Managing Millennials for Dummies

Everything you need to harness Millennial potential

Managing Millennials For Dummies is the field guide to people-management in the modern workplace. Packed with insight, advice, personal anecdotes, and practical guidance, this book shows you how to manage your Millennial workers and teach them how to manage themselves. You'll learn just what makes them tick—they're definitely not the workers of yesteryear—and how to uncover the deeply inspirational talent they have hiding not far below the surface. Best practices and proven strategies from Google, Netflix, LinkedIn, and other top employers provide real-world models for effective management, and new research on first-wave versus second-wave Millennials helps you parse the difference between your new hires and more experienced workers. You'll learn why flex time, social media, dress code, and organizational structure are shifting, and answer the all-important question: why won't they use the phone?

Millennials are the product of a different time, with different values, different motivations, and different wants—and in the U.S., they now make up the majority of the workforce. This book shows you how to bring out their best and discover just how much they're really capable of.

• Learn how Millennials are changing the way work gets done
• Understand new motivations, attitudes, values, and drive
• Recruit, motivate, engage, and retain incredible emerging talent
• Discover the keys to optimal Millennial management

The pop culture narrative would have us believe that Millennials are entitled, lazy, spoiled brats—but the that couldn't be further from the truth. They are the generation of change: highly adaptive, bright, and quick to take on a challenge. Like any generation of workers, performance lies in management—if you're not getting what you need from your Millennials, it's time to learn how to lead them the way they need to be led. Managing Millennials For Dummies is your handbook for allowing them to exceed your expectations.

Hannah L. Ubl is the Research Director at BridgeWorks and transforms data into stories for the masses. Lisa X. Walden is the Communications Director at BridgeWorks where she delivers compelling, breakthrough generational content. Debra Arbit is CEO of BridgeWorks: a generational consulting company (www.generations.com).

