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Those young and the young-thinking—individuals who are committed to engaging the next generation to build better cities and workplaces.  What makes them a Next Leader?  Engage yourself here in a dialogue and share who and what’s working in your city or company.

Molly, I’m glad we’re adding “young thinking” to our definition!  The next generation - by their definition of being young - sometimes lack some of the critical experience that Boomers and others can add to the “let’s-make-things-better” discussion.  “Young thinkers” can be any age.  I learned recently that Peter Drucker wrote several novels, in addition to being one of the foremost management gurus of all time.  Drucker was “young-thinking” to the end, because he brought endless curiosity to his endeavors.  We need everyone who wants to build more engaging places to live and work!

When I think about this question - which I try to daily - my mind goes from civic leaders to non-profit leaders to those leading grassroot efforts and so on.  If we need “next gen” thinking leaders across the board, where do we start? My conclusion…its starts with you and me! 

We can’t just talk about the need for more YPs and “young thinking” talent on our community boards and city councils.  We, as next leaders ourselves, have to make it happen!  So, I ask, what are you doing today to help develop our next leaders.  What is your YPO doing?  Have YOU considered running for city council?  Have you approached a chairman of a local board and given them the names of great talent ready to serve?  When was the last time you organized a group to volunteer for a local event? 

Share how its working for you, your YPO, and city here!

Three reasons the world needs next leaders:

1. The workforce has changed, but the workplace has not. Today, less than 17 percent of us are in marriages where one spouse stays home, and workplace policies have not kept pace. (Source: Mass Career Customization) Our corporate cultures are creaking in the damp shadows of a Ward-&-June-Cleaver family myth. We need leaders who are willing to face facts: we don’t have a single-sized workforce, and we can’t use one-off rewards packages.

2. The demand for management and executive talent is fierce, and will get more pronounced as every developed country faces aging populations. Peter Drucker called this demographic shift the number one issue facing our companies and communities. (Source: Managing in the Next Society) Yet many of our workplaces are cutting leadership development programs and hoping for the best.

3. Cities that attract and keep next-gen knowledge workers win. Today, 18% of the world’s population produces over two thirds of the world’s global economic output and nine in ten patented innovations. (Source: “How the Crash Will Reshape America,” The Atlantic, March 2009).

To me, Next Leaders are those who can blend the wisdom of what works with the new applications that can engage more people, and get them to commit to a new path (or at least a path that works.)

You can read the entire blog “Three Reasons” here: http://nextgenerationconsulting.com/index.php/library/blog-post/three-reasons-your-leadership-is-needed-for-our-next-generation/