Managing the Millennials, 2nd Edition

Foreword

—Gabrielle Jackson Bosché

Author, 5 Millennial Myths: The Handbook for Managing and Motivating Millennials

Can't we just skip Millennials and start hiring the next generation?

Admit it, the thought has crossed your mind. And guess what? You're not alone! I am asked this question nearly every time I get on stage to speak about Millennials and leadership.

Today's Millennials are painted as entertainment-addicted, entitled twenty-somethings who can't look up from their smartphone to shake your hand.

Millennials aren't the first generation of youth to get a bad rap. If stereotypes were true, every Gen Xer was a grunge kid. Every Baby Boomer was a useless hippie. Every traditionalist was a good-for-nothing greaser.

Generations are not created in a vacuum. They are the imperfect production of parents, pop culture, and politics. Millennials were born into an economic boom and graduated into a major bust. We were raised on the Internet. We live in a world where knowledge is borderless and information platforms keep facts fluid.

Today's managers look at this generation with amusement and confusion. To them, we are terrifying, strange, and inspiring.

A quick Google search on Millennials and your browser is flooded with headlines:

“Millennials expect a raise and promotion in year one.” “Here come the Millennials…are you ready for their ego?” “Expecting loyalty from Gen Y may be expecting too much.”

The critics have it wrong.

When I look out at my generation, I don't see selfish, ...