4 Tips For Leading People In Their Twenties
With the rise of technology, finding and keeping good talent is harder than ever. It's easier than ever to find job openings and people are more mobile than ever before. There is no reason to stay in a job you hate, especially if you're in your twenties and have plenty of time to find a job you enjoy.
And while the current coronavirus pandemic has temporarily slowed this, it won't last forever.
So how can we lead people in their twenties in a way that makes them want to stick around? As a young leader myself who turned 30 this year, I can speak from experience about what works and what doesn't.
I have previously written about how to lead those older than you, and in this post, I'll share four tips for leading people in their twenties.
1. Explain the "why" behind decisions
The quickest way to frustrate young leaders and employees is to not give any reasoning behind decisions that are made, especially ones they might not like or fully understand.
"That's the way it is" or "We've always done it this way" simply doesn't work anymore. Young leaders want to know why.
But this doesn't mean they have to like it. You don't have to convince them (or should I say "us" for the next few months while I'm still in my twenties?) to agree with you, but you should tell them why a certain decision has been made.
There are often very good reasons for doing things, but those with lesser experience often don't understand all of the dynamics at play. Most people in their twenties genuinely want to learn and understand the best way to do things. Taking the time to explain why helps bridge that gap.
And even if they still don't particularly like the idea, you've shown that actual thought and consideration went into the decision that was being made. Young leaders will respect your decisions so long as they know there are good reasons behind them.
2. Expect more from them
In an attempt to try and keep young talent, it can be tempting to try and make things as easy as possible for them so they won't leave.
This is a bad idea.
The vast majority of people want to grow and achieve things. The problem is young leaders are often not given the opportunities nor challenged to make things happen.
Every young leader that you would actually want to keep will stay in an organization that pushes and stretches them. Give them opportunities to try new things and fail (knowing that their job isn't on the line if they make a mistake). Be clear about what your expectations are and give them tangible goals and steps you want to see them take.
The first question to ask when anyone you lead is underperforming is "what am I not doing to help them succeed?" I have often found that people perform at the rate that their leaders are clear and accessible to them.
Are you setting a low bar for them? Are not you perfectly clear on expectations? Do you follow up with things that are missed? Are you accessible to them when they have questions?
Expect big things from them and help create the steps for them to get there.
3. Have a rhythm of consistent feedback
Annual performance reviews are inadequate to ensure people are growing and accomplishing their goals, especially for people in their twenties.
Having scheduled rhythms of feedback helps young leaders know whether or not they are on the right track and makes it easier to provide correction when needed.
When you see something is missed or done incorrectly, don't wait to see if it happens again before you say anything. Address it right away, explain what about it was done wrong, and how it could be approached differently in the future.
Those early in their careers often feel like they don't know what they are doing (because they don't) but are often afraid to ask for help in fear of coming across as incompetent or incapable. They want help but are afraid to ask.
There is nothing like being helped and encouraged that you are on the right track "and here are one or two things to make it go even better the next time."
At New City Church where I lead, we by no means have a perfect system, but we at least have a system of feedback built-in. In addition to addressing issues when they happen right away, we recently started quarterly reviews where are staff know they will get feedback on their performance as well as 3-5 specific goals to work towards in the next quarter.
And guess what has happened? Our entire team's performance is increased because people know exactly what is going well and what needs to be improved.
Have a constant rhythm of feedback ensures that young leaders know exactly what they need to do and what is expected of them. The younger and more inexperienced you are, the more valuable this is.
4. Let them fail without fear
The best way to learn and to grow is to fail. If you want people in their twenties to stick around, you need to give them opportunities to take the lead on something (even if it is really small) knowing it is ok to fail.
If you have the expectation that they can't get things wrong, they'll stop trying (and eventually leave). Experience is the best way to get better at anything, and being in a place that allows young leaders to gain real experience is invaluable.
I would argue that this is even more important than how much their paycheck is. Being in a safe place that gives real opportunities for people in their twenties is rare. Young leaders won't be quick to leave that.
Leading people in their twenties doesn't have to be complicated
It is often said that people don't quit jobs, they quit bosses. There's is a lot of truth to that. Wherever or whatever you find yourself leading if you want more people in their twenties the first place to look is at yourself. How are you doing with the four tips described above?
Young leaders want older leaders and mentors in their life, the first step is simply being intentional with them. I know you can do it, and the future will be better because of your desire to do so.