My parents were born in 1947. For 35 years, they drove to the same buildings and worked the exact same jobs. My mother was a high school math teacher and my father was an investment advisor. They didn't ask for much and their story is not unusual. They were part of an entire generation that valued job stability and loyalty – but these values ​​are a thing of the past. Today's workforce consists mainly of millennia (from 28 to 43 years old). As the last of the boomers retire and Generation X ages, it is imperative that we prepare millennials to take on the leadership responsibilities of organizations.

This requires us to think differently. Millennials want very different things than their predecessors, and what's more, they're happy to change jobs to find them. A recent Gallup study reported the following statistics: Millennials are the generation more likely to change jobs; 60% of millennials are currently open to new job opportunities; and millennials are the least engaged generation in the workplace. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that millennial average held 8.6 jobs between the ages of 18 and 34. Furthermore, research shows that the new generations are no longer interested in taking on leadership roles. In the next decade or two, there may be a shortage of emerging leaders willing to take on leadership responsibilities for what is seen as minimal payoff.

If successful organizations want to stay successful, they must work to understand what millennials really want and create attractive leadership opportunities that match those things—otherwise, a leadership shortage could be in the works in the coming years. Here are some ways they can do it.