46 Comments Add your own

• 1. Angie Q. Dip  |  December 18th, 2007 at 2:08 am

  Reading the articles, it sounds like China and America both have problems in dealing with their ‘little emperors and empresses,’ or ‘little princes and princesses.’ These millennials seem to always need praise and would feel insecure if they don’t get it. They also seem to always get what they want. I belong in the same generation, but I don’t feel that I need more to be constantly praised, especially for something as little as arriving to work on time, when that is part of my duty to the company.

  To lead and manage the “most praised generation,” I think it is necessary to tell them what to do, but give them lenience on how to do it. I think they enjoy the freedom and trust to do things, and would especially enjoy the praise you give them during and after the completion of the project because they were the ones responsible for the project. I would also follow the suggestions under ‘The Art of Constructive Compliments’ from the article, The Most-Praised Generation Goes to Work, such as being more descriptive in my compliments, instead of just saying broad compliments like ‘good job’ or ‘well-done.’ I will not give constant praise, because the most-praised generation is not children anymore and should be wiser now, and should know that if a compliment was given, they should really deserve it. I will not spoil them. If they did a horrible job, they will get critical feedback, with a little compliment on something they did to boost up their self-esteem, if necessary. However, if they really did a good job, not only would compliments be given, but so will prizes and/or bonuses to motivate them. I will make sure they are satisfied so they would not leave the company, and every so often conduct an anonymous survey to see what the company needs to improve in to make the workers more satisfied.

  Some Chinese firms would probably take a similar approach as what I have stated above, although they would probably give in to offering more compliments. Others, as the article Only Children Face Employment Discrimination describes, might just not hire ‘only children’ altogether. I think these companies should reconsider that decision. Although ‘only children’ may tend to be more spoiled and may seem like they cannot endure the hardships, I don’t think that is necessarily true. I agree that they might be more bratty, but these ‘only children’ are better informed, keen techies, have struggled through many courses and programs since school started (suggesting they can handle multiple tasks within a period of time), have a feeling of responsibility to take care of his/her family (which means they know what responsibility is for work also), and therefore might actually be more prone to adapting to the changing business environment that companies may desire because of these factors.

• 2. Robyn Bowie  |  December 19th, 2007 at 6:56 pm

  I actually watched this CBS feature on its original airdate with my parents. It is absolutely ridiculous and, unfortunately, at least partially true. This is definitely a more “me” generation than ever before. However, the people they got for this segment, in my opinion, skew it to say what they want. The young man who “admits that his mom picked out his outfit” could not sound more self involved and he does not sound very intelligent. He is not a good representation of my generation. Another thing that I though was wrong in this feature was the easy job market. As we should all know, the job market is only just now picking up again for new graduates. One of our family friends who is only five years older than me graduated at a time when there were no jobs. She ended up taking a teaching position and then getting her credential because there was nothing else. Only recently have we been able to pick and choose our job so easily. As for blaming Mr. Rogers, I think he is just a scapegoat so that parents don’t have to blame themselves. “Helicopter parents” are getting to be a huge problem for all schools - including colleges and graduate programs. Parents are doing too much and certainly aren’t cutting the cord soon enough. As a part of this “me” generation I think the amount praise needed is absolutely ridiculous. It is unbelievable that these companies are hiring people who throw confetti and send praising text messages to young hires. At my last job, a simple thank you was all I needed. As for feedback, that is something that is good to have because it clarifies what the boss wants. It can be a good learning experience, but does not need to turn into large amounts of praise. I suppose I can thank my parents for instilling a sense of independence in me because I did watch Mr. Rogers when I was little and I did grow up in the State of California.

  It is very surprising to me that China has this problem as well. Well unfortunately it looks like China is bringing the spoiled only child stereotype to life. This really surprises me because I am reading the book River Town by Peter Hessler and he finds little praise for students. As a student to his Mandarin tutor he is used to hearing “budui,” or wrong, even when he has 95% of his Mandarin correct. He actually complains that he misses the praise. According to him everything is either all right or wrong and there is no in between, which is why Chinese students covet A’s so much. However, this book takes place around 1997 and times may have changed since then. He is also in a smaller city, that of Fuling along the Yangze river. My question is whether these “little emperors” only exist in the more well-to-do families.

  As for managing the “me” generation, it will be a daunting task. I suppose all one can do is go along with it. At least that is what the articles suggest and the examples they give. I suppose I will have to hire a “praise” consultant and send my co-workers praising text messages. But in all seriousness, I would probably use feedback to give them praise. That way I could also send the message of what I expect in the future and use it to my advantage as a learning experience.

• 3. Tai Massion  |  December 24th, 2007 at 12:24 pm

  I think I will have a hard time managing selfish brats- I propose a “no whining” policy. Really grow up- I think the “celebration assistant” possition in the Texas company is a bit much. There is a place for praise in the workplace, it comes best when earned and infrequent. Taking a job is a responsibility- integrety is important. Bouncing around looks really bad and is not accepable as the kid in the video tried to claim.

  Kids are really spoiled, I see it. I am embaressed if parents are going on job interviews. My husband and I have a friend whoes parents have held his hand for so many years- 6 years of private undergrad- 3 bedroom house in Marin (so he could have space), parents driving up to the college to argue grades- this really happens and it makes my husaband and I cringe- then the parents ask the kid to grow up and support himself- ya right, why would he do that, where is the incentive? They have babyed him for so long and now they are stuck. So why would employers want to encourage this behavior from employees. Employees should be adapting to the work environment, not the other way around. It’s a job, it’s work, that is why you are paid! Needless to say, I would have a hard time supporting this type of behavior- maybe I can work somewhere where this culture is non-present.

  As far as China goes- American attitudes seems to be spreading. I makes sence that only having one child will lead parents to put all of their energy into the kid- especially if this is their “retierment”. I didn’t know there was an obesity problem in China- America spreading some more. I wonder if those who imposed the one child rule ever suspected the social problems it has lead to.

• 4. Jesse Bilsten  |  January 30th, 2008 at 10:45 pm

  I too have seen these video’s previously. And watching them is extremely frustrating. To see how stuck up and overly privileged they are is sickening. Truly “little emperors” who don’t know how good they have it.

  This would definitely be a managerial test to deal with this generation in the work force. I’d have to treat them as I would any other employee and give them praise when they truly deserve it and most importantly give them freedom to accomplish the project how they see fit. I’d imagine a lot less micromanagement and more criticism at projects end.

  Work environment would also be a controversial issue. Do you allow them to use their cell phones, blackberries, instant messager, internet access, etc. on the job? I’m sure it would depend on the job, but if they’re so connected and need to be all the time, how do you keep them focused? The easiest solution might be to make one of them responsible for the others and punish the leader if the others aren’t responding. Give opportunities to move up quickly but only if they show responsibility and work hard. The goals should be the same as for every other generation however the way they get to them will need to change as well as the feedback and praise for when they reach them.

