flat organization
A few years ago, the company’s former CEO and his top with few levels of management, employees find out early on
team spent 18 months developing a leadership model for the that in order to get anything done, they’re going to have to
company. After numerous brainstorming sessions and much be able to influence and inspire people. That’s why leaders at
heated debate, the group finally agreed on six “leadership Facebook don’t have to be convinced of the need for people
attributes” that they believed were essential for managers to skills. They won’t survive long without them.
have in order for the company to become skilled at executing
strategy and being accountable. Those six attributes included Discussion Questions
the ability to: develop a plan and implement that plan; moti- 12-14 Why do you think that there’s a huge gap in theory (what we
vate and rouse others; be ethical and trustworthy and abide know we should do) and practice (what we’re actually doing)
by the rules; achieve outcomes; strive for excellence; and be of leadership development?
a capable and creative innovator. The company has continued 12-15 What are some reasons that companies might not be address-
to reinforce its pursuit of leadership excellence with these six ing Gen y leadership development programs?
attributes. 12-16 Take each of the six leadership attributes that 3M feels is im-
Other companies, such as Ernst & Young, start early in portant. Explain what you think each one involves. Then dis-
cuss how those attributes might be developed and measured.
recruiting and investing in future leaders, often going after 12-17 Would any of those six leadership attributes be appropriate for
talented college freshmen who have leadership potential. They any of the other companies mentioned? Explain.
take the best talent and involve them in various leadership
development programs both while in school and after gradua- 12-18 Three different types of organizations are described here:
3M is primarily a manufacturing organization. Ernst & young
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tion. Deloitte, another company rated high for its leadership and Deloitte are professional services organizations. Face-
development programs, is deeply committed to helping its book is a tech company. Compare and contrast their differing
Millennial employees learn and absorb the leadership skills approaches to Gen y leadership development.