Reading between the lines is always important in every communication; not all is actually said by people in words! However, it has never been MORE important than with the Millennials (the people who are born between 1980 and 2000). This is a generation who has been raised in a way that they try to avoid conflict, more so at work. Thus, usually they keep it short when they are saying something but there is a whole lot of things that is behind their short communication. Here’s your guide to understanding what they actually mean by these short sentences and why!
1. “I would like your input on this one.”
Please do not respond to this by a simple compliment. However, don’t give too negative an advice as well. The best way is to respond by giving specific advice about what they are doing right and how it could be done in an even better way. They expect to be given coaching to make things better.
2. “I will do it, sure.”
When a Millennial says this, it means he will follow your direction but they are not really crazy about it. This also suggests that they don’t want to communicate their true feelings to you. This usually happens in our daily life when a Millennial doesn’t have much choice and doesn’t want to be rude to the elders.
3. “I find that interesting.”
This simply means that they don’t find it very interesting and do not want to be rude to you by saying that clearly. If you really want to go on from there, try to make them understand your point by putting it another way. They usually find things more meaningful when they see them in the bigger picture.
4. “I think it will work.”
This usually means that they don’t think it will work. This can be a result of their lack of involvement in the development of the idea. The best way to deal with this is either to get them more involved or present your ideas in such a way that they can relate to them better.
5. “We can try it this way.”
This translates into the fact that they think their idea is better than yours! They won’t usually state that in your face but they think that you should give due importance to their point of view of the way they are saying things should be done. It is generally a good idea to try and see things from their perspective because millennials usually have a fresh take on things as compared to previous generations.
6. “I love this.”
This means that they don’t. This is a polite way of saying that it could be done in a better way. Although, a Millennial isn’t too joyful about it, they would remain full of respect for you. Try to look for any signs in their body language so that you can gauge their true feelings.
7. “I think I can do this.”
Although this means that they will do it, it also suggests that they will appreciate more guidance or resource input from your end. This generation is not ashamed of asking for help and advice but they also never had to ask for it directly. Since they were raised by parents who gave them attention, it would be great if you can read well into this sentence and give them further instructions, clarity and help with regard to the task on hand.
8. “We can give this a try.”
What this really means is that they will go ahead with it if you tell them to but they think you should still search more for a better option. And guess what, they are usually right about it. So don’t stop your search for a better way of tackling whatever the issue is and you will ultimately get a more suitable option.
Since, today’s workforce comprises of millennials to a great extent, hope you can benefit from the above insight. What do you think of the millennials around you and what they are saying? Tell us in the comments section below. Happy dealing with them!!
Featured photo credit: KP Digital Health 47623/Ted Eytan via flickr.com