• 5. Brandi Eng-Rohrbach  |  February 4th, 2008 at 6:31 pm

  It seems that America and China are experiencing a similar problem now. As parents in both countries have less children, they devote more time and resources to each child. This generation has thus grown accustomed to constant attention and gratification. This is only reinforced by the consumer culture which also promotes such values.

  Never before has any generation felt such a sense of entitlement. Never before has any generation been so distracted. This poses a multitude of problems for being a manger of these millennials or little emperors. There is many different approaches one could take to this challenge. I don’t feel the best solution is a “celebrations assistant” like the one at Scooter Store Inc who throws confetti and gives balloons to employees is the best solution.

  I think the things I will try and do to adapt to managing my generation are:
  -Provide constant reinforcement to employees on how their role is important to team and work is essential
  -Give constant feedback
  -Create most tasks to be solved by teams instead of individually
  -Don’t discourage multitasking
  -Hire people and learn more about people through social networking
  -Provide value-added work to increase their feelings of self-worth
  -Allow employees to work whatever hours they want as long as they put in the required amount

• 6. Nick Miura  |  February 6th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

  I read a fascinating book called ‘The Price of Privilege’ by Madeline Levine about a similar subject. The book is about why there are growing numbers of adolescents who come through her office (she’s a psychologist) who get good grades, are well adjusted, but are extremely depressed. They simply feel empty inside. I highly recommend it to any parents or anybody who might become parents; I rented it from the library.

  Her argument is that children are pushed by parents so much that they never develop a true sense of self. The false-self that the child grows into is completely based on how others perceive him/her. Thus, there is a need to get good grades, there is a need to wear fashionable clothing, there is a need to hang out with the ‘cool’ crowd…but the child never really understands why they want to.

  Her analysis of the situation is that instead of being pushed, the children need to be supported. Children need to make up their own minds about what is important to them and then be heard by their parents and their peers, even if they disagree. I believe that this is relevant to the articles because praise is just a lazy form of pushing, and I think is putting kids in the same place mentally. The problem with praise is that it is usually given in response to a result. For instance, if a child receives an ‘A’ in class, the parent goes ‘very good, you got an ‘A’. I’m going to buy you something.’ The praise and reward are then attached to the grade and not to the child. The child has no incentive to study harder or not go out with friends. In fact, one of the cases in the book tells of a young man who hacked into the school’s computer system to change his grade. The praise instead should be attached to the child’s action… ‘You got an A? I’m proud that you studied so hard’

  I think you have to do the same thing as a manager of this generation. First, you must really listen to your subordinates, and find the root cause of their decisions. Are they doing something because they believe it’s the right thing to do, or are they doing it to fit in or to please a higher up? Encourage thinking for themselves and justifying their actions. Second, praise the action and not the result. If a subordinate brings in a million dollar client, focus on praising the actions and decisions that they did right to bring in the million dollar client. Third, criticize in private, and don’t let criticism get personal. People will be more motivated if they feel that their personal contribution is valued.

  Though I think these issues are a large problem for the US, it seems that China wants to catch up. Their birth laws make it easy for parents and grandparents to spoil their one and only and I can see them easily being pushed to get good grades and do important work. It will be very interesting to see how the Chinese handle the growing situation. The last paragraph in Clay Chandler’s article points out that Chinese children are getting more opinionated and creative. For China’s sake, let’s hope that is the case.

• 7. Chris Carr  |  February 7th, 2008 at 8:50 am

  Good comment, Nick. This is a book I need to check out.

• 8. Deanna Haskell  |  February 16th, 2008 at 11:05 pm

  The article about the little emperors reminded me of a asian immigrant kid that I went to school with years ago. He could not tie his shoes when he was in 3rd grade because his grandparents insisted on doing it for him- so he did not learn until the teachers refused to help him. The one child policy seems to have greatly altered how children are treated in China and possibly allowed them to very spoiled. However, we do not have the one child policy in the U.S. but we still have some of the same issues.

  I think that kids are very spoiled these days and are to used to getting what they want and receiving positive feedback for everything. Based on personal obeservation, it is deeply hurtful when someone tells someone of my generation that they need to improve their performance. If your bose simply praises your work all the time, then no one will ever improve their work. They will get used to doing the bare minimum to get buy- this will hurt everyone in the long run. The idea of having a person in the work place who is repsonisble for praise seems outlandish. However, I do think praise is necessary. In order to motivate workers of this generation, I would start by training them and explaining what their role in the company consists of. Secondly, I would give them both negative and positive feedback every week so that they are aware of their progress. Finally , just as parents pay kids for good grades, I would have some sort of compensation system for outstanding performance. This may include something like the ability to create your own hours or it may be a raise.

• 9. Dena Malloy  |  February 17th, 2008 at 4:56 pm

  The most enlightening part for me was the comment that parents should have adult (but not inappropriate) conversations in front of their children. This is definitely how I learned a lot about the working and politics (my parents two favorite topics of discussion).

  I think that it is proper to praise someone when they have done a good job. To me, it is just like saying please and thank you. I’m not suggesting that you go over the top and say something is great when it really isn’t, but if someone turns in their report on time, why not say “Thanks for getting that report to me. I appreciate it when deadlines are met”.

  This reminds me of an article I read in Newsweek the other day entitled how to train your spouse (don’t tell my husband).
  http://www.newsweek.com/id/109614
  The articles suggests that you can get the results you want from your spouse (or employee) by positive reinforcement. Anyone have a new puppy I can try this out on?

• 10. Simeon Trieu  |  February 17th, 2008 at 6:02 pm

  What an ugly problem. After reading through the articles, I fully connected with some of my own actions and also the generation that is surrounding me. I remember coming to the conclusion in high school that my dad didn’t love me just because he always criticized me. “Why don’t you ever praise me for doing anything right? You always criticize me.” was my response. At the same time, I am more aware of it these days, thanks to the constant references to my generation and that of the “little emperors”.

  The first step to counteracting a psychological issue is to make your mind aware of it. I think these little emperors, if they truly watch and read the news constantly criticizing them, will come to see that they are selfish. Dad always told me that “there are no shortcuts in life”, and it’s amazing how many times I don’t listen to him. I’m not talking about efficiency. There are definitely more efficient ways of doing things, but there is no substitute for hard work.

