Is millennial cultural intelligence and engagement part of your leadership arsenal?

In his book, The Science of Leadership: Lessons from the Research for Organizational Leaders, Julian Barling (2014) asked a very profound question. “Do leaders matter? If so, in terms of what outcomes?” This discussion intrigued me. As I read the chapter, I contemplated, from a results perspective, how can organizational leaders continue to grow their leadership team, gain global influence, and maximize the contribution of millennials?

Based on training and research conducted at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, along with real-world experience, I propose two strategies. The first strategy alerts organizational leaders to cultural biases in global strategic planning. Lack of this awareness can invoke personal idiosyncrasies, create blinders, and prohibit productivity. The second strategy is essential to reduce the high turnover rate of millennials in organizations.

1. Invest in cultural intelligence awareness training

Economic globalization is driving the need for leaders to understand multicultural differences in business operations. With many companies establishing a global footprint, developing leaders with high cultural intelligence is a vital skill. Although there are many tools available to assist in this training, I previously used the Globe Smart Five Dimensions of Culture Awareness Tool. By using this tool, I was better prepared to engage with a small management consulting firm in Cape Town, South Africa.

So why is cultural awareness important in strategic planning? Several years ago, I worked with several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). My team and I were responsible for developing security cooperation engagement activities for these countries. Since the goal of the United States was to eliminate safe havens for terrorists, especially on the African continent, we wanted to build trust and influence with our African partners.

Imagine if we had approached this commitment with a single-America mindset. Our efforts in this region of the world would have failed. Because we couldn’t afford to let our cultural differences disrupt productivity, we invested a lot of time and research studying these countries. Our cultural awareness training enhanced our ability to effectively collaborate and engage with these global partners.

2. Maximize investment in the contribution of millennials

How is your company measuring its investment in its millennial workforce? Are you letting talent walk out the door? In The 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey: Winning over the Next Generation of Leaders, researchers quoted: “More than 44 percent of millennials are now in leadership roles, but most believe they are receiving little or no development in their roles. .. Millennials still feel only 28 percent believe their organization is making the most of their skills” (p.6).

As the host of a local television show called Leadership Talk, I recently interviewed several millennials about their perspective on leadership development in technology-driven organizations. Having spent more than 35 years in the telecommunications and information systems technology business in the US military, government, and corporations, I was curious about his perspective. The prevailing narrative from these interviews was “we just want the opportunity to contribute to the overall success of the organization.” What can we deduce from this feedback? I mean to say that if organizations fail to effectively engage the talents of their millennial workforce, turnover rates will not decrease but rather increase, at an alarming rate.

In short, economic globalization continues to drive business engagement with other countries. By developing a cultural intelligence awareness training program, organizations can grow their leadership teams and global influence. Similarly, by strategically engaging the millennial workforce, organizations can maximize their productivity and retain their expertise.