As our discussions of the different generations goes forth, please keep in mind that every individual is different. That does not mean, however, that it is impossible for people with certain shared cultural experiences to develop similar sets of behaviors and outlooks. As much as we are individuals, we also share much in common with our peers. Thus, if we assert that Baby Boomers are avid learners, it does not mean that every Baby Boomer is an avid learner. We all know individuals who are Baby Boomers and who are not at all interested in pursuing additional learning opportunities. Likewise, if we say that Millennials are more likely to have good manners than Gen Xers, it does not mean that all Millennials are polite or that all Gen Xers are rude. It simply means that certain behaviors are more typical of each group than of others. The point is raised because you should not become frustrated when, for the purposes of discussion, certain broad characteristics are made. This is unavoidable, and you must realize that the broad statements are based on behaviors that have been analyzed and measured for statistically significant presence among population groups.

Millennials born between 1981-2000, depending on the source are vastly different from previous generations – especially Boomers. Members of the millennial generation cut their teeth on computer keyboards, and to them, computer technology and the Internet are as natural as breathing. This generation’s members know more about digital technology than their parents or teachers, and this is a promise of change not only the way families interact and communicate, but also how young people relate to school and learning.

Millennials combine the can-do attitude of Traditionalists, the teamwork ethic of Boomers and the technological savvy of Generation X. For this group, the preferred learning environment combines teamwork and technology. In a classroom with lots of Millennials, give everyone a task. When a few have completed it, encourage them to walk around the room and help others. They’re used to working this way in school.

Millennials are the most diverse generation in history. Members are born to the most diverse mix of parents in history as well – from teenagers to middle-aged moms who postponed childbearing to establish a career – from Boomers to Xers. One third of this generation was born to single, unwed mothers. This generation is less white and more culturally diverse than any generation in our history to date.

Many of the parents of Millennials are mid-life Boomers, used to winning and achieving. Millennial members have come to age in a very child-focused world. Many of them had Boomers as parents, and Boomers are as competitive for their children as they are for themselves. Boomers are used to getting their own way, and they have been strong advocates for their children. Because Boomers have worked long hours, because of many single parent families, because of an increasing violent world and because of the desire for their children to “get ahead,” Boomers have made sure their children participated in all forms of lessons and activities. Thus, Millennials have grown up in a very structured, busy and over planned world. Also, Millennials are made up of confident, optimistic young people who feel valued and wanted.

Here are some of the characteristics identified for Generation Millennial: 1. Closer relationship with parents. 2. Admiration for their parents (33% names one or both parents as their hero, rather than a pop culture celebrity). 3. A closer sphere of influence – a more dangerous world has created an environment which is more sheltered and structured, and where young people have been protected. 4. The small sphere of influence has contributed to the creation of a generation that is, in general, more polite and considerate than their predecessors. They are less likely to call adults by their first names, but rather use the more formal Mr. or Mrs. 5. Attentive and respectful. This generation has been brought up to show respect for others. In a crowded world where there are larger numbers of people in classroom and activities, civility becomes essential to getting along. 6. Programmed and team oriented. Some college administrators believe that many Millennials have “lost the sense of pure play.” They expect everything to be planned for them and do not expect to have as much freedom – or responsibility for structuring their educational lives. 7. Having spent a large percentage of time in structured activities, they are accustomed to having a lot of adult supervision. Thus, they may have poor conflict resolution skills. 8. Pressured to succeed. The Boomers, parents of the millennial generation feel pressured themselves to succeed and also transferred that pressure to their children. In addition, just as Boomers have lived in a world where there is increasing competition for resources, Millennials have done the same. 9. Involved. This is a generation of activists – young people who believe they can make a difference. 10. Egalitarian. This cohort often prefers to work in teams or groups. They definitely do not prefer hierarchy. Sometimes faculty finds the lack of authoritarian hierarchy in their groups creates ambiguity when it comes to having a point of contact for information. 11. Open and eager. Members of this generation are very open and eager. Students are responsive and “very smart” according to some faculty. 12. Demanding of themselves and others. Members of this cohort set the bar high for themselves and they, like their Boomer parents, expect success. They sometimes “expect” to get good grades and are upset when this does not happen. 13. Stressed. Compared with five years ago, 81% of college mental health service directors reported an increase in students with serious psychological problems. Pressure to succeed is one reason identified by some counselors. 14. Multi-taskers. This generation can easily manage to listen to music, work on the computer and watch television at the same time. This means they need a lot of stimulation in their learning environments and may be more focused than it seems to their teachers.