  The trick to solving the problem with the little emperors in the workplace can often be found just by looking at our own spoiled, media-saturated generation in the US. We also display characteristics of “little emperors”. (ie. “Just give me the executive summary”, “Why can’t they just make this easier for me?”, “I simply cannot eat that!”, etc.) I often take on characteristics from my father (imagine that) and am hard with my friends and also others that I interact with in my generation. I often find that they quickly interact with those that make them feel good and quickly decouple themselves from those that don’t make them feel good. If the emperors aren’t willing to reach out to the older generation, then it’s the older generation that must take their hand and gently lift them up. The videos and articles answered part of the question already. You need to use language that is gentler, as this generation is more soft and effeminate. If you harshly criticize them (as is the case with “kill one, warn a thousand” kinds of policies in China), then they will quickly shrink away (ie. leave the company)

  I have a friend in China who is a little emperor and is having difficulty finding a job in marketing that she likes. It’s been several months since she has been unemployed, although she’s had brief stints with companies in the technology sector doing marketing (which she abhors). I, personally, don’t understand why she can’t just get a job and stick with it. Making something is better than nothing, and she won’t develop a career just by being unemployed. But she wants her “dream job” right after the university and is oblivious to the reality that you need to work your way up and prove yourself before companies/management/shareholders will trust you by promoting you. This is a case of the “little emperor” made so clear by these series of articles and videos. In her particular case, I have often told her that she can use her experience to catapult herself into a job she likes more. I know this is aiding the “job hopping” that is so frequent in this generation, but I don’t feel like there’s a better way to get her started. She’s not willing to “eat bitterness” (as the Chinese saying goes), so maybe if it tastes a little sweeter like bitter chocolate, she can ease her way into it. It’s a case of too much, too soon. It’s almost as if this generation needs to be re-educated altogether. There’s not much that can be done but to work with them rather than against them. It’s an issue that I fully expect to understand more through experience in my dealings with China in the future.

• 11. Frank Wallace  |  February 17th, 2008 at 11:08 pm

  I had no idea that the term “Millennials” even existed before reading this blog post, and it is interesting that it describes my generation. I was shocked how accurate the description in the Wall Street Journal article of the Millenials actually was compared to me and all of my friends. It seems that American and Chinese men and women in their 20’s are not that different after all. Parents in both countries have devoted more time and resources to their children which has caused our generation to become accustomed to constant attention and gratification.

  As for the question about how do I plan to lead, manage and motivate the “most praised generation” after I graduate? It is certainly going to be tough, but I think I might have an upper hand compared to older managers because I am part of the me generation. This means that I will know where the younger employees are coming from and understand better what they need to be successful in the work environment. This will also allow me to relate to them better and form a better working relationship. Some of the things I might try to do to manage and motivate the employees is provide feedback more often, appreciate them but make them still want to try harder, and try to guide and mentor them in their tasks as opposed to micromanage them. The way business is done and the work environment itself is definitely in for a change in the future.

• 12. Eric Kvilhaug  |  February 23rd, 2008 at 12:30 pm

  This brings me back to my teaching (of sorts) career at Cal Poly within the Industrial Technology department. I have had to deal with these kinds of spoiled brats for two years now. Nothing is ever fair, if a mid term is failed it has to be my fault and the questions were worded poorly, or they were busy, etc. One of the root problems I see with today’s youth is a lack of responsibility for one’s actions. There is always an excuse, this goes much past the dog eating homework, but not showing up to class for two weeks or being fifteen minutes late to class everyday. I can only image how flaky some of these people are in their personal lives.

  The best way I have found to treat the entire class (to neutralize the spoiled) is with tough love from day one. Lay out a firm set of ground rules that if broken have real consequences. My first quarter controlling the packaging lab I tried to be nice and make sure all the students liked me, what a mistake. All I got were excuses, whining, and complaining from a few people. It never ended and finally at the end of the quarter when grades were dispersed these individuals could not believe they got C’s and D’s. Moral of the story is the nicer you are the more they will walk all over you. Since I have started the tough love approach I have much less whining and the quality of work put forth by my students has more than doubled (if measurable).

• 13. Rob Belloni  |  February 29th, 2008 at 3:26 pm

  I’ve only become aware of this millenial generation thing since returning to Cal Poly. At 29 years old, I must have missed the phenomenon by a few years, but it has been interesting to meet people who do things like send 3000 text messages in one month, spend hours and hours on myspace telling their friends how cute their outfits look, and pondering what they will do after graduation - when graduation is right around the corner.

  How would I manage this generation?

  1. Set clear expected outcomes for the employee. Let them know that if they do not meet expectations, there will be specific consequences.

  2. Laugh off complaints as if they are absurd. For example:

  Q: You mean I have to take 2 hours of my sick time for going to that doctor’s appointment?
  A: Remember employee orientation when we talked about this? Don’t be silly.

  3. Identify inappropriate behavior from the first second it occurs.

  4. Be magnanimous. Treat everyone, of all ages, with fairness and respect.

  5. Set strong expectations and let the employee know that you believe they can meet them (Pygmalion).

  I think number 4 and 5 will get you far no matter who you are managing.

• 14. Witold Sadowski  |  March 3rd, 2008 at 9:46 pm

  Great topic. Leading, managing and motivating the “most praised generation” after graduating could be challenging. No matter how frustrating it might be or tempting to break habits, by understanding the workforce – better yet at the employee level - companies can adjust their motivation methods. If your employee needs a little praise and positive reinforcement to be effective, then why not?

  Although I’ve only had a little management experience, the employees that did report to me were new graduates in their early 20’s (surprisingly with the nicest cars on the company lot). I found it most beneficial to include the team as much as possible with any projects or conference calls and make sure to reinforce their importance in the work they do on the team… they would get credit for good work, but be held responsible for the bad. Coupled with clear deadlines, weekly tasks, and setting the work load so that there is always a learning process involved… things worked out very good. Also, stressing the importance that it is ok to disclose if they are overwhelmed before hand so that the workload can be moved to others… but not if they missed… worked well.

  However, each manager, company, industry, and country approach these employees differently. I am very interested to learn how it’s done in China and India.

• 15. David Zarcone  |  March 4th, 2008 at 12:12 am

  After reading these articles I just sat back in my chair and thought about all my teachers and babysitters over the years. I was actually lucky enough to have extremely conservative parents that taught me to mind my manners, speak appropriately, and to respect others. However, when I think of all my teachers from elementary school and high school, there was no real difference in the way I treated them compared to my friends. I called all my teachers by their first names and didn’t see them as superiors. In high school, I would actually socialize with teachers outside of school and even see them at various parties. This seems weird to think back on but at the time it was just like being with friends my age. When my parents made me call adults by Mr. and Mrs. instead of simply their first names, I was actually reminded that status is earned by age and experience. These readings speak directly to our generation and our inadequate upbringing. Well, I shouldn’t say “inadequate” because I was raised well and had a happy childhood; but if i would have learned to be more disciplined, I think I would be better prepared for life in the real world.

