Millennials Will Inherit the IndustrySMPS TME 2015

Panel Discussion Recap

“ How are we going to deal with these Millennials!?”

CONTENTS

1 The working world according to Millennials

2 What do Millennials need to thrive?

3 What can I do to mentor my younger team?

4 Final thought

PART ONE

The working world according to Millennials

The period of time

in which we are born

influences how we see

the world, approach

work, and understand

success.

Enter generation gaps.

Two overarching differences in

expectations about the workplace

distinguish Millennials from the

generations that came before.

Examined closely, they can actually

bring the generations together.

Distinction OneTime vs.Contribution

Traditionalists, Boomers, and GenXers were taught:

Advancement comes from putting in your TIME

Advancement should come from making valuableCONTRIBUTIONS

Millennials believe:

Do something valuable.

Be recognized for it.

Is this entitlement?

A better way to engage employeesof every generation?

OR

Distinction Two Hierarchy vs.Network

Traditionalists, Boomers, and GenXers were taught that businesses are:

HIERARCHIESof power built for incremental change and reliable results …perfect for the well-ordered econo-my of the past.

NETWORKS of resources built for quick reaction and versatiledevelopment… critical for the unpredictable economy of now.

Millennials believe businesses should be:

HIERARCHY

limited access, top down control, title matters

NETWORK

open access, contextual accountability, contribution matters

Is status and structure as important as we’ve

made it out to be?

Is there another way to accelerate

the pace of getting things done?

OR

PART TWO

What do Millennials need to thrive?

Why should you pay attention?

Millennials will make up over

50% of the workforce by 2020.

50%

Millennials on the panel and in the audience shared some things for their managers to consider.

“Challenge me”

“Give me room”

“Guide me”

“Listen to me”

SMPS TME 2015 Panel Discussion Recap

Challenge me“

Provide an objective with little

structure and a crazy deadline

that I can run with.

Give me roomLet me attempt to reach that

objective my own way.

“

Guide me“

Check in regularly, but be open to

the new ways I have approached the

problem. Ask me questions, share

your wisdom, but don’t prescribe.

Let me fail and try again.

Listen to meI want the opportunity to share my

ideas because I want the same thing

you want—our organization to be

successful.

“

PART THREE

What can I do to mentor my younger team?

We were lucky to have two pairs of

colleagues who worked together as employee

and manager. They shared what has allowed

their multi-generational team to not only

succeed, but to exceed expectations.

“Invite ideas”

“Push idea development”

“Share what you need”

“Be flexible”

SMPS TME 2015 Panel Discussion Recap

Invite ideasAsk your Millennial colleagues how

they would tackle a challenge.

Or, let them evaluate how you’ve

done things in the past to see if they

have any suggestions.

“

Push idea developmentIf they want to change “how things

get done around here,” push them

to develop the idea so that it

is justifiable, implementable, and

measurable.

“

Share what you needDon’t be afraid to share with them

what you need in order to be successful

as well as what they need to do to be

successful. Millennials need to learn from

your experience.

“

Be flexibleBe willing to entertain new and

unconventional ways of working,

such as flexible hours or freelance instead

of full-time. Be clear about expectations

then evaluate based on the results.

“

FINAL THOUGHT

Let’s get past generational labels, their

associated assumptions, and the resulting

arguments about old ways vs new ways.

Let’s put our energy toward conversations

that productively engage our teams and

inspire them to deliver their best.