“Value is not determined by those who set the price. Value is determined by those who choose to pay it”. – Simon Sinek
Baby boomers, Gen-X, and Gen-Z are just some of the names given to groups born during a given time frame. Another such group is called Millennials. These people were born between 1980 and 2000 and are expected to make up fifty percent of the U.S. workforce by 2020.
So what makes millennials a unique group? What forces converged to make them who they are?
We can start with technology. It has always been available to them in an unlimited and constantly updated state. Millennials also enjoy an on-demand connection with their friends and colleagues. From an early age, millennials had access to the internet, cell phones and numerous other types of technology.
Contrast this with baby boomers. All information was in books, usually at another location such as a library. Communication was by snail mail or a fixed rotary dial phone system. On the whole baby boomers have had a much harder time adapting to new technology as they did not grow up with internet access.
So how does one effectively manage members of the millennial generation? In my experience, you manage them just like any other employees. This means understanding the things that make them different from other employee groups. It also means understanding what motivates them. Just the same as any other employee.
I have managed millennials from various cultures and in various countries. Through these various assignments managing millennials has taught me to pay special attention to a few key metrics.
Every sales professional can improve with consistent coaching at a top-level. However, millennials seem to require a bit more focus on mentoring and coaching.
Having parents that were more involved with their upbringing than previous generations is one reason for this need for more guidance. In other words as children, they were used to receiving more direction than previous generations.
Because of social media, they also have a more connected relationship with friends and colleagues. These factors cause them to want more frequent feedback in the form of coaching.
As with each of us, the members of the millennial generation have certain motivational and behavioral requirements. Like all of us, they also have strengths and areas where they need additional training. A seasoned manager will build on the existing platform to forge a connection with these salespeople.
Another distinctive feature of the millennial generation is their instantaneous and nearly limitless access to feedback from their peers. It’s what I think of as continuous feedback.
Social media leads these employees to seek out and expect ongoing feedback. They are conditioned to work well in an environment of open discourse.
These salespeople will expect meaningful interaction. As a manager, you should provide open communication in order to ensure your message is well received.
A rigid work environment will prove difficult for most millennials. They prefer a setting that offers flexibility inside of a corporate structure.
They thrive on collaboration and they value an atmosphere led by an open-minded leader. Millennials want input on projects on which they are working.
However, the freedom millennials cherish needs to be balanced with clear operational directives and boundaries. This can be a delicate balancing act for a sales manager but it will be rewarded with superior productivity from the team.
In my time managing millennials in sales, one major difference with earlier generations is apparent. Millennials want to feel like they are doing work that is meaningful. In many instances, they place a higher value on the substance of what they are doing than the pay associated with that work.
Thus, it is important to clearly establish the purpose behind the job. The sales manager must communicate the role of the millennial and the value placed on that contribution.
Highlight personnel contributions in such a way that millennials can be clear about the purpose behind the role they are playing in the organization.
Connecting with your sales team on an individual level is more important than ever before. The capable sales manager will recognize and capitalize upon employee differences. The great sales manager will celebrate each employee’s talent stack.
The end result will be a team of unique individuals whose sum of parts are stronger than any single link.
No generation can stand alone in any workplace. All generations must coexist in a respectful and harmonious atmosphere of mutual respect. There is a spectrum of workplace diversity today that has not been seen before. That is a strength that can act as a force multiplier when deployed correctly.
Finally, millennials want to work in a business climate that is just and fair. They want to feel like they are making a contribution to the greater good. A YouTube lawyer may have summed this feeling up best when he said:
“Justice is not a question of getting what you want on the merits. It’s making sure that you had a fair and equitable process in order to be heard”. – Viva Frei