Introduction 1

About This Book 2

Foolish Assumptions 3

Conventions Used in This Book 3

Icons Used in This Book 3

Beyond the Book 4

Where to Go from Here 4

Part 1: Getting Started with Managing Millennials 7

Chapter 1: Confronting the Millennial Management Challenge 9

Pinpointing Millennials on the Generational Timeline 10

Spotting the Coming Sea of Change in the Workforce 14

Anticipating the silver tsunami: Baby Boomer retirement 14

Forecasting the perfect storm of Gen X 15

Tracking the tidal wave of Millennials in the workforce 17

Anticipating Gen Edgers on the horizon 18

Getting Grounded in Millennials 101 18

Identifying common traits 19

Identifying common values 21

Gaining insight into what Millennials think of themselves 21

Steering clear of stereotypes 22

Combating Millennial fatigue 24

Recognizing that not all Millennials are the same 24

Differentiating a bad employee from a Millennial 25

Identifying and Navigating Generational Clash Points 26

Discovering What Managers Love About Their Millennials 27

Paving the Path to the Workforce of the Future 28

Chapter 2: Harnessing Generational Theory to Guide Your Management Practice 31

Wrapping Your Brain around the Generations Topic 32

Divvying up what the gen topic is and isn’t 32

Grasping the essential tenants 33

Classifying the different generations 35

Linking generations to events and conditions 36

Overcoming the “Yea, Buts .” 39

Comparing two key perspectives: Sociology versus psychology 40

Contrasting the concepts of life stage and generations 41

Understanding that the exception proves the rule 43

Differentiating between stereotyping and recognizing patterns 44

Taking the negative to a positive 45

Using Generational Theory to Build a Better Workplace 46

Impacting the bottom line 46

Turning the “what” into “so what” 48

Chapter 3: Breaking into the Millennial Mind 49

Viewing Millennials as Whole Beings 50

Differing depictions of Millennials 50

Finding the why behind the what 51

Why You Are Who You Are: Taking a Look at the Formative Years 52

Uncovering the impact of technology 54

Dissecting the “upgrade cycle” generation 61

Tracking the influence of social media: from Friendster to Snapchat 65

Checking Out the Messages that Mold Millennials 71

Gaining insight into the effects of the self-esteem movement 71

Getting behind the idea that there truly is no “I” in “team” 75

Globalization: Understanding a generation that knows no borders 77

Feeling the impact of homeland violence 79

Reeling from the economic roller coaster 81

Exploring Millennial Values 83

Breaking the Mold: Rejecting Millennial Stereotypes 84

Chapter 4: Discovering How Millennials Differ from Boomers and Gen Xers 87

Breaking into the Baby Boomer Mind 88

Getting the 411 on Boomers 88

Exploring where Baby Boomers came from (and how it compares to Millennials) 90

Discovering Baby Boomer workplace traits and what they mean for managers 94

Exploring Baby Boomer values and how they influence work style 97

Breaking into the Gen X Mind 98

Getting the Scoop on Generation X 98

Looking at where Xers came from (and comparing it to Millennials) 100

Discovering Xer workplace traits and what they mean for managers 102

Exploring Xer values and how they influence work style 105

Comparing Traits and Values Across Generations 106

Chapter 5: Managing through Your Generational Lens 109

The Parent Trap: What Happens When Boomers Manage Millennials 110

Capitalizing on the unique Boomer/Millennial alliance in managing 112

Avoiding common mistakes 112

The Annoying Little Sibling: Why Xers Struggle to Manage Millennials 114

Taking advantage of the natural alignments of Xers and Millennials 115

Navigating through the inevitable collisions 116

The Twin: Why Millennials Managing Millennials Is Not All Smooth Sailing 117

Unleashing the power of the Millennial-Millennial relationship 118

Easing challenges of managing someone in your own generation 119

Part 2: Navigating Potential Clash Points 121

Chapter 6: Adapting to Changes in Organizational Structure . . . The World Is Flat 123

Transitioning from Hierarchy to Network 124

Embracing the changing nature of the org chart 126

Explaining to Millennials the long-standing merits of the traditional structure 128

Managing the generation who grew up tweeting the POTUS 129

Understanding the upgrade cycle at work 130

Looking at Transparency in a Networked Structure 132

Using Your Adapted Organizational Structure to Recruit, Retain, and Engage 134

Utilizing your brand story over brand reputation 135

Creating the perfect open-door policy 136

Inviting Millennial input from day one 137

Motivating through career progression without promotion 138

Engaging alumni employees 139

Dealing with Special Circumstances 140

Managing Millennials remotely 141

Working in an extremely traditional environment 142

Working in an extremely nontraditional environment 143

Chapter 7: Encouraging and Facilitating Collaboration — Go Team! 145

Shifting Your Perspective on Collaboration 146

Boomers: Come together, right now 146

Gen Xers: Stop, collaborate, and listen 147

Millennials: We belong together 147

Reconciling Differences: Independent Xers versus Collaborative Millennials 148

Looking through Gen Xers’ eyes 149

Seeing Millennials’ viewpoint 149

Finding the right ways to manage collaboration 150

Understanding what Millennials really want when they ask to collaborate 151

Helping Millennials do independent work 152

Onboarding Millennials 154

Training Millennials 156

Mentoring Millennials and Vice Versa 157

Checking out the Millennial mentor and mentee roles 158

Establishing effective mentorship guidelines 159

Harnessing the power of reverse mentorship 160

Building a Collaborative Infrastructure 161

The changing physical office space 161

Utilizing instant messaging as a key workplace tool 164

Collaborating from afar 165

Chapter 8: Supercharging Your Feedback Loop Gold Stars Abound! 167

Giving Feedback in the Instantaneous Age 168

Speed: I can’t wait a year for feedback 168

Frequency: I want to be kept in the loop 169

Transparency: I want the whole truth 169

Avoiding potential drawbacks of the instant feedback style 169

Rethinking the Review Session 170

Knowing what works for Millennials 171

Differentiating between formal and informal feedback 172

Determining the right frequency 174

Mastering the compliment sandwich (hold the cheese) 175

Avoiding the “participation trophy” mindset 177

Ditching the “but I had to figure it out on my own” mindset 178

What are the best of the best doing? 180

Realizing that Feedback Is a Two-Way Street 182

Ignoring your inner voice (“But in my day, I never gave my manager feedback!”) 182

