Get A Handle On Your Millennial Employees

Today, I welcome back Nathan Magnuson and another one of his insightful guest posts.

Nathan Magnuson

2015 is a big year for Millennials in the workforce. Earlier this year they became the largest generation in the U.S. workforce, according to Pew Research Center. By now, most folks have had the chance to share the office with this group. But managing Millennial subordinates – not to mention maximizing their contribution – continues to test (and in some cases flummox) many the otherwise competent supervisor.

Millennials are uniquely different from any other generation in the workforce, based on their birth years (between 1980 – 2000), world events during their formative years and a wide variety of other factors.

If you’re managing Millennials, here are a few things to keep in mind.

They are Optimistic

Millennials grew up during a period of rapid change: the Cold War ended, the Internet went mainstream – changing the way we connect with the world and each other – and the world became a truly global market. Surges in technology made virtually anything seem possibly if we just give it enough time and effort.

For Millennial employees, this optimism conflicts with organizational mindsets regarding limitations, waiting or a “we’ve always done it this way” approach. They are sure there is a better way if we just try to figure it out (and aren’t bothered by the fact they don’t know where to start). Instead of fighting it with realism, managers should look for ways to channel this optimism for productive use.

They Have the Information

More information has been created during the Millennials’ lifespan than in the history of the world – many times over! And with the introduction of smart technology, this information is only one click or thumb-tap away. Imagine the classroom paradox where students can now immediately challenge the teacher’s statements with facts (instead of only opinions). That is today’s reality.

Translate this dynamic to the workplace. Millennials are accustomed to having instant access to information – so when they encounter organizational barriers to information they perceive as relevant, a red flag immediately goes up. What is there to hide, they wonder (or challenge). Managers should be aware of the push back that accompanies limited access to company information – and be willing to reassess the limits in some cases, or simply talk about it in others.

They Need Constant Contact

One observable characteristics of Millennials is their need for attention. Yes, perhaps they did get a participation trophy growing up. Yes, they need to earn their stripes in the workplace. But waiting until the annual review process to provide feedback just won’t cut it for this group. They turned in a project assignment this morning and they want feedback this afternoon – and for God’s sake start with something positive! The speed of feedback is directly related to their engagement.

Remember, this is a group who (thinks they) can do anything. It’s your job to provide them the direction (and re-direction) they need to stay on course.

They Have a Different View of Loyalty

Your grandparent may have worked a single job for an entire career – and been simultaneously grateful and unsatisfied. Today, the average length of a job in America is 2.2 years. For a worker in his or her twenties, that length is just 13 months. Translation: your Millennial employees won’t stick around long if there is greener grass available. Not only that, but with the availability of work options (contract work, short-term “gigs,” etc.), Millennials don’t feel the need to sign on for the long-haul. What a Baby Boomer might put up with will send a Millennial packing.

The point here is that loyalty goes both ways. Millennials want interesting work, the chance to develop skills and a positive work experience. They’ll get it somewhere. Why not get it with you?

And one final note. If you think Millennials are tough, start preparing to meet Generation Z. In just a couple years they will be applying for internships and then joining the workforce. This generation has no conscious memory of 9/11 or life before the smartphone. Things are about to change… again. You can be ahead of the management curve – but don’t wait till they arrive. Champion your Millennial employees here and now. You can do it!

Nathan Magnuson is a leadership consultant, coach, trainer and thought leader. Receive his new ebook, Trusted Leadership Advisor by subscribing to his website or follow him on Twitter.

Comments

The Algorithm: The Five-Step Framework That Drives Business Success

From a former President of Tesla, Jon McNeill , comes The Algorithm —the first book written by any of Elon Musk’s direct reports—a transformative guide for leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators who want to emulate the paradigm-shattering approach used to launch Tesla and SpaceX to success. And that transformed Lululemon and General Motors. McNeill had already founded and sold six startups when Sheryl Sandberg introduced him to Elon Musk, who was looking for help at Tesla. McNeill was steeped in the lean principles that had made Toyota a global powerhouse—principles focused on achieving efficiency and optimization by incrementally improving existing systems and processes. What he learned at Tesla was an approach that required radical rethinking to explode the status quo, attack complexity, and set seemingly unrealistic goals. Elon Musk at Tesla called this five-step framework “The Algorithm.” 1. Question every requirement – “Question everything—from produ...

How To Change Yourself To Change Your Company

The book, Reinventing the Leader , is an inspiring account of the magic that can happen when a leader realizes they must undergo their own transformation in order to transform their organization. This candid and practical book by Guilherme ( Gui) Loureiro , Regional CEO overseeing Walmex, Walmart Canada, and Walmart Chile (now Chairman of the Board for Walmex and Regional CEO for Canada, Chile, Central America, and Mexico), and his executive leadership coach Carlos Marin shows how even the most successful leaders must be open to personal change in order to transform their company. The book details how the pair pioneered a data-driven, customer-centric business transformation at Walmex—Walmart’s biggest division outside of the United States. “This book is a blueprint for transformational success for leaders in any business who find themselves facing the need to retool their own company’s systems and operations and energize and inspire an entire ...

How To Achieve Real Optimism Even When Life Is Hard

“Optimism is not about believing that everything will turn out the way you want it; that everything will go according to plan, or that positive thinking about the future can stave off disaster. It’s about accepting that life is hard—sometimes really hard—but it always has something to teach us,” explains Dr. Deepika Chopra , author of the new book, The Power Of Real Optimism: A Practical, Science Based Guide To Staying Resilient, Curious, And Open Even When Lie Is Hard . She adds, “If we can stay open to those lessons, we will survive.” Why should we strive to become more optimistic? “Because, simply put, optimism improves our mental and physical health and makes us more able to face whatever life has in store while staying committed to our goals and values,” shares Dr. Chopra. In this fresh, science-backed debut, professional psychologist and media expert Dr. Chopra shows us how to build the kind of optimism that can actually withstand real life. The book offe...

