c) Feedback
Compared to their predecessors, the younger generation asks for immediate and regular feedback. For that they would benefit from learning to receive and also give constant, positive and constructive feedback themselves.
Together with Gen Y a coach can work on feedback techniques so that they are able to speak about topics related to their performance, leave space for improvement and construct goals for the future with respect and maturity.
3.2. Creating Awareness
Raising awareness for the needs and constraints of co-workers is essential in a leader- employer relationship. Gen Y is known as being more critical, but they also realize that their performance suffers at times, because they can be too emotional. In most cases, the trigger for emotions is ignorance towards the skills or work of Gen Y or unfair treatment.
Coaching Generation Y in how they can handle their emotions and problems can be a success criterion for organizations16.
a) Finding Balance
A coach assesses the now, lets clients talk about their dreams and visions, about what they need to be happy, what motivates them, what they are passionate about and what a real balance means to them in practice. Together with the coachee SMART goals are set, goals that are realistic and negotiable with the senior managers.
b) Inspire Creativity
Creativity lies within everyone as a natural human trait. The young professionals are more creative and can show their full potential in the decision-making process. Coaching skills like brainstorming and mind mapping contribute to a successful implementation of Gen Y´s creativity in the work environment. Being respected, letting them show their creativity highly contributes to Gen Y´s happiness at work.
4. Summary and Outlook
This paper shows what motivates Generation Y, what it expects from their Gen X leaders, their careers and lives. Additionally it identifies key impacts of coaching on the performance of Gen Y.
It is important to point out that it is insufficient to only coach Gen Y as there are many areas for improvement for Gen X managers:
a) Raising their awareness for the needs of the younger generation, enabling a shift in their perspective, asking the right powerful questions or sharing knowledge will contribute to having a fruitful relationship.
b) Visualization methods like mind mapping, lateral thinking17 and role- plays can successfully be used by trained coaches with the senior management in order to inspire creativity.
c) Supportive coaching and recognition are important management tools with Gen Y and can be taught to Gen X managers.
Looking at the future outlook and trends of studies on coaching in China a trend towards team coaching can be seen. As mentioned above, it is not enough just to work with one generation: another approach can be to look at them as a team in order to manage actual and future challenges in this relationship. In China, coaching is already widely accepted and a growing business, but a better knowledge about coaching for the coachee is important in the future. Furthermore, a better transparency about the coaching process and clarity of the coaching objectives could make coaching more comprehensive and satisfying for the coachee18.
It is obvious that the senior managers who grew up in a communist environment with a hierarchic leadership style conflict with the needs of the younger generation. We can no longer judge Gen Y “with existing value systems, but rather must find their merits within them and make full use of their wisdom and creativity, because Gen-Y represents the future”19 and will quickly take over key positions in most companies.
As generation Y already dominates the workforce it is inevitable that they will lead Gen X and/ or another Gen Y in the near future. Further research has to be done on the Gen-Y leader/Gen-X employer pattern as well as on the particular leadership style of Gen Y that will definitely be different from previous leadership styles and will be predominant in companies in China in the future.
Companies should prepare for a new generation of Gen Y leaders by developing a close working relationship with professionals in the coaching field to enhance management and organizational skills in addition to inspiring a willingness to be managed, leading to an environment of freedom of expression and a discovery of Gen Ys full potential.