The quality of leadership in an organization is premised on various factors. A leader is expected to embody particular characteristics such as being visionary, transparent, honest, open to allowing member autonomy, demonstrate skills in problem solving and effective decision-making, among other factors. However, organizational factors should also be accounted for as the structure of the working environment could affect the quality of the leader-member exchange. In essence, leadership focuses on varied interrelated factors which influence each other at different levels. For instance, the age and gender of workers matters when it comes to determining the mode of communication. In recent years, there has been scholarly coverage of how leaders should communicate with millennials; millennials represent an already emerged body of the labor force that is not only outspoken but is rather sensitive toward the quality of interaction with leaders. While that is the case, it is important to appreciate that a company’s organizational culture, whether top-down or bottom-up, could also impact the behavior of a leader. Company policies might impede a leader to interact with subordinates in a manner that has the potential to promote job satisfaction and motivation. Regardless, communication occupies a central role in influencing the nature of outcomes follow a leader-member exchange. Leaders are, more often than not, representatives of a company’s top management. On that account, it becomes significant to debunk the complex relationships between leaders, the top management and employees. Within such a web of interaction, communication takes on a central position as the basis upon which the needs and expectations of either stakeholder groups are met. It follows that effective communication is a prerequisite for a successful organization with indicators such as employee satisfaction and motivation, alongside a top management that is both transparent and supportive. Owing to the unique characteristics that millennials present at the workplace, an exploration of how communication influences a leaders’ behavior when interacting with the said group is warranted.
Purpose
The purpose of the proposed study is mainly to demonstrate how communication with millennials at the workplace shapes a leader’s behavior. Objectively, the study would look at how leadership behavior embodies sensitivity toward the uniqueness of millennials as a more advanced and vibrant labor force. Therefore, the idea would be to establish a relationship between the adopted communication approach relative to a leader’s understanding of the expectations of millennials at the workplace. At the background, it is expected that leaders are likely to experience some challenges as they navigate through the various characteristics that define the needs and expectations of millennials at the workplace.
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Significance
As mentioned, the study would limit the attention to how leader’s shape their communication behavior when interacting with millennials. Different from baby boomers, millennials present unique characteristics that demand a tailored approach that addresses their expectations. Comaford (2018) explained that while millennials might be perceived like an enigma, it becomes essential for leaders to debunk their code of behavior; this is in relation to their role within the organization, and self-awareness toward their own wellbeing. A report by Deloitte (2014) demonstrated that millennials, also known as Generation Y workers, not only have big demands, but also present high expectations for businesses. The observation made is that millennials are already taking over the labor force as they are likely to comprise of 75% of the global workforce by 2025. Their expectation for organizations is that they demand employers that promote innovating thinking, help them develop skills across different areas, while also making a positive impact on the society (Deloitte, 2014). Therefore, as businesses anticipate a restructuring of the labor force with millennials emerging as leaders across different sectors, the importance of effective leadership cannot be reiterated further. The study would add onto existing literature that has focused on the behavior of millennials at the workplace. Of central importance is to deduce the various challenges that leaders face when trying to establish healthy relationships with the target population with a special focus on communication.
Research Questions
The following question and sub-questions are likely to shape the study to produce results focused on addressing how a leader’s communication behavior influences the quality of relationship with millennials.
Main question : How can leaders leverage communication to promote a healthy relationship with millennials at the workplace?
Sub-question 1: What is the role of communication in promoting positive business outcomes?
Sub-question 2: What are the unique characteristics of millennials which influence leadership behavior?
Sub-question 3: How can leaders ensure quality communication with millennials at the workplace?
Review of Literature
Theoretical Framework
Leader- Member Exchange Theory
In order to address the questions raised, a theoretical framework is required to help in the delineation of results that will be generated. In the context of leadership, establishing a positive relationship with subordinates is integral toward ensuring work productivity. The leader-member exchange (LMX) theory qualifies as a potentially helpful approach in identifying key factors that determine quality interaction between leaders and their subordinates. According to Park and Craig (2017) LMX is premised on the idea that the relationship between a leader and his or her followers is dyadic that each dyadic exchange is unique. The implication is that a leader will form a unique relationship with each employee due to variations in the quality of such interactions. With reference to the social network perspective, Goodwin, Bowler and Whittington (2009) noted that a high-quality LMX embodies commitment between the leader and a member, that is housed within willingness to support and confidence in each other’s loyalty. Therefore, in cases where there is low-quality LMX, the opposite should be anticipated. In such relationships, there is likely to be poor commitment toward each other through low-level of confidence and loyalty toward each other. Here, one can notice that LMX looks at the need to have a strong relationship between a leader and their subordinates. An objective leader is, therefore, expected to demonstrate openness to communication, flexibility in decision-making, reliable, and confident in the capacity of the employee. Emirza and Katrinli (2019) explained that relational demography, that is the degree to which a leader and their subordinate have similar demographic characteristics, plays a major role in determining the quality of LMX. Therefore, in the study at hand, LMX would be used to uncover the various factors that are likely to influence the manner of a communication approach relative to demographic factors between the leader and their subordinates.
