It's the Manager summary

Introduction

It's The Manager by Jim Clifton. Great managers are key to organizational success. Gallup research shows managers account for 70% of the variance in employee engagement. In fact, employees do not leave companies, they leave bad managers.

The world of work is changing. New technologies and disruptive startups lead to huge business shifts. But what about the workers at the office? Have they changed, too, over the years?

This summary reveals how employee attitudes and goals have transformed. This transformation spans from one generation to the next. You will learn what millennials want from their jobs. You will also learn how great managers build safe, inclusive environments, and how managers must adapt to lead modern, flexible workforces.

Gallup's latest research gives you confidence to recruit the right people. It will also help you keep your star employees happy. Packed with insights, this is your guide to the future of management.

disruption from millennials

Disruption from Millennials Millennials are undoubtedly disrupting the way we work. Born between 1980 and 1996, they change how we communicate, travel, shop, and entertain. But in this era of massive change, a problem exists. Old management styles no longer work.

Approaches suited for older generations just do not cut it. Gallup research proves employees leave bad managers, not organizations. Managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement. Millennials want employers to recognize they work for purpose, not just a paycheck.

To get the best from this dynamic generation, change how you run your workplace. Younger workers need meaning in their jobs. They want to work for companies making a positive world impact. Boomer parents found meaning through family.

Millennials and Gen Z find purpose through work. To attract and retain the best, build a workplace culture around making a difference. Millennials are not very interested in typical job satisfaction. What they really care about is career progression.

They are not swayed by foosball tables or luxury coffee machines. In fact, they find these perks patronizing. Millennials want you to help them move up the career ladder. They do not care if you give them a free lunch.

Surprisingly, most millennials do not want you to manage them at all. They would much rather that you coach them. Younger employees want leaders who understand their strengths, not old-fashioned bosses. These leaders should help them build on strengths to improve their jobs.

Millennials are also rejecting traditional bosses and more. As it turns out, they do not want annual performance reviews either. Instead, they want much more regular feedback from their managers. This makes sense, as millennials and Gen Z are used to instant communication.

They use things like texts and tweets. Remember to focus on their strengths, not their weaknesses. Millennials like knowing what they do well to do more of it. Strengths-based coaching keeps team engagement high.