A good friend asked me the other day my thoughts on how to lead the millenial generation, basically those born after 1980. We gather thousands of leaders who fit in this category on an annual basis, have several on our staff, and really gear what we do towards an early stage millenial/late stage gen X'er.

So what are some thoughts on leading Millenials?

give them freedom with their schedule
provide them projects, not a career
work, family, social are all intertwined, so make sure the work environment is experiential and family oriented.
tie in compassion/justice oriented causes and opportunities to their projects or environment
embrace social media.
embrace the reality that they grew up with technology such as texting, XBox, laptops, and ipods as the norm
lead each person uniquely; don't create standards or rules that apply to everyone; customize your approach
provide authenticity and honesty as the norm for the corporate culture.
millenials are not necessarily interested in “climbing the corporate ladder” but instead interested in making a mark and making a difference
not willing to wait- want to make a difference now; so give them opportunities early with major responsibility.