Communication Accommodation Theory
With intergenerational differences influencing the manner of communication between millennials and the older generation, it becomes imperative to demonstrate competence in communication strategies that cater for the needs of the former group. The communication accommodation theory (CAT) is a potentially effective model that can provide guidelines for how leaders can communicate with millennials. Giles and Soliz (2014) described CAT stating that it has the capacity to help individuals understand, “the motivations for why [individuals] communicate the way [they] do with others, the nature of [their] communication choices, and the relational, identity, and evaluative outcomes of these choices” (p. 158). Hence, through the lens of CAT, the point of the departure is a leader’s understanding of the type of followers that he or she is leading which inform one’s communication strategies. The rationale behind CAT is that the characteristics of the target group influence a leader’s decision with regard to what communication approach to use. Williams (2007) explained that CAT looks at the extent to which communicators (in this case leaders) are aware of various communication and language techniques especially with regard to accommodation. That being the case, there is considerable significance placed on the link between one’s awareness and tasks such as self-reporting (Williams, 2017). For leaders, CAT demands that they look at the nature of impact of their communication techniques on the quality of relationships with their subordinates. For instance, Pretorius (2017) noted that in the healthcare setting, CAT can be used to debunk the factors that that affect patients’ evaluative responses to the ability of nursing professionals to communicate effectively. The same principle applies during the assessment of the quality of relationship between leaders and millennials when accounting for the role of communication.
Key Themes
Sub-question 1: What is the role of communication in promoting positive business outcomes?
The significance of communication in promoting positive outcomes in an organization cannot be stressed further especially when companies operate in dynamic and hypercompetitive environments (Hill, Kang, & Seo, 2014). Examples of positive outcomes are such as having an energized labor force, seamless interaction between junior and senior employees, efficiency of work processes, quality of operations among others. In support, Hill, et al. (2014) noted that through communication, leaders are able to promote psychological empowerment alongside positive work outcomes such as organizational commitment and job performance among employees. The observation being made is that the quality of communication is largely reflective of the nature and quality of factors, such as those mentioned earlier, which are key indicators for organizational success. It follows that a leader’s ability to communicate effectively influences the likelihood of advancing a company’s position in the market through initiating and fueling the drive for performance among employees. Emphasizing the importance of effective communication in leaders, Hamm (2006) noted that, “Leadership, at any level, certainly isn’t easy – but unclear, vague, roller-coaster pronouncements make many top managers’ job infinitely more difficult than they need to be” (para. 1). While leadership behavior is, in part, subject to influence from personal attributes and traits, there is the expectation that one should be aware of how the nature of communication affects the quality of relationship with followers. for instance, it becomes increasingly difficult for junior workers to debunk such statements as, “’Let’s focus on the key priorities this quarter,’ ‘Customers come first,’ or ‘We need a full-court press in engineering this month,’” (Hamm, 2006, para. 1). Such statements are project a leadership behavior that is encompassed in presenting fuzzy notions of the perceived direction of a company. Clarity in communication is, therefore, a crucial element which leaders should consider whenever they are interacting with their subordinates.
Sub-question 2: What are the unique characteristics of millennials which influence leadership behavior?
The management of employees has gone through various transformations as leaders are forced to adopt hybrid strategies to promote healthy interaction with baby boomers and millennials in an organization. In particular, millennials present a unique challenge for leaders when it comes to cultivating a healthy relationship that is not only focused on promoting shareholder value, but also demonstrating recognition for employee worth. Myers and Sadaghiani (2010) noted that millennials in the workplace have afforded themselves a particular image as, “self-centered, unmotivated disrespectful, and disloyal,” thereby, “contributing to widespread concern about how communication with millennials will affect organizations and how they will develop relationships with other organizational members” (p. 225). The stereotypical approach toward millennials, whether accurate or not, presents leaders with a new set of challenges especially if one was used to managing the older generation who are more receptive and less outspoken (Comaford, 2018; Pyoria et al., 2017). For that reason, leaders in the modern day have to appreciate that millennials are a unique body of the labor force which demands a well-curated approach with regard to communication among other leadership obligations. Pyoria et al. (2017) described millennials as being, “higher educated than earlier generations, highly competent users of information and communication technologies (ICTs), and accustomed to the world of social media” (p. 1). With these characteristics, millennials come off as a unique breed of the labor force that not only appreciates the importance of transparency at the workplace but is also poised to leverage the various technologies accessible to them to enhance their personal and professional growth. In support, Pyoria et al. (2017) explained further that unlike previous generations of workers, millennials are active participants in shaping and influencing an organization’s culture, practices, as well as style of management. It follows that in any work environment, leaders should recognize the unique elements that define the culture of millennials at the workplace.
