I learned about this Christian Science Monitor article “Do You Get The Millennial Generation” from Carol Phillips on Twitter.com. (BTW – Check out Carol’s blog – MillennialMarketing!) The premise of the article is that the Baby Boomer, Gen X, and Millennial generations each have a coming of age movie that is emblematic of the characteristics/values of each generation. For the Baby Boomers, it was The Graduate. For Gen X, it was Risky Business. And for the Millennials, the authors offer The Devil Wears Prada as the leading candidate. Amidst a busy travel/work schedule, I never got around to seeing The Devil when it made its theater run. So I found a copy of the DVD for $8.99, stuck it in my MacBook and settled in with a glass of iced tea in hand. In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve always been a Meryl Streep fan and she did not disappoint.
Here is the relevant summary from the Christian Science Monitor article by Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais:
“Millennials are the American generation least bound by gender role expectations, so it isn’t surprising that the protagonist is a young woman with an androgynous name, Andy (Sachs). Because Millennials are also the most tolerant American generation, it’s not surprising that Andy’s best friends are an African-American woman, a gay man, and her sensitive boyfriend who aspires to be a chef. In true Millennial fashion, Andy constantly relies on her friends and parents, whom she adores, for love, advice, and support.
Andy is temporarily attracted by the glitter of the world of high fashion. However, like others of this generation who are driven by a desire to solve society’s problems, she realizes her true calling is far different.
She breaks with her boss, Miranda Priestly, at the fashion magazine where she works, so that she can take a job writing for a liberal newspaper. But, as a polite and conventional Millennial, the break is not harsh. In fact, her old boss, the devil herself, provides the crucial reference for Andy’s new job.
Everyone in politics and pop culture should learn the lesson MTV belatedly has. To really understand the preferences of young people, take a look at their generation and not simply their age. That will tell you everything you need to know”
Of course this a view of the Millennials. I am curious if Millennials see The Devil Wears Prada as their coming of age movie.
One Way to Engage a Gen Y Employee…A Story
My friend Laura is a public health nursing supervisor. She knows that I do cross-generational work and recently shared this experience with me.
Mary is a twenty-something on Laura’s staff that is in her first professional job out of school. At Mary’s annual review, Laura did what every good manager does, she asked Mary for her input on how Laura could me more effective in providing work direction or if there is anything in the way they work that could be done differently. Mary told Laura that she thought she was a great boss and then ask why they had to follow a certain process for client visits because she thought there might be a better way. Now, Laura could have given, the “that’s the way we’ve always done it” response and moved on. Instead, she asked Mary, “What ideas do you have about how things could be done differently?” Mary then outlined a well-thought out recommendation for the process with great reasons. Laura told me that her first reaction was “that’s a great idea” and she asked Mary to write up her recommendation so that Laura could get the necessary approvals for change (they do live in a hierarchical organization afterall). Mary completed the written recommendation in a nanosecond, and Laura got the approvals very quickly. This new practice made the operation a whole lot more efficient and effective and had other staff saying, “Why didn’t we do this sooner?’
Here is the lesson. One of the many gifts that the Millennial Generation brings to the workplace are fresh eyes, an enthusiasm to contribute immediately, and the ability to see solutions that simplify the way things are done. When a baby boomer manager dismisses a suggestion of a Gen Y employee because they are too young or new or whatever, they leave that young employee with the feeling that they can’t make a difference where they are and increase the likelihood that person will be texting their network to find another job. In contrast, Laura’s response really helped Mary feel included and the fact that many loved the suggestion increased Mary’s credibility with everyone. And … because the manager has such a strong impact on job satisfaction, Mary is probably texting her friends about what a great place to work she has. This is a win-win for everyone!