• 16. Shasta Palmer  |  March 4th, 2008 at 1:51 am

  Motivating the “most praised generation” will not be an easy task. Continual praise and constant kudos is not a very good option, and looses meaning after awhile. Where I could, I would come up with a check system so that the employee could tell if he or she was on track. In addition I would schedule monthly or quarterly meetings with him or her for individual review. If this wasn’t sufficient and the employees demanded more input, maybe weekly reports would do for awhile, but eventually once they got the hang of their job should be moved to at least monthly reviews. During the reviews, things he or she could improve would be mentioned in the least critical manner, and then praise would be given for the good work he or she had done.
  As far as China motivating its “little emperors”, I think a stricter hand will be applied. China seems to control work environments better, and I could see them stating exact times when employee praise would be given, and feedback would be given.
  One of the articles asks what the biggest contributor to this “me” attitude of the new generation is. Limiting what kids can do is the biggest contributor. They can’t even drive at 16 on their own now, and try finding a job unless your 18. The green house my mother worked for let me start working weekends when I was 12 years old. That was one of the best things that could have happened. It taught me the value of money, how to follow orders, what happened if I didn’t follow orders, and praise was only given on special occasion. When parents baby their kids and say it’s ok, I’ll drive you everywhere and buy everything for you, the kids never learn that they can think and do things on their own.

• 17. Kyle Tripp  |  March 5th, 2008 at 6:36 pm

  I agree with Eric’s comment that if you are nice when teaching or in a management position, people will walk all over you. I coached varsity water polo for a High School and I was pretty young for a coach. At first all the team members looked at me like a buddy because I was closer to their age then most coaches and teachers. Because of this the kids screwed around and didn’t put out that great of effort. The team was ranked last in the league, but had talent. I decided quickly that this buddy thing had gone long enough. I got very hard and strict on the kids. If someone screwed around at all in practice they would not play the next game, no matter how good they were. The team quickly realize that I was serious and so they responded by putting out good effort and hard work. Our team started to do better and by the end of the year we finished seconded in the league. I still think that telling someone that they did a good job is important, but only tat the time of something exceptional. When you are in a position of authority and you are always telling people that they are doing great, then it doesn’t mean as much.
  I also feel that the reason there are so many of the so call “spoiled brats” is because their parents did not discipline them when they acted up. When I did something very wrong my Dad was not afraid to use his hand as a stern warning not to do it again, and if I did there was a belt for that. I never did it again, though. I feel that my Dad taught me tough love and it was the only way for me to understand. I don’t think all parents should hit their kids, but in my case I was a real bastard child and deserved it. Lack of discipline makes these kids think they can get away with anything. Not only do there parent let them get away with it, but usually they even tell them how special they are. I mean what good does this “time out” thing do. Are you kidding me, if I acted up and my parent gave me a time out, their would be no end to my madness.

• 18. Darold Parsons  |  March 6th, 2008 at 4:46 pm

  I loved Mr. Rodgers. Anyways, I always liked the quote from Dash in the movie “The Incredibles.” His mom says, “Everyone is special.” And Dash answers, “Which is just another way of saying no one is.” Got to love the wisdom of cartoons.
  When I enter the “Real World” and no I don’t mean the MTV show, I plan on managing my employees by treating them the way I would like to be treated. I feel the key to any great leader is to lead by example. It is our duty to work the trenches, to run into battle, and to stand on the front line beside our workers. If we don’t then we will never gain their respect. This is also helpful in knowing what your employees do. If they feel you have a grasp on their task they will more likely take your criticism, even if it is harsh. I also feel that is necessary to provide positive feedback every once in a while. If someone only hears the problems you have with them they begin to feel that they are doing a horrible job. I know from experience that most people need to know exactly what they are trying to accomplish. It is important to set measurable goals for them to reach, and be ready and available to offer advice, insight, and help should they need it. I always liked the open door policy; if you need something just let me know. Sure you can’t always be there, but get back to them as soon as you can. Employees need to feel they can make a difference in a company and that their opinions are heard and appreciated. Google has the right idea by allowing each employee a portion of the day to work on whatever they would like to work on. This opens up creativity and allows for new ideas and information to spread. It is also important to be trusted. As a manager you want your employees to know you will be there through the thick and thin and that they can come to you no matter what their problem is. I think they biggest thing, as I mentioned earlier, is you must earn their respect. Just because you are their boss does not mean they see you as a superior. A truly effective manager has employees that do not want to let him/her down.

• 19. Amy Linker  |  March 7th, 2008 at 6:31 pm

  In Welcoming the New Millennials, the comment about these millennials expecting to obtain their dream jobs fresh out of school really hit home. I have talked to several people who believe that they are entitled to moving into high level high paying jobs as soon as they graduate with their MBA’s. I find this unrealistic unless they have quite a bit of previous experience. If they are trying to break into a new field with an MBA, it is likely that they will have to start at the bottom and work their way into a desired higher level position. Although, they are likely to be paid more initially with the degree they hold. If given the chance, I plan to manage this generation with lots of encouragement and praise, as well as being straight forward about what is expected of them. You catch more flies with honey.

  I could not imagine growing up surrounded by children whom all have only child syndrome, which is the basic personality type of a little emperor. What makes being a little emperor worse is that they have more attention lavished on them from all relatives since they have few cousins and since grandparents have few grandchildren. This exacerbates the problem of being bratty, spoiled, and self serving as seen in many only children. I can see functioning well in a team oriented environment to be a problem in the future for Chinese based companies.

• 20. Ryan Moore  |  March 9th, 2008 at 10:18 am

  If we are going to point the finger at someone for this “me” generation phenomenon, lets take a serious look at the media. It is the media that is brainwashing the youth of today into thinking that they deserve everything handed to them on a silver platter. The plethora of reality shows (that have nothing to do with reality) have blurred the line between what is important and unimportant in life. Sixteen year old aspire to have a $1100 purse so they can feel good about themselves because that is what they see on T.V. Maybe I am just getting old, but it seems to me that the priorities of todays youth are so far out of whack and I do not see any bigger reason than the recent changes in television shows in the last 5-10 years.

  You can place some of the blame on the parents. Yes it is true that many parents “helicopter” over their children long after they should have, however their heart is in the right place. Who would not do everything in their power to ensure their child’s success? I am not a parent, but I am sure that “letting go” at the appropriate time is easier said than done.

  How would I manage them? I would make sure there is some kind of employee recognition system in place. It does not have to be as elaborate as The Scooter Store’s program, but everybody enjoys being recognized for their hard work. It is important not to let the day to day workload of a firm get morale down. A simple employee of the month system can do wonders for business culture. We just have to not let it get carried away. At what point does a recognition system become counter productive?

