Managing the Millenials

MANAGING THE MILLENIALSDiscover the Core Competencies for Managing Today’s Workforce

AUTHORS: Chip Espinoza, Mick Ukleja & Craig RuschPUBLISHER: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2010172 pages

Managing The Millenials By Chip Espinoza, Mick Ukleja, and Craig Rusch

FEATURES OF THE BOOK

Managing the Millennials is the result of a two-year study to explore how managers can be successful with their Millennial employees in the face of generational tensions in the workplace.


THE BIG IDEA

In Managing The Millennials, the authors illustrate nine points of tension which result from the clashing

value systems of different generations, and nine corresponding competencies required for managers to successfully turn these points of tension into points of

connection.


INTRODUCTION

In Managing The Millennials, they illustrate nine points of tension which result from the clashing value systems of the different generations of workers, and nine corresponding competencies required for managers to successfully turn these points of tension into points of connection.


THE MILLENNIALS HAVE ARRIVED

According to the authors, it is critical for managers to master these nine competencies as they suggest that the future success of any organization depends on how well they are able to integrate Millennials. The new generation of Millennials is coming into the workforce in unprecedented numbers. In 2006, Millennials comprised 21 percent of the workforce, nearly 32 million workers. Over the next decade that number is predicted to double in size. Simultaneously, at least 50 percent of executives in the United States will be eligible to retire during the next five years, and thousands of others are expected to do the same soon after.


THE MILLENNIALS HAVE ARRIVED

Millennials will outnumber both Baby Boomers and Generation X in the next 10 years, and they will be thrust upward into unfilled leadership positions. This phenomenon, which the authors refer to as “the job gap,” is imminent, and it is quickly becoming crucial for organizations to learn to engage and cultivate their Millennial employees now so their organizations are properly prepared for the not-so-distant-future.


TENSION BETWEEN MANAGERS AND MILLENNIALS

Most of the tension is a direct result of generational misunderstandings. Each generation has a unique set of values, attitudes, and beliefs that contribute to their behavior. German sociologist Karl Mannheim’s generational theory explains how the major cultural events that members of an age group experience during their formative years shape the entire generation’s outlook on life.

Builders (born before 1946) were influenced by The Great Depression, The New Deal and World War II. They uphold values such as hard work, honor, delayed gratification and respect for authority.



The Baby Boomers (born from 1946-1964) were influenced by Vietnam, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Liberation Movement, television and rock and roll. Professional identity, health and wellness and material wealth are important to Baby Boomers.

Generation X (born from 1965-1977) is the smallest of the age cohorts. They were influenced by the Persian Gulf War, AIDS, a tripling of the divorce rate, both parents working, video games, MTV, and computers. Their greatest values are mobility, autonomy, and work-life balance.



Millennials (born from 1978-1996) are also known as Generation Y. They have been shaped by 9/11 and terrorism, Columbine, cell phones, text messaging, and technology based social networking. They value work-life balance, diversity, self-expression, technology, and social responsibility. They are the most socially and diversity tolerant generation ever, as well as the most educated and technologically savvy generation. They comprise the fastest growing segment of the workforce.


PERCEPTION IS KEY

The key to overcoming tension is for managers to take a step back and understand the behaviors behind the perceived orientations. Then they can reframe these disconnects as opportunities to build trust rather than discord. Through their research, Espinoza, Ukleja, and Rusch were able to identify the most common perceptions managers possess toward Millennial employees.

1.Autonomous. During interviews, many managers complained that Millennials only wanted to do what they wanted to do, when they wanted to do it. For Millennials, autonomy is linked to the value of work-life balance.


PERCEPTION IS KEY

2. Entitled. Managers were also frustrated by how Millennials expected to be regularly recognized for their performance. Entitlement is linked to the Millennial’s intrinsic value of reward.

3. Imaginative. Not all the managers’ perceived orientations were negative. They often stated that their Millennial employees had great imaginations and offered fresh perspectives to their organizations. Imagination is linked to the Millennial’s intrinsic value of self-expression.


PERCEPTION IS KEY

4. Self-Absorbed. Many managers viewed Millennials as being primarily concerned with themselves. This is linked to Millennial’s strong desire for attention.

5. Defensive. Espinoza, Ukleja, and Rusch also found that Millennials often appeared to overreact to critique. Millennials do not like being told when their performance is sub-par because of how highly they value achievement.

6. Abrasive. Many managers in the study were offended by how Millennials communicated with them in a curt or familiar manner. This style of communication is linked to the Millennial’s intrinsic value of informality.


PERCEPTION IS KEY

4. Self-Absorbed. Many managers viewed Millennials as being primarily concerned with themselves. This is linked to Millennial’s strong desire for attention.

5. Defensive. Espinoza, Ukleja, and Rusch also found that Millennials often appeared to overreact to critique. Millennials do not like being told when their performance is sub-par because of how highly they value achievement.

