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Horse Books Young Adults

The Horse Show Coloring Book $7 By Pat Young, illustrated by Polly Carbonari. Read-along coloring books that teach kids about riding lessons and trail riding. 40 pages.

Gift Corral Socks Adults $6.95 These sharp fashion socks are the perfect way to show off your horsey style and stay comfortable in your boots. Constructed of an Acrylic/Nylon/Polyester/Spandex blend. Features a fun running horse design.

Equi-Web Nylon Young Horse / Pony Halter $14.95 EQUI-WEB Young Horse/Pony Halter Premium quality 3/4 nylon web, our best quality halter for colts and ponies. Heavy-duty, brass-plated hardware in a Bright Brass lacquered finish. Brass grommets in crown to prevent buckles from wearing crown holes.

Horse Women Book $11.6 Horse Women – Strength, Beuty, and Passion. Willow Creek Press Little Books. Western Book: This favorite Horse Book features wonderful photographs and quotes evoking the special link between women and horses with respect to the grace, courage and creativity that they share. Horse Women is a horse book that honors the adventure,spirit, humor, spunk and heartfelt messages that exist in the world of horses and women. This book is a must have for any horse enthusiast and admirer of the free spirit. Melissa Sovey has compiled the images and passages that make the 96 full colored pages bound in 5.5 x 5.5 hard cover. ISBN: 1-59543-236-1-

Mountain Horse Kids Crochet Glove Jr $18.9 Our most popular Mountain horse glove, perfectly proportioned to fit young riders! Pigskin palms paired with 100% cotton crochet backs. Extra reinforcement at the rein fingers.

Horse Find-A-Word A-Z Activity Book $9 Kelley & Company Horse Find-A-Word A-Z Activity Book is a great way for young riders to use their powers of observation and also learn something at the same time.

Mountain Horse Rimfrost Paddock Jr. $81 Only from Mountain Horse will you find comfortable winter boots perfectly proportioned for your favorite young rider. With all of the same great features as the adult versions, tiny toes will stay warm and dry. A built-in waterproof and breathable sock keeps feet dry and comfortable. The heat insulating Thermolite lining keeps you toasty. Boots also feature the Mountain Horse patented Stirrup Control System, steel shank and removable insole. Heel part is fitted with the shock-absorbing IPS system which reduces shock impact while walking. Fabric: Fabric: Duralon/Hydrotech. Lining: Thermolite.

Miniature Horse Nylon Training Surcingle – Brown – Miniature Horse 40.5-53.5 $24.9 Finally a training surcingle small enough for the Mini’s! This classic training aid is constructed of durable Nylon webbing w/ Felt padding. Nickel plated Dees correctly positioned for maximum equipment attachment possibilities. Girth adjusts on both sides. A must have item for any training or lesson barn. Great way to start the young Mini or give a tune up to a seasoned veteran.Color: BrownSize:  Miniature Horse 40.5-53.5

Mountain Horse Kids Free Ride Jr. Jacket $25 Free Rider Jr. Jacket – Young Riders will enjoy the look of this comfy, cotton blend, terry lined, hooded jacket with the running Mountain Horse print. Other features include a two-way front zipper, drawstring hood, contrasting stitching and the hood lining is printed with typographical artwork. Fabric: 65% cotton, 35% polyester.

Robart Robart Pinchless Walking Horse Bit – 5 $52.5 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. Great for walking and all gaited horses. Tongue is not trapped! Smooth ball action allows horse to swallow and relax his face. More gait control.Size:  5

Horse Putty $4 Horse Putty. Assorted colors with horse inside.

Robart Robart Pinchless Arched Port Walking Horse Bit – 5 $50.1 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. A revolutionary idea and bit designed to implement it! Instead of training and working a horse on the basis of creating pain,the patented David Robart bit corrects by using pressure and eliminating the pain. Truly a clever design. Comes with 8 shanks. Shaped with swivel joint.Size:  5

Robart Robart Pinchless Medium Arched Walking Horse Bit – 5 $52.5 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. A revolutionary idea and bit designed to implement it! Instead of training and working a horse on the basis of creating pain,the patented David Robart bit corrects by using pressure andeliminating the pain. Truly a clever design. Shaped with swivel joint.Size:  5

Robart Robart Pinchless Walking Horse Snaffle Bit – 5 $40 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. A revolutionary idea and bit designed to implement it. Instead of training and working a horse on the basis of creating pain, the patented David Robart bit corrects by using pressure and eliminating the pain. Truly a clever design. Comes with 8 shanks.Size:  5

