Management of the Future
Introduction
Most global economies have emerged from the downturn brought about the financial crises in the early twenty-first century slowly and for a longer time than expected. However, the emergent growth cannot be denied (Rigby & Bilodeau, 2015). Executives had to slog through years of recession and even stagnation, feeling finally triumphant with the recovery. However, despite their organizational skills and business acumen, they cannot shove away the serious challenges posed by employee diversity, which is hounding them through the years without remission. The most notable of these challenges involves the surface level of diversity.
The surface dimensions of diversity involves differences in culture (ethnic heritage), age, and gender. Most managers often observed extraordinary challenges in three aspects associated with these surface-level diversity, namely: managing people from diverse cultures; managing people generational differences; and communicating with the opposite gender (Baldwin, Bommer, & Rubin, 2013). This paper, however, will focus on the developments in management literature in relation to generational differences and the opposite gender.
Gender theory, in the philosophical tradition of Irigaray, contends that each gender (male or female) is a perpetual “other” of the other (Lacan, 2006). In a sense, a female exists always dependently upon the male and vice versa. This theory proposes to explain essential differences between genders as well as their fundamental complementarity.
The current concerns in the management of gender differences pertain to gender communication styles. Research evidence has indicated that male conversations center upon problem solving, status maintenance, and preservation of independence; thus, not necessarily for building interpersonal closeness or community (Baldwin, Bommer, & Rubin, 2013). Just sitting and talking is not an essential component of their concept of closeness. However, they tend to prefer joint activities, which allows them build friendships with those they work with together.
Meanwhile, females use conversations to negotiate closeness and intimacy (Baldwin, Bommer, & Rubin, 2013). Thus, talking is essential for intimacy. And their idea of building closeness and community is sitting it out with others and talking.
Managing a gender-diverse team can be tricky when the manager is not aware of the differences in the communication styles of males and females. Evidence indicates that men naturally focus on outcomes and solutions while women tend to be process-oriented (Baldwin, Bommer, & Rubin, 2013). Consequently, men are more comfortable in a team where objectives are clearly spelled out and the extent of the members’ roles highly defined. Conversely, women are more comfortable with communication-intensive and maintenance activities rich group dynamics with group-based performance evaluations and rewards system.
Moreover, managers should take note to resolve the primary problems encountered by each gender in a gender-diverse team context. Women, for instance, cannot perform maximally in an environment with poor information sharing conditions, while men suffer the same low performance struggle in a team where performance expectations are either unclear or inappropriate or both (Baldwin, Bommer, & Rubin, 2013; cf. Petrie, 2014).
Developments in generational supervision
Recent research evidence indicates that generational experiences distinctly shape work attitudes and perceptions in significant ways (Baldwin, Bommer, & Rubin, 2013). Each of the four generations – Traditionalists; Boomers; Generation X; and Millennials – has a unique history and evidently a distinct set of life experiences not shared by the other generations. This generational uniqueness can be harnessed by management to improve performance traits The Traditionalists, due to its hard working ethics, conservativeness in business approach, and high intensity of organizational loyalty, can be provided with key organizational posts that can maximize these unique traits to strengthen the core human resources in the company. Boomers, who are essentially nonconformist and finicky in their life quality ideals, may accomplish many things in research and development as well as technology-oriented functions, or even in technology-based organizations.
Meanwhile, Generation X personnel, because they are more cynical toward organizations with strong focus on work-life balance, interpersonal (not necessarily organizational) loyalty, and flexibility in working environment (Baldwin, Bommer, & Rubin, 2013). Finally, the Millennials are the first generation to be deeply exposed to technology and live in a media-driven world. They share the love for technology with the Boomers but in a more diffuse and profound extent. That means they can work well together in technology-based organizations. They are also globally aware and achievement oriented. Managers, however, can enhance their contributions by providing them a unique culture with strong potentials for making money, expressing self, and socializing. They are also loyal followers for leaders with a public aura of heroism.
Baldwin, Bommer, and Rubin (2013) proposed some evidence-based principles in managing Millennials. First, a great leadership model must be provided as Millennials essentially look up to leaders with honesty and integrity. Second, Millennials should be challenged and stretched at work as they need learning opportunities, achieve growth, and follow a rewarding career path. Third, they must be teamed with friends as they excel in cohesive teams. Fourth, fun must be integral at work as that defines their idea of a work environment. Fifth, their ideas must be respected despite their relative inexperience. Sixth, maximum work flexibility must define their job to overextend their energies in various directions. Rigidity is a reason for resignation.
Management and leadership of the future
Three major forces are seen to cause disruptions and challenges in the coming years. The forces are demographics, particularly in emerging economies; generational movements, particularly the aging of populations as older generations start to die; and resource scarcity, including human resources (Rigby & Bilodeau, 2015). Leadership is also expected to be more collective instead of individual (Petrie, 2014). Sadly, although most executives (75 percent) recognized that organizational ability to adapt to change represents a vital competitive advantage, this recognition was evidently limited to the changing business climate and not to the changing demographic characteristics of its human resources. Expectedly current managers looked at an accelerated deployment of innovation as its preferential strategy for growth (cf. Petrie, 2014) and far from any serious concerns of human resources management.
Nevertheless, employee engagement continues to be at the top second priorities of the management globally, ranking first in the North American management priorities (Rigby & Bilodeau, 2015). Concerns on satisfaction and loyalty management remained at the bottom quartile of management priorities globally. Surprisingly, it is no longer a priority among North American managers, perhaps due to their increased reliance on employee engagement as a more advanced approach in building employee satisfaction and loyalty.
Conclusion
Gender and generational diversity continue to be two of the three enduring challenges of today’s managers. As the competitive climate worsens, effective teams will be necessary to implement strategies with innovative precisions and technological skills. Managers and leaders must be effective enough to harness these human resources for greater market leverage.
References
Baldwin, T.T., Bommer, W.H., & Rubin, R.S. (2013). Managing organizational behavior: What
great managers know and do (2nd Ed.).
Lacan, J. (2006). The mirror stage as formative of the ‘I’ function. Fink, B. (Trans.). New York:
W.W. Norton.
Petrie, N. (2014). Future trends in leadership development. Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative
Leadership.
Rigby, D. & Bilodeau, B. (2015). Management tools & trends 2015. A: Bain & Company.
