The issue of generations has taken on a new, more significant role in our society, and especially in our workplace. While it's always been a least something of an issue, generational differences are much more prevalent than ever before. Successful leaders strive to understand the people they are responsible for, and part of that is an understanding of where they came from.

The latest generation to enter the workplace is the Millennial Generation, also called Generation Y. Born between about 1980 and 2000, (different writers use different dates) this is the largest, and most diverse generation to have come along. In fact, "diverse" is probably the best word to describe this generation. Their diversity is the result of two influences. First, immigration is having a great impact on the nation's culture. In past generations, immigrants tended to assimilate, or they isolated themselves in ethnic communities. While some in the immigrant population still stay somewhat isolated, nationwide our culture is becoming more of a conglomeration of these different cultures.

The second influence on diversity is that Millennial children were the offspring of three previous generations of birth mothers. Though the numbers are small (about 4%) this means that while one child might have grown up in a household with Generation X parents, her neighbor's mother remembered the great depression. That is a very significant difference!

The Millennial Generation is known for skill with computers and technology and rightfully so. However, it's a little inaccurate to say they grew up with computers, as I sometimes hear. In fact home computers did not start to become prevalent until at least the late 1980's and email came along after that. Broadband access, so important to what we now think of as the internet is even more recent and is still not available in some places. It is much more accurate to say that the Millennial Generation and the computer industry have grown up together. But, even so, not all Millennials are joined at the hip with technology.

Millennials have grown up in a world of on-line societies. For some, face-to-face communication is difficult and in a group? Forget it! Actually, while these young people often don't enter the workplace with good communication skills, they adapt quickly. All you pre-Millennial folks who think it will be impossible to teach new Millennial workers the finer points of communication, stop and remember how well you communicated when you started work.

A trait that does seem to be common among the Millennial Generation is a willingness to move on. That's because this generation seems to be constantly searching for new information and new challenges. When they see challenge and good opportunities they are less likely to feel a need to move on.

At one time it might have been possible to get at least an initial impression of a person simply by knowing his or her generation. That's no longer the case. Now it's essential for a leader to get to know the person behind the birth date. Who are your Millennials…really?