STRATEGIES TO BRIDGE THE GAP - Leading Millennials

Part two of a two part series.

Some of the effects of baby boomers having children later in life is the RAH RAH factor.

Millennials expect and need lots of praise because their Baby Boomer parents have been the biggest cheerleaders.  They are likely to mistake silence for disapproval and can easily become discouraged without verbal “strokes”.  Managers should make a special effort to tell Millennials what they are doing right; this doesn’t mean they need to be lenient on Millennnials but lots of feedback, positive and negative, is needed.

Expectations:

•          Millennials have expectations that the information they want will be provided in a timely, fast efficient manner. 

•          Feedback is important to Millennials and the more timely the better.  The use of technology will enable employers to measure employee performance, enable them to see how they compare with the others in the group, and Millennials will expect to know how they are doing instantaneously.

•          Communication, suggestions, feedback positive and negative needs to travel in both directions for Millennials.

How do you work with them?

•          Because they have grown up in a different world, it is critical to never assume that they understand even the most basic and common business “rules”  like:

–        You don’t want to talk to their mother when they are having problems.

–        You don’t get points for showing up or an A for effort.

–        The definition of plagiarism and cheating. “It depends what the definition is, is.“

–        They can’t use IM language in emails or reports.

–        It’s not okay to email the boss 10 times a day.

–        That when they email you at 3am, you’re not sitting on the other end waiting to respond to them.

–        The business office (and most others) closes at 5pm.

 Challenges faced when hiring and working with Milennials:

•          The level of technology in most companies. They expect the have the newest and latest gadgets. (phone, computer, tablet, etc.)

The lack of flexibility within most companies in regards to work environment.  “The day starts at 8 and ends at 5.” Historically this has been “The way it is” in the workplace and the baby boomer leaders must work to do creative things (telecommuting, split shifts, shared jobs, etc.) to keep them. When I say keep them it refers to both keep them at the company and keep them engaged a while at work. Most have seen and experienced little loyalty to a job. (look at today’s athletes hopping teams for more money).  The attention span is short and multi-tasking is the norm. (I don’t believe we can multi-task but ’ll address that in another venue)

Today’s new employee must be made to feel like they are doing “important” work and it will be a challenge for them.  They need to stretch and grow continually.  They have been taught to “get to the next level” (video games).  Training will be the biggest challenge that companies face. Can the company keep up with ongoing growth and training for their employees.

So the best way to lead and manage the new generation…
Learn how to communicate with them, understand they want to work but need to be shown how to work.  Mentoring works well as does coaching.  They understand the concept of a coach. We see too many young people coming into the workplace having always “won a trophy” for participation and not experienced loss or consequences of mistakes.  Let them make mistakes, it is how they will grow and mature. Its how the baby boomers learned, how their parents learned and their parents and…

 

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be.

Rick@CoachRickkolster.com

www.CoachrickKolster.com
www.facebook.com/coachricksBALDTRUTH

 

 

 

BRIDGING THE GAP - Booomers to Millennials

Bridging The Gap:  Boomers to Millennials

We are going to look at the differences between generations and show what have been some of the major events that have impacted and shaped the way the millennial generation lives. Let’s view this from some distinct perspectives.

·         Societal Norms

·         Political Events

First it is important o know how we define the generations. As of today there are four generations that are still or are potentially still in the workforce as of today.  They are:

•          The Veterans (the Silent Generation or the Greatest Generation) 1922–1943

•          The Baby Boomers 1943–1964 (the largest generation) 84 million

•          The Gen Xers 1965–1982  (Lost generation, Half the size of baby boom)

•          Millennials/Echo Boom 1982-2002 (peak 1990 almost as large as the baby boom) 81 million

The largest part of the workforce today is the baby boomers, however they are steadily decreasing in numbers and being replaced by the Gen X/and Millennials. With the changing work force and workplace make up there comes a plethora of challenges. Communication style and methods, work ethic, life priorities, etc.  Some of the issues are the way that we connect as well as our expectations of the younger generation.

Generation Y -  follow Gen X  and are also known as the Net Generation - internet, cell/smart phones, computers, infinitely comfortable with technology. They are a part of the rebound or echo boom with baby boomers having more children that Gen Xers. There is an Echo Boom  “population momentum” happening as we speak.

So the question is how did this generation come to be? These so called Millennials.

First, the Baby Boomers started having a “bounty” of babies! Boomers chose to become older parents in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Then the next generation made a choice to look back at the “good old days” and chose to revert back to the earlier birth-age norm for women.

The baby boom is attributed to economic and military crises that caused GI’s to delay having their babies, whereas a cultural upheaval caused the Boomers to delay having their (Millennial) babies.

The ‘echo boom’ can be compared to the original baby boom in that most generations were having babies at what historically has been a typical age range. The shift came from the baby boomers being influenced by social changes, “free love, integration, Vietnam war, Peace movement and political activism in the late 50’s  and 60’s.  Basically they were allowed to speak more freely act more independently and forgo responsibility until a much later age. My father (b.1929) waited to get married until he was 29 years old and I am exactly 30 years his junior by 6 days.  Older parents having families like their parents.  We had 4 children over 8 years in my family. 

This is Part one of a two part article.  Check back for part two: Strategies to Bridge the Gap.

 

Coach Rick Kolster is an executive coach who works with business owners and executives to help them maximize their efforts, gain life balance and learn how they can be the best leader they can be. Rick@CoachRickkolster.com

www.CoachrickKolster.com
www.facebook.com/coachricksBALDTRUTH