“Millennials in Ministry: Keys to Maximizing Your Inter-generational Team 

By Dr. Jolene Erlacherwww.leadingtomorrow.orgjolene@leadingtomorrow.org

Why is inter-generational understanding so critical right now?

Renaissance

Enlightenment

Postmodernism

Major Cultural Shifts

Shifting priorities for church and ministry

As business As family

Leaders as bosses Leaders as parents/friends

Presentation/formality Intimacy/informality

Programs People

Success as number of bodies/members

Success as spiritual/personal growth

Buildings Community/relationships

Budgets Service/outreach

Ministry/job first Family/friends first

91% of Millennials (1982-1995) employees don't expect to stay more than three years at any given job.

(Future Workplace Survey)

Starting in 2015, Baby Boomers will no longer be the majority of the workforce. The majority of the workforce

will be Millennials, ages 20-33. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

44% of Generation X (1965-1981) workers are reportedly actively disengaged, meaning they're planning to look for

another job within the next 12 months. (Gallup)

1 in 3 young professionals under age 30 prioritize social media freedom over salary when choosing to accept a

job offer. (Cisco Connected World Report)

For a company with 10,000 employees, the turnover costs for entry-level workers alone average $17.3

million. (Human Capital Institute)

Four million American Baby Boomers (1946-1964) retired this year. (Social Security Administration)

55% of executives don't have a process for conducting

CEO succession planning (InterSearch Worldwide)

•Silent: Born 1928-1945 (Age 69-86)

•Boomer: Born 1946-1964 (Age 50-70)

•Gen X: Born 1965-1980 (Age 34-49)

•Millennials/Gen Y: Born 1980-1995 (Age 19-33)

•Gen Z/Digital Natives: Born 1995-2010 (Age 4-18)

•Generation Alpha: Born after 2010

•Life cycle effects: Young people differ from older people, but may resemble them later in life. •Period effects: Major events (war, economic decline, etc.) affect people differently based on location in life cycle. •Cohort effects: Period events and trends that influence young adults as they are developing their core values.

Taylor, Paul, and Scott Keeter, eds. “Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change.”Pew Research Center. February 2010. Web. 13 September 2010.

Silent Boomers Xers Millennials

Attitude w/Authority

Endure them Replace them Ignore them Choose them

Role of Relationship

Significant Limited, useful Central, caring Global, 24/7

Value System Conservative Self-based Media Shop around

Role of Career Means of living Central focus Irritant Place to serve

Schedules Mellow Frantic Aimless Volatile

Technology Hope to outlive it Master it Enjoy it Employ it

View of Future Seek to stabilize Create it! Hopeless Optimistic

Elmore, Tim. Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Them. Atlanta: Post Gardener Publishing, 2010.

Millennial Traits•Special/Entitled•Sheltered/Programmed•Confident (but fragile)•Team-Oriented/Collaborative/Connected/Informed •Pressured/Driven

(Need to distinguish themselves; doing vs. being)•Achieving (personal resume)•Family-oriented (work/life balance)

What do Millennials want?• To feel valued/special/appreciated• To have authentic relationships (boss/colleagues)• To receive constant feedback/affirmation/correction• To be a part of something meaningful• To feel like they are making a meaningful contribution• To have flexibility/freedom• To have opportunities for professional

growth/promotion

What do Millennials need?• Trusted mentors/coaches (good/bad cop)• Affirmation of contributions, constant feedback• Immediate constructive/corrective feedback • Sincere explanation of “why” for processes and systems• Role models of effective professional practices• Advocates of their needs and perspectives to leaders• Patient equipping and empowerment (sometimes in

very “basic skills”)

Effective Intergenerational Leaders:• Possess emotional intelligence!!!• Ask good questions/listen!!!• Understand differences in perspectives/values• Educate team on those differences and their potential,

foster team building and appreciation • Create systems that help empower every group (options

for rewarding performance)• Maximize the strengths of an intergenerational team