What role does fear play in leading and managing Millennials?

Fear-based leadership is rather common, though we don’t call it fear. We call it control-and-command, or sometimes we just call it supervision.  However, as more Millennials/GenYers come into the workforce, fear is unlikely to produce effective leadership.  Why? Because this demographic simply views the world much differently from generations accustomed to fearing their boss.

For Millennials/GenYers, fear as a motivator is a somewhat foreign concept. Raised by parents and teachers who sought to build esteem and not threaten, Millennials/GenYers don’t have the built-in fear instinct.  Even if they were to lose their job, their fear factor is lower than other workers’ for two reasons: 1) Millennials have not yet accumulated the financial responsibilities of older workers, 2) Many can return home to the financial safety of their parents until they find another job.

Instead of fear, employers would do better by embracing what Millennials/GenYers really want: Supervision. This doesn’t mean micro-managing, but rather providing support, coaching, information, and patience.  Unlike previous generations, Millennials want and need regular and constant feedback. It’s what they know from their parents, and it was the basis of how they were educated from grade school through college.

Fear leadership is a strategy among managers who haven’t embraced the fact that the workplace has changed radically.  In previous generations, work was mostly done on site. The boss could see you working and could monitor your activities.  The thought was that if you didn’t hear from the boss, everything was okay.

This management style will not motivate the Millennial generation.  Millennials/GenYers were raised as independent, self-starters who can use technology and social media to get the job done irrespective of physical location.  Rather than having someone look over their shoulder, what Millennials really want is clear direction and mentoring. Once they understand the task at hand, they can lock and get it done.

It’s understandable that Baby Boom managers may have a high need for control.  But by understanding the perspective of Millennials/GenYers, it’s possible they can learn a new skill or two that will produce employees who are both loyal and highly effective.