1. Don’t be afraid to be honest.
I often hear about the frustrations managers have dealing with “Millennials who expect to be vice presidents by the time they’re 28.” I’ve seen this in action. Nearly every time, the problem is a combination of of factors that includes, among other things, a manager who is afraid to be more than a friend to his subordinates.
My dad used to say: “You get more from this world with a smile and a gun then with a smile alone.” He meant that it helps to be nice and have power. Managers: have you forgotten that by virtue of your position, tenure, and network, you have significant power in this situation? Don’t get all jerky about it, but… use it. Start by delivering direct feedback in plain English that let’s your Millennials know exactly what’s expected of them and where they stand… even if it’s not good.
2. Manage by career phase, not age.
I did a little study in 2008 about our attitudes toward “the Next Generation.” One thing I found was that the stereotype for a “Next Gen” employee was an arrogant ne’er-do-well in his mid 20′s, but reality was much more subtle. (Surprise, surprise.) 60% of respondents said Next Gen employees were defined by a combination of age + attitude, and over 50% of respondents weren’t even sure if they’d be considered Next Gen by coworkers.
The bottom line for managers: generational differences are complicated by a number of factors, of which one—career phase—is in your control. (The others are demographics, economics, politics, and technology.) Generally speaking, in the first career phase, an individual becomes a functional expert who’s great at doing something. In the next phase, that person stops doing so much and focuses more on organizing/managing people. The shift from the functional phase to the social phase will look different for Millennials than it did for you; be prepared by understanding what they’re up against and how to help.
I understand it’s alluring to want a one-size-fits-all solution for managing Millennials, but managing by maturity level/career phase should prove more effective. After all, making decisions based the date of people’s birth isn’t strategy. It’s astrology.
A note for Millennials: be aware, all that job-hopping may stunt your career development, and that would be bad for everyone.
3. Listen.
I had one client where the younger workers were asking about what career paths would get them to the VP role fastest. Management was up in arms at having to deal with such insolence. But a simple follow up conversation with the Millennials revealed that they were quite open to being told a VP-ship was still years away… they knew there were things they didn’t know, and asking about the career path was their way of asking, “What don’t I know about what’s ahead of me that I need to know?” They were more than willing to hear a direct answer.
Managers, beware: listening starts with understanding where people are emotionally. When you’re workforce shows up in the morning, you need to anticipate and accept their emotional realities, which aren’t always pretty.
4. Don’t label the issue.
Assume, for a moment, you have brown eyes. How would you respond if you overheard me talking about “the problem with those brown eyed people?” Probably, as this experiment showed, not well. The lesson here is that to some degree, “the problem with Millennials” exists because we talk about “the problem with Millennials.” Regardless of how vehemently you believe it, hush up. Talk about listening, career phases, and appropriate expectations, and watch the problem melt away.
Plus…
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I'm Jason. I make people shine. My mission is to help 1 million people tell their stories better. 
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Good post. I have found that when working with Millennials you have to be super-duper direct and detailed. And that can be kind of annoying for Xers like me who are accustomed to just figuring things out on our own.
I think the most important thing with Millennials, and anyone else you may be managing, is to be honest and give feedback as often as possible. Young workers always want to know how well they’re doing and how they can improve. If you’re not honest and direct, they’ll never have a clue. You don’t want to turn out like the manager Jason describes in the video. That’s just plain scary.
@GenerationXpert direct and detailed. yes.
@Marie “If you’re not honest and direct, they’ll never have a clue” Apparently, “honest and direct” is a combination people will spend gobs of time and money to avoid.
Surely some similarities come to your attention when dealing with a certain age group in the workplace, but the best way to work with someone/manage someone is to take them as the individual they are. Just as you said, “the problems with millenials” is a problem point-of-view. Employees can’t be defined just by their age. No one appreciates that. Take the generation ahead of the millenials — the generation before them can focus on their age and say to themselves, “Why should he be my manager? I’ve been here longer and have more wisdom” while the incoming generation may say, “He’s behind the times. I’m much more tech-savvy.” I think people want to be viewed for what they personally can bring to the table and a good manager will take the time to find out the potential of each of his or her employees.
How do you reconcile
a) Your claim that the “problem” with millennials is that they require constant and direct feedback
b) Your suggestion (in FoundYourCareer) that job seekers should actively seeking out feedback throughout their career search.
And a more serious question: what’s wrong with needing feedback? I’d rather hear it short and often than dumped on at the end, after significant resources are spent creating a deliverable that doesn’t meet the client’s needs. I’m not afraid to stand on my own two feet but the assurance that I’m aligned with the team’s goals and expectations is a jumpstart for my efforts.
@Jonathan—The problem I refer to is about managers who are unwilling/unable to GIVE feedback, but who then impute the problem onto Millennials rather than own up to it.
There’s nothing wrong with seeking feedback—it’s how we grow. BUT. Beware: feedback comes in two flavors: direct and indirect. Asking managers point blank for direct feedback can cause unintended, career-limiting side effects. See #10 in this list for why: http://jasonseiden.com/11-ways-to-make-the-least-of-your-career/ Better is to seek indirect feedback in the world around you.
Finally, I don’t doubt that you want feedback, but many people don’t know how to give it. Asking them for it triggers all kinds of questions and concerns in the emotional core of their being that they don’t understand, they’re not comfortable with, and they can’t control. Seek feedback, just be careful how you ask for it!