Managing Millennials – Are They Really All That Different?

As a leader of a diverse team, including millennials, I hear it all the time – millennials are unique, they need to be managed differently, they have different expectations. A quick google search leads to countless articles, podcasts, even books that support just how different millennials are - supposedly.

• Millennials want continuous feedback
• Millennials want work-life balance
• Millennials are motivated by more than financial rewards
• Millennials want learning and development opportunities
• Millennials want access to technology

Are all of these things true? Absolutely. Millennials DO want these things. They want to understand how their contributions matter – to their organization, and to the world at large. They want to get feedback about how they’re doing and how they can improve. They want to feel valued, with more than just financial compensation. And they want to engage with their employer, and the world, via technology that is easy to use, engaging, and available at their fingertips, preferably on their mobile device. They want to have time to spend with their friends and family, they want to volunteer in their communities.

While all of this is true of millennials, isn’t it true of the rest of us as well? We all want to feel valued, to feel engaged with our employers, and to know that what we do makes a difference beyond just our paycheck. We all want feedback, and to know how we can improve. All of us, or at least most of us, now live and die by our mobile devices for communication, social media, shopping, and other aspects of our everyday life. We want to interact with our employers in the same way. We all enjoy free time, doing whatever it is that keeps us grounded and gives us joy.

When it comes to managing millennials, my number one tip is this – remember that you are managing a person, one who is early in their career journey, as we all once were. Millennials are human beings with hopes and dreams, and yes, flaws. They may not always get our 80's movie and sitcom references, but that's ok. Manage them just as you would any other employee. Listen to them, understand what motivates them, celebrate their successes, support their areas of improvement. Use technology to support your conversations, not as a crutch or a way to avoid human interaction. There is certainly enough to divide people today, let’s not create “differences” that aren’t really there.