Five Essential Principles For Sustaining Growth Through Innovation

Even though many companies strive for innovation, most struggle to achieve meaningful change. The largest reason for this disconnect? Playing it safe. Leaders and organizations want to implement new ideas, but too often they are held back by the fear of failure, even though setbacks are intrinsic to the innovation process. In the new book, No Fear, No Failure , by Lorraine H. Marchand (with John Hanc), readers will learn how to overcome the status quo that stifles creative thinking and how to create a culture that encourages innovation. Marchand provides a framework for sustained growth built on the “ 5 Cs ”: Customer First Culture Collaboration Change Chance She draws on more than 120 interviews with leaders across industries, real-world case studies, and her firsthand experience and shares step-by-step, field-tested strategies, tactics, and tools that practitioners can use to embed creativity within organizational cultures. Marchand is a former Big Tech and Big Pharma ex...

How To Create More Human Workplaces By Tackling Hidden Patterns

Most organizational change initiatives fail because they treat symptoms, not systems. Real transformation happens when you see and redesign the hidden patterns driving how work actually works. “Hidden Patterns prioritize principles over procedures. Each pattern is a tested, fundamental idea, not a formula,” explains Clay Parker Jones , author of the new book, Hidden Patterns, A Playbook For More Human Workplaces . Based on behavioral science and real-world case studies, the book identifies 75 common organizational problems , the core solutions to each, and connected patterns to link sustainable improvements. “If the examples or templates don’t seem immediately relevant, that’s fine,” shares Jones. “The core principle is what matters. Take the idea, apply it flexibly, and test it out. Make it your own.” “In the book, you’ll find patterns that lay groundwork for healthier, more humane workplaces rather than prescriptive tactics masquerading as guaranteed quick fixes.” J...

How To Be A Servant Leader

Check out the definitive book on servant leadership . It's a curated collection of incredibly insightful and motivational perspectives on servant leadership via essays by 44 servant leaders. Edited by Ken Blanchard and Renee Broadwell , Servant Leadership in Action , includes the personal stories from some of the most well-respected authorities on leadership: Patrick Lencioni John C. Maxwell Marshall Goldsmith Stephen M. R. Covey Plus, you'll read keen advice from celebrated sports coaches, company CEO's, pastors and retired military leaders. Each of the 44 stories/chapters stands strong on its own. However, Blanchard and Broadwell group them within six parts : Fundamentals of Servant Leadership Elements of Servant Leadership Lessons in Servant Leadership Examples of Servant Leadership Putting Servant Leadership to Work Servant Leadership Turnarounds Get your pen or highlighter ready. You're sure to take lots of notes as you capture advice...

Teach An Employee Something New Today

Take the opportunity today to teach an employee something new. Nearly everyone likes to learn and is capable of tackling a new challenge. Teach your employee something that expands their current job description. Teach something that will help them to get promoted within your organization at a later date. Teach them a skill that uses new technology. Or teach them something that will allow them to be a more skilled leader and manager in the future. You can even teach something that you no longer need to be doing in your position, but that will be a rewarding challenge/task for your employee. The benefit to your employee is obvious. The benefit to you is you'll have a more skilled team member who is capable of handling more work that can help you to grow your business and/or make it run more efficiently. Be a leader who teaches.

How To Play Bigger And Be A Category King In Business

"The most exciting companies create. They give us new ways of living, thinking, or doing business, many times solving a problem we didn't know we had -- or a problem we didn't pay attention to because we never thought there was another way," explain the four authors of the dynamic new book, Play Bigger . They add that, "the most exciting companies sell us different. They introduce the world to a new category of product or service." And, they become category kings . Examples of category kings are Amazon, Salesforce, Uber and IKEA. Play Bigger is all about the strategy that builds category kings. And, to be a category king you need to be good at category design : Category design is the discipline of creating and developing a new market category, and conditioning the market so it will demand your solution and crown your company as its king. Category design is the opposite of "build it and they will come." Key traits of category design...

Best Reasons For Doing Employee Exit Interviews

Don't be the guy in the picture when an employee leaves your company. Instead, conduct exit interviews and surveys. Leigh Branham explains in his book, The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave , what the most favorable conditions are for conducting the interviews and surveys. And, if you need convincing to read the book, take a look at these 11 best reasons for listening and gathering the data when an employee leaves : Bringing any "push-factor" root-cause reasons for leaving to the surface. Alerting the organization to specific issues to be addressed. Giving the employee a chance to vent and gain a sense of closure. Giving the employee the opportunity to provide information that may help colleagues left behind. Providing information about competitors and their practices. Comparing information given with the results of past surveys and employee data. Detecting patterns and changes by year or by quarter. Obtaining information to help improve recruiting. Possibly heading off ...

Effective Listening: Do's And Don'ts

Here are some great tips from Michelle Tillis Lederman's book, The 11 Laws of Likability . They are all about: what to do and what not to do to be a leader who's an effective listener : Do : Maintain eye contact Limit your talking Focus on the speaker Ask questions Manage your emotions Listen with your eyes and ears Listen for ideas and opportunities Remain open to the conversation Confirm understanding, paraphrase Give nonverbal messages that you are listening (nod, smile) Ignore distractions Don't : Interrupt Show signs of impatience Judge or argue mentally Multitask during a conversation Project your ideas Think about what to say next Have expectations or preconceived ideas Become defensive or assume you are being attacked Use condescending, aggressive, or closed body language Listen with biases or closed to new ideas Jump to conclusions or finish someone's sentences

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog