It seems like you can’t turn around these days without reading something about the impending talent shortage in corporate America and how companies can attract and manage Gen Y (AKA the millennials). Case in point — the cover story in the September 24th issue of Business Week magazine. The article lists the top 50 companies for new college graduates to launch their careers. No huge surprises in the list, but one thing that I found interesting was that 13 of the companies reported that “Leadership Skills” was the most desirable trait for new hires. This trait tied with “College Major.” What that says to me is that it is never too early (or too late) to develop as a leader.

Gen Ys were born between 1982 and 2000. So, the oldest Gen Ys are now entering the workforce. The Business Week article refers to the millennials as “hot-house kids.” The stereotypical Gen Y is supposed to be demanding, idealistic (meaning unrealistic), and whiny. Those are pretty unflattering labels. Frankly, I think Gen Y wants what a lot of people of all ages want at work. They want to be seen and heard. They want to do meaningful work and to feel like they can make a positive difference. They want to know, specifically, what is expected of them and to engage in regular, two-way feedback discussions so that they can gauge how they are doing. They want honesty and authenticity from management. And, they want their manager to know what their goals are and to support them in achieving those goals. None of this seems the least bit unreasonable to me. In fact, it sounds like standard operating procedure for great companies with great leaders. Companies should invest in leadership development to attract and retain the best and the brightest workers of all ages.