A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL FOR EFFECTIVE MILLENNIAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN INDONESIAN COMPANIES DISSERTATION In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Institut Teknologi Bandung By IRWAN DEWANTO Student ID: 39020011 (Doctoral Program of Science in Management) INSTITUT TEKNOLOGI BANDUNG March 2025 i ABSTRACT A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL FOR EFFECTIVE MILLENNIAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN INDONESIAN COMPANIES By IRWAN DEWANTO Student ID: 39020011 (Doctoral Program of Science in Management) As intergenerational leadership shifts become more apparent, organizations face a major challenge in preparing millennials to take on strategic leadership roles. Millennials now dominate the global workforce, including in Indonesia, yet organizations often fail to design leadership development programs that match the characteristics and needs of this generation. This gap creates an urgency to develop approaches that are not only globally relevant but also contextual to local cultural values. In addressing this challenge, this research seeks to answer two critical research questions: (1) What key factors contribute to the success of leadership development programs for millennials. (2) What distinctive leadership characteristics differentiate millennials from previous generations in the Indonesian organizational context, and how can these unique traits inform targeted modifications to existing leadership development approaches. The study explores two conflicting perspectives regarding millennial characteristics. The first perspective posits that leadership traits are universal, emphasizing repetitive developmental cycles, while the second perspective highlights that millennials have unique characteristics shaped by their socio-historical context, such as digitalization and shifting work values. Through integrating these views, this research develops a leadership development model that combines universal principles with customized elements, including technology integration, collaboration, and flexibility, while considering Indonesia's unique cultural context. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combines qualitative case studies of seven prominent Indonesian companies with quantitative surveys to develop and validate a comprehensive leadership development model. In-depth interviews were conducted with HR leaders and millennial managers from diverse sectors including technology, FMCG, banking, insurance, manufacturing, and education to identify key success factors for millennial leadership development programs amid an impending generational leadership shift. The findings reveal that Organizational Culture, Regular Impact Recognition, Good Technology Advancement, and Feedback through Coaching & Mentoring have positive and significant relationships with Millennial Leadership Quality. Contrary to expectations, Challenging Experiential Learning, Engaging Organizational Purpose, and Work-Life Balance showed no significant direct impact on leadership quality. The study also found that educational qualifications below a bachelor's degree and managerial positions significantly correlate with Millennial Leadership Quality, while gender, age, and years of service do not. ii Among these factors, specific characteristics of millennials include Good Technology Advancement with their natural affinity for digital platforms and Regular Impact Recognition with their preference for instant recognition. Meanwhile, factors that apply across generations include Organizational Culture and Feedback through Coaching & Mentoring, though their implementation methods may need to be adapted for millennials. These findings suggest that while some leadership aspects are universal, millennials possess unique characteristics shaped by their socio-historical context, particularly in terms of technology usage, work expectations, and communication preferences. These insights contribute to both theoretical understanding and practical implementation of millennial leadership development in Indonesian organizations. The resulting model provides a structured framework for companies to design effective leadership programs that align with millennial characteristics and organizational needs, helping prepare