Soliciting valuable input 183

How to stop (or at least control) the floodgates 184

Acting More Like a Coach Than a Boss 185

Common Feedback Troubleshooting 185

Delivering tough feedback 186

What to do if a Millennial cries 187

What if Mom and Dad get involved? 188

I think my Millennial is about to quit 189

Chapter 9: Motivating Millennials — Generation “Why?” 191

Managing for Meaning 192

Looking back across generations 192

Connecting the dots for Millennials 194

What if the job isn’t particularly meaningful? 195

Engaging in philanthropy 196

Compensating the Noncompensation Generation 198

Finding out why compensation isn’t enough 198

What is it with YOLO? 201

Rewarding Millennials 202

Making the most of the almighty dollar 202

Rewarding the individual versus the team 203

Finding nonmonetary rewards that motivate 204

Giving Millennials shareable work moments 206

Helping Millennials find their squad 207

Giving ’em a buddy 207

Offering up office extracurriculars 208

Chapter 10: Dropping Workplace Formalities: Let’s Be Friends 209

Distinguishing Between Formality at Work and Work Ethic 210

Checking out work-ethic mindset through the ages 210

Unpacking the impact of dress code 212

Turning off the clock: The impact of work hours 216

Working hard or hardly working 222

Drawing the Fine Line Between Manager and Friend 223

Telling Millennials when it’s just TMI! 224

Navigating social media 225

Explaining work social events to Millennials 225

Placing boundaries where needed 226

Channeling Your Inner Emily Post: Communication Etiquette 227

Accepting the habit of multitasking and its side effects 228

Understanding (and accepting) why Millennials won’t pick up the phone 229

Figuring out who needs to adjust 231

Part 3: Accommodating Individual Differences Among the Millennial Masses 233

Chapter 11: Managing Millennials ’Round the World 235

Viewing Generational Theory through a Global Lens 236

Implications of globalization, the Internet, and technology 238

Noting some regional differences 240

Looking at Global Millennials’ Uniting Trends and Key Differentiators 242

Similarities in Millennials across the globe 242

Distinguishing Millennial features by region 243

Tapping into the Power of Generational Theory Around the Globe 245

Becoming a generational expert 246

Honing the fine art of asking questions 246

Chapter 12: Adapting Your Management Style to Different Millennial Personas 249

Coping with the Needy Millennial 250

A portrait of a Needy Millennial 250

Surviving the Needy Millennial 252

Hangin’ in There with the Hipster Millennial 253

A portrait of a Hipster Millennial 253

Handling the Hipster Millennial 255

Finding a Way to Deal with the Hidden Millennial 255

A portrait of a Hidden Millennial 256

Dealing with the Hidden Millennial 257

Dealing with Denial in the “I’m-Not-a-Millennial” Millennial 258

A portrait of the “I’m-Not-a-Millennial” Millennial 258

Working with the denial of the “I’m-Not-a-Millennial” Millennial 260

Preventing the Demise of the Millennial Martyr 261

A portrait of the Martyr Millennial 261

Stopping yourself from getting sucked into the Millennial Martyrdom 263

Chapter 13: Making Adjustments for Ages and Life Stages 265

Meeting Cusper, the Friendly Ghost 266

How to identify a cusper 266

The power of being a cusper 267

Introducing the Xer/Millennial: The Oregon Trail Generation 268

Exploring events and conditions 269

Recognizing workplace traits 269

Understanding key differences 270

Snagging management tips 271

Getting a Glimpse of the Millennial/Gen Edger: The Snapchat Generation 271

Exploring events and conditions 272

Recognizing workplace traits 273

Understanding key differences 274

Snagging management tips 274

Modifying Your Style for Old Millennials versus Young Millennials 275

The things that divide them 275

The ties that bind 276

The different managerial approaches 277

Meeting Millennial Parents 277

What does the new working mom look like? 278

Meet the Millennial dad: #RedefiningMasculinity 281

Adapting the workplace for a new brand of parent 282

DINKs: Motivating the Dual Income No Kids Subset 283

Chapter 14: Tailoring Your Millennial Management Style to Different Work Settings 287

