Managing Millennials For Dummies. Arbit Debra

that 9/11 was an event that changed the game for everyone, regardless of one’s generation. But for Millennials, it happened right as they were in their formative (or roughly teenage) years. If you experienced that day as a 60-year-old, it would impact you differently than a middle schooler. For Millennials, the world that had seemed at least relatively safe from the atrocities of global terror was all of a sudden under attack. Their bubble of safety was burst violently, and, for them, the United States was no longer safe from the monstrosities of global terrorism. In the blink of an eye, they too became targets for terrorism, and tomorrow was far from guaranteed.

      This “live for today” mentality is one they’ve carried with them, and it won’t change regardless of what life stage they’re occupying, because it’s a trait that was formulated and hardened during their most impressionable years. As Millennials age into parenthood, retirement, and grandparenthood, this trait is likely to hold steady. They’ll always want to make the most of their time in the here and now. Research gurus like Yankelovich and Gallup, among others, have tracked generational characteristics over decades and have found that values for the cohorts have remained consistent regardless of life stage.

“They’ll grow up and be just like generations before”

      Xers were always told they were going to grow up and behave just like the Baby Boomers. But we’ve seen something different – even though Xers have aged into another life stage, now with families, homes, and sometimes elderly parents to care for, they’ve still retained their Xer-like qualities and are even passing them on to their Gen Edge kids.

      Millennials have long been cast as a generation averse to growing up and averse to settling down, but once they reach “a certain age,” they will. There’s this thought that the traditional cycle of life – education, career, marriage, kids, retirement – is the only way to become an adult. Millennials are not embracing this supposed truth like generations past. Generation Xers also caused a ruckus when they started working and insisted on balance. They shook up the traditional path, and Millennials will, too. They already are by deciding to buy a home as a replacement engagement ring because that commitment is more definite – and definitely more practical. What we’re working to say is, “No, you can’t expect that another generation will act like you once they ‘grow up.’”

“Each life stage is basically the same; parenting will always be parenting”

      Being a parent now is quite different from being a parent in the 1940s. As Millennials move into the parenting life stage, they’re dealing with all kinds of challenges that didn’t exist when Boomers were raising Millennials. From online bullying, to battling tech addiction, to the almost weekly school shootings, today’s parents have struggles that just didn’t exist before. So not only are Millennials being influenced by their distinct generational traits as they enter a new life stage; they’re experiencing a life stage that is unique in and of itself because of its location in history.

“We all go through similar life stages in our youth and as adults; it’s a part of getting older”

      The age at which a life stage is experienced has changed over time. Millennials are just now starting to settle down, buy homes, and become parents. This is happening much later than it did for both Xers and Baby Boomers. They’re older parents, and is there any question that this will impact how they raise their kids?

Understanding that the exception proves the rule

       Recap: The outlier “yea, but …”: I’m a Gen Xer, and I’m nothing like that.

      You may have heard statements like these:

      “I know a Millennial who hates technology.”

      “I’m a Boomer, but I embody all these Millennial traits.”

      “I’m an older Xer and identify more with Boomers.”

      The preceding exceptions by no means disprove generational theory. Over our years in this field, we’ve seen some recurring objections that fall under the category of the outlier “yea, but … ,” which you’re likely to encounter yourself, either because you’re the one thinking it or because it becomes a challenge you encounter as you try to use generational theory in your management strategy. In many cases these examples stick out because they are the outliers, but by and large, the overarching structure of each generation holds true.