Leadership Lessons from your Average Preaching Joe

When millenials are working... 

...with millenials, reporting to millenials, serving millenials those are the conversations, spaces, moments where electrifying revelations, information, ideas & epiphanies are occurring.

Each is distinct from the other & although there is still no one formula to work with such dynamic distinctiveness there is only one common thread in this tribe, each is “entitled” Simon Sinek couldn’t have put it any better (I will marry this guy! after getting over myself) And I wonder what kind of emotional intelligence should you possess for millenials to lead millenials.

What excites me about millennial leaders & their stories is that while they’re within many states of “entitlement” themselves & while they may not really get the respect & authority as Gen X leaders command because of the age gap, here lack of thereof, they still manage lead with all the irony. Every millennial has expected that work in a leadership position will become easy, because hell yeah, why won’t everyone be all ears & diligent & coachable… Yes, because, why WILL they? Congratulations on your new Title & welcome to Sparta It is in this state of flux the weighing pressure of quickly defining your leadership style because everyone is waiting to compare you to your predecessors, your baby boomer visionaries or to that xyz sitting on a retirement island, the race to define one’s leadership style can be intimidating.

Because honestly are you asking me if my aggression can make me an authoritative one?

Let’s say ‘All the bridges you came over don’t burn them yet – Nicki Minaj (in a very distasteful profound rap song about stoners & lovers can apply here)

I do tend to ruffle a few feathers every now & then, because you cannot be a successful manager unless you’re a shrewd businessman/woman when situation commands. But perennially commanding into a one-sided relationship with a team, is a sign of weak leadership, ultimately characterizing team culture with fear, defying team spirit & ending up as a one man’s army. Man is a social animal, as much as he craves social esteem he knows better he can’t work in isolation & if you’re a woman in operations, you definitely can’t! (RIP to my feminist ego with this confession) 

Then are you asking me if I want to be a laissez faire leader?!

No, because I’ll be down & out, faster than Miley’s wrecking ball (also a good summary of how all she ever wanted was to break the walls, but how she got wrecked in this seemingly harmless process, a must listen for hapless employees waiting to fall under this beckoning stereotype) I bite my tongue & decide that it is easier to read about this in textbooks than practice it.

As much as everyone would like to be led by one, It is only the calm countenance of this style that inspires me. From my little experience from an entrepreneurship stint to corporate ladders I’m not as entrusting to give the reigns & bet on it. It takes courage to play this gamble & be comfortable with high probability of failure or improvement. As a student studying HR, I always aspired to be known as a laissez-faire leader because it would satisfy my Libran handicap of being liked & loved by humans, animals & furniture. As expected, I for one burnt my hands too soon. I couldn’t match this leadership style with my aggression & excitement for my career.

Ok, then should I do the democratic style?

I think I’ll go with this quote ‘And you said yes, but you should’ve said no’ –Taylor Swift (re-enforcing the feeling of regret & suggesting how you should’ve gone home instead & thought twice before you let it all go)

I will avoid the submissive style because I can’t be passive, at the stake of performance. You’ll be soon losing your voice & lip syncing like Mariah Carey at Times Square.

Oh so why can’t I be the haloed transformational leader?

 Because don’t even get me started on the profundity of transformational leaders, so magnanimous that even if a millennial tries to fit into this leader’s shoes, no mortal will recognize him unless his third eye is opened, forcefully. Ofcourse it will open one day, but when you’re ailing & on a death bed.

The only leadership lesson when you’re overwhelmed by the levels of retail multitasking for all retail slaves leaders is, you “Get on the floor” –JLO (who also took many years & two kids to realize that this was the final solution) Literally, on the retail floor. “Straight to LA, NY, Vegas to Africa”-Pitbull (who signifies the universal application of this practice) Even while you maybe rudely interjected by Pitbull, physical work always recovers the mental equilibrium in retail mayhem.

  

Yes… all these styles, & I will never conform to em’ stereotypes because I appreciate the scales, the oxymoron, the self-righteous yet open, entrusting yet cautious, conformists yet flexible, loyalists yet liberal, cold professionalism yet empathetic, the bellwether yet underdog. I’ll stick to my leadership style, un-defined & unsung (in any pop song).