There’s loads of information out there about working with millennials, and much of it seems conflicting or confusing. Since I’m something of a workplace expert (self-appointed, but still…) I thought I’d help clarify the conundrum that inevitably results when you find yourself working with or managing a millennial.
Here’s the secret:
Treat them like they’re regular human beings.
Yes, I know you bought a special pair of kid gloves, but you can throw those away.
Turns out that working with a millennial is pretty much like working with a regular person. Because that’s what they are.
Pro tip: you can apply this advice to working with Gen Xers, Baby Boomers, or people from other cultures.
In all seriousness, unless you’re hiring only millennials you can’t really leverage most of the advice that’s given about them. As a leader, your challenge is to motivate your employees as individuals, even as you’re constrained by boundaries like job requirements, organizational policies and the good old-fashioned need to get work done.
Not sure how to do this? You’re not alone. I’ve made a career out of helping companies manage and motivate all kinds of people. I’d love to answer your trickiest people questions – either comment below or message me to ask.