[VIDEO] 3 Ways to Connect with Your Millennial Audience
I sat down with a life and career coach for Millennials and learned how to better connect with this audience.
I have the pleasure of working at the same co-working space as Brittany Canaski, life and career coach for Millennials. We happened to be chatting one day about generations - what I heard about my generation (Gen X), and what she heard about Millennials.
We agreed on a few things:
Society will always bitch about the next/upcoming generation.
Generalizations (“That whole generation is [fill in the blank]”) are not accurate.
Good communication and connection are good communication and connection - no matter who is in your audience.
Still, we did talk about what it was like growing up as a Gen Xer (me) and a Millennial (her). The Millennials were the first generation to grow up with computers and handheld devices in their homes (and in their hands).
To give you a sense of this divide, in 1998 I taught a class called “Introduction to the Internet.” For realsies.
Brittany’s generation? They didn’t need that class.
So it makes sense to me that a generation that grew up with tech will need something different than a generation that didn’t.
AND. It also helps to ditch the generalizations - for any audience - in order to better connect with your audience.
3 Tips to Connect with Your Millennial Audience
Avoid saying “That’s how it’s always been done.”
Instead, ask questions that generate conversation:“What’s missing?”
“How can this be better?”
“How can we make this more efficient?”
We also agreed the younger folks can take the lead and speak up.
Avoid discrediting a younger worker because of their age.
This often shows up as “wait your turn” or “you can’t do [x] because you haven’t put in the time.” The downside of this is that by not allowing others the time and space to join in is you might miss a really great idea - or a better, easier, more efficient way to do things.
Also a bonus: Allow the younger folks to work alongside you, and you’re developing your own coaching and training skills.
Avoid generalizing any generation in the workplace.
Brittany shared that there tends to be a lot of “jokes” when Millennials are present. (Gen Xers just had to deal with boomers carping about our job-hopping behind our backs.) People sometimes openly “joke” about Millennials being entitled, or lazy, or whatever. But these negative comments can cause your audience to shut down and not speak up. So you might miss out on a great idea or a valuable contribution.Skip the jokes. Ask for collaboration.
Brittany Canaski is a life and career coach for Millennials. She specializes in helping Millennials become unstuck.
You can find her online, or on instagram @hellovelocityco.
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About The Author
Hi! I’m Marianna. I can teach you how to speak with strength and confidence. In addition to Presentation Skills workshops, I offer executive coaching and speaking. To learn more, Get in touch.