How to manage millennials, according to a millennial

People who were born in the 1980s and 1990s are part of the millennial generation. They are typically individuals who understand digital communication and technology, and they are open to controversial topics (politics, gender, race, etc.). I’m in the millennial generation.

A lesson learned

In my first professional job, I was lucky to have had a wonderful boss, mentor and dad to help me understand the workplace. One of the first lessons I learned was to not jump to conclusions. In a world of information at the click of your mouse, this can be easy to do.

Was I irresponsible? No. Did I not research all the facts? No.

In fact, all of my research was spot-on, but I didn’t consider some of the historical viewpoints of a specific policy, procedure or existing thought process. Admittedly, I was missing an important piece of the puzzle. In my current position, this historical component can make up almost 50 percent of how someone presents, designs, or implements the project in the future.

If you notice that a millennial on your team is struggling, offer mentorship. Whether you are a Baby Boomer or millennial yourself, guiding a co-worker through some of your own personal “lessons learned” is a great way to show them the big picture.

Communication