1. Presented by:
Jeffrey Heil

2. "The pessimist complains about the wind. The
optimist expects it to change. The Leader
adjusts the sails." -John C. Maxwell

3. Objective
Provide a greater
understanding of the
generalized characteristics of
the Millennial generation
Provide business leaders with
the knowledge of their
employees to initiate
successful strategies to be
effective leaders.

4. How can we
adjust the sails
as leaders?

5. Who are the
Millennials?
 Born 1980 to 2000
 The term Millennial comes
from the work of authors
William Strauss and Neil
Howe to describe the
generational group also
referred to as Generation Y

6. Why is this important?
By the year 2014, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
predicts that 47% of the
population will be
comprised of Millennials
www.leadershippost.com

7. Why are Millennials important to
leadership, trainers, and peers?
 80 million strong
 Millennials are beginning to make
a significant impact on the
American business community
through both their size and their
habits
 Millennials account for 10 to 15
percent of the U.S. labor force

8. Qualities of Millennials
Praised for their grasp of technology
and web applications, optimism and
ability to collaborate (Bannon, Ford, and
Meltzer, 2011)
Also may be thought to exhibit less
than ideal (professionalism, work
ethic, independent decision-making
ability and critical-thinking skills (Lebo,
2009)

9. Seven core traits of the
Millennial generation
 Special
 Sheltered
 Confident
 Team-oriented
 Conventional
 Pressured to succeed
 Focused on achievement
(Emeagwali, 2011)

10. Generational Differences
 Each generation has a set of values,
attitudes, and beliefs that forms the basis
for behavior
 German Sociologist Karl Mannheim found
this set of values is due to a function of
culture Mannheim’s Generational Theory
seeks to explain how attitudes and values
are shaped in both individuals and groups.
 Mannheim thought that the generation a
person belongs to determine to a certain
extent, his or her thoughts, feelings, and
even behaviors
(Espinoza, Ukleja, and Rusch, 2010).

11. Life Course Theory
 A multidisciplinary human development theory
where demographers, historians, developmental
psychologists, and sociologists look for cohort
effects
 People who experience a sociological context at a
similar age are likely to forge a perspective or
mindset that stays with them throughout their entire
life
 Broad generalizations about a generation are
valuable to leaders as each age cohort tends to
develop its own characteristic patterns of attitudes
and expectations about what is and is not possible
to achieve in life, about what is good and what is
bad, and about whom to trust and what to fear.
(Espinoza, Ukleja, and Rusch, 2010).

12. Millennials Generalized
Preferences:
A need for social interaction,
immediate results in their work, and
a desire for speedy advancement
 Prefer to work in teams
Very self-confident, able to multi-
task, and have plenty of energy

13. Millennials Relationships with
Bosses and Managers
For the purpose of developing
leadership strategies with
employees, managers and leaders
benefit when they try to understand
generalities of the workforce they are
leading

14. Job Satisfaction
The relationship between
employees and their
superiors is a key
contributor to their job
satisfaction, and while
many strategies may be
targeted at Millennials,
they also are effective
with employees from
other generations.

15. A Sense of Purpose
Emeagwali (2011) found Millennials
“have a great desire to be a part of
something big that will bring about
change and to have more meaning
in their lives and demand that they
connect with the purpose and
mission of any organization they are
a part of”

16. Feedback
 Millennial employees are interested in
feedback on their performance more
frequently than traditionally done.
 Annual or semi-annual reviews are too
infrequent for Millennials, they want to
know that they have done a good job, and
they want to know more frequently
(Gilbert, 2011)
 Managers need to be aware of this need
for more frequent acknowledgement and
feedback and incorporate it into their
leadership style to effectively maintain
Millennials’ job satisfaction.

17. Feedback Continued
 Gilbert (2011) found feedback needs to be
structured in a way that leaves no room for
misunderstanding and needs to be clear and
specific to be effective.
 To optimize the quality of the interaction, feedback
and comments should focus on behavior rather
than be personal in nature, be very specific, and
include an effort to help the employee identify
solutions (Krader, 2010)
 Krader (2010) suggests "don't be afraid to applaud
and praise when appropriate, but try to soften the
negative by thinking like a parent or coach"

18. Hiring and Training
Millennials
 The key to engaging members of the
Millennial generation for trainers is to focus
on the Millennials strengths and empower
them to contribute to the organization’s
culture.
 Pace (2011) found Millennials preferred
methods of learning would require training
programs to focus on “a continuous, real-
time learning environment—synchronous
and asynchronous—so that learners have
constant access to content and expertise”

