Introduction
Leadership style determines how one influences those around them and how an individual’s actions affect the success of their business or division. Although some people are born with leadership qualities, anyone can also develop them as they grow. That can be through comprehending the lessons that other leaders have taught them and reflecting on their actions to see how they affect those around them. Leadership styles can be applied in different ways depending on the generations working in a certain firm.
Discussion
I see at least four generations working in my Walmart store. The oldest is the Veterans generation, followed by the Baby Boomers, Generation X, and the Millennials (Črešnar & Nedelko, 2020). Each generation has its work ethic, values, and expectations hence, different leadership styles have to be applied in this firm. Therefore, I must keep in mind that each generation is distinct and has different strengths and weaknesses when trying to lead them.
There are a few recommendations that can be made to ensure that a team operates effectively to achieve its goals. Each team member should know what the team is trying to achieve and what their role is in achieving those goals. Furthermore, it is essential to ensure that team members can effectively communicate with each other for them to be on the same page (Črešnar & Nedelko, 2020). Therefore, my action plan is to provide team members with the resources they need to be successful such as adequate training and access to necessary tools and information.
The challenges that I would face when leading a team containing members from all four generations are communication, different work styles, and different values. Therefore, to effectively communicate with all four generations, I would need to find a way to appeal to all of their communication preferences (Meskelis & Whittington, 2020). Furthermore, I should be aware of the different work styles and values of each generation.
Conclusion
Managers should be aware of the ideal leadership styles of each generation for a variety of reasons. The most important of which is that employing the chosen leadership style while engaging with individuals from various generations fosters more trust. As a result, communication between managers and employees will improve, as well as employee motivation and productivity. If a person’s leadership style is not working for them, they are less likely to be inspired to work hard.
References
Črešnar, R., & Nedelko, Z. (2020). Understanding future leaders: How are personal values of generations Y and Z tailored to leadership in industry 4.0?Sustainability, 12(11), 4417. Web.
Meskelis, S., & Whittington, J. L. (2020). Driving employee engagement: How personality trait and leadership style impact the process. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing. Web.