I always think it is ironic I write these blogs about management, when I often struggle to find my way. I guess I figure, when I am researching, reading and learning…well I might as well pass it on to my 30 subscribers.
Someone pointed out the other day, that my agency has a reputation for finding, recruiting and growing young talent. With that comes challenges and rewards.
Managing individuals across multiple generations is hard and each person has to be managed differently. Take millennials for example, a recent article by Forbes said this:
Millennials are the first generation to be exposed to a very fluid labor market, making their careers a transformation journey, where they need to reinvent themselves, try out new skills, and need continuous learning.
Let me translate: They are not going to stay at any job for 5, 10 or 30 years like our parents did. This is a fact with younger talent, and guess what…that is ok! What does that mean for a small company – well, it means that you you changes will affect you much more than larger companies.
I can tell you what is important to my young team (from my perspective – you may want to ask them yourself).
- Invest in your team and they will invest in you.
- Make giving back a part of your culture. Leaving the world a better place is important to millennials, as it should be for all of us.
- Change is good. I’m still working this one out, but I know that change doesn’t scare this generation.
- Listen to them. They want to be heard and that means shutting your mouth and just listening. I’m also working on this…it’s a process.
- Trust is paramount. This absolutely needs to go both ways. If you don’t trust them, they don’t trust you and vice versa.
Hang in there, you got this (I got this).