19. Challenges for Leadership
 There are fewer employees in the
Millennial age bracket to fill vacancies left
by retiring Baby Boomers making recruiting
and hiring a priority for leadership.
 When positions need to be filled because
baby boomers are retiring, Millennials will
rise in their organization more quickly than
their predecessors, which will have the
result of providing leadership opportunities
at a relatively young age (Lebo, 2009)

20. Technology
 Because Millennials have
grown up with technology
like no other generation,
particularly communication
technology and the Internet,
they will raise the
expectation for the
integration of technology
and effective organizational
communication.

21. Technology
 This greater familiarity and skill
with technology may come at a
cost of less developed formal
writing skills, less
independence and less skill at
face-to-face interpersonal
interaction
(Lebo, 2009)

22. Rewarding Millennials
Employers must also determine what
type of compensation, rewards,
recognition, or other incentives will
meet the needs of Millennials to help
them retain top talent. Successfully
meeting these needs will lead to an
increase in employee morale and
efficiency

24. Leadership
Leaders must lead all employees,
including Millennials, with honesty
and integrity.
Millennials will need and want to
have great role models before they
become leaders themselves,
creating a need for internal
development of future organizational
leader

25. Leadership
Because each generation has a set
of values, attitudes, and beliefs that
form their behavior, it is beneficial for
leaders to understand the needs of
their future employees and leaders.
Organizations that embrace the
Millennials and adapt to
accommodate their strengths will be
in a better position to benefit from
their skills and high potential.

26. Leadership
Millennials present an
extraordinary opportunity to
help organizations grow to
meet the many challenges
they face and contribute in
innovate ways that capitalize
on their strengths.

27. Employee Engagement
 Leaders need to capitalize on Millennials
great desire to be a part of something
bigger to bring about change.
 Provide employees an opportunity to have
more meaning in their lives by allowing
them to connect with the purpose and
mission of their organization, by embracing
change and problem solving are keys to
employee engagement.

28. Every organization’s future vitality
will be dependent on its ability to
attract, retain, motivate, and
develop Millennials.
Leaders at all levels of an
organization need to work
towards meeting the needs of
Millennial to bridge the gap
between the generations.

29. "One measure of leadership is the
caliber of people who choose to
follow you." ~Dennis A. Peer
"Leadership is the wise use of power.
Power is the capacity to translate
intention into reality and sustain it."
~Warren G. Bennis
"Don't be afraid to give up the good
to go for the great." ~John D.
Rockefeller

30. References
Bannon, S., Ford, K., & Meltzer, L. (2011). Understanding Millennials in the
Workplace. CPA Journal, 81(11), 61-65.
Charsky, D., Kish, M. L., Briskin, J., Hathaway, S., Walsh, K., & Barajas, N.
(2009). Millennials Need Training Too: Using Communication Technology to Facilitate
Teamwork. Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 53(6), 42-48.
doi:10.1007/s11528-009-0342-2
Crappell, C. (2012). Millennials In Action: Playing To Our Strengths. American
Music Teacher, 61(4), 12-17.
Emeagwali, N. (2011). Millennials: Leading the Charge for Change. Techniques:
Connecting Education And Careers, 86(5), 22-26.
Espinoza, C., Ukleja, M. & Rusch, C. (2010). Managing the Millennials: Discover the Core
Competencies for Managing Today's Workforce. John Wiley and Sons. Kindle Edition

31. References
Gilbert, J. (2011). The Millennials: A New Generation Of Employees, A
New Set Of Engagement Policies. Ivey Business Journal, 75(5), 26.
Greig, J. M. (2009). Training the Multigenerational Workforce. Defense AT&L,
38(3), 32.
Junginger, C. (2008). Who Is Training Whom? The Effect of the Millennial
Generation. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 77(9), 19.
Krader, C. (2010). Mentoring the Millennial mind. (cover story). Ophthalmology
Times, 35(22), 1.
Lebo, B. (2009). Employing Millennials: challenges and opportunities. New
Hampshire Business Review, 31(26), 21.
Pace, A. (2011). Spurring Innovation and Engaging the Learners of the 2011
Workplace. T+D, 65(8), 64.
Stevenson, J. C. (2008). Managing the 'Millennials'. Businesswest, 24(21), 42.