This is a guest post from Christine Gallagher of Communicate Value.

Gen Y grew up with the internet.  Some of us first encountered it in high school; others of us can’t remember a time when we were ever without it. 

We’re used to doing everything online.  We know how to find things there—anything we care to.  The physical yellow pages are an oddity.  If we come across a brick and mortar store that doesn’t have a website, we’re aghast—and feel somewhat sorry for them.  If we meet you, you are under 35, and you don’t have a Facebook account, we get thoroughly confused.

“But, but, I don’t…understand.  You’re not ON it?”

Ok, perhaps some of this is a slight exaggeration.  However, it’s not too far off.  Technology is a way of life.  And not just in the sense of socializing and looking up facts and figures or the closest coffee shop. 

Education and Work Experience

The question has been raised in the blogosphere recently, most notably by Brian Solis, about whether a traditional education experience is necessary or benefitting of a 15 year old who has already run and sold a start-up company in their spare time. 

I’d like to take this further and ask whether the traditional scholastic and work experience is necessary for a good portion of our youngest generation.  That may sound overboard, but for people who graduated school in recent years with lots of student loan debt, multiple degrees and disillusioning and boring experiences in their subsequent jobs—the question seems more than fair.  I can only imagine the typical educational and work experience is appearing more and more irrelevant to a good number of young people. 

Of course, there will still be those for whom it makes sense to achieve higher education credentials in order to learn certain skills they need for particular vocations.  But what about those with more entrepreneurial leanings or whose interests lay in areas our school systems are ill-equipped to teach or refuse to pay attention to?

Entrepreneurial Stirrings

Just as much of a concern is the working world many members of this generation are entering into.  The oldest Gen Y have only inhabited this world for just less than ten years now.  Surely there are others who have found it to be slow to adapt, technologically behind, exceedingly rigid and creatively unfulfilling.  One redeeming quality is that it may help awaken entrepreneurial stirrings which allow you see a way out.

Those stirrings lead some to the same place that many younger people have been exposed to since before they were even enrolled in school–the web and its myriad ways to earn a living.  It’s becoming tougher to abide by the traditional workplace and its restricting, old school policies and stiff upper lip.  Things have been changing for awhile now and they haven’t been keeping up.  Stifling schedules, long commutes to the office, lack of adaptability and different definitions of success have caused us to follow our passions elsewhere.  It’s a shame for Corporate America but extremely promising for the future of entrepreneurship.

Embrace Progress

That’s not to say that there aren’t companies out there who are breaking out of the mold and offering young folks a more collaborative and stimulating environment. (Google, anyone?) It’s just that it’s the exception to the rule, and that’s a real problem.

It’s yet another lesson that those who fail to acknowledge or embrace progress will be left in the dust still clinging to old paradigms—while others reap the rewards gained by keeping up with change.  And our generation doesn’t like to wait.

Christine Gallagher is an Online Marketing and Social Media Consultant and Small Business Coach.  Check out Communicate Value, her social media marketing blog, for more on how small business owners can get results with online marketing and social media techniques.

If you like this post then check these out:

• Empower the Employees to Improve the Company
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• Open and Honest Communication

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

We’ve all been teenagers, but as we age we forget how to connect with young people. We think that we can just tell them what to do and they’ll do it. Wouldn’t that be great?

As a manager you also need to play to teenager’s Superpowers, so they feel powerful and enjoy what they do. When you help them discover what they are good at they will be more willing to give you their full effort.

Most teenagers are a different kind of human until they get a few years of work experience or college under their belts. They think differently and feel differently than adults do. Try to remember when you were young and you had hormones pushing through you and all you could do was think about sex. That’s the first trick.

1. Put Yourself in Their Shoes

When you can put yourself in their position you can learn how to motivate teenagers. Teenagers may be weird, but they have emotions just like you and me. They’re just a little more intense. When dealing with a teenager make sure you are sympathetic to their needs. Make sure you see #4 Don’t Be a Push-over because they will take advantage of you if you let them.

2. Show Them Their Mistakes and How to Improve Them

Teenagers don’t pick up on adult concepts as quickly as adults. Well, duh. You will be surprised by how many business owners don’t understand this concept. Teenagers may be geniuses on the computer or multi-tasking, but they learned these things like everything else. When they make a mistake, explain what they did wrong and how they can improve it. This may need to be done a few times before they catch on.

3. Give Them the Respect They Seek

Giving a teenager the respect that he or she deserves will go a long way in earning their trust. Most adults treat teenagers like teenagers when all they want is to be treated like the man or woman that they are trying to be. Talk to them like an adult and they will raise their level of work.

4. Don’t Be a Push-over

A teenager will take two feet when given a foot, so make sure you set boundaries and if they cross them then document it and let them know. If they continue to cross the line then don’t be afraid to let them go if they you need to.

5. Enjoy a Good Laugh

There is nothing a teenager likes doing more than enjoying a good laugh. Yes they may be moody, but when a teenager is in a good mood it can be down right infectious to the rest of the staff, so allow them to get excited and have a good time.

6. Listen to Them

Teenagers want to help. They may be selfish, but they aren’t stupid. They can see things that you can’t. Listen to their suggestions. If they give you an idea that won’t work then let them know why and show appreciation for their efforts. If they have a good idea, tell them that you want to hear more and ask them to come up with a plan on how to implement it.

7. Have Patience with Their Learning Curve

Their learning curve is a little steeper than most adults, but their potential is greater too. Once a teenager catches on to a concept they make it their own.

8. Reward Them

The Gen Y generation and younger grew up being rewarded for blowing their nose. They don’t take well to harsh discipline, so when they do something good even without your approval, reward them. Give them an extra hour for lunch or a $20 bonus. Their idea might have saved you hundreds of dollars, so disperse the wealth.

9. Don’t Yell at Them

Teenagers hate to be yelled at. They get enough of that from their parents, teachers, and friends, so speak with an even toned voice when you’re upset. Make sure they understand that you never want to see such behavior, but don’t make a scene out of it.

10. Train Your Staff to be Patient

Many retailers employ young people because they are cheap labor and as a result, they are treated as “second class” employees by the rest of the staff. Big mistake. Train your staff to treat them as equals. When the rest of the staff gives them respect they will be more respectful to the customer.

Managing Teenagers Review

Teenagers want to do good work if they are given the right atmosphere in which to do it. They will need a little more attention, but you will find a few gems that make it all worth the effort. Who knows, that one little gem of a teenager might one day help you run your company.

If you are a small business owner you should check out my marketing blog that spawned from Work Happy Now. Super Power Coach has a free 7 lesson e-course called Supercharge Your Marketing that you may want to sign up for to improve your social media marketing.

Related Articles:

• Positive Belief
• Why Your Company Should Budget for a Fun Work Environment
• 5 Smurf-tastic Tips to Work Like a Great Team

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Photo courtesy  Cavier

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Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!