JAKARTA - The issue of leadership among young people has been increasingly discussed in recent years. This is usually influenced by work patterns, technological developments, to the way young people view careers, making the professional world required to adapt faster.
Not a few companies are beginning to realize that the old leadership pattern that is too rigid is no longer relevant to the character of today's generation of workers.
This phenomenon then prompted the birth of various discussions and literature works on the leadership of the new generation.
One of them came from Dr. Irwan Dewanto, Chief Human Resources Officer of the TACO Group, who had just launched a book titled Millennials Can Lead in Jakarta, Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
The book is derived from the results of his doctoral research which was then packaged with a lighter approach and easy for the public to understand. Through this book, Irwan tries to describe how leadership transformation becomes an important need in the midst of demographic changes and modern work culture.
Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that the millennial generation born in 1981-1996 now dominates the productive workforce in Indonesia. This shift makes it necessary for companies to adjust the way they build organizations to remain relevant to the needs of the new generation.
"We must dare to transition from a rigid hierarchical structure based on power to a collaborative ecosystem driven by common goals. This book is written to open our eyes that giving the baton of leadership to the millennial generation is no longer an option, but an absolute urgency to survive," said Dr. Irwan Dewanto at the book launch event.
The book launch which took place in the Pantai Indah Kapuk area also received attention from academics and professionals. Director of PT Pusat Studi Apindo (ATC) and also Professor of Human Resources Management FEB-UNS, Prof. Dr. Soeprayitno, MM., MSc., assessed that the topic raised was very relevant to the current working world.
"Hopefully this book is not the first and last, but rather an initial monument and legacy that will lead Dr. Irwan to the highest academic achievement," said Prof. Soeprayitno.
In the book, Irwan also discusses changes to modern leadership standards which are referred to as The Big 4. This concept emphasizes the importance of a healthy work culture, appreciation for the team, utilization of technology, to two-way communication through mentoring.
According to him, today's young generation is not only looking for jobs, but also an open, equal, and growing work environment. Therefore, modern leadership is considered to be more flexible and adaptive than the conventional approach which is too bureaucratic.
In addition to discussing leadership styles, this book also highlights the challenges that companies face if they fail to adapt to changes in the generation of workers. Starting from the risk of losing young talent, decreased productivity, to organizations that are difficult to follow technological and market developments.
Irwan also introduced the Multiplier Leadership concept which places leadership regeneration as an important part of building a long-term organization. In this concept, the millennial generation is positioned as a strategic leader, while Gen Z is considered to have a major role as a driver of digital productivity.
Through a lighter approach and closer to the reality of today's working world, the book titled "Millennials Can Lead" tries to present a new perspective on how young generations are not only complementary in organizations, but can also take an important role in determining the future direction of the Indonesian labor world.
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