Guest post by Jason Jacobsohn
The millennials are coming…are you ready?
Every generation has its way of seeing the world and interacting with people. In order to build relationships of trust and respect, it is important to know some of the nuisances with each generation.
You can’t ignore the millennials who were born between 1980 and 2000. They are taking on the world by storm because they are the first generation of kids who grew up surrounded by digital media. Their lives have been shaped by trends such as multiculturalism, terrorism, globalism, heroism, and structure. They can be categorized as confident, hopeful, goal and achievement oriented, and civic-minded.
The millennials will play an important part in the world going forward so don’t discount them. In order to continuously succeed, you need to learn how to interact with them.
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Dealing with millennials 101
The millennials are a generation that wants respect. They are serious about what they do so they expect you to view them this way. This generation is already having a profound impact on the world and will only get stronger in the future. They are our future leaders and are adopting technology at record paces.
With that said, just treat them as you would treat anyone else. However, realize that they may be moving at a faster pace than you and are not afraid to voice their opinions. At the same time, they do respect leaders and look for your guidance and mentorship as long as you act with honesty and integrity.
Further, they like to be challenged so if you have an issue that you would like resolved, give them an opportunity to help you. After all, relationship building is about helping others so let them know that you need assistance.
Millennials work hard and play hard so keep this in mind as you get them involved with some of your activities both for fun and business. Find ways to plug them in to your life so you can get to know them better.
When you meet these people, you will realize that they lead busy lives. So, their attention span may be short. Keep them engaged by being focused in your conversations. Also, let them talk about their interests and experiences because they have done a lot in their short lives.
Next steps
So, the next time you meet one of these young people, treat them with a world of respect because chances are they will teach you something. In fact, you may end up working for one of these folks in the future. They are a fast moving generation that will change the world.
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Jason Jacobsohn is an Adviser and Specialist of KMG Enterprises. In his current role, he acts as a business adviser and resource for entrepreneurs who need help growing their businesses. In addition, he has developed a bi-monthly newsletter called Network Your Way to Success. He is a frequent writer at MidwestBusiness.com, Personal Branding Magazine and Magazine Soho. He also co-hosts an annual networking event called The Great Chicago Networking Extravaganza and blogs furiously!
