N4L 031: "The Millennial Myth" by Crystal Kadakia

Even as digital technology is disrupting workplace culture, Crystal Kadakia, author of The Millennial Myth: Transforming Misunderstanding into Workplace Breakthroughs, is aiming to solve the biggest human capital trend of our next decade: millennials in the workplace. To remain competitive, we not only need generational diversity; we need to embrace, harness, engage modern talent.

As a thought leader and trainer, Kadakia rebuilds a backdrop for millennials, reminding us that every generation had benefited from innovations. Now, by having their basic needs met, millennials are also able to self-actualize. She also debunks five commonly held myths about millennials:

1. It’s not lazy; it’s productivity redefined.
2. It’s not entitled; it’s entrepreneurial.
3. It’s not hand-holding; it’s agility.
4. It’s not disloyal; it’s seeking purpose.
5. It’s not authority issues; it’s respect redefined.

Approaching each misconception using her “One Coin, Two Sides” model, Kadakia treats the issues with equanimity. She gives us new language and positive attributes to reframe each of the stereotypes.

According to Kadakia, millennials are primarily driven by two prevalent philosophies: “YOLO” and “FOMO.” The former, “You Only Live Once,” drives them to seize opportunities, even if it means moving switching jobs frequently. On the other hand, FOMO (“Fear of Missing Out”) causes them pain because they have so many choices. To balance the two, they collect experiences first and material goods later (or not at all). Contrast these motivations with those of older workers who went without not by choice but by circumstance and whose choices were severely limited, and you have a conflict of interest and misunderstanding.

In the span of one decade, the “digitally enabled” generation moved from pagers to flip phones to smartphones. Remembering this lightning-fast shift can ease tensions in the workplace and can help us know what these workers expect. For example, they look for constant feedback and transparency; they expect flexibility and access; they count on growth opportunities and recognition.

To create genuine workplace breakthroughs, Kadakia proposes we create environments characterized by “co-versity.” She explains, “Instead of a millennial network, it’s having a generations network, where people of all generations can come together and converse, connect, and collaborate.”