• 21. Ashley Drum  |  March 9th, 2008 at 1:01 pm

  It is interesting that the youth of the US and China both have similar narcissistic attitudes. I admit that I too fall into this category. Growing up, my parents and older brother showered me with praise and encouragement. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing; it actually made me work harder so that I didn’t have a feeling of letting them down. I think that statement is key in how to manage this generation. Set high expectations, encourage their progress and reward them for reaching their goals is how I would go about motivating my team of employees. If someone wasn’t performing at my expected level, I wouldn’t get angry, I would simply tell them how disappointed I was that they weren’t able to complete a task or reach a goal. I think this generation reacts to disappointment more then anything. I was always afraid of disappointing my family and in turn, this made me work harder. I do think some companies are a little over the top in their praise of employees, no one should require confetti thrown at them in the workplace, but it is always nice to hear when someone has noticed your efforts. I think this is an important lesson for being a successful leader in the future.

• 22. Andria Greenlee  |  March 9th, 2008 at 1:12 pm

  This series of articles addresses a common cultural phenomenon. I would agree with most of the points made in “The Most Praised Generation”. Although I only have 3 years in the working world under my belt, I have noticed the resentment workers feel towards their managers when their hard work is not acknowledged. I have been in many uncomfortable lunch room situations in which co-workers are openly whining about their bosses lack of praise. I learned that it is important to avoid participating in this behavior, as it is unprofessional and can get you in serious trouble. Instead of bitching to co-workers in search of praise, you should sit down with your manager and ask for some positive feedback on your performance.

  When I become a manager I will do my best to find a good balance between constructive criticism and praise. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I applauded an employee’s actions all the time. It is a disservice not to point out areas for improvement and as a manager I will be sure to let employees know that this criticism is in the best interest of their professional development. In addition, it is important that praise addresses very specific actions so that the employee will know that you are really paying attention. I would rather someone commend my hard work for a specific project rather than just simply tell me I am doing a good job all the time.

• 23. Pierre Michael  |  March 9th, 2008 at 10:18 pm

  I never would have guessed that China would be dealing with a similar problem to that of our Millenials. I smacked myself in the forehead when I read about the growing obesity epidemic caused by fast food joints in China. The weight-loss business is booming and history is repeating itself. What a shame. Millenials and little emperors are thriving on praise, and that can be good if used to your advantage. A reprimand or criticism can be crushing for a young employee; I don’t think they brush it off as one of the article suggests. So when used appropriately, a system of praises and criticisms can go a long way to get an employee to perform to your liking.

  Most of my management strategy would echo Rob’s. If I find that a young employee really needs praise, I would give it at first but work on weaning them off of it. Also, I think constructive criticism should be amplified if an employee is not meeting their performance goals. I have come to realize that it is very hard to treat everyone equally; people have different incentives and motives. Also, instead of administering generic praise (ie. good job), it is more genuine if you provide specific praise (ie. your point about the Millenials was well articulated in your speech).

  As a side note, I have noticed older people getting upset from a lack of recognition, it’s human nature. I would probably agree though that they are more resilient and continue to work with high standards instead of buckling down and giving up at everything because the world has not recognized their effort. The increasing trends in narcissism are interesting and somewhat worrisome, but what do you expect from a country that breathes individualism?

• 24. Andria Greenlee  |  March 10th, 2008 at 12:08 pm

  This series of articles addresses a common cultural phenomenon. I would agree with most of the points made in “The Most Praised Generation”. Although I only have 3 years in the working world under my belt, I have noticed the resentment workers feel towards their managers when their hard work is not acknowledged. I have been in many uncomfortable lunch room situations in which co-workers are openly whining about their bosses lack of praise. I learned that it is important to avoid participating in this behavior, as it is unprofessional and can get you in serious trouble. Instead of bitching to co-workers in search of praise, you should sit down with your manager and ask for some positive feedback on your performance.
  When I become a manager I will do my best to find a good balance between constructive criticism and praise. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I applauded an employee’s actions all the time. It is a disservice not to point out areas for improvement and as a manager I will be sure to let employees know that this criticism is in the best interest of their professional development. In addition, it is important that praise addresses very specific actions so that the employee will know that you are really paying attention. I would rather someone commend my hard work for a specific project rather than just simply tell me I am doing a good job all the time.

• 25. Chris Kirk  |  March 10th, 2008 at 6:09 pm

  In today’s world where you get graded based on effort rather than result I think that it important that we all keep a perspective on what acceptable results actually are. I will admit there have been times in school where I have not put as much effort into an assignment or project as I should and gotten a much better grade than expected. Is that something to feel good about though? Children need to be taught from a young age what it means to take pride in your work and what it means to act and do things the right way. You will let down yourself before you let down anyone else and that is something that I try to remember when I review how I handled a situation or how well I feel I did on an assignment. I am thankful for the perspective that my parents have given me and sometimes do not understand how people can act the way that they do. It starts as a child though - parents need to raise kids in a way that will make them appropriate members of society and do not expect anything more than to do the best they can for themselves.

• 26. Matt Sprecher  |  March 11th, 2008 at 1:09 am

  When I first read this prompt, my first impression was “What are Millenials?” But after reading the articles I can see that this generation is not much more different than myself. However, the manner of motivating them and helping make them great leaders could prove to be difficult. We are a generation that was shown attention, care and given praise since being raised. The only way to lead a group like this is to be stern. Similar to what a lot of people have said above, I believe that you need to be strong willed and tough on your employees to make them deliver results. However, I also believe that you need to inspire your employees and not have them working in fear.

  I foresee that this is the same way that China will start to push their “little emperors.” Looking at the way that they run government and speech laws, I am under the impression that similar tactics must be taken in the work setting in order to succeed. I think that their ways of dedication to perfection and stern teaching habits as a way to model our leadership structures. There have been many times that I have had a boss that was demanding, laboring and had lofty expectations. But if that boss could prove that he or she deserved my respect, I was glad to do the job. These are the work habits taught to me by my parents when I grew up, and I feel they have gotten me to the point that I am today. It is these morals and values that will bring our millenials to the top, and help drive the “little emperors” to the next level.

• 27. Glenn Hughes  |  March 12th, 2008 at 11:22 pm

  Reading this article made me reflect on how younger generations thrive on praise to the point that they need constant attention. Working in my mom’s kindergarten class you can see that it starts at an early age. Students learn from their first day at school that they will be rewarded with praise, stickers and candies when they do well or even if they only complete the minimum requirements. After setting this precedent it is hard to help children develop new motivators.

