Unique strategies urged to keep 'emerging leaders' - Executive Briefing - employee retention - Brief Article

HR Magazine, Sept, 2002 by Steve Bates

Many organizations have a growing cadre of "Generation X" employees--roughly 25 to 35 years old, with lots of energy and promise. But how can these companies identify and keep the cream of this group, those who are an organization's future leaders?

Faculty member David Baldwin and his colleagues at the San Diego, Calif., campus of the Center for Creative Leadership, a nonprofit educational institute, offer some suggestions based on lengthy study of this group, whom they term "emerging leaders." The suggestions include:

* Follow their input on how they would like their careers to be developed.

* Offer them control over their work hours and space.

* Give short-term, performance-based bonuses.

* Provide timely and consistent feedback.

* Assess their motivation and adjust perks and benefits.

* Introduce entrepreneurial opportunities.

* Let them own their work and be responsible for their bottom line.

"As an organization, don't assume that you know" what they want, says Baldwin. "We need to admit that we don't know it all" when it comes to this crucial segment of the workforce.

The key to retaining these emerging leaders is earning their trust, Baldwin notes, but there's no easy formula. He advises that HR professionals take the first step to building a good relationship with young leaders, "but it has to be genuine."

Introducing challenge is a good way to involve this group, Baldwin says. "If the challenge is gone, you'll hear 'I'm going to go to another organization.'"

Consider "life development training," which Baldwin says is a broad assessment of career and personal goals. Such a process involves questions such as: "Who am I? What am I doing? Where am I weak? Where am I strong?" he says.

In some ways "it's very risky," says Baldwin, because the answers might lead emerging leaders elsewhere. "But it can be a win-win.

Steve Bates is senior writer for HR Magazine.