them for the generational transition in leadership positions. Keywords: millennials' behavior, millennials' characteristics, leadership development, characteristic generational difference, leadership shift iii ABSTRAK MODEL KOMPREHENSIF UNTUK PENGEMBANGAN KEPEMIMPINAN MILENIAL YANG EFEKTIF DI PERUSAHAAN INDONESIA Oleh IRWAN DEWANTO Student ID: 39020011 (Doctoral Program of Science in Management) Seiring dengan semakin jelasnya pergeseran kepemimpinan antargenerasi, organisasi menghadapi tantangan besar dalam mempersiapkan generasi milenial untuk mengambil peran kepemimpinan strategis. Generasi milenial kini mendominasi tenaga kerja global, termasuk di Indonesia, namun organisasi sering kali gagal merancang program pengembangan kepemimpinan yang sesuai dengan karakteristik dan kebutuhan generasi ini. Kesenjangan ini menciptakan urgensi untuk mengembangkan pendekatan yang tidak hanya relevan secara global tetapi juga kontekstual dengan nilai-nilai budaya lokal. Dalam mengatasi tantangan ini, penelitian ini berupaya menjawab dua pertanyaan penelitian penting: (1) Faktor-faktor kunci apa yang berkontribusi terhadap keberhasilan program pengembangan kepemimpinan bagi generasi milenial. (2) Karakteristik kepemimpinan khas apa yang membedakan generasi milenial dari generasi sebelumnya dalam konteks organisasi Indonesia, dan bagaimana sifat-sifat unik ini dapat menginformasikan modifikasi yang ditargetkan pada pendekatan pengembangan kepemimpinan yang ada. Penelitian ini mengeksplorasi dua perspektif yang saling bertentangan mengenai karakteristik generasi milenial. Perspektif pertama menyatakan bahwa sifat-sifat kepemimpinan bersifat universal, menekankan siklus perkembangan yang berulang, sedangkan perspektif kedua menyoroti bahwa generasi milenial memiliki karakteristik unik yang dibentuk oleh konteks sosio-historis mereka, seperti digitalisasi dan pergeseran nilai-nilai kerja. Dengan mengintegrasikan pandangan-pandangan ini, penelitian ini mengembangkan model pengembangan kepemimpinan yang menggabungkan prinsip- prinsip universal dengan elemen-elemen yang disesuaikan, termasuk integrasi teknologi, kolaborasi, dan fleksibilitas, dengan mempertimbangkan konteks budaya Indonesia yang unik. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan metode campuran, penelitian ini menggabungkan studi kasus kualitatif dari tujuh perusahaan terkemuka Indonesia dengan survei kuantitatif untuk mengembangkan dan memvalidasi model pengembangan kepemimpinan yang komprehensif. Wawancara mendalam dilakukan dengan para pemimpin SDM dan manajer milenial dari berbagai sektor termasuk teknologi, FMCG, perbankan, asuransi, manufaktur, dan pendidikan untuk mengidentifikasi faktor-faktor kunci keberhasilan bagi program pengembangan kepemimpinan milenial di tengah pergeseran kepemimpinan antargenerasi yang akan datang. iv Hasil penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa Budaya Organisasi, Pengakuan Dampak Reguler, Kemajuan Teknologi yang Baik, dan Umpan Balik melalui Pembinaan & Mentoring memiliki hubungan yang positif dan signifikan dengan Kualitas Kepemimpinan Milenial. Bertentangan dengan ekspektasi, Pembelajaran Eksperiensial yang Menantang, Tujuan Organisasi yang Melibatkan, dan Keseimbangan Kehidupan dan Pekerjaan tidak menunjukkan dampak langsung yang signifikan terhadap kualitas kepemimpinan. Studi ini juga menemukan bahwa kualifikasi pendidikan di bawah gelar sarjana dan posisi manajerial secara signifikan berkorelasi dengan Kualitas Kepemimpinan Milenial, sedangkan jenis kelamin, usia, dan masa kerja tidak. Di antara faktor-faktor ini, karakteristik khusus untuk generasi milenial meliputi Kemajuan Teknologi Baik dengan ketertarikan alami mereka pada platform digital dan Pengakuan Dampak Reguler dengan preferensi mereka untuk umpan balik instan. Sementara itu, faktor-faktor yang berlaku lintas generasi meliputi Budaya Organisasi dan Umpan Balik melalui Pembinaan & Mentoring, meskipun metode implementasinya mungkin perlu disesuaikan untuk generasi milenial. Temuan-temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa sementara beberapa aspek kepemimpinan bersifat universal, generasi milenial memiliki karakteristik unik yang dibentuk oleh konteks sosio-historis mereka, khususnya dalam hal penggunaan teknologi, harapan kerja, dan preferensi komunikasi. Wawasan ini berkontribusi pada