Here are some shared experiences of Generation Millennial: 1. Child focus (Sylvan Learning Centers) 2. Oklahoma City bombing 3. Busy, over-planned lives (more than 75% of time spent in structured experiences) 4. Stress 5. Malfunction at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant caused a near meltdown 6. Iranian students took 66 people hostage at the US Embassy in Tehran 7. US boycotts the Olympics in Moscow 8. President Regan shot 9. The Equal Rights Amendment passed (though not ratified) 10. The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after liftoff, killing all seven astronauts on board 11. The Exxon Valdez spills more than ten million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound 12. The Berlin Wall demolished 13. Persian Gulf War 14. Four white police officers accused of beating Rodney King were acquitted; shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado left 13 students and one teacher dead; the Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above 10,000 for the first time 15. It took more than a month to declare a winner of the presidential election because of ballot (“hanging chad”) disputes 16. Four US planes were hijacked in attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing more than 3000 people leading the US into an ongoing fight against terrorism 17. The Space Shuttle Columbia exploded upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts on board. 18. War is waged against Afghanistan and Iraq

Here are some additional characteristics of Generation Millennial: 1. Bigger than Baby Boomer Generation 2. 3 times the size of Generation X 3. Roughly 26% of the population 4. Diverse 5. Inclusive 6. Powerful 7. Weak on interpersonal skills 8. Cyber 9. Activists 10. Support social causes 11. Impatient 12. Active/hands-on learners 13. Use technology 14. Spending power exceeds $200 billion 15. Independent 16. Strong views 17. Close to family

And finally, Generation Millennial in the classroom: While boomers like to be in charge of their own learning and the Generation Xers prefer to work independently with self-directed projects, Millennials prefer learning that provides interaction with their colleagues. They like a lot more structure and direction than Generation X. The want to know everything up front as far as what is expected and what criteria will be used to evaluate their performance. They are the most likely to want to ask questions like, “Will this be on the test?” or specifics such as “how is this going to affect my life in a positive way?” Certainty and security is key for this group. Tying the leaning outcomes to economic objectives is important for Millennials. This generation is as comfortable with technology as a fish is with water. In spite of their technology savvy, they are in some ways very traditional. Members of the millennial generation are motivated to learn in order to reduce stress and increase their marketability. They place high value on developing good interpersonal skills and in “getting along.” This is a generation that is polite, believes in manners, adheres to strict moral code, and believes in civic action. This is a generation that places a high value on making money – more than any previous generation – and they see education as a means to this goal. Like Generation X, this generation likes learning to be entertaining and fun, and become quickly bored in a learning environment that is not highly active and interactive. They grew up with the Learning Channel and Chuck E. Cheese – edu-tainment and eat-o-tainment. Stand-up talking is deadly for this group who, even as adults, respond to music, art, games, and other creative activities. Leaning materials for this group should have the same levels of value interest and multiple focal points as those of Generation X. However, there is an important difference in Millennials in this regard. It is a generation of readers, so written information works well with this group.