Sub-question 3: How can leaders ensure quality communication with millennials at the workplace?
Millennials provide interesting challenges at the workplace which have considerable influence on the communication approach of leaders. A research done by PWC noted that millennials are best described as a techno generation that prefers the use of technology for communication. The survey found that, “With technology dominating every aspect of millennials lives, it’s perhaps not surprising that 41% say they prefer to communicate electronically at work than face to face or even over the telephone” (PWC, 2013, p. 4). With this particular observation, it becomes critical for the leader to ensure that they have extensive knowledge and skills regarding the use of technology in communication. Moore et al. (2016) explained that in today’s work environment, companies are advised to consider the needs of several generations with the intent being to allow team formatting. Further, it is also important to recognize and appreciate the inherent diversity in staff to promote positive consumer experience (Moore et al., 2016). For effective organization development, Gibson and Sodeman (2014) emphasized on the significance of ensuring that companies leverage the use of technology when dealing with millennials. However, the scholars warned that “the current emphasis on technology in [organization development] programs may be pushing aside opportunities for students to develop the very skills future employees seek in graduates – the ability to manage people and relationships through strong leadership and communication skills” (p. 65). It follows that despite there being strong support for the use of technology to enhance communication with millennials, leaders are warned against replace in-person interaction with advancements in technology. For instance, millennials are known to use social networking sites even at the workplace. It would seem appropriate to use such channels for communication. However, there is a thin line that lies between promoting performance and productivity through minimal in-person contact and making the workplace seem like a machine with no real human interaction.
Summary
Based on literature reviewed, it emerges that millennials are a unique body of employees at the workplace. However, prior to establishing how a leader can communicate with such a cohort, there is a need to establish foundational aspects that indicate effective communication at the workplace. Additionally, the research shifts toward the various characteristics that define millennials at the workplace. Sub-question three is intended to lay the ground for sub-question three with regard to determining how leaders can communicate with millennials.
Research Methodology
This chapter will focus on the potential research approach that can be used to help answer the main question, that is, “How can leaders leverage communication to promote a healthy relationship with millennials at the workplace?”. The sub-questions are: “What is the role of communication in promoting positive business outcomes?”, “What are the unique characteristics of millennials which influence leadership behavior?” and “ How can leaders ensure quality communication with millennials at the workplace?”. The proposed methodology would help cover the key aspects in each sub-question thereby satisfying the goal of the main research question. The chapter covers the research design and will culminate with limitations and ethical considerations that might ensue.
Research Approach
Owing to the nature of the research questions, the study would be mainly qualitative. For that reason, the phenomenological approach is chosen as the most optimal method through which data will be gathered and assessed. Eddles-Hirsch (2015) explained that in research, phenomenology entails the rigorous analysis and description of experiences among individuals in their day-to-day settings. Thus, focus is mainly on firsthand encounter of the target sample. In this case, the study will focus on how leaders interact with millennials at the workplace with a special focus on communication behavior. Nicholls (2019) emphasized that the essence of phenomenology is to capture the essence of experience upon which quality indicators might be observed such as in the case of communication with millennials.
Data Collection
The primary method of data collection be participant observation. Supporting this particular approach, Zhao and Ji (2013) noted that participant observation strategies are distinct as they offer the researcher a different perspective from self-reported data acquired from quantitative methods, focus groups or interviews. Thus, participant observation allows the researcher to acquire a better understanding of the sociocultural context of the participants where daily activities take place (Zhao & Ji, 2013; Jackson, 1983). The chosen methodology complements phenomenology which is mainly centered in exploring the effect of natural settings on target participants relative to the construct that is under investigation. On that account, participant observation will act as the key method of collecting data.
In addition to participant observation, interviews would be conducted to help increase the richness of data gathered. While there are various forms of interviews, that is, unstructured, semi-structured and structured, the study could use semi-structured interviewing. Young et al. (2018) rationalized semi-structured interviewing noting that it functions as the middle-ground between structured and unstructured interviews. The observation made is that the research is flexible as they can ask a set of pre-determined questions, but also shift focus to important points as the interviewing continues (Lavrakas, 2008). Therefore, the semi-structured approach is critical in helping the researcher modify the questions in the event that the participants talk about critical issues not covered in the initial set of questions. Additionally, Zhang and Ji (2013) explained that a combination of participant observation and interviewing could help add depth in the data gathered thereby allowing for the gathering of rich data.