Robart Robart Pinchless Jointed Walking Horse Bit – 8 Shank – 5 $52.5 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. A revolutionary idea and bit designed to implement it! Instead of training and working a horse on the basis of creating pain, the patented David Robart bit corrects by using pressure andeliminating the pain. Truly a clever design. Comes with 8 shanks.Size:  5

Robart Robart Pinchless Medium Port Walking Horse Bit – 5 $52.5 Robart PRECISION Bits have patented internal springs that allows the port to return to a neutral position quickly upon dropping the rein, giving immediate reward for correct behavior. Great for shoulder control and keeping a lower head set. Why a Pinchless Bit? A horse is a flight and fight animal. If the bit is hurting the horses mouth he is going to respond with fight or flight. Neither of these responses are condusive to training, competing or riding. Take the pain away and you instantly modify their behavior and response to your instructions. The Pinchless bit swivels at the bars, rather than relying on the center link to swivel, eliminating the possibility of pinching the tongue. Also it gives a more consistant and immediate signal to your horse, so his response time is reduced, with less pressure. If a horse is not new to the bit and is still gapping his mouth, excessive mouth movement or tossing his head, you will want to try a pinchless bit. Using a pinchless bit on a young horse will prevent inflicting pain, keeping the experience less streeful, resulting in easier and improved learning for the horse. A revolutionary idea and bit designed to implement it! Instead of training and working a horse on the basis of creating pain,the patented David Robart bit corrects by using pressure andeliminating the pain. Truly a clever design. Comes with 8 shanks.Size:  5

Mountain Horse Phoenix Jacket Jr. $56 Fashion conscious Young Riders will love this tough and trendy water-resistant jacket for its warmth, style and protection from the elements.Features: Windproof and water resistantDetachable hood with removable faux fur trimWide knit rib-waist and cuffs inside sleevesFour pockets for treats and to keep fingers warm

Metalab Stainless Steel Junior Cow Horse Roller Dog Bone Gag Bit – Stainless Steel – 5 3/8 $31.35 Stainless steel junior cow horse roller dog bone gag bit, sweet iron smooth dog bone snaffle with copper roller, 5-1/2 cheeks with gag effect. The copper roller keeps the horse relaxed while the gag effect helps you collect the horse. Good for young to intermediate horses. (Moderate effect)Color: Stainless SteelSize:  5 3/8

Horse Banner $8.95 Canvas A Horse Is A Horse Banner. 7 1/2 x 22 1/2.

Metalab Junior Cow Horse Smooth Snaffle Gag Bit – Stainless Steel – 5 1/2 $28.65 Junior cow horse smooth snaffle gag bit, sweet iron smooth snaffle curved mouthpiece, 7/16 gauge, 6 cheeks with gag effect a good schooling bit for young horses (moderate effect )Color: Stainless SteelSize:  5 1/2

Gift Corral Horse Chime $21.95 Horse Chime

Gift Corral Horse Toobs $11.95 Horse Toobs

Gift Corral Nightlight Horse $12.95 Nightlight Horse

Gift Corral Walk-A-Horse $6.95 Walk-A-Horse

Horse Blk Ornament $8 Horse Blk Ornament

Horse Sponge $2.1 Adorable Horse Sponge. This is a great addition to your tack box or a cute gift for a horse loving friend!

Horse Xing Horse Caution Sign – Yellow $4.8 Horse Xing Horse Caution SignColor: Yellow

Mountain Horse Colt Rider Pant Jr. $67.5 This pant will keep Young Riders warm on cold winter days. Windproof and water resistant. Two-way full length zippers. Adjustable elastic foot straps keep pant legs in place. Faux leather full seat for optimal grip. Adjustable drawstring at waist. Zippered front fly. One front zip pocket. Outer Shell: 100% polyester. Lining: 100% polyester taffeta. Insulation: 100% fiberfill, 80g.

Horse Stickers $3 Horse stickers. 6 assorted sheets per card.

Himalayan Horse Scrubba Glove $2.7 Scrub Your Horse With One Side Or Massage Your Horse With The Other!

Soft Plush Horse Backpack $27 Soft Plush Horse Backpack.

