When People Want the Same Thing, Give it to Them

This week, I interviewed people who will be taking on a newly-created role in the new year. I wanted to get their input on how to design a workshop for them to define their ways of working. 

The questions I asked included:

• What does this role do and not do?
• How could they collaborate together? 
• How could they effectively work with internal partners?
• What behaviours are most important to succeed in this role?
• What does "good" look like for the first 90 days?

After a few interviews, I realized everyone was in their late 20's. These 'Millennials' were all intelligent, articulate and digitally social. Their feedback was consistent too: direct, candid and optimistic.

Historians William Strauss and Neil Howe believe that each generation has a common character derived from common traits. My interviews supported this theory. Feedback was consistent across business areas and geographies. Although the phrasing was different, the themes were the same. 

The last question I asked became my test of commonality among the interviewees: "What would make a successful workshop?" Most comments were consistent too:

• Social connectivity
• Variety of ways to interact
• Clarity on expectations and next steps
• Definition of what "good" looks like
• Understanding the level of autonomy
• Support to move the organization forward

My sense is that Millennials take pride in their input and expect it to be used. It's clear what they want. All I need to do is give it to them.

Phil