The young people of any generation have not been known for their patience. In the past, however, they were told to keep their heads down, speak when spoken to and pay their dues. The Millennial generation? Not so much. So it‘s not surprising that employers complain that these emerging contributors have barely been trained when they announce they’re ready for the next assignment. “No, no,” says the employer. “Now that you’ve learned what to do, we expect you to perform it eight hours a day, five days a week, 50 weeks a year. That’s called work.”
But let’s examine this disconnect for a minute. This impatience is the product of two influences, media and schooling. It’s no secret that the endless stories about instant billionaires persuade young people that they can be a tremendous success in an instant. They take one look at Mark Zuckerberg, or Sergey Brinn and think, “Those guys are in their thirties. I’m in my twenties. That gives me ten years to get there. But it won’t happen if I’m working here.”
The second influence is schooling. Everyone graduating with a bachelor’s degree has completed at least sixteen years of coursework, whose topics change every few days. You know the drill – Read the book, listen to the lecture, do the homework, take the text. Then repeat the same process with a new topic. Is it any wonder these newly-minted graduates expect that once something has been learned, it’s time to move on?
While learning on the job is an important element to work, it is mastery that forms the focus of any position. George Leonard, author of the classic work, Mastery, argues that rehearsal, not growth is the key. Writer Malcolm Gladwell argues that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. In both of these cases and others, repetition is the essential element. Sadly, this is not the message most Millennials received.
So what do you do the next time an enthusiastic young professional announces that he’s ready for the next assignment? Here are a few ideas:
Introduce this issue during selection. Few colleges discuss the nature of work with their soon-to-be graduates. Sadly, this is true of most parents as well. Simply describing the daily work process will open applicants’ eyes to this reality and provide you with an initial read on how they respond. Several of the large accounting firms have gone to the trouble, for instance, of posting ten-minute videos on YouTube that narrated a day in the life of an auditor. You can watch one by clicking on this link.
Reinforce during on-boarding. Remind new professionals that working within any organization is an evolutionary process. Provide them with examples of those who are two or three years ahead and thriving. Simply counseling them to be patient will not work. They are looking for evidence.
Include more frequent incremental learning. You will not be able to completely satisfy the desire for constant learning and growth. Millennials, and the Xers before them, have concluded that the more you learn, the more versatile you are when the inevitable layoff or transition takes place. Provide a menu of short courses from which they can choose. Introduce opportunities for coaching. Provide access to leaders who can comment on their career paths. Help them plan the desired trajectory within the firm.
Working proactively to address impatience will assist incoming Millennials adapt to the work-a-day routine that any thriving contributor faces. Help them find that balance between expectation and aspiration.