What Every Business Needs to Know about Millennials w/ Brad Szollose [Episode 151]

In this episode, Brad Szollose (the author of the award-winning book LiquidLeadership: From Woodstock to Wikipedia–Multigenerational Management Ideas That Are Changing the Way We Run Things) and I discuss new styles of leadership – primarily how to get progressive tech-savvy Gen Y and analog driven Baby Boomers working together.

Bullet Points

• How to create a comfortable work environment for millennials.
• Why millennials appear to be entitled.
• Why people think millennials expect to be rewarded?
• Differences of the four generations in the work environment.
• How to best set expectations and goals for millennials.
• How the boomer generation was raised fear-based.

There can be a compelling argument made that the work environment has changed more in the last 20 years, than the previous 100 years. There are always four generations cycling at the same time, each shaped by unique experiences ready to change the world. Millennials are the first digital generation.

Millennials are getting a bad rap. People think they have issues with entitlement. They are taught that mom and dad are their peers and call their teachers by their first name. Millennials have learned this from birth, so they expect certain things, which in turn can make employers very upset. The reality is Millennials know their worth and value from childhood, they have been raised differently than other generations.

Millennials want to be treated the way an experienced person at the workplace would be right from the start because they know their value. Millennials want to be paid up front and show their employer what they can do, not like the Baby Boomers, who were raised saying they will do anything to prove themselves. Millennials say “pay me for what I am worth, and I will show you what I can do”.

Millennials, college educated and tech-savvy adults were raised in business since they were kids. They learned how to collaborate, be good leaders, were raised on video games, and in a child-centric parental environment. If an employer ignores them, exciting moments may be lost where a millennial may reinvent your business.

Baby Boomers were raised to fear superiors and needed to look busy at work, shouldering all of the responsibility. However, Millennials have a different style of time management, the focus being on completing projects in the most efficient manner and then go party on the beach. This does not mean they aren’t getting the job completed; they work and hustle harder than any other generation.

Learn More About Brad Szollose:

What’s your most powerful sales asset?

Spending less time on himself during the presentation, and afterwards he asks questions and listens.

Who’s your business role model?

Richard Branson and Grandfather

What’s your favorite music to get you pumped up?

Jazz and Funk