With millennials steadily becoming the defining influencer of workplace culture, understanding the millennial mindset is increasingly important to management.
As the world grows more global, people become more connected, but they also ache for a sense of unique contribution. This is what motivates individuals to greatness, and I don’t believe it’s specific to millennials. We all want to know we have created some sort of legacy with our lives.
It’s also important to view the world through a different lens when understanding how another generation views the world, both in professional and personal lives.
In many ways we have more permission, freedom and medium to voice our ideas and views, and advocate for ourselves, rather than to silently comply with whatever directives are handed down from a vertical management structure.
So how do we achieve our goals, understand how to drive, motivate and engage with this generation?
- Adopt softer communication skills and an over-emphasis on increasing both your eq and self awareness. (This will help you be a better manager across the board).
- Engage in thoughtful, level-headed discussion and strategy to help map out the overall vision. (They may think of useful ways to execute a strategy that may make it more effective or reduce your workload).
- Offer them tools to learn and come to conclusions on their own. (This may reduce your time spent fighting fires and dealing with escalations).
- Understand their goals, passions and definition of success may look very different than your own. (Success may mean different types of work/life balance, ability to work remotely, ability to travel etc.)
- Develop an ability to align personal goals with business milestones (something that will make you more effective with any employee).
Your lack of ability to manage millennials is not due to the fact that they are difficult to work with, it’s due to the fact that…
- You aren’t a good manager.
- You need to be more empathetic/develop your eq.
- You don’t know how to hire.
An entire generation isn’t going away.
Make yourself better.