Running Horse Tote $8.95 Canvas running horse tote

Gift Corral Horse Memo Pad $1.95 Horse Memo Pad

Gift Corral Horse Canister Set $28.95 Horse Canister Set

Gift Corral Horse Finger Puppets $68.95 Horse Finger Puppets

Gift Corral Plush Prancer Horse $13.95 Plush Prancer Horse

Gift Corral Plush Winnying Horse $6.95 Plush Winnying Horse

Gift Corral Welcome Sign/Horse $17.95 Welcome Sign/Horse

Gift Corral Plush Roundy Horse $20.95 Plush Roundy Horse

Gift Corral Plush Tubbie Horse $11.95 Plush Tubbie Horse

Gift Corral Horse 7 Black $5.95 Horse 7 Black

Gift Corral Horse 7 Buckskin $5.95 Horse 7 Buckskin

Gift Corral Horse 7 Pinto $5.95 Horse 7 Pinto

Gift Corral Horse Bathroom Set $22.95 Horse Bathroom Set

Gift Corral Sign Horse CroSSing $8.95 Sign Horse Crossing

Gift Corral Signs Horse 6Pk $28.95 Signs Horse 6Pk

Gift Corral Pen Holder Horse $5.95 Pen Holder Horse

Gift Corral Horse TiSSue Box $13.95 Horse Tissue Box

Gift Corral Horse Head Tote $11.95 Horse Head Tote

Gift Corral Mug Horse Stroll $5.95 Mug Horse Stroll

Gift Corral Thermometer Horse Training $11.95 Thermometer Horse Training

Gift Corral Plush Horse 10 $8.95 Plush Horse 10

Gift Corral Plush Horse 12 $10.95 Plush Horse 12

Gift Corral Plush Horse 5 $4.95 Plush Horse 5

Gift Corral Plush Horse Brownie $5.95 Plush Horse Brownie

Barnyard Dance! (Boynton on Board) $3.47 Everybody sing along because it’s time to do-si-do in the barnyard with a high-spirited animal crew! From Boynton on Board, the bestselling series of board books, here is BARNYARD DANCE, with Sandra Boynton’s twirling pigs, fiddle-playing cows, and other unforgettable animals. Extra-big, extra-fat, and extra-fun, BARNYARD DANCE features lively rhyming text and a die-cut cover that reveals the wack…

The Scorpio Races $17.99 Product Description From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shiver and Linger comes a brand new, heart-stopping novel. With her trademark lyricism, Maggie Stiefvater turns to a new world, where a pair are swept up in a daring, dangerous race across a cliff–with more than just their lives at stake should they lose. …

Wonderful World of Horses Coloring Book (Dover Nature Coloring Book) $0.98 Summary:Thirty handsome illustrations capture the legendary grace and beauty of the horse. Depictions of mounted riders; horses racing across fields; mares with their colts; horses walking, galloping, trotting; a stallion rearing up on its hind legs; and more. Captions supplement an impressive panorama of the world’s best-loved and most highly prized animals.About the Author:•0Author: John^Do…

From Holland With Love $4.99 RIEU ANDRE VALSES…

Mystery at Saddle Creek (Saddle Creek Books) $7.95 A few months have passed since Bird regained her voice, and life at and around Saddle Creek Farm has settled into a nice, normal routine of school, riding, and fun. But the community is suddenly thrown into chaos when a neighborhood woman is brutally attacked on a local side road. When the police don’t act fast enough to satisfy the demand for justice, the situation goes from bad to worse, with …

The Challenge of the Millennials

 The Challenge of the Millennials 

by

Mike Carlton

 

Two Questions

First, just who are Millennials?  And second, why are they important?

Millennials (also called Generation Y) are the generation born between 1980 and the late 1990s.  In the US alone they total about 80 million young adults. 

While earlier generations differed markedly from country to country, Millennials represent the first truly global generation.  One in which individual characteristics are remarkably similar regardless of location or nationality.

And Millennials are important because they are a quickly emerging influence on the future of advertising agencies and related businesses throughout the world.

Quite simply, your agency will soon be populated, as well as driven, largely by Millennials.  They will determine its fate.  And your legacy.

A Look at the Generations

The most celebrated of all generations are the Boomers.  This is the generation born between the end of the Second World War and the mid 1960s.  There are slightly over 80 Million of them in the US.  About the same size as the Millennial generation. 

But unlike Millennials who have global similarities, Boomer contemporaries in countries around the world can be quite different.  This is a reflection of their diversity of life experiences during the post Second World War era.

In between the Millennials and the Boomers is Generation X.  These are folks born during the period between the mid 1960s and around 1980.  There are only about 50 Million of them in the US.  This is kind of a “valley” generation, much smaller than the generations ahead and behind them. 

