How will the Millennials –those born after 1980 who are now entering the workforce– change the workplace?

Granted that these prized "trophy kids" (as journalist Ron Alsop calls them) present challenges to management. They're especially demanding in terms of guidance and feedback, and resistant to criticism. But I'll take them as I find them, and will adapt accordingly.

In my experience, the Millenials, considered as a group, have some remarkable strengths:
  • They're very democratic. Maybe the proletariat really did overthrow the bourgeoisie but forgot to send a notice. Yes, this egalitarian worldview can be jarring to those accustomed to deference. Partly this is because the Millennials expect others to share their democratic reflexes. But I've been astonished at how quickly younger Europeans can form and work together in groups, despite different origins.
  • They're connected. The observation has become commonplace or trite, but the Millennials are comfortable with cell phones, text messaging, blogging, and online communities. More than technology, they're comfortable thinking about network effects and connectivity. They can set up video conferences (that work!) on short order and without a setup reminiscent of a television studio. And they can use web-based tools (such as Basecamp) to set up and run projects.