Episode #58: Middle Manager Skills Are Critical

“They are looking for a place where they are highly valued, feel they are needed, and are praised for being useful to others”. Professor of Social Psychology at Rissho University in Tokyo, Kimiaki Nishida was quoted in the local media commenting on why young people join terrorist groups like Aum Shinrikyo or the Islamic State. I was struck by the similarities to the problems confronting Middle Managers in Japan dealing with Millennials.

Japan is facing a crisis with succession planning. This is driven by a demographic pivot where the number of young people entering the workforce will decline faster than demand for their services. The Japanese birthrate is in no danger of improving either, as family sizes stay small and couples become parents much later. McKinsey’s late 1990’s “war for talent” ring a bell with anyone?

Middle Managers are often the direct reporting line for these Millennials and yet the generation gap is vast. This is the fax and PC generation sitting across grey metal desks from their app and iPhone successors.

The Millennial’s emotional mix is about to become even more complex. Paraphrasing Professor Nishida, the young want love not tough love. The “highly valued” component certainly conforms with our global research validated in Japan, that “feeling valued” was the key emotional trigger to becoming more engaged about your work. If you feel more engaged, you are more motivated, loyal and likely to be innovative.

Crunch time! Are your Middle Management tuned in to these critical messages?

Sounds a bit fluffy to you? Official statistics tell us that in 40% of workplaces that is not happening sufficiently to stop Millennials, in their third and four years of work, from walking out the door to supposed greener pastures. The cost of their departure to the organization is huge.

Firms are foolish if they don’t do something now about better educating their leaders, especially front-line supervisors and Middle Managers. Highly inconveniently, Millennials are never on your timetable.

Action Steps

1. Understand there is need to prepare now for a looming “war for talent”
2. Expect dealing with Millennials will become more difficult, as there are fewer levers available to influence them
3. Educate Supervisors and Middle Managers about the need to communicate “You are Valued” to Millennials