6. Abrasive. Many managers in the study were offended by how Millennials communicated with them in a curt or familiar manner. This style of communication is linked to the Millennial’s intrinsic value of informality.


PERCEPTION IS KEY

7. Myopic. Millennials often appear narrow-sighted. They value simplicity and do not always consider the full range of effects their actions might cause.

8. Unfocused. Many managers thought that their Millennial employees had a hard time staying on tasks. This is linked to the Millennial’s intrinsic value of multitasking.

9. Indifferent. Lastly, many managers perceived Millennials to be apathetic and careless toward their work. When in fact, Millennials value meaning in their work and have a strong desire to feel significant in the execution of projects.


COMPENTENCIES FOR ADAPTING

1. When Letting Them Have It Their Way Makes Sense: Flexing with the Autonomous

According to the authors, work-life balance is one of the most fundamental values of the Millennial generation. They often work jobs to pay the bills while their true aspirations wait on the sidelines, or they explicitly seek out jobs that are meaningful to them. If a Millennial employee finds a better paying job with a more flexible schedule, they will quit and move on without any hesitation.



2. Rewarding the Right Things in the Right Ways: Incenting the Entitled

There is something about an attitude of entitlement that makes most people in leadership positions frustrated. Espinoza, Ukleja, and Rusch found that one of the most frequently mentioned issues with managing Millennials was dealing with those who embody the entitlement orientation. The authors found a connection between an attitude of entitlement and how Millennials value being rewarded.



3. They Are At the Head of the Creative Class: Cultivating the Imaginative

One of the biggest resources Millennials have to offer an organization is their creativity. They offer fresh perspectives and thrive on brainstorming, creating, imagining, and problem solving. Millennials value self-expression and feel that they need to ultimately leave their mark on the world. Since companies often equate innovation and creativity with competitive advantage, it is in their best interest to cultivate their most imaginative workers (the Millennials) in the most effective ways possible.


COMPENTENCIES FOR COMMUNICATING

4. First Them, Then You: Engaging the Self-Absorbed

Millennials are used to getting a lot of positive attention at home and they have come to expect it in the workplace as well. They crave trust, encouragement, and praise. Espinoza, Ukleja, and Rusch attribute this to a change in parenting style which occurred when the Millennials’ parents (mostly Baby Boomers) began to place a greater emphasis on nurturing their children rather than training them.



5. Fragile, Handle with Care: Disarming the Defensive

According to the authors, some of the Millennials’ parents have given their children too much constant affirmation and attention. Excessive praise undermines genuine recognition and has left many members of the Millennial generation without the ability to hear criticism of any kind. Millennials value achievement. They do not know how to fail because they were never allowed to fail. Even constructive criticism may be perceived by Millennials as evidence of failure, imperfection, or a threat to their self-esteem.



6. It It Not Always About You: Differentiating from the Abrasive

Self-Differentiating is the ability to self-regulate one’s own reactions to the comments, gestures or actions of others. People who excel at self-differentiating do not take things personally. In addition, they are aware of personal “triggers” and pet peeves that make them reactionary, rather than responsive. Unlike the other competencies, self-differentiating is something managers must do for themselves.


THE COMPENTENCIES FOR ENVISIONING

7. The Big Picture Does Not Exist Until You Help Them See It: Broadening the Myopic

Broadening refers to the act of managers transferring their knowledge and experience with the hope of developing their Millennial employees. Millennials value simplicity and as a result, they can be too narrow-minded. They often exhaust themselves looking for an easier way to do something. In today’s management world, with more than 80 million inexperienced Millennials entering the ranks, it is crucial for managers to share information with simplicity and clarity, and on terms their Millennial workers will quickly understand.



8. Ambiguity Is Their Kryptonite: Directing the Unfocused

Millennials embrace clear direction. Their major weakness is ambiguity, and with insufficient direction they often appear unfocused, indecisive, and insecure. Millennials are comfortable with being directed as long as it does not come across as condescending or in response to incompetence. Because they have been so highly attended to as children, they do not feel awkward about being given directions, even repeatedly. However, Millennials love to multitask, and managers should never assume that they absorbed all the directions the first time.



9. They Want to Know the “Why” Before the “What”: Motivating the Indifferent

The authors greatly encourage managers to help their Millennial employees find a reason to care about what they are doing. Once they find that meaning, Millennials are the easiest generation of the workforce to motivate. Because Millennials have such a strong desire to leave their mark on the future, managers can keep their employees motivated by showing them that what they do matters.


THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

The authors remind managers that they are actually the lead character in this book, not the Millennials. The nine core competencies offered in Managing the Millennials are techniques for managers to use to change the way they view their employees and lead their teams. Espinoza, Ukleja, and Rusch give managers the knowledge and tactics to push their workforce to new levels of innovation and productivity. If managers can master the challenges in this book, then they will be able to win and retain the top talent from the Millennial generation, and effectively build a strong future for their organization.


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Managing the Millenials