The current paradigm shift indicates that there is mass exodus of baby boomers, and the generation z  are getting hired at a high rate. A study conducted by Ernest and Young in 2013 revealed that seventy five percent of Managers in America have confessed that it is difficult to manage and lead multi- generational employees. The main challenge identified by respondents of the study is managing different expectations of these workers and their belief system. It is a helter-skelter situation, leading to tension between these generations, when they cannot relate with each other due to their generational gaps and belief system they resort to harmful stereotype and blame instead of understanding each other to appreciate their difference. This is the current conundrum; how do you accommodate the divergent beliefs of four generations with different mindsets and remain resolute in driving the organisation to achieve its north star. This is the new reality,  and we must all embrace it. 

Everyone entrusted with leadership roles must adapt and adopt an agile leadership style to lead these generations effectively. The one size fits all leadership approach is not applicable when leading diverse generations because different generations have different views, expectations and needs and that requires an agile leadership. By applying agile leadership principles in leading multi-generational workforce, managers can create an environment that is adaptable, responsive, and inclusive. This approach helps leverage the diverse strengths and perspectives of each generation while fostering collaboration and innovation within teams. Moreover, leading multi-generations effectively requires an effective diversity and inclusion policy to recognize, understand and integrate all workers in the organisation. This will make them to appreciate their interdependence for their growth, organisation experience and overall organisation success.  Furthermore,  the top-down communication system is dead. These days employees are more educated, experienced, and more talented to provide valuable ideas to their managers. All organisations should adopt a two-way communication system to foster collaboration and good culture. Managers who do not listen to their employees are not good leaders because they make them feel excluded, less valued, and disgruntled leading to a hostile working environment. All generations of workers want open and honest communication coupled with psychological safety. Additionally, it is fundamentally important to treat employees and everyone with respect irrespective of their age.

What are the divergent expectations and beliefs of each generation and how do they want to be led? We have the baby boomers who are in their final working years and their priority right now is life after retirement. In most cases, these are the highly experienced workforce with valuable knowledge obtained over the years. It will be unwise to let them go with this valuable knowledge. The first challenge leaders face is to ensure smooth transfer of their valuable knowledge and experience and prepare them to have an amazing retirement period. One of the strategies that leaders can use in managing this group is to implement mentorship and coaching programs that pair older employees with younger ones for smooth skill and knowledge transfer. Moreover, they can be encouraged to document their processes, best practices, industry insights, lessons learned and institutional memory (knowledge management system). Since this group is preparing to exit the organisation, it is advisable to allow grant them flexible working arrangements to gradually transition out of the workforce while still contributing their expertise. Moreover, we have generation x who prefer genuine and trustworthy managers, they desire flexibility, and they are results oriented. 

To lead this cohort, leaders should consistently lead by example, be accessible, empower them and lead with clear strategic direction that makes them see the why in their work. Moreover, we have millennials who are goal and achievement oriented, they value social and corporate responsibility, they value team players and effective communication, and they value work-life balance. To lead this group effectively, leaders should build effective culture that include collaborative decision making, delegate authority and promote work life balance. Furthermore, they prefer effective communication, inclusive leadership effective change management programs. Lastly there is generation z and to lead this group, managers should understand that they do not like being micromanaged, they are tech-savvy, and they enjoy automated work systems, they enjoy working in teams and they value diversity and inclusion and most important they value work-life balance and mental health.