We, the Millennials: the multi-taskers, the tech-savvy, the connected, the seekers of instant gratification. What could possibly be so bad about these qualities? We live in the most technologically advanced society our world has ever seen. The innovators that make up the generation of Millennials have added to so much advancement to our society. What has made the term “Millennial” so negative? Why do so many from other generations have a bad outlook on who we, the Millennials, are as people?
Portrayed as lazy in the media, Millennials get labeled as a generation full of cry babies and suck ups who are sheltered and supervised. Millennials like feedback—particularly positive feedback. The constant need to be praised, to feel important, the need to always be right—the notion that has been “instilled in them that they are vital to the nation and to their parents' sense of purpose. They feel they are here to solve the world’s problems that older generations have failed to solve. They claim they want privacy, but they crave attention." The generation of Millennials has been labeled entitled. And this is where the negative connotation shines through. Because of this feeling of entitlement, the culture the generation of Millennials has fabricated is one that is occupied with free handouts. We are lazy because we expect to get what we want when we want it.
This generational gap is the most prevalent in the workplace. “Millennials aren’t as willing as former generations to sacrifice their personal life in order to advance their careers. They like to 'work hard—play hard' and want to be at a company that appreciates this desire for balance." This generation has more college degrees than any other previous generation. And with these degrees comes the expectation that they will be launched into greatness. The work ethic of previous generations is no longer prevalent or relevant.
Recognizing that these generalizations do not describe each Millennial individually. It is interesting to identify where, in your life, the Millennial mentality can be indicated or observed. Being tech-savvy isn’t a bad thing, the ability to multi-task isn’t a bad thing and the desire to achieve isn’t a bad thing, either. I am proud of being a part of a generation that has provided so much innovation. The difference is my ability to recognize that not everything is in my favor—that I am not the center of the universe. When you work hard for something, there is a greater satisfaction from it. It’s when these qualities of our generation get in the way of how we perform in work, how we treat generations older than us and our sense of entitlement—this is when the negative connotation can be rightfully used.
