What nine best practices you can use to manage Millennials — Part #2

Managing the Millennials

Discover the Core Competencies for Managing Today’s Workforce

Of course, you’re not old. But if you were born before 1978, you need some new management techniques.

“Though Millennials value simplicity, they are not simplistic.”

Credit to Author

5. “Disarming the Defensive”

Millennials are defensive and prioritize achievement. Managers must disarm their low threshold for negative feedback. When Millennials hit bumps during their childhood, their “helicopter” parents swooped in to their rescue. Human resources departments report that it’s not unusual to hear from parents of Millennials who receive a less-than-stellar evaluation. Older managers of today credit their success to superiors who occasionally got tough with them. They have a hard time understanding why Millennials wither under this approach.

When these workplace novices receive criticism or constructive critiques, they respond defensively, shifting responsibility, assigning blame or becoming hurt and angry. Managers can defuse defensiveness in 20something employees by applying the following seven techniques:

• Don’t argue.