That’s a quote from a bit of graffiti Napoleon’s soldiers found while excavating in Egypt.
The graffiti was from 800 B.C.
There were other comments on that wall – the younger generation apparently didn’t respect their elders, had no work ethic, and were not following tradition
Sound familiar?
We hear a lot now about what a challenge it is to manage those self-indulgent millennials in the work force. And from millennials about how difficult it is to communicate with those workaholic boomers, or me-generation Xers. My mother used to tell me that every generation faces its own challenges, and gets equipped for those challenges out of necessity. In the process we pick up traits from the way we are taught, the social atmosphere, and the big events that shape our world. And yet, at the heart of it all, every individual wants some version of happiness, some way to fulfill their drive and dreams. Find a way to channel that into how you’re building your company and you’ll have incredibly productive, creative employees who will realize their dreams while they’re helping you realize yours.
To make this possible, get very very real about your values and the roles that people are held accountable for. Then ask good questions, and listen carefully. This is where the common ground between generations can be found. Individual strengths and weaknesses, filtered through the traits that get identified with “those younger (or older!) people” can be used to build a team with the strength of multiple perspectives. Yes, generalization about millennials make them sound like grade school children run amok. Get closer. Listen. Many in this generation have strong community values, and will lend all their creativity and energy to an endeavor they feel part of. Watch them light up when they actually hear clearly from you as a leader where you’re trying to go.
Last week there was a great article about Mic – “a media site created by and for millennials” – if you’re struggling with how to integrate millennials into your workforce, take time to read about their perspective and look for how their strengths can help you.
Want to know how to get the best out of your employees, and give your best too?