Viva la Difference

The characteristics of each of these generations are quite different.  Each brings special gifts to the agency business.  And each brings significant challenges, too. 

Agency leaders who ignore these differences do so at their own peril.

The Generations Within an Agency

Today’s advertising agencies and related market communications, emarketing, PR, marketing consulting and promotional firms are populated by these three generations.  How effectively they work together, and how effectively they are positioned for the future, has a significant impact on the success of their firm.

Let’s take a look at each.

1. Boomers

Most agencies today are led by Boomers.  They are the folks in charge.  They typically range in age from their mid forties to early sixties.  Prime years for most professionals.

These pros have worked their way up.  Most are in their peak – or maybe even a bit past peak – contribution years.  And these are their peak compensation years as well.  And most are envisioning retirement or career change during the next few years.  Or almost certainly within a decade.

Naturally their focus on the business and its future is largely shaped by their personal interests and aspirations.  And stage in life.  Using an old Army expression, they are “short-timers.”  Whether they admit that or not.

Most – but not all – thoroughly enjoy what they do.  Much of their zest for life comes from the professional challenges they find in creating, selling and delivering their agency’s solutions.  And managing the business.

However, many are also conflicted.  While they love their work, they may also want to slow down a bit.  Some secretly wish that the world was not changing so fast. 

But slowing down in this rapidly accelerating market can prove difficult to pull off. 

And when they look at the agency professionals who might succeed them they can be disappointed.  It is not unusual for senior leaders to not find the characteristics that they believe made them successful in the folks they hoped would succeed them.  The “Who will fill my shoes?” conundrum is common.

Not an easy spot to be in.

2. Gen Xers

These are the workhorses of most agencies.  They are typically from about 30 to mid-forties.  They have been practicing their craft long enough to develop a high level of sophistication and expertise.  They are recognized by peers in their marketplace.  They are highly skilled.  And well compensated 

They may have been quite mobile on the way up.  Possibly having worked at a number of agencies.  Or marketers.  Thus, it is not uncommon for their loyalty to be stronger to their craft than to their current agency.

A significant portion of the income generation of most agencies is driven by Gen Xers.  Particularly in firms in which billable time is the principal source of revenue.  They are often the economic backbone of their agency.  These folks are the ones that pay the bills.

Because of this, they recognize their economic importance to their agency.  But they are often more conservative than their pivotal position would lead one to expect.  They can be significantly less entrepreneurial than their Boomer boss.

Their stage in life can play a big part here.  The typical Gen Xer may have fairly heavy personal responsibilities.  A spouse.  Young kids.  A house.  A mortgage.  Tuition.  And the current recession sure hasn’t helped.  These personal issues can make them solid and reliable, but understandably risk averse, too. 

One big problem.  There aren’t a lot of Gen Xers.  Their generation is about 40% smaller than the generations ahead and behind them.

This means that the good ones are seldom unemployed.  Thus, as the business climate improves, it will be hard for an agency to scale up by hiring more Gen Xers.  There is a strong and constant market for them.  To compound this supply/demand situation it can be easy to get into a bidding contest with other agencies for your own Gen Xers.  Raising costs and reducing profitability.

So relying heavily on Gen Xers to fuel agency growth can be a problematic business model. 

3. Millennials

These are the newbies.  Most are in their 20s.  They probably average 5 years or less agency experience.  Some may be right out of school.  And some may have had another marketing related or similar job prior to entering the agency field. 

Good Millennials are smart.  Most have high energy.  But they don’t have experience.  And they don’t yet know what they can do.  Or what their capabilities might be.  They may not yet be committed to an agency career.  So sharp turns in their professional ambitions are not uncommon.

Most agencies use them as foot soldiers.  They are usually open to do anything a Gen X or Boomer colleague may ask of them.  But demand to learn and grow. 

As a special note, the current unemployment rate for US Millennials is 17%.  In Europe it is at least 20%.  Estimates for Asia run to 30%.  So Millennials are available, eager and inexpensive.

They are an important asset that is frequently misunderstood, undervalued and underutilized.  And they can easily be unappreciated.

A Smooth Running Machine

Now it’s a no-brainer that effective and efficient agencies have folks that work harmoniously together.  That doesn’t mean that there are not heated differences about ideas.  That is desired and expected. 

But it does mean that mutual respect between the individuals and generations must abide.  Without that, disfunctionality can creep in.

A Perceptual Gulf

Unfortunately, it appears that there is a significant gap between the generations, at least in some agencies.

