A broadcast titled: “The Millennials Are Coming” on 60 Minutes a few weeks ago has sparked a fair amount of water cooler conversation.  The theme of this excellent piece is that as these well coddled, got a trophy just for showing up, computer-literate and text happy young adults (born after 1980) enter the workforce, they bring with them an attitude that emphasizes lifestyle and friends over punching a clock, and working hard at a nine to five job. At least some in older generations are crying “foul” and suggesting that this generation is lazy, impossible to manage and have their priorities all wrong.

Are they and do they?

While every generation is distinct, this one definitely sees things through the eyes of an upbringing that is unique in our history and maybe in human history.  Hovered over by well meaning but often over-bearing “Helicopter Parents” since birth, many in this generation (certainly not all) have been sheltered from some of the more difficult realities of life.  They’ve been praised for just showing up at everything from soccer to school, and at the same time have had access to money, merchandise and technology at radically different levels than any generation prior.  The parents have fought most of the battles, holding teachers and coaches everywhere accountable to being grateful that little Johnny or Suzie decided to show up in their class or play on their team.

The impact of this upbringing is now manifesting itself in the workplace, as more buttoned down Generation Xers or younger Boomers are dealing with a wave of people that seemingly don’t have the work ethic and willingness to pay dues that allegedly we all must bring to our professional lives.  Looked at through the eyes of those that are not so far away in age, but miles away in work philosophy, it’s easy to start applying labels like lazy and spoiled.  However, before we indict this group of leaders that the demographic numbers indicate that we surely will hand over the reins of power to, it’s important to try and understand what makes them tick.

Just a Few Millennial Priorities and Characteristics:

  • I want to work at something that I enjoy and if I don’t, I will go somewhere else.
  • I want to work when I want to, and I don’t need to punch a clock to do that.  I value schedule flexibility very much.
  • I want to work in an environment that I like and one that offers ample activity and stimulation.
  • I want to work surrounded by the technology that has been with me forever. Don’t touch my iPod, and yes, I text constantly.  Restrict my access to the Internet.  Hardly!
  • Don’t expect me to punch a clock and sit around if you don’t have something for me to do.  I’m going to workout.
  • I have tattoos and piercings and I might cover them up if I have to, but they reflect who I am, so get over it.

Interestingly, minus the bullets on piercings and technology, you could substitute Baby Boomers, and almost to a letter, the priorities fit.  Pity those poor Generation X mangers that are struggling to keep things moving while all around them are more interested in flexibility, freedom and their 8:30 a.m. Yoga Class.

What’s a Manager to Do?

1. First, get over it.  Adjust your attitude. Lose the thought that these individuals are lazy.  That is a gross misinterpretation.  Don’t confuse having a philosophy that espouses and strives for lifestyle and flexibility over indentured servitude for the characteristic of laziness.

2. Get over it, part 2.  You will not undo something that took the parents the better part of two decades to create.

3. Use judo on the situation. Not literally (although it may be tempting!)…just metaphorically.  If you want to tap into the remarkable creativity, passion and technological know-how of this generation, you are going to have to embrace and accommodate elements of their lifestyle.  Offering flexibility doesn’t mean that work won’t get done, and in fact it may get done better.  It will just happen in a different way and at a different pace.

4. Judo part 2 and more on flexibility. It’s only been a decade or so since tightly wound organizations and managers experimented with and finally accepted that people would work even if they weren’t in a cubicle every day suffering with their counterparts under our watchful and omniscient eyes.  We will have to adapt, because we need the know-how and capabilities of this generation.

5. Become a coach. Recognize that this is the most coached and coach-able generation in history.  They’ve had coaches since soccer at the age of 5.   If you cannot figure out how to leverage their coach-ability, you are in the wrong job.

6. Coaching, part 2: Stock up on trophies and dispense them with a lot of praise.  This generation runs on excitement and feedback.

The bottom-line for now:

My own experience has been that in spite of looking at the world through different eyes, the millennials are smart, capable of hard-work (on their terms) and a few years wiser than most of us. Frankly, I think they have the priorities in the right order and the rest of us need to learn from them.  It doesn’t mean we don’t compete to win, that we don’t put our all into what we believe in.  But it does mean we are going to do it on our terms.  If this sound like anarchy or even selfishness, well maybe it is just a bit.  Frankly, I’m younger everyday thanks to the wise beyond their years perspectives on life that my millennials bring into our home.

For some additional support of this generation, take a look at Wally Bock’s recent posting: “Don’t Worry About the Young People.”

Now, I’ve got to quit typing.  The gym is waiting.  And hmmm, I wonder if my wife would like me with a tattoo?