  Out in the real world, there are no candies, so how do I plan to manage the Millenials? Luckily for managers there are consequences that can be used as motivators. If an employee wants to keep his or her job they must perform, however to quote a fantastic movie “that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired”. One of the best things to keep in mind is you must correct behaviors that are problematic before they become the standard conduct. Employees should have a clear picture of what is expected of them and what they can do to move the company forward. Next, you can’t give in to demands that you believe are unnecessary. Once you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll want a glass of milk. It’s a slippery slope argument but can apply to many cases where parents give-in to one demand and it snowballs into giving-in to multiple demands. It is important to know when to be firm and stand your ground so that people understand that you are the manager and they don’t control you like a puppet.

  Management techniques are always evolving and I’m positive that they will keep up to adjust to the newest generation of employees. It is all a matter of keeping current with all of the factors that will affect your business in the future, especially the workforce.

• 28. Naomi Guy  |  March 13th, 2008 at 4:00 pm

  I must admit, as one of the youngest students in the program, that I fall into this category. I’ve never really been in trouble and have always been showered with praise. However, I like to think that I have my head screwed on straight (Hopefully thats not the generation in me speaking…).

  Managing people who have always had things handed to them will be tough. My approach will likely be setting expectations. One thing this generation seems to know is meeting milestones and using them for praise. So if setting little goals to make them feel like they are accomplishing a lot works, I’ll go for it.

  As for the children in China being discriminated against, I feel sorry for them. It was not their fault they were an only child. While these “millennials” might have been raised a certain way, does not mean they will act that way forever. The only children might work a lot harder because they are the only source to care for their parents in their old age, it’s impossible to tell without knowing the individual.

• 29. Mark Fairman  |  March 13th, 2008 at 7:34 pm

  After reading the article on the little emperors, I actually felt a little ashamed as most of the influences that are contributing to their consumer culture come from American companies. McDonalds, KFC, Pepsi…all these places and things that I have been cutting from my diet and life because they are ruining the health of people in our country are infecting other cultures. In a way, the little emperor generation seems like a mixture of my parent’s and my generations. The American baby boomers received a new kind of privilege that wasn’t known before, but still had hardships like Vietnam–where my generation hasn’t faced difficult times at all, and have been formed to expect hero-ship in all areas of our lives.

  It would be difficult to manage these little emperors, as I imagine that it is difficult to manage American millennials. I think that the new employees come to find that they aren’t as great as they thought they were. I think it would be easy to demonstrate the new hire’s lack of knowledge in a way that would motivate them and not cause them to leave. Firm guidance with the needed praise would be a good combination to keep both management and employees happy.

• 30. Chris White  |  March 13th, 2008 at 11:05 pm

  While I feel that it is important to praise someone for a job well done, in order to show them that you appreciate their hard work, I do not agree with some of the aforementioned company’s tactics in showering their employees in congratulations. These methods will only dilute the meaning of these phrases and discourage hard work. With that said, managers need to be able to adapt to varying personalities of their employees. This means that some employees may need to hear more positive praise than others, but the key to being a successful manager is motivating your employees. I also think age plays a major role in an employee’s attitude. The more work experience you have, the more you simply go about your business without seeking praise or credence from other employees. In general, however, it is human nature to want to feel appreciated and noticed. Praise not only makes a person feel good about them self, it instills confidence which will help him/her perform better in the future.

• 31. Simone Michel  |  March 14th, 2008 at 8:32 am

  I also think that it is important to praise someone for a good job, but there’s a line to draw. Too much praise can be very unproductive. I think it is very important for China’s education system to focus on team work. These children are not used to working with other people. It starts with not having to share their toys, getting a lot of attention from their families who also get them everything they want.
  The main importance for a manager to focus on is to motivate the employee. First of all you have to try and figure out what type of worker your employee is so you can approach him the right way. Some employees need more guidance and precise goals, whereas others prefer to have their creative freedom. Praise should be given for special accomplishments and milestones. While it might be hard for these only childs at the beginning, they will learn that hard work pays off and they will also learn to appreciate truth- and meaningful appraisal.

• 32. Jeff Mohr  |  March 14th, 2008 at 10:20 am

  The part about bringing the cell phone up for the parent to talk to the teacher was ridiculous. I am interested to find out how many people have seen this first hand (I would be surprised to see it even in high school). I think this needs to stop at once. Parents who do this are performing their children a great disservice. Kids need to learn to solve problems on their own and take responsibility for their actions.

  As for managing this (my) generation, I think it will be tricky. First, I think emphasizing more performance reviews would actually be a good thing. They must be truthful and provide an accurate review of their work, otherwise they are useless. Using these after each major project should promote improvement and motivate employees to work hard on each project (possibly have the average review score play a role in year end decisions such as bonus, raise, or promotion). After that, I would try to make the office environment a place that had fun distractions such as a mini putting green or basketball hoop. I would also provide social and community service events that make employees feel connected to the company and feel that the company is making a positive difference. I feel these items help to motivate employees and can help to gain the best talent. Look how many people want to work for Google with their chefs, basketball courts, and flexible hours.

• 33. Andrew Steen  |  March 16th, 2008 at 7:55 pm

  First of all, not every person born between 1980 and 1995 fits the “millennial” stereo type. However, I recently overheard a 22 year old girl say, “I don’t even know why I’m working their; It’s not like I need the money.” I’ll give that a moment to sink in…
  I must admit that I’ve always felt that I could have been anything I wanted in life, if I had focused my energy on it, and nothing else. And I am guilty of preferring to fail on my own than succeed as someone’s tool.
  But I do feel incredibly patronized and confused when company information sessions and interviews are spent discussing vacation packages, after work parties, and other bonuses. I don’t want to party, I want a job. How do I get a job?
  So with the above in mind, and assuming I’m a manager (which I don’t plan on for many years, until I put in my time), I’d apply a management style which guides employees rather than order them. I’d create a comfortable work environment by offering music, food, and after work events. And I would ask for input so that nobody feels unappreciated.

• 34. Matt Fencl  |  March 17th, 2008 at 12:02 pm

  I got the chance to witness this excessive praise of our youth first hand when I taught enrichment kindergarten last year. It really was something you couldn’t make up. During our “free play” period everyday, those kids who first sat quietly were given the first pick from the toy and game cabinet. Shortly after I was given the reigns, I altered the policy slightly. Instead of giving the kids who were the first to be quiet the initial picks, I made it so the first picks went to those kids that performed the best on that day’s lessons. Needless to say, this created a disturbance in the force. The kids couldn’t believe it! The idea of being rewarded based on performance was completely a foreign concept to them. It was only a matter of time before I was approached by my superior and told that my new policy was “unfair.” I tried to make the case that the previous policy was unfair to those kids putting forth the greatest amount of effort on their assignments and maintaining their focus throughout the entire day. The real world is a meritocracy, not this utopia the school system was trying to create. The counter argument was that this was all the more reason that we should “build confidence” at this stage in their lives. Build confidence? At what…learning to squat? Clearly we need to rethink some of the practices in our schools.
  Do not despair: Throughout time, society has always been concerned about the up-and-coming generation. You can find Greek writings thousands of years old that feel the next generation is “doomed” or “lost.” Take comfort in the fact that not much ever changes.

