Leading a young team comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. How do you tap into their energy, creativity, and ambition while ensuring they stay focused and motivated? If you’ve ever wondered how to inspire a generation hungry for purpose and growth, you’re not alone. To provide clarity, we reached out to Presidents and CEOs who’ve mastered the art of motivating youthful teams. Their insights reveal powerful approaches—from connecting daily tasks to a larger vision to fostering a culture of trust and understanding each individual’s aspirations. Dive into these four key strategies, shared by leadership experts, and discover how to unlock the full potential of your young workforce.
- Connect Work to a Broader Vision
- Align Goals with Personal Values
- Empower Through Ownership and Contribution
- Build Trust and Understand Team Aspirations
Connect Work to a Broader Vision
Three vital elements are critical to getting the best out of a young team. First, you need to connect their individual work to a broader vision. It can be really easy to feel like your work is meaningless. However, sharing how their work contributes to the team and company vision can be the rocket fuel someone needs to keep going.
Second, communicate that you believe in them. Sometimes this can be done directly with a statement such as, “I know you have what it takes to do this.” Sometimes it can be done more subtly by recognizing their good work or offering them new opportunities. Young leaders may project confidence; however, they often harbor a collection of self-doubts.
Finally, provide the resources to succeed. Resources may include tools, time, budget, training, coaching, and authority. Investing in a young team will build both loyalty and engagement. The tools, time, and budget are necessary to do a good job. Training and coaching communicate that they are worth investing in. Extending authority to make decisions communicates that you trust them.
In my experience, your team will move mountains when you sincerely convey that their work is important, that you believe in them, and that they are worth the investment.
Brent Hafele, M.A., ACC, President & Coach to CEOs, Vibrancy Unlocked
Align Goals with Personal Values
To inspire and motivate a young team, I focus on creating a strong sense of purpose and personal connection to their work. Millennials and Gen Z crave more than just a paycheck—they want their work to matter, to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
People want to know that their efforts are part of something significant. When they see how their contributions help the company achieve its larger mission, they feel valued and connected, which boosts their motivation and engagement. It’s not about simply completing tasks—it’s about seeing their work as a meaningful contribution to the bigger picture.
To achieve this, I try to align team goals with their individual values. I take the time to understand what drives each person—whether it’s creativity, social impact, or learning. By connecting their personal motivations to their role, they don’t just see their work as “what they do” but as an essential part of their identity and growth. I also try to find opportunities to get my team to see the impact of their work. If you work with clients, the easiest way is to share positive feedback from them.
This also plays a big role in recognition and reward in this process. A young team thrives when they feel seen and appreciated, so I focus on giving frequent, specific feedback. It’s not about waiting for annual reviews—it’s about making recognition a regular part of our culture. When team members see how their individual contributions fit into the overall success of the company, they stay motivated to keep delivering their best.
Finally, my last piece of advice is to build a culture of learning and growth. Young teams want to develop. Try to provide opportunities for continuous learning, whether through mentorship, stretch projects, or regular career conversations. Showing them a clear path forward keeps them engaged and committed. They need to feel like they’re growing, not just going through the motions.
Fahd Alhattab, Founder & Leadership Development Speaker, Unicorn Labs
Empower Through Ownership and Contribution
In today’s workforce, leaders must navigate the complexities of managing multigenerational teams, where different age groups have varying motivations, work styles, and expectations. Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, are driven by values such as purpose, connection, and collaboration. They seek roles that allow for personal growth while contributing to a larger mission.
To inspire and motivate young teams, it’s crucial to tap into their desire for contribution and belonging. Creating environments where younger team members feel empowered to share ideas and make meaningful impacts fosters a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and continuous learning.
At the heart of motivating young employees is the need to foster a sense of ownership and contribution. Young professionals want to know their work matters, that their voices are heard, and that they are helping shape the future of the team or company. Providing opportunities for contribution encourages risk-taking and innovation, as young workers often bring fresh perspectives that challenge existing norms. By inviting them to collaborate on key projects, lead brainstorming sessions, or present their ideas to leadership, you build trust and inspire initiative.
One of the most powerful ways to inspire young teams is through Divergent Thinking. This method encourages generating a wide range of ideas, fostering creativity, openness, and a “no bad ideas” mindset. Divergent Thinking allows team members to voice their ideas without fear of judgment, which is particularly important for younger employees who may hesitate to speak up around more experienced colleagues.
To implement Divergent Thinking:
- Hold brainstorming sessions where all ideas are welcomed without immediate judgment.
- Include diverse perspectives from different departments, backgrounds, and experience levels.
- Celebrate bold ideas and reward risk-taking, even if an idea isn’t used. This encourages creativity and shows that innovation is valued.
Young employees thrive in environments that support innovation and experimentation. By practicing Divergent Thinking and creating opportunities for contribution, leaders can unlock the full potential of their young teams. When these employees feel heard, valued, and empowered, they are more likely to contribute meaningfully, driving both individual and organizational success.
Van Lai-DuMone, Founder & CEO, Author, worksmART Advantage
Build Trust and Understand Team Aspirations
It starts with building trust within the team. Research shows, and anecdotally, as I’ve led teams, that when there is a high level of trust among peers, it becomes easier to inspire and motivate a young team. So, how does one build trust? My formula for creating more trust is simply to do what you say you’ll do…over time.
To expand on that, trust is built in the micro-moments, micro-interactions with the team. It’s in spending the most valuable currency we have (time and energy) to understand who each person on the team is, what they are lit up by, what brings them to the team, and understanding the whole person, their career aspirations, and their aspirations for the team. It also involves sharing your experiences as well.
When you spend the “currency” of time in doing this, the inspiring and motivating becomes natural and easier to do. Without trust and relationships, it can sometimes fall flat.
Sohee Jun, CEO + Founder, S.J.Consulting, LLC
