Creating Loyal Internal Fans

Millennials get a bad rap.  They are characterized as being lazy, entitled, impatient, etc.  Recent studies have found those characterizations are not accurate. Millennials want the same things that their parents and grandparents wanted at the same age.  They want to find meaning in their work (who doesn't?), be rewarded for their contributions and have the chance to work hard and advance.  Millennials, similar to every other member of your team, want to show up at work and find meaning in what they do.  And it is the responsibility of owners and managers to help their team members find that sense of purpose.  Asking the right questions can help. Here's how.

 

Ask each member of your team to relate the tasks that they excel at.  Why are you the most qualified person to do X or perform Y?  The goal is to help your team members to identify their strengths.

 

Finding meaning is directly related to enjoyment.  Ask your team members what projects they most like to work on.  What forthcoming deadlines are exciting?  If you had a blank canvas and could work on anything you wanted what would it be?  Asking these types of questions helps team members identify what they most enjoy about working at your company.

 

Ask team members to describe accomplishments they are most proud of in their careers, highlight the inherent value of what they do and how they make a difference in the lives of others.

 

Asking the team to identify new skills and knowledge that they have recently acquired and what the future looks like for them illustrates that the tasks they are performing today will help them achieve future goals.

 

You can help your team members think about and foster relationships that make their work more meaningful by asking if they could staff the showroom (or your business) with their favorite people, who would they select and what skills and personality traits would they bring to the business. 

 

When team members believe that their companies support their careers and ambitions, they will not only be more loyal, but they also will be happier and more productive.