Recently, we asked a number of agency leaders (all Boomers) to tell us their perception of the Millennials that worked at their agency.  Some of the comments were positive.  But unfortunately, there were also way too many negative views.   

The following words describing their agency’s Millennials kept popping up:

                     Narcissistic             Spoiled                       Selfish                    

                     Disloyal                   Demanding                Negative

                     Distrustful                Pushy                          Unappreciative   

 Not a good sign.  Particularly when experts on generational anthropology typically use words like the following when describing Millennials:

                     Smart                       Well Educated           Confident

                     Positive                   Team Oriented          Community Service

                     Well Behaved         Trustworthy                 Optimistic            

Wow!  Are we talking about the same people?  It sure doesn’t sound like it.

If you, or your colleagues, quietly harbor less than positive thoughts about your agency’s Millennials perhaps it is time to take a closer look at just what makes them tick.  What do they believe?  Why do they behave as they do?

And most importantly, how to maximize their contributions to the long-term success of your agency?  As well as to your own personal success.

Millennials Under the Microscope

Academics have extensively studied this generation.  Writers like Neil Howe, William Strauss, Diane Thielfoldt, Devon Scheef and Claire Raines are some of the important thought leaders in this field.  Each has authored informative, easy to read books and papers on this intriguing generation.  With particular emphasis on how they relate in the workplace.

While each of them comes from a slightly different viewpoint they all express a common theme.  That common theme is that leadership and management techniques that worked for earlier generations lack effectiveness with Millennials.

In Agency Context 

Let me put this another way.  Most leadership, management and mentoring techniques in use today in advertising agencies and similar firms were designed by Boomers and Gen Xers for Boomers and Gen Xers. 

Those existing techniques are not likely to work with Millennials!

And that fact lies at the heart of the frustrating perceptual gulf that exists between many agency leaders and the generation most important to their agency’s future, the Millennials.

One thing is clear.  Millennials will never be like your generation or mine.  Nor will they ever be driven by the same motivators that worked for us.  They are irrevocably different. 

To deny that flies in the face of reality.

What We Need to Do

So, if we want to really benefit from what they can do for us and our agencies we have some work to do.  We need to first understand what motivates them. 

Second, we need to adapt our leadership, management and mentoring techniques to those that will be most effective with them.

It is as simple as that.

A Closer Look

Millennials are the most pampered generation the world has ever seen.  Many of them have “helicopter parents” who from birth have hovered over them making sure that they always received the very best life has to offer. 

Even now, as young adults, it is not uncommon for their parents to continue to play an important role in the decisions they make.  Even about their job and their work.

They have been taught that they are special. 

Millennials are exceedingly smart.  They are better educated and have traveled more than any prior generation.  They believe in inclusiveness.  They value peer involvement and opinion.  This makes them great team players.  They also have a strong sense of community.  And are connected with social issues of the day. 

At the same time they are highly competitive.  Learned on the parent supervised soccer field or basketball court.  They want to prove themselves. 

They also want change.  But they want it from within, not through revolution.  They desire – and need – strong, visionary, honest and ethical leadership.  They can quickly see through disingenuousness.  And don’t shrink from criticizing those they don’t respect.  Nor do they accept values they don’t believe in.

They are impatient. They want to progress professionally.  And to do so they expect to be continually trained and to always receive caring mentoring.

Make No Mistake

This is very high maintenance generation.  They can’t be led or managed on autopilot.  They demand personal involvement.  Any leader not giving them the attention they require will be disappointed.

But also understand that they are a very high performance generation.  This acceptance – no, make that expectation – of very high performance standards is the magic dust that makes them so attractive. 

They expect to be challenged.  They expect to be pushed.  They expect to excel.  They expect to make demands.  And to have demands made of them.  They expect to be part of a collegial team.  They expect to accomplish. 

And they expect to win.  They also expect to reap the rewards of that winning.

This is not bad stuff.  Good agencies are essentially in the business of winning. And a team of Millennials is kind of like having a stable full of temperamental race horses.  Not always easy to live with, but capable of winning races. 

That’s whole lot better that a stable full of plow horses.  Ones that can be compliant and don’t cause much trouble.  But don’t win races, either.

Quid Pro Quo

There is a very simple compact to consider in building a highly competitive and very cost-effective team of Millennials within your agency.

• Expect More from Them

This is important.  Expect more of them than you did of yourself when you were their age.  Or when the Gen Xers were their age.  Set performance standards high.  And challenge them to excel.  Never underestimate their ability to perform under pressure.

