There was a question on Linked I spotted today, it asked:

"What will the effect on future leaders, growing up today, spending so much time
online?"

I thought this was an intriguing question. My reply was as follows:

"On-line" is a very generic term to use, I think we need to delve deeper to find what the Gen Yers are really doing on-line to understand the effect it will have on future leaders. At that deeper level, their activities are usually participative rather than passive, i.e. IM, Social Networking sites, Twitter, gathering friends, Second Life, etc. and in addition they're probably doing this alongside watching TV not instead of, not to mention being on the phone and texting as well.

So, if that's the context, what is the effect? I believe leadership with the Gen Yers could totally change the office environment. This all encompassing use of the online social network will result in the concept of an office environment becoming far less important. By design their teams are likely to be scattered geographically or at least frequently working from home. They will cope with that by utilising their on-line social tools they grew up with. They'll multitask far more easily, eschew the 9-5, collaboration will be the key and they'll have a little if any differentiation between their co-workers and friends. Social life and work life will tend towards a merged, co-existing culture. I believe us Gen Xers are in for a culture shock! On the down side, it's going to be far harder for them to distance themselves from their teams, lead from the front, cope with having to tell rather than sell and knuckle down and do the mundane, but essential stuff like budgets, reports and appraisals.

In many ways I envy their online social whirl - I play at it, but can't say I'm an expert. I'm sure we're in for an office revolution, but with such revolution comes risk and that is something they need to realise. Unfortunately it'll be the previous generation telling them of that risk and it's going to be tough to get them to listen unless we start embracing some of these ideas immediately and welcome their flexible, collaborative methods now.

Find the whole debate here: Linkedin Discussion