Managing in Silicon Valley versus Wall Street 288

Viewing Silicon Valley 289

Weighing in on Wall Street 290

Adjusting for Blue Collar versus White Collar 293

Wearing a white collar 293

Going with a blue collar 294

Adjusting Your Style in the Arts versus the Sciences 297

Stirring passions in the arts field 298

Being mindful of the science field 299

Part 4: Gearing Up for the Coming Changes 301

Chapter 15: Paving the Way for Millennial Leadership 303

Grooming the Leaders to Be 304

Knocking down mental blocks 304

Where to focus now 307

Predicting future leadership challenges 310

Bringing Out the Best Millennial Leadership Skills 312

Where they will shine 313

Where they could coast 314

Where they might struggle 315

Preparing Millennials to Manage Up 315

Preparing to deal with potential negativity 316

Millennials managing Boomers 317

Millennials managing Xers 319

Getting Millennials Ready to Manage Across and Down 320

Millennials managing Millennials 320

Millennials managing Gen Edgers 322

Chapter 16: Preparing for the Next Generation in the Workplace: Gen Edge 325

Warning: This Generation Is Still in the Works 326

Sizing up Gen Edge 327

Playing the name game 328

Decoding What Gen Edge Events and Conditions Will Mean for Managers 329

The event that gave them an edge 330

The conditions that sharpened their edge 331

Adapting Your Management Style to Accommodate Gen Edge Traits 336

Getting in Their Heads and Hearts: Gen Edge Values 337

Getting a Jump on Creating a Workplace that Works for Gen Edge 338

Predicting the Future: Potential Gen Edge Clash Points 340

The clash — Millennials versus Gen Edge 340

The clash — Gen X versus Gen Edge 341

The clash — Baby Boomers versus Gen Edge 342

Chapter 17: Forecasting the Great Unknown 343

Using History to Predict the Future 344

Yes, the generations are cyclical 344

Using parenting trends to predict 346

Making sense of Millennial parenting and its implications for the workforce 346

Keeping Watch on Technology, Economy, and Trends 347

Technology 347

Economy 350

Trends 350

What We Know We Don’t Know 351

Part 5: The Part of Tens 353

Chapter 18: Ten Things that Motivate Millennials Other than Money 355

Providing Exposure to Other People in the Organization 356

Giving a Good Old-Fashioned Thank-You 356

Tossing Out Tailored Treats 357

Having Fun with Co-Workers (Yes, That Means with You Too) 357

Showing a Path to Promotion 358

Giving More Responsibility 359

Utilizing Half-Day Fridays or Part-Time Tuesdays 360

Allocating Time for Passion Projects 361

Dressing Down the Dress Code 361

Offering Up Team Wins 362

Chapter 19: Ten Millennial Strengths to Capitalize On 363

Taking Advantage of Tech-Innate 364

Tuning in to Team-Focused 365

Motivating by Meaning 365

Embracing Diversity 367

Urging an Eagerness to Help 367

Capturing Innovation 368

Staying Networked 369

Recognizing a Fear of Failure 369

Showing Informality at Work 370

Being Ready for Fun 371

Chapter 20: Ten Millennial Stereotypes that Are Misinterpreted 373

Hating Face-to-Face Communication 374

Having the Attention Span of a Goldfish 374

Operating with No Work Ethic 375

Wanting to Have Fun All Day 376

Refusing to Do Work that Is “Beneath Them” 377

Being Young and Inexperienced 377

Fearing Going Solo 378

Thinking They’re All the Same 379

Having No Ambition 380

Relying on Mom and Dad for Everything 380

Chapter 21: Ten Tips on How to Become the #BestBossEver 383

Asking Them Questions — All the Time 384

Learning to Like Them, Genuinely 384

Individualizing Your Approach with Each Millennial 385

Giving Them an “A” for Effort (Even if the Results Are More Like a B+) 386

Challenging Them to Do More 386

Sharing Yourself with Them (Yes, This Means Beyond Your Work-Self) 387

Giving Some Good Ol’ Tough Love 387

Making Sure You Don’t Let Them Down 388

Setting Clear, Structured Expectations 388

Inviting Their Input 389

Index 391

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