Building on Strengths: What the Millennial Generation Has to Offer

By: Andrea Bufka In: Next Generation| Social Networking

5 Jul 2011

Has your organization thought about what the next generation of leaders has to offer? Recently I learned about the millennial generation’s strengths at the Case Foundation’s virtual Millennial Donor Summit. Kari Dunn of the Case Foundation led a conversation, “The Generational Divide,” with Wendy Harman and Suzy DeFrancis of the American Red Cross and David Smith and Michael Weiser of the National Conference on Citizenship. Here are some insights from their discussion:

Millennials have a higher level of trust in institutions than Generation X and the baby boomers, but they want to be part of making change.
In fact, they see themselves as change makers, wanting to lead and support the mission. Organizations could benefit from creating more team-oriented structures to make the most of this talent.
They are “prepackaged” with technological expertise and an understanding of social media. The latter is particularly useful to the 93 percent of foundations using Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In.
They are naturally collaborative and adept at forming networks. The Red Cross’ text-to-give program was promoted solely through Twitter and Facebook-successfully.

How can the field of philanthropy benefit from the inspiration of the millennials? One suggestion from Dunn’s panel is to form intergenerational working groups.

To delve further into this topic, the Council’s Trading Power addresses the multigenerational dialogue about leadership in philanthropy by asking, “What does the next generation have to offer in exchange for what seasoned leaders can provide?” The Next Generation Task Force is committed to providing opportunities and resources for the next generation of philanthropic leaders.

Andrea Bufka is manager, Family Philanthropy Services for the Council on Foundations.

2 Responses to Building on Strengths: What the Millennial Generation Has to Offer

Bradley Short

July 6th, 2011 at 10:04 am

We also want our careers to be focused on social change. Organizations that pursue philanthropic goals, while operating responsibly and transparently, draw us in. The companies that do this the best get their pick of the brightest of my generation.

Here’s a post series about this very idea:
http://www.businessearth.com/?s=%22three+cs%22

Bradley Short
http://www.twitter.com/businessearth

James Posner

July 12th, 2011 at 10:16 am

One resource that I find particularly useful when working with multiple generations and diverse professional backgrounds is “vocabulary.” I am less inpressed with the different”visions” brought to the table by others. However, I can learn a lot and sharpen my own perspectives from hearing the concepts, theories, paradigms, methodologies and descriptions that they have developed in their education and professional growth.

In my generation, we learned spread-sheets and regression analysis. Now social media bring new tools. In earlier generations, an appreciation for the poetry and the panoramic beauty of nature instilled a sense of humility and satisfaction that we may find missing in our over-programmed and hurried daily schedules.

Sure, the millenials will bring, offer, and add themselves to the ongoing mix and evolution of our societies in a manner that differs from past generations and ultimately from successive future generations.

I do not find much value, however, in making invidious comparisons about the relative benefits or losses among “generations” rather than seeking gradual, sustained improvement in the lives around us.

2 Responses to Building on Strengths: What the Millennial Generation Has to Offer

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