SALT LAKE CITY — Steven A. Hitz estimates he’s employed more than 10,000 millennials during his career.
“And I think in that process, I learned to appreciate and value them so much that my heart actually became the heart of a 20- or 30-something,” Hitz, the founder and former CEO of US-Reports, Inc., explained. “Even though I’m a boomer, that’s where my heart is.”
It inspired Hitz, an entrepreneur and former bishop of an LDS young single adult ward, to pen “Launching Leaders: An Empowering Journey for a New Generation.” The new book is available through Amazon and Deseret Book, and Hitz will be signing copies at the BYU Bookstore in Provo on May 4.
While those in their 20s and 30s were raised on the idea that they were special and could achieve their wildest dreams, “Launching Leaders” claims the parents and teachers who pushed this generation to achieve didn't actually give them the tools to get there. Hitz said he couldn’t find other books that addressed this topic the way that “Launching Leaders” does.
The book encourages young adults to identify their core values and create a plan for their lives, coupling this with their faith and principles they feel strongly about as the rising generations.
“I’ve seen these generations castigated and labeled in so many negative ways, and I don’t think that could be further from the truth,” Hitz said. “We really honor the fact that they are a non-judgmental, authentic generation, a generation that pushes against hierarchy and authority, and wants to develop their own path in life.”
“Launching Leaders” also includes an online course, with 12 video lessons corresponding to the book’s chapters, which can be done alone or discussed in a group setting.
“These are the rising generations facilitating with each other,” he added. “It’s not gathering into a classroom with a grey-haired professor articulating how wonderful life can be if they just follow these principles.”
Spirituality plays a substantial part in “Launching Leaders.” The book and online course have two different versions — one that’s Christian-based, the other interfaith-based — that Hitz hopes will speak to millennials no matter their religious inclination.
“And I think the reason it works is because the principles are universal,” he said. “You can find them in (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), you can find them in someone else’s spirituality that isn’t in the church or any religion. They just resonate, because I think they’re universal and time-tested over a variety of paths.”
In his professional career, Hitz said he’s tried to frame his decisions in the mindset of 20- and 30-somethings — a generation more inclined to walk away from a job or career if it doesn’t provide a high level of personal fulfillment.
“That’s the way I think, too,” Hitz said. “Why would you want to spend 60 percent of your life hating something just to put food on the table?”
If you go …
What: “Launching Leaders” book signing at BYU Women's Conference
When: Friday, May 4 from 10 a.m.-1:50 p.m.
Where: BYU Bookstore, BYU Campus, Provo
How much: Free