Failure of their agency to set clear high standards for them is probably the leading cause of Millennial dissatisfaction.  And management frustration.

Let me say that again. 

Failure to set clear high standards for them is probably the leading cause of Millennial dissatisfaction and management frustration.

• Provide Training and Mentoring

Millennials – or anyone for that matter – cannot perform if they don’t know how to perform.  And why. They are accustomed to receiving excellent education.  They need no less from their agency.  Consistent programmatic professional training is a must.  It will pay big dividends.

And this training can’t be half-hearted or stop and go.  If your own people can’t mount consistent high quality training, outsource it.

Millennials perform best when they are not only well trained but well mentored too.  Remember, growing up they consistently received strong mentoring from their parents.  A smart employer doesn’t break that chain.

Now mentoring will take time of your senior people.  A time diversion from other more immediately rewarding work.  But it needs to be done. 

The additional revenue generated when you expect more of your young professionals should more than offset the cost of training and mentoring.

The fundamental fact is that an agency can’t just hire Millennials and then leave them alone to find their own way.  That just won’t work. 

Agencies that fail to link effective training and mentoring with higher expectations will be disappointed with the results. 

Embracing Generational Transition

There is no question about it.  Millennials are disrupting some of the tidy leadership and management practices agencies have long employed.  They are bringing a fresh, and sometimes upsetting, perspective to an industry that is already beleaguered by a sea of change.

Yet whether we’re ready or not, the Millennials are upon us.  They are the future of the advertising agency industry. 

So the only question is; Can we – today’s leaders – provide this generation with the springboard needed for them to take our industry to new heights and successes?

Now that wouldn’t be a bad legacy for us to leave. 

 

About the Author

Mike Carlton has spent most of his life in and around advertising agencies. For over a quarter of a century he served in various agency functions, including general management and ownership in a 150-person shop. Along the way he held offices in the American Association of Advertising Agencies, agency networks, and became a frequent writer and speaker on agency issues. In the 1980s he founded Carlton Associates Incorporated, a consulting firm that focuses on agency business and leadership challenges. He was also a founder of World Systems, a first generation accounting system supplier for agencies, and 600 Monkeys (now a part of Computer Associates), a provider of new technologies for agencies and other professional service firms. In addition, he founded Centre for International Business, which has assisted advertisers and agencies globally.

Looking for this book title?

It was a young adult novel. There was a girl that was being picked on by her older sibling…then she went and got a toy horse (black with wings) and when she fell asleep holding it she was transported to another world. From what I remember the world was divided by the signs of the Zodiac and everyone belonged to one of the groups and there was “neutral ground” of the Sun and the Moon in the plaza. I think everyone spoke Italian in the other world and I think the girl was from England. There was a kindly shopkeeper…and her older sibling broke the horses wings….There was also a crippled child and a foal was born with wings and someone stole it I think. Oh, and the main characters where from the group of the Rams! I think they brought the child back to England to fix his legs too…can anyone help me with this title? Thanks!

I’m fairly certain that it’s The City of Stars by Mary Hoffman.

“Georgia O’Grady is a girl who is frequently picked on by her stepbrother, Russell. Her only escape is to go horse riding. When she falls asleep holding a miniature winged horse figurine, she wakes up in a stable in Talia in the city of Remora (Renaissance Siena), a city divided in twelve sections for each of the signs of the western zodiac. Here, she meets the Montalbani family, which includes the Horsemaster Paolo and his son Cesare. Paolo, like Rodolfo, is a Stravagante and reveals to Georgia (who is mistaken initially for a boy and retains this as a disguise throughout the book, her name is Giorgio) that she has come at a very important time: a horse race known as the Stellata is about to take place.

The Twelfth of the Ram, which holds ties to the city of Bellezza and is the twelfth of the Montalbanis, has not won the race in twenty-five years. The di Chimici family (antagonists in the first book) intend them to lose again to prove to the new Duchessa of Bellezza, Arianna Rossi (formerly Arianna Gasparini), and her father, Rodolfo, the advantages of joining their alliance by marrying Gaetano di Chimici, the homely but charming third son of the head of the family, Duke Niccolo of Giglia. Gaetano, while willing to submit to his father’s ambitions, would rather study and is more concerned about the well-being of his younger brother, Falco, who was crippled in a riding accident.

Meanwhile, a special horse has been born to the Twelfth of the Ram, one that may actually bring about the luck the twelfth needs to break their losing streak.”