Millennials Who Manage

Millennials will be our next great generation of leaders. Today, however, as they move into management, they face difficult practical challenges. Millennials Who Manage is a complete, research-based guide to overcoming those challenges, delivering outstanding performance, and getting recognised for it.

Reflecting their extensive enterprise consulting and research experience, the authors show how to transition more smoothly into management. You will gain insight into earning the respect of peers and “elders” that you are now leading, as well as your manager. You will discover you can achieve success your way, without compromising who you are or becoming someone you are not.

You’ll learn management skills that arguably come naturally to Millennials. Prepare to explore what really motivates Boomers and Xers whose formative experiences were different from yours and how to guide them beyond today’s unhelpful stereotypes about Millennials. You’ll also master the specific management and leadership competencies you need most right now—whether you’re moving into frontline management or the CEO’s office!

• Chapter 1:   A Priori
• Chapter 2:   Making the Transition into Management 
• Chapter 3:   Developing a Perspective
• Chapter 4:   Be True to You
• Chapter 5:   Be True to Others
• Chapter 6:   Generational Differences: Fact or Fiction?
• Chapter 7:   Dynamics of a Multigenerational Workforce 
• Chapter 8:   The Reasons You Will Be a Great Leader 
• Chapter 9:   Managing Millennials 
• Chapter 10: Managing Boomers, Xers, and Silents
• Chapter 11: Getting to the Next Level 
• Index 

Chip Espinoza, Ph.D., is the coauthor of Managing the Millennials: Discover the Core Competencies for Managing Today’s Workforce and Millennials@Work: The 7 Skills Every Twenty-Something Needs to Overcome Roadblocks and Achieve Greatness at Work. He is also the Academic Director of the Organizational Psychology program at Concordia University Irvine.

Chip keynotes internationally and across the country on how to create an environment in which Millennials can thrive. Chip is a leading expert on the subject of generational diversity in the workplace. He consults in the civic, corporate, and non-profit sectors.

Chip has authored several articles on the subject of leadership and is the go-to person for news agencies on the topic of integrating younger workers into organizations. He is a content expert for CNN on the subject of generational diversity in the workplace. He has also been featured on Fox News, CBS Radio, and in major publications. Chip was named a Top 15 Global Thought Leader on the Future of Work by the Economic Times.

Joel Schwarzbart, Ph.D., received his doctorate in Social Science from the University of California at Irvine, where he studied Social Network Analysis. He teaches Organizational Behavior at Cal State University, Fullerton and has been studying the impact of Millennials on the workplace since 2006. Dr. Schwarzbart co-developed the Generational Rapport Inventory to measure strengths in managing across generations.

“The one thing all Millennial managers lack is experience. They must combat that by being extremely sharp in every other arena. Millennials Who Manage provides critical insight and perspective that allows leaders to get into the mindset of those they are leading. There is a plethora of great books on management and leadership; however, most of them do not speak directly to Millennials. This book provided me with much needed insight, and it is a tool that I will continue coming back to over and over again.”

—Rob Knutsen, CEO, J. Derek Lewis & Associates

“After working with Chip for half a decade on the topic of Millennials in the workforce, he never fails to deliver new insights, useful coaching, and overall value to everyone who is participating in the multigenerational workforce. He has been able to tailor the message to each segment in a respectful way right when they need it, and Millennials Who Manage is a great addition—again—right when they need it. Most workers don’t wake up in the morning looking for ways to derail their career, but in fact they do just that. The multigenerational workforce is wrought with challenges, and Chip’s expertise on the topic is unmatched in navigating the workplace of the present and the future.”

—Ron Weber, Director of Service Delivery, ShiftGig

“You often hear managers bemoan their inability to understand or effectively manage their millennial staff, and many books have been written about how to understand Millennials. What has been missing in this space is a book that speaks to the Millennials themselves. As Millennials, we have the power to change the negative perceptions of our generation and to collaborate with coworkers across generations, and this book coaches Millennials to do just that. Career paths are becoming increasingly difficult to navigate and Millennials Who Manage is a practical guide for realizing your potential and avoiding pitfalls in the workplace while staying true to yourself. The book challenges Millennials not only to strive to be understood, but to consider that the perceptions of other generations are valid. This is especially important for those Millennials who find themselves challenged by the task of managing multi-generational teams. Millennials Who Manage encourages each of us to examine how our own values and assumptions are affecting our work and our communication style, with an emphasis on finding ways that we can work together. I’d love to see this book on the shelf of every young aspiring manager. I will certainly be utilizing the tools and tactics presented to sharpen and hone my own leadership skills.”

—Kendra Puryear, Director of Development, Orange County United Way

“There is no escaping the fact that an ever increasing part of the work force is and will continue to be made up of Millennials both as employees and managers. Understanding what makes them tick and motivated is a must. Chip Espinoza’s work in this field is ahead of the curve, groundbreaking, and should be required reading for anyone who desires to effectively manage in today’s workplace…which is of course everyone!”

—Jim McInnis, Founder & CEO, RDR Sales Consulting

“How do we manage in the multi-generational workplace? Over the past 10 or so years, we have begun to enjoy the new expectations (and challenges) as Generation Y has entered the workforce with a bang! Now, as the early Millennials are hitting their 30s and beginning to take more senior management and leadership roles, things are shifting again.

“In this book, Chip Espinoza and Joel Schwarzbart give a thoughtful account on how to prepare oneself to lead and be lead in the four generation office. Packed full of practical advice, this book is a ‘how to’ guide to survive and thrive in our new world.

“If you are 3 years into your work life and about to lead a team of people who grew up loving rock and roll, then make sure this book is on your nightstand. Well written and avoiding the temptation to lapse into constant ‘management speak,’ it’s a compelling read that you will find hard to put down.

“I look forward to my next boss being a Millennial!”

—Paul Bowles, Global Resourcing, Thales

“Millennials Who Manage is powerful on many levels. I manage people who are 10, 15, 20 years older than me. This book helped me understand why I have been experiencing so many disconnects with them and what I can do about it. The book is really helpful in explaining the perspectives of the different generations and why they cause so much friction in my department. It has practical suggestions for improving interactions across generations. As a director focused on getting stuff done, I really appreciate that.”

—Mei Shan Tan, Director of Financial Planning & Analysis, Optum