I know you were a pain in the butt to manage when you were 22. We all were. I have a somewhat controversial take on young people entering the workplace. It’s time to stop complaining about the younger generation and get real about our responsibilities as leaders. We have to teach people how to have a job, just like we were. At one time in our lives, we were the new people in the workplace. We were the ones who needed to be taught how to have a job and be productive members of an organization.
For example, at 22, I was new to IBM and just entering the workforce when I had the audacity to send the CEO an email with my thoughts on the strategy! Thankfully, my manager handled the situation with grace and gave me a chance, and I ended up having a long career with IBM.
My point is that instead of complaining, let’s lean into our leadership skills and embrace the young professionals who have skills, ideas, and gifts to contribute. As Founders and CEOs, we can’t thrive in the People Revolution without them. Watch or listen for a few minutes to get some more ideas on this topic.