• 35. Steve Munio  |  March 17th, 2008 at 8:23 pm

  Wow, I can’t believe we live in a day where the boss will have to suck up to their employees. I am not looking forward to this. The generation entering the work force now is called the “most praised,” I prefer the term spoiled. This is the consequence of spoiling all these kids. We’ve created a generation of high-maintenance individuals who have to be pampered day in and day out in order to get performance out of them. Even then, they have no clue about the meaning of hard work.
  I agree with one of the other posts which stated that not everyone born in that time frame is like that. I for one, was given a lot as a kid and grew up in a supportive family and praising environment, and I am nothing like what I described above.
  It’s incredible that kindergarten fees in China can be $6k. How depressing it is to read about the preparation these children are going through. What ever happened to play time? Making money has caused us to lose sight of everything else. Greed has truly taken over the world.

• 36. Adam WIndham  |  March 18th, 2008 at 3:11 pm

  I think that some of the generalities made about the “me” generation are a little over the top. To say that they don’t want come into work until noon, ware nothing but flip-flops and still be CEO by Friday is ridiculous. I am part of the “me” generation, as are most people in the MBA program, and I don’t think I’ve met very many individuals with that kind of mentality. Sure there are people like that, but to say that these characteristics are indicative of the entire generation is too broad of a statement.

  I believe individuals of my generation are better at multi-tasking and enjoy a high level of freedom when it comes to performing their tasks. I know that the best way to motivate me is not to hover over my shoulder and monitor everything I do. I enjoy the responsibility and am willing to accept the consequences if I do something wrong. I agree with the earlier comment that a good approach is to tell them what you want done, and let them figure out the best way to do it. If you wanted to hire someone who was just going to be a little mechanized cog in your organization, why go through the trouble and extra expense of hiring someone with an advanced degree. I’m sure you can find someone without a degree that you can train to do almost any task for much cheaper.

• 37. william jencks  |  March 18th, 2008 at 11:11 pm

  Well luckily I’m part of the Millenial Generation, so I can be respected as a boss AND as a generational peer to my future employees. I don’t know what some of you old farts are going to do! I loved that somebody came up with a quantifiable metric for narcissism, are you kidding me? Today’s youth is 30% more narcissistic than yesterdays? Who spends their time on this? I also loved the ground breaking analysis of reward behavior of different generations… Old people know their place and appreciate formal awards ceremonies, Middle aged people like high tech gadgets and day spas, and young people like trendy crappy merchandise. BiG Freakin’ Surprise!!

  I am excited, not apprehensive, about being able to hire, and work with other Millenials. While I definitely do not believe in meaningless corporate praise systems, I do believe in individual one on one praise, and think that the new work force’s efficiency and multitasking ability will far outweigh their egocentric tendencies. We think we’re the best because we are the best. Speaking from personal experience it is amazing how much more productive people from our generation can be (due to our acceptance of technology) than even the most successful older executives.

  I also happen to be a little emperor (only child), and I am very thankful that I am pursuing a career here, where discrimination against only children usually doesn’t go too far past a few snickers and “so you’re a spoiled brat?” I personally don’t think that am or was too spoiled as an only child, but of course I wouldn’t would I. Just ‘cause I got the red plate every day doesn’t make me spoiled ok?!

  Every generation has different level achievers, and some will be easier to work with than others. Just as it has been for days, high performers will be rewarded and low performers will be let go. Many of our generation may be a bit more needy than workers in the past, but our self motivation and drive for personal gain should be a very strong motivator when working for ourselves, as well as for others.

• 38. Jesse Dundon  |  March 20th, 2008 at 12:41 pm

  I don’t think that it will be very hard to lead and motivate the most-praised generation. I have had the privilege of seeing many different leadership styles in my fraternity, rugby team, and work experiences. The best leaders are the ones who always manage to have something nice to say, even if they are issuing a criticism.

  A very easy read that I would recommend is the One-Minute Manager. In this book, the author talks about the great methods that he learned for effectively managing employees. There are three main components of One-Minute Managing: one minute goal settings, one minute praisings, and one minute reprimands. The main takeaway is that you should always make sure your employees know that they are appreciated, and feel that you value their work. In regards to the article about the Most Praised Generation, if you carefully balance the praisings and reprimands while constantly driving your employees to improve themselves, I think that you will be able to avoid the “praise inflation” and create happy and productive workers.

• 39. Richard Ciesco  |  March 20th, 2008 at 3:32 pm

  I think the best way to motivate the Millennials is to be very straight forward with them. Ask them what would make their time at work more enjoyable? You night not get a good answer right away but if you keep asking them you will eventually find the answer you are looking for. If you guess at what will make your employees happier you might never get it right, but the easy way is to talk to them about it. By making a change it will show them that you really care how they feel.

  People do their best work when you can motivate them. As a leader it is important to find that thing and make it happen. I know some companies offer four-day workweeks, or flex hours to their employees. This is one example of how a company tries to make their workers happier at work by being flexible to their schedules.

• 40. David Dougherty  |  March 20th, 2008 at 11:38 pm

  Similar to Eric Kvilhaug, I have also spent the past few years as student assistant to the graduate students who teach the lab sections of many classes in the IT undergraduate curriculum. This year, I became one of the teaching associates I have helped in the past. It was not until this year, when I had absolute control of the class, that this “little emproer” syndrome really became a reality. During my first quarter teaching (fall) I went with the: you be nice to me, I will be nice to you, and if you do the work I require, you will get a good grade method. This kindness was greatly taken advantage of, and served as a valuable learning experience.

  I had a few students that didn’t show up to labs, had their other group members perform the experiments, made no attempts to make up the lab, and then had the audacity to ask me to give them credit anyways. One student actually wrote me an email saying that “if I was feeling the Christmas spirit, I could just give him the points”. Absolutely amazing, I gave him a D because that is what he earned. When I teach this course for a second time in the spring, I will be taking the much harsher policy of tough love, as I feel it will be a better (or more real world) learning experience. I really don’t mind if students perceive me as their “friend” or not anymore, as that is not in the job title.