Tips for Teaching Generation Millennial: Some experts have asserted, “there is a growing mismatch between faculty and students in terms of teaching and learning.” 1. Develop opportunities for experiential learning. Small group discussions, projects, in-class presentations and debates, peer critiques, team projects, service learning, field experiences, developing simulations and case method approaches have been found to be successful for high school and college Millennial students. 2. Encourage the development of learning and sharing communities – small groups of students that can discuss and analyze readings and assignments. This also addresses the need of many millennial students for hands-on activities in the classroom. 3. Provide lots of structure. Having grown up in a highly structured world, Millennials look for structure in their learning setting. They want to know precisely what is required of them, when work is due and very specific information about expectations. 4. Provide lots of feedback. Providing frequent feedback is essential for Generations Y’s. This allows them to know when they are headed in the right direction and when they are getting off-track. Frequent attention from teachers is welcome. 5. Use technology. This is a generation that uses technology for “everything.” A classroom that does not incorporate it will not meet students’ needs for variety, stimulation, and access to information. Some classrooms still require students to study and learn in ways that, to them, are completely different from the ways they operate in every other aspect of their daily lives. 6. Make it fun. Like their Generation X predecessors, they want to enjoy their learning. If it is not fun, it will be cast into the category of “boring” and may become less effective. Millennials learn best when they are entertained. 7. Incorporate games. For them using computers games as an instructional technique can be very effective. These incorporate many of the strategies that Millennials have already developed for learning: multi-media sensory stimulation, interactive (either with other people or with the computer), individualization (customization) of the learning experience, and control over processing time, highly visual. 8. Be relevant. Like Generation Xers, Millennials will demand relevance in what they are learning. This will also want to “skip” steps in learning if there are areas of the information that have already mastered, and will avoid repetition and rote practice once they feel they have mastered the information. 9. Utilize their talents. This is a generation that likes to be useful and helpful. If you have students who know more about a topic than you do, let them talk about what they know. If they finish an assignment early, let them help other students. 10. Present the big picture. Many in this generation are global or “big picture” learners. They learn better if they have the big picture and then learn more concrete and specific information. 11. Allow for creativity and be creative. This is a generation that thinks in many dimensions at once. Provide opportunities for them to be creative in how they approach and fulfill requirements. Music, art, and games are good teaching tools. 12. Offer multiple options for performance. Try to provide a variety of acceptable, measurable outcomes so that students can optimize their performance. 13. Be visual. This group is the most visual of all learning cohorts. In general, visual learners predominate, but among millennial learners it is even more strongly preferred than in other age groups. 14. Be organized. Because they need a lot of structure, millennial students also learn best when materials are presented in a well-organized and rational way. Millennial students are much more prolific readers than Generation Xers, so reading materials for them are not a stumbling block. However, materials should be clear, use lots of white space, and be visually accessible, just as for Generation X. Summarizing key points is very important for this group. They want to know where they are going with their learning – and why. 15. Be smart. Unlike Generation Xers, Millennials will not look at you with disdain if they feel they know more than you about a specific topic. However, they will expect you to be open to hearing their ideas and to demonstrate competence as a teacher. To this generation being “a good teacher” is more important than knowing everything. 16. Be fair. Like their Boomer parents, fairness is important to this group. 17. Recognize the need for social interaction. This is a key for millennial learners, so learning strategies that incorporate social interaction work well. 18. Remember, talk is essential. Develop activities that encourage students to exchange information verbally. When they say it, it is converted more quickly to long-term memory. 19. Structure a learning environment that demands respect and positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement, from teachers and peers improved learning and increases motivation. 20. Tie learning to actions. For some key information, students can increase their recall if there is a specific action linked to their learning of a key fact. For example, if you want students to remember the date of the Norman invasion, then you give them the information, the year 1066, have then hold up 10 fingers and then 6 fingers. The information will stay with them forever. 21. Think positively. Positive thinking stimulates the brain. It increases the likelihood of success. 22. Be clear and precise. Give students clear goals, targets and purpose. Millennials particularly want to know precisely what they need to do meet the requirements of the class. This is not a lack of intellectual curiosity, but a desire to be efficient. Keep in mind that these students have been exposed to more information in their lives than the two preceding generations combined. They know a lot. For them, school is one of the many ways to get information, and they are used to getting what they need or want in ways that are efficient for them. 23. Allow focus time. The millennial generation’s attention span declines after 15-20 minutes. You have you student’s brain for only 20 minutes at a time. Break up a training class into 20-30 minute segments with some kind of activity (outbursts, e.g.). 24. Talk is critical. Talking stimulates the brain, in particular, the frontal lobe, the area which controls higher-level thinking and decision-making. Social interaction is important to memory and learning. 25. Enhance procedural memory with movement. Procedural memory is stored in the body – it is muscle memory. Riding a bike is an example of procedural memory. Procedural memory is easy to access. Relating procedural memory to cognitive tasks can improve recall. 26. Make learning relevant. Tie learning tasks to real-world problems. If it is not seen as relevant, there will be resistance to learning.

