Dropping the US vs THEM - Bridging the Gap between Millennials and Sr. Execs.
I had just stepped inside the lobby of my hotel after a long day of meetings, (and a little bit of sight seeing to be honest). I was sporting a back pack, iPad, and bared a sweaty forehead from the Texas heat as I headed to the bar for a cold beverage. I pulled a chair out from the bar and proceeded to sit down when I heard someone call me a Millennial (referencing my backpack and my iPad instead of the business professional briefcase and notepad, in a joking manner with a serious undertone of course). This was the first for me. My initial reaction was disgust. I wanted to refute this claim I felt was so preposterous. I mean I was born in 84! But why?! Why was it that society and the media had ingrained into my brain the Millennial tag was inversely proportionate to being knowledgeable or experienced and a downright insult? I was mad at myself for this instantaneous and awry reaction. I knew my colleagues and I had formed mutually beneficial mentoring relationships with clients and co-workers alike of the Baby Boomer and Gen-X generations. I set out to analyze our reciprocal mentoring experiences and positively shed some light on this negative connotation of the term Millennial. I was determined to fire back next time with an educated claim as to why being a Millennial was/is NOT an insult!
One of my mentors (metaphorically of course), former CEO of GE Jack Welsh, first spoke on reverse mentoring back in 1999 during the technological boom when he paired 500 of his top executives with entry level associates in hopes of teaching them how to use the internet. Apparently it worked. GEs' net worth grew 4,000% during his tenure and Mr. Welsh received the largest severance package in U.S history valued at over $417 Million, according to Wikipedia. All because of Millennials I tell ya! But seriously, it must have made an impact.
Fast forward to 2016. Technology is still evolving, and more importantly, so is the workplace from a human resources stand point. There is no doubt that with age comes experience, knowledge, and wisdom, but unfortunately it also brings negative effects such as complacency, reluctancy to change, and outdated resource methods. There are areas in which a young, vibrant mind is needed to instill forward thinking and progressive efficiencies onto Sr. Execs when managing the Millennials of today. You see, the motivating factors of yesteryear have faded as a result of this "new generation focus". A raise or bonus of $2-$5,000 doesn't mean much to me if I'm only given one weeks paid vacation a year. I'm 31yrs old, single, with no real exterior responsibility other than my Australian Sheppard, Rocky. I'm not looking for extended benefits or a safety net to help take care of my family of 3. I wan't to earn time off or flex hours. I wan't to be given a project I can call my own and land a spot at the next big board meeting, even if only for a few minutes. It's important to understand those you manage as a Sr. Exec and what drives them to succeed. As a manager, you are only as good as the weakest member of your team and understanding their motivating factors is key to their professional development and your leadership abilities.
Millennials want to know what it is like to walk in a Sr. Execs shoes and not just take orders. As an aspiring entrepreneur, I left the workforce for many different reasons. In the past 2.5yrs I have learned many lessons in leadership, business, the value of a dollar, and working with the right people. In the midst of being a junior worker, we often times question senior leaderships direction as if it was a choice. We don't understand the full circle of the business cycle we are participating in. Some say we aren't privileged enough to know or we're on a "need to know basis", but what if that clarification gave a mighty boost in our performance. Would it really be that hard to share some higher level operational information with us and give us the "why's" behind the direction? Sometimes feeling like a puppet on a string with no confirmed value in the organization leads to a wandering mind, inefficiency, and ultimately failure.
The younger generation in my mind will always have more to learn from the older generation. There is only so much a classroom can teach you. My experiences over the last 2.5yrs in business have contributed more to my professional development than any class has ever taught me. What an honor it would be to be able to shadow a seasoned veteran with 20+yrs experience, even for just 10 days! Let us help each other and mutually form lasting professional mentorships. Sure there are difficulties that may arise in this process just as any other, but if we all do our due diligence in minimizing these risks on the front end in our planning and preparation, we can both come out on top and more informed than ever before.
QuipTech offers consulting and executive training on strategies derived from military leadership training and business. To learn more on how we can work together, call us today or visit our website to book at appointment at www.QuipTechLLC.com