• 41. Catriona Banks-Orosco  |  March 21st, 2008 at 9:55 am

  Managing a generation that has been raised on praise and institutional coddling will have its challenges. I don’t support the idea of a praise consultant or position. As a parent, I haven’t understood the current system. Its design simply leads to disappointment as one matures and realizes the world is not so simple or kind. It has also created a generation that is difficult to motivate. Perfect attendance awards are a perfect example. The message sent to parents is – send your kids to school, we’ll decide if they’re sick (aka~we need the money for your child showing up). Then we’ll reward them in the same manner as the children that have been working hard. The awards have no meaning. As Nick stated above, a true sense of self worth is achieved through honest effort. The use of work groups to create an atmosphere of community can serve as a vehicle for positive reinforcement. I would rather put the efforts into building a sense of a supportive work environment than individual praise. Goals achieved or exceeding expectation will be recognized, praised and rewarded. I am a firm believer in verbal praise and acknowledgement for work that is well done. It won’t be possible to create one system that works well for every personality. I don’t want to create a work environment that is artificial, that does not seem like a good way to keep exceptional talent.

  I am not surprised that China has the same problem in their only child families. We all want to see our children do well and feel good about themselves. We’ve learned that behaviors that are praised will be reinforced. There is an excellent book called “Punished by Rewards” that delves into the problem and explains how using rewards to change people’s behavior is ineffective in the long run. We have to develop alternative strategies to help motivate people.

• 42. Nic Marlin  |  March 21st, 2008 at 11:08 am

  The psychological traits of my generation are intriguing. Until this last year I haven’t had many (actually I didn’t have any) friends that were my own age. My older friends always acknowledged me for my optimism and ability to multitask, but I hadn’t considered that those traits were typical of my generation. The article, “Welcoming the New (MBA) Millennials,” does are great job highlighting many of the traits I know I have. Looking back at my childhood I can clearly remember the exuberant amount of praise that I received from my parents, coaches, and teachers¬. I truly believed that I was special because everyone told me I was– all the time. It makes me wonder what my life would have turned out like without this praise and encouragement. I have accomplished a lot for someone my age and I’m sure a lot of my achievements can be attributed to this upbringing.

• 43. Nicholas Dominguez  |  March 21st, 2008 at 2:42 pm

  I love being able to witness the consequences of such a drastic policy such as the one-child policy. The 1:2:4 problem as it is called in China has made their generation much like Americas. It is interesting to see that two drastically different cultures have produced the same traits in their young. It makes me believe that there are also cultural similarities between the baby-boomers and the middle aged generation in China today.

  My perspective as a Millennial is that we are lazy, and have short attention spans, but at the same time we are some of the most efficient and creative workers the world has seen. This is in part due to the advantages of technology but I also attribute it to the pressure placed on us by our parents. This pressure is even gaining momentum with the need to find solutions to global problems in the coming years. We may be stuck up and lazy but as far as I can tell we’re still gonna be the ones attempting to make this world a better place for all.

• 44. Sarah Ybarra  |  March 21st, 2008 at 3:38 pm

  I definitely agree that the latest generation of young professionals have been cultivated into materialists and narcissists. I think both the media/our society and parenting is to blame in this. The most famous celebrities these days are not famous for doing anything of note - they are famous for being rich and famous. And everyone is obsessed with what they are wearing and buying and driving. Things are the measure of the man now, not his deeds or accomplishments. His accomplishments are measured in material goods, and everyone thinks they deserve them.

  I think besides the media’s golorification of celebrity lifestyle, there is definitely parenting that has encouraged this sense of entitlement. I always wondered, when people say “I want to give my kids what I never had”, what we will be saying when we have our kids. Did we really need every new gaming system and sport equipment that came out each holiday season? Is this what our parents meant about giving us what they never had - a bunch of STUFF? I hope a lot of us reconize this before we start having our own kids, and realize the best thing we can give our kids is love and support. Maybe a little less “You are special just as you are, and deserve everything you wish for” and a little more “You can do anything you want if you work hard enough.”

  In the meantime I guess we have to handle our milleniums out in the business world these days. Having been in the workplace before decided to get my MBA, I can say from my own experience that I don’t necessarily think that praise in and of itself goes as far as “please” and “thank you”. If you know your hard work is appreciated, you are likely to stay motivated and work well. There is also a sense of acheivement and pride when you can see the direct correlation between what you did in your job, and how it improved business in the bigger picture. There is a time and a place for praise of exceptional work, but I think it should be for exceptional work only. Handing out cheap junk and throwing confetti for half rate performance isn’t going to increase morale, it will encourage mediocrity. Having clear expectations and goals helps an employee to recognize when their hard work will be paid off in addition to their paycheck.

• 45. Gary Chou  |  April 3rd, 2008 at 7:24 pm

  What a scary thought! The billion people country China will soon be filled, and if not filled, at least led, by a large number of brats! Perhaps it’s an opportunity for psychologists to do a never before done research. This reminded me of the Berkeley Indian professor’s word that these kids are the first group of children in the history of mankind (Except Adam and Eve) without cousin!
  Perhaps this will be the last straw that break China’s future economy’s back.

• 46. Woon Lam "Justine" Wong  |  April 4th, 2008 at 10:27 am

  Although I am not the only child, I feel like I am spoiled. My parents provide a lot for me, and I know I am living in a bubble, which means that I am not ready to face hardship. I bluntly talked to my dad about this a few years ago, saying that the safety net my parents gave me hinders my growth, and I did not fall enough to learn how to stand up on my own. I think my concerns puzzled my dad. He told me that no parents would like to see their kids fall in pain, and no parents would want to give their kids something inferior. He asked me if giving the best is wrong, and I don’t know how to respond. On the one hand, I feel I am overprotected. On the other, I understand where my parents came from and I enjoy being spoiled.
  As the current living standard and economic condition is way better than the past decades, parents cannot help but protect and spoil their children. In America, to avoid negative feelings, parents always praise and assure their kids’ ability. In China, parents and grandparents may not praise the little emperors as much, but they would give more than enough money for the kid to spend extravagantly.
  From a business perspective, it is really important for us to capture the millennials and little emperors market. They need the specialty and uniqueness of a product, and the “cool factor” associate with it. Apple is a good example of this, and it successfully attracts a lot of teenagers to buy their products.
  Talking about how to lead and manage this crowd, I would first build up a good relationship with them, so that I could point out their flaws privately in suitable times. I won’t protect them like their parents, but I would give constant feedback to them. I want them to face the reality, not everyone can be the best without spending time developing experience. I also want them to learn that money cannot solve all the problems, and a company has different budget for different projects. I would require them to respect other coworkers, especially their seniors.
  Yet, at the same time, I know I need to learn from them. They know much more about internet or the latest trend of fashion, music, entertainment etc. If I am not humble enough to learn from them, they won’t see the need to listen, or I will be left out from the fast moving society.

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The posts, comments and/or views expressed on this trip blog, whether by a Cal Poly student or faculty or an outside guest to the blog, do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of Cal Poly, the Orfalea College of Business (OCOB), any of the OCOB's graduate programs and/or other students who participate in the trip.