• You’re right, but I’m the boss!
• Just do your job!
• I remember when …
• The kid wants a promotion after six months on the job!
• No!

How did you react? Were you offended? Were you okay with the comment? Did you understand, or not understand, why someone would say these words? The words and your reaction, as well as the reactions of others, reflect generational differences in the workplace.

If you don’t think generation makes a difference, think of this example. When asked to recall how and where Kennedy died, the Traditionalists and Baby Boomers would say gunshots in Dallas, Texas; Generation X remembers a plane crash near Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.; and Millennials might say, “Kennedy who?”

There is a serious new problem in the workplace, and it has nothing to do with downsizing, global competition, pointy-haired bosses, stress or greed. Instead, it is the problem of distinct generations — the Traditionalists, the Baby Boomers, Gen X and Millennials — working together and often colliding as their paths cross. Individuals with different values, different ideas, different ways of getting things done and different ways of communicating in the workplace have always existed. So, why is this becoming a problem now?

The Power of Four Generations

This is the first time in American history that we have had four different generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Remember, if you are old enough, when older workers were the bosses and younger workers did what was asked of them, no questions asked. There were definite rules as to how the boss was treated and how younger workers treated older workers. No longer: Roles today are all over the place and the rules are being rewritten daily.

At work, generational differences can affect everything, including recruiting, building teams, dealing with change, motivating, managing, and maintaining and increasing productivity. Think of how generational differences, relative to how people communicate, might affect misunderstandings, high employee turnover, difficulty in attracting employees and gaining employee commitment.

Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons.

Research indicates that people communicate based on their generational backgrounds. Each generation has distinct attitudes, behaviors, expectations, habits and motivational buttons. Learning how to communicate with the different generations can eliminate many major confrontations and misunderstandings in the workplace and the world of business.

Let’s try an analogy to help understand the issue. What often happens when a family gets together for a holiday or a vacation? Four generations — you (let’s assume you’re a Boomer); your children (Xers); your grandchildren (Millennials); your brothers and sisters (Boomers); and your parents (Traditionalists) — all trying to get along together. How long does it take before someone mentions “the good old days” and another says “I remember when … ?” Is that when things become testy? How many times is so much friction created that family members leave the gathering saying never again? Do you usually attribute this to “your family” or do you find yourself saying, “that’s just what we’re like whenever we get together?” Could this be due to generational differences and not just be “the way the family is?”

Whether at a family gathering or in the workplace, how do you manage intergenerational groups with conflicting work ethics, dissimilar values and idiosyncratic styles? How do you get them to stop snarling at each other? How do you motivate them to get along or work together?

Every generation has created its own commotion as it has entered into the adult working world. And, every generation says the same things about other generations — “They don’t get it” or “They have it so much easier than we did.”

Unlocking the Mystery

To begin to understand how individuals in different generations act and react, one must first start with understanding oneself. Begin by seeing which generation you are part of based on your DNA (year of birth) then see if based on your generational personality you might identify with more than one generation. The generational timeline represents a conglomeration of many views, the starting and ending dates (birth years) of the generations are subjective, not scientific or fully agreed-on time spans. However, this subjectivity poses no real problems since the variation of years is not significant enough to impact the big picture of a generation’s description.