pemahaman teoritis dan implementasi praktis pengembangan kepemimpinan milenial di organisasi-organisasi Indonesia. Model yang dihasilkan menyediakan kerangka kerja terstruktur bagi perusahaan untuk merancang program kepemimpinan yang efektif yang selaras dengan karakteristik milenial dan kebutuhan organisasi, membantu mempersiapkan transisi generasi dalam posisi kepemimpinan. Kata kunci: perilaku generasi milenial, karakteristik generasi milenial, pengembangan kepemimpinan, perbedaan karakteristik generasi, pergeseran kepemimpinan v A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL FOR EFFECTIVE MILLENNIAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN INDONESIAN COMPANIES ALAMAN PEN GESAHAN By IRWAN DEWANTO Student ID: 39020011 (Doctoral Program of Science in Management) Institut Teknologi Bandung Approved 12 May 2025 Principal Supervisor Prof. Donald Crestofel Lantu, S.T., M.B.A., Ph.D …………………… Co-Supervisor(s) Dr. rer. pol. Achmad Fajar Hendarman, S.T., M.S.M. …………………… Dr. Agung Wicaksono, S.T., M.Sc. …………………… Examiners Prof. Dr. Aurik Gustomo, S.T., M.T. …………………… Dr. Yuanita Handayati, M.S.M. …………………… Prof. Dr. Soeprayitno, M.M. …………………… vi THE GUIDANCE FOR USING THE DISSERTATION Unpublished doctoral dissertation is registered and available in the Library of Institut Teknologi Bandung, and is open to the public, provided that the author owns the copyright under the intellectual property rights that are applicable in the Library of Institut Teknologi Bandung. Bibliographical references are allowed to be used in a limited manner, however, the citation and summarization can only proceed upon the author’s permission and must include the scientific norm of stating this dissertation as the source. This dissertation has to be cited as: Dewanto, I. (2025). A Comprehensive Model For Effective Millennial Leadership Development In Indonesian Companies, Doctoral Dissertation, Institut Teknologi Bandung. Reproduction or publication of parts or whole of the dissertation must be under the consent of the dean of The Graduate School, Institut Teknologi Bandung. vii This dissertation is dedicated to my parents, my wife, my children, my sister, and my beloved extended family who always support me. Special thank you for: 1. K.H. Abdullah Gymnastiar 2. TACO Leadership Team 3. Indonesia HR Community viii FOREWORD I am profoundly grateful to Allah SWT for the endless grace and blessings throughout my life, especially in this academic journey. His guidance and strength have been my constant companions, illuminating my path and giving me the perseverance needed to complete this dissertation. My heartfelt appreciation goes to my family, whose unwavering support and encouragement have been my foundation. To my parents, thank you for instilling in me the values of hard work and determination. To my wife, you are the reason why I took this journey in the first place, your challenge and encouragement have been my greatest motivation. To my boys, this is to show that we are not quitters, we will continue to fight no matter how hard the challenges lie ahead in front of us. To my sister, your unique support in me has been a source of strength. I extend my deepest gratitude to my colleagues in the Indonesia HR Community for their camaraderie, constructive feedback, and collaborative spirit. Especially for all interview participants in the qualitative stage and all questionnaire respondents in the quantitative stage, your intellectual contributions and moral support have significantly enriched my research experience. I am particularly indebted to my academic promoters, Prof. Donald Crestofel Lantu, S.T., M.B.A., Ph.D, Dr. rer. pol. Achmad Fajar Hendarman, S.T., M.S.M., Dr. Agung Wicaksono, S.T., M.Sc., whose invaluable guidance and mentorship have shaped my academic endeavors. Thank you for your insightful advice, patience, and dedication to my academic growth. To examiners, Prof. Dr. Aurik Gustomo, S.T., M.T., Prof. Dr. Soeprayitno, M.M., and Dr. Yuanita Handayati, M.S.M., your expert knowledge and constructive feedback have been instrumental in refining my work. This dissertation is a testament to the collective efforts and support of all these remarkable individuals. It is with immense gratitude that I present this work, knowing that it would not have been possible without their contributions..