Six Easy Steps to Working with Millennials

This is the last of a four-part series on leadership advice for engaging the hearts and minds of the Millennial Generation in the Workplace. First, we discussed what all the fuss was regarding the millennial generation in the workplace. Then we discussed what some of the generational differences are and how the generational gap is affecting the workplace. In this final segment of the series, I’m going to give you some easy steps you can take to get your whole team working with Millennials happily and effectively.

I Love Working with Millennials, and You Should Too

As I mentioned earlier, I love leading and working with Millennials! I find them to be incredibly eager students of leadership, engagement and work ethic.

Why then is there such a contrast from the “lazy, unproductive, narcissistic, entitled, self-obsessed and disloyal” I hear constantly from other business leaders? Because it’s the fault of the leadership, not of the Millennial generations.

As a truly world-class leader of all ages, you need to learn how to give your team what they need. You need to adopt an attitude of servitude versus demand.

I heard a GREAT quote recently at a workshop. It went like this: “If serving is below you, then leadership is beyond you.” Bang on.

Today’s business environment is a place where competitors from 12 time zones away are conspiring on how they are going to eat your lunch. To be successful, we all need to check our egos at the door and be open to new ideas and ways of doing things. To be truly competitive, every single team member has to be aligned with the values, purpose, and direction. Working with Millennials, the up-and-coming generation in the workplace, is a key part of that success. So stop slamming them as lazy and self-centered! Embrace their differences and nurture their strengths.

Here is my List of Six Easy Millennial Leadership Tips…

1. Bury your Ego!Not all people are the same. Your leadership styles have to accommodate those differences. Millennials are no different. Be open to new ideas and ways of doing things. My Millennial team convinced me to put another monitor on their desks so they could keep an eye on Facebook. Their productivity went up; my jaw went down!
2. Millennials care deeply about values and purpose.So make sure that first and foremost you, as their leader, understand your own personal purpose and values. Next, understand the purpose and values of the organization. Here is the big secret… Make sure that you link the purpose and values of the organization to those of the team. This starts with hiring team members that are aligned with the values and purpose.
3. Involve them in Planning.Nothing galvanizes a team more than them knowing they have had a say in what is happening and that leadership recognizes their opinions.
4. Link what the team is doing to the strategy of the organization. When Millennials can see that their work matters, they will go the extra mile to deliver.
5. Talk about it.What I learned from working with Millennials is that they need to be involved and informed. Leaders need to talk about values, purpose, vision and strategy often. Think brushing your teeth – it has to be done every day!
6. Recognition. Get comfortable giving authentic praise and recognition. If you are not comfortable with it, get used to having a disengaged Millennial team and get used to recruiting and hiring on a regular basis.

Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, partner at Incrementa Consulting Inc., #1 Best Selling Author, and International Keynote Speaker. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, follow Robert on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.