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Dan's Biz Bookshelf: 'The Millennial Myth—Transforming Misunderstanding into Workplace Breakthroughs'

This is a book we all must read right now. I have had it with people ignorantly and blindly attacking millennials. We should be trying to understand them rather than just blindly knocking them. It is in our own self-interest to give them a break. We are going to have to work with these folks. And as we boomers age out, we will be turning the reins over to them.

Honestly, considering the state of our country and of the world today they will probably do a better job. For starters they are not bogged down by the prejudices, biases, and outright hatreds that our generation and those before us have brought to the world.

When I saw this book at Barnes and Noble, I knew I had to buy and read it immediately. I wanted to hear from a millennial about millennials. I wanted to gain a better understanding of what these young folks were all about. I recommend you do the same.

Author Crystal Kadakia does a great job not only explaining the thought patters of her generation but also explaining what we boomers think, why we think it, and why, in many cases, what we perceive as one thing is really another.

I use one example of the differences in the way we work. I have heard many of my generation call these millennials lazy. Ms. Kadakia says its really productivity refined. We like to work during pre-designated hours. They like to have a more flexible schedule. I have worked from home for over two years now, and she is right. I am much more productive working flexible hours. I consider my workday roughly from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. with walks, errands, and a power nap thrown in as well. I have come to understand those who are flexible are much more productive. I now realize that I can now do much better choosing which task I want to undertake when I get to decide when I want to undertake it.

Other millennial qualities the author redefines:

• They are not entitled, they are entrepreneurial
• They are agile
• They are creative
• They are independent
• They are self-starters
• They respect the planet and care about what they can do to sustain it
• They care about their fellow men and women. Not many of them are prejudiced
• They are always seeking their purpose, the “why” they do what they do

Yes, they are different from us. In many ways, I think they are better than us (but not all ways). One special thing I liked about the book is its structure. Kadakia has filled it with very useful comparison charts. Each chapter has a summary and suggestions of what we can do to best understand her generation. In the end, I have to say that Kadakia is a very smart and insightful young woman, and I am very glad to have read her book—you owe it to yourself to do as well.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.

The Millennial Myth: Transforming Misunderstanding into Workplace Breakthroughs

Author: Crystal Kadakia

Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers a BK Business Book

Copyright: 2017

Pages: 138

Price: $18.95 (paperback)