Data Analysis
The data analysis is a critical stage in any research. For the proposed empirical study, thematic and discourse analysis would be ideal in determining the debunking the implication of the results. Through thematic analysis, the researcher would be focused on coding and conducting a close examination of the data to determine any broad themes and patterns (). According to Nowell et al. (2017), a rigorous thematic analysis can help produce insightful and trustworthy findings especially in qualitative research. Descriptively, thematic analysis entails the process of analyzing, organizing, describing as well as reporting emergent themes within a chosen set of data (Nowell et al., 2017; Castleberry & Nolen, 2018). On that account, one can notice that the identification of themes helps provide context for researchers. For instance, during the proposed phenomenological study, participant observation can generate data showing verbal and non-verbal communication techniques. The researcher would be required to determine the emergent and dominant factors that influence the quality of communication between a leader and millennials. Roberts, Dowell and Nie (2019) noted that thematic analysis has the potential to promote substantive assessment of issues thereby adding onto already existing knowledge about a chosen phenomenon. In this case, the idea would be to determine the techniques that leaders can use when communicating with millennials at the workplace.
In addition to thematic analysis, the researcher can reinforce the findings through discourse analysis. Various scholars have explored discourse analysis relative to its role in research. Adolphus (n.d., as cited in Jankowiwcz, 2005, p. 229) explained that, “discourse analysis is of particular relevance when listening to people’s own narratives of a situation – the biographical approach”. It follows that the said method of analysis focuses on the manner in which study participants focus on differing interpretive repertoires which are contingent on their understanding and quality of experience when in a particular context. Hodges et al. (2008) explained that discourse analysis can be used in the analysis of a conversation between and among individuals with a focus on the sociological use of language. In this case, the idea is to determine how, for instance, a leader and their subordinates communicate with each other. Significant cues would be such as how they use language, the occurrence and existing of interpersonal tensions, among other factors. In support, Hodges et al. (2008) noted that in a study focusing on the quality of communication between nurses and surgeons, the researchers were able to determine the likelihood of error occurrence alongside the choice of words, and manner of behavior between participants. In the context of the proposed empirical study, discourse analysis will be used to reinforce the thematic approach such as through explaining how language, verbal and non-verbal, influences the behavior of the leader and millennials. The choice of word alongside other forms of mannerism will be of critical importance in supporting addressing the objective of the study.
Ethical Considerations
For any research, ethical considerations help the research to avoid undermining the objective of the study. Sanjari et al. (2014) explained that researchers face ethical challenges which stem from designing to reporting. Dominant ethical issues in research involve confidentiality, anonymity, informed consent, as well as the researcher’s impact on the target population. Thus, it is crucial for the researcher to ensure that there is sufficient coverage of any ethical issues that might arise during their study. Watts (2010) explained that in a study that uses participant observation, the researcher is expected to establish a relationship with the subjects emphasizing the need for familiarity with the use of participant observation. Li (2007) explained that a researcher can take a covert role, but in doing so, they would be required to deal with any disturbing feelings associated with the concealment of their role. However, upon making the research overt, the researcher would be expected to appreciate the likelihood of limited participation from the target population. Nevertheless, ethics should be addressed relative to the sensitivity of the research topic, vulnerability of the chosen participants, alongside the plasticity of membership roles (Li, 2007). With such understanding, the researcher for this particular study might actually assume a covert role as the topic is not as sensitive, nor is the case of dealing with a vulnerable population.
Study Limitations
As is expected, the study at hand has various limitations that, if left unaddressed, might obscure or undermine the process of data analysis and interpretation of the results. The main challenges would be mainly embedded with the research methodology chosen. With regard to thematic analysis, Roberts et al. (2019) explained that the process might be challenging being that most articles tend to omit a detailed overview of the qualitative approach in research. The likely outcome is that the research might experience difficulty in mirroring analysis strategies, while also failing to understand the rigor of the ongoing study. There is no consensus across literature that explains what constitutes a reliable and rigor qualitative coding technique (Nowell et al., 2017). When it comes to interviewing, participants might refrain from concealing important information which could be used to advance the objective of the study. Such concealment might occur upon revelation that the researcher is conducting research with these individuals as target participants (Young et al., 2018). Further, it might also be challenging to identify a setting where the leader is dealing with a cohort of millennials. For the data gathered to be valid, a substantial sample is needed.
Conclusion
The intent of the proposed empirical study is to assess how leaders can promote a positive leader-member relationship with millennials at the workplace. Here, the idea is to assess how leaders deal with the unique characteristics that millennials presents at work. Research demonstrates that the chosen target population are mainly technology oriented. Therefore, a leader should integrate technology as part of their communication strategy. However, it is equally important to appreciate the value of in-person relationships between a leader and their subordinates. The study is poised to shed light on a critical issue owing to the fact that millennials will comprise of the largest body of workers in the near future. Therefore, identifying strategies to promote effective communication with millennials is crucial to the success of companies.
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