The first thing to consider is the individual and his or her underlying values, or personal and lifestyle characteristics, which seem to correspond with each generation,

Not every person in a generation will share all of the various characteristics shown in this or the next table with others in the same generation. However, these examples are indicative of general patterns in the relationships between and among family members, friends and people in the workplace. Individuals born at one end of the date range or the other may see overlapping characteristics with the preceding or succeeding generation.

You may now easily see why Millennials cannot understand what their grandparents mean by the traditional family or what fun it was to spend Christmas together as a family. Are you worried about the possibility of your Baby Boomer children being unable to retire or having to move in with you or their children as they reach the latter years of their lives? Possibly you should be.

Do you now see why your view of education might differ from your children’s views? Do you understand why your children may not want to go to a movie with you? Can you see how generational issues, like what to do for entertainment, can create friction on those family vacations or at holiday get-togethers?

Understanding these characteristics about individuals makes it easier to look at workplace characteristics and how they manifest themselves in business

An example, based on these traits, would be to think about how words are received differently. When a Boomer says to another Boomer, “We need to get the report done,” it is generally interpreted by the Boomer as an order; it must be done and done now. However, when a Boomer says to an Xer, “This needs to be done,” the Xer hears an observation, not a command, and may or may not do it immediately.

Getting Back to Work

With these observations in mind, let’s look at a few work situations and how one might handle them.

• At annual appraisal time, a manager from the Veterans generation gives out a nice bonus for a project well done. The Generation X employee is ungrateful and says, “Why didn’t I get this six months ago, when the project was completed?” A Millennial wants instant gratification, whereas a person in the Traditionalist generation is happy to get money anytime. The solution here may be for the company to explore reward plans geared to the different generations, or things like monetary rewards and recognition given at the time when it is earned.

• A Generation X manager tells a Boomer he has been working too hard and should take time off to take the family on vacation. Instead of saying thanks, the Boomer replies, “I work to get ahead, to get a promotion, not for a vacation.” The next time that situation comes up; the manager might elect to give this particular employee a bonus, rather than suggest a vacation.

• A top-notch, cross-functional team with individuals from several different generations has been set up to recommend a solution to a nasty manufacturing problem. After a couple of weeks, the manager responsible for the team cannot understand why there is constant bickering and nothing is getting done. If the manager were aware of just one characteristic of each individual relating to communication needs, he or she might understand the stalemate. The Traditionalists on the team are looking for handwritten notes and direct, specific requests for work to be done. The Boomers do not like to work independently, and they expect to have meetings any time, any place — and it is fine if they are called day or night. Xers do not want to hear about the project outside of work, and don’t dare call them at home. And the Millennials don’t want any meetings at all, they only communicate via voice mail and e-mail. Is it any wonder that the team is having trouble getting motivated toward the goal? At the beginning of any team formation, an effective leader should consider spending time learning how team members wish to communicate.

• A Boomer is working for a Millennial individual, and there is nothing but animosity between the two. Why? Millennial individuals, born since 1977, have many different traits than the Traditionalist. They are not like their parents. They are curious, goal-oriented and loyal. Solution, consider having Boomers work for Traditionalists rather than a Millennial.

There are more pronounced differences between the generations today than ever before. What can one expect with the dramatic changes in our world in the last 60 years? Being aware of these differences can help individuals tailor their message for maximum effect, regardless of the task, or the relationship — family, friends, workplace peers. Good business is based on understanding others. The majority of us think the correct way, and the only way, is our way. In business, as well as in personal life, that is just not true. To work effectively and efficiently, to increase productivity and quality, one needs to understand generational characteristics and learn how to use them effectively in dealing with each individual.

How do you know if the person you hire should be classified as an independent contractor or employee? Does it really matter? After all, he/she is performing a service and you are paying for the service. Oh, if only it were that simple. Unfortunately, employer liability can be huge when workers are misclassified. Penalties can include years of unpaid employment taxes, workers’ compensation unpaid premiums, reimbursements for work-related expenses and potential unpaid overtime compensation, not to mention liability for not providing employee benefits such as health insurance and retirement. That said, it’s not a problem until it’s a problem, right? If you subscribe to