As leaders, we have the opportunity to improve our approach to welcoming fresh talent into our organisations.
It can be disheartening to hear individuals new to the given profession -introducing themselves with phrases such as, “Oh, I am just a junior Developer” or “Hello, I am just a trainee listening in to the conversation.”
These individuals possess incredible energy, enthusiasm, and potential to contribute significant value to our organisations. However, they are at the beginning of their journey and face a steep learning curve. It is our responsibility to support them and help them learn as much as possible in as little time as possible.
To better support these young professionals, we may want to consider:
- Creating better job titles than “Junior <XXX>” or “Trainee” to avoid belittling their contributions.
- Encouraging them to gain confidence by looking at the organisation from a fresh perspective, asking questions, challenging the status quo, and brainstorming new ideas.
- Asking them to find ways to add value to the organisation rather than just focusing on observing or listening.
- Understanding their diversity, inclusiveness and cultural aspect.
- Providing positive emotions, such as enthusiasm and excitement, rather than negative emotions, such as uncertainty and loneliness, as they embark on their journey.
As leaders, it is our responsibility to create an environment where young professionals can thrive and grow. By implementing these strategies, we can help them become the best versions of themselves and contribute significantly to our organisations.
As a side note, we often complain about the skills shortage; we may have a shortage of good leadership.
