Nonprofit-Performance-360-Vol-2-No-1-Hesselbein

generate dynamic discussions amongst team members. It remains a timeless resource that is tangible and easy to use for experienced leaders to bring multigenerational teams to- gether, and also those who have diversity of role in nonprofits (staff, board members, vol- unteers, etc.). My company, Why Millennials Matter, partnered with Barnes & Noble College on a nationwide study to uncover what motivates, influences and matters to students as it relates to their career, garnering student respondents from two- and four-year colleges and universities across 44 states. Over 17,000 open-ended responses were submitted, citing personal stories about their motivation and the greatest influences on their career goals. 92 percent of the more than 3,000 students who responded identified “personal fulfillment” as the top indicator of career success, far above financial rewards and public recognition. “Making a difference” trumped money, status and power, showing that they want to see a real connection between their work and their values. If we are going to bring our generations together in such a way that all feel that their contributions are valued, then we need

to recognize both the similarities and the differences.There are absolute commonalities: 1. All generations want authenticity and respect. 2. All generations want the opportunity to contribute ideas and see the impact they are having on the company or community in which they are serving. But

innovation but being part of an organization that is inclusive, diverse, and puts its people first. It’s not just words on a plaque in the company lobby. For them, you must walk the walk, not just talk the talk. If your day-to- day operations do not match your recruiting message, then they will have one eye on the door from the second they walk through it. Engaging employees of all generations is important, but investing time with Millennials through mentoring, training and leadership development will unleash a new wave of innovation and creativity. The future of your business is dependent on how you approach this next generation of leaders. Joan Snyder Kuhl is an international speaker, author of First Globals: Understanding, Managing, and Unleash- ing Our Millennial Generation , and a lead author and editor for a new edition of Peter Drucker’s Five Most Important Questions: Enduring Wisdom for Today’s Leaders , focusing on the Millennial generation. After a decade of mentoring and coaching thousands of Mil- lennials from around the world to help them achieve their potential, Joan launched Why Millennials Matter, a Gen-Y speaking and consulting company that focuses on raising awareness to employers about the value of investing in their future workforce and the Millennial cus- tomer segment. — @joankuhl

Millennials have been the loudest and most vocal in expressing this because they have had a larger global platform to do that via social media and the internet, in general. The differences come down to the expectation of Millennials who will demand that this be a priority for their employers in every sector. They see no other way on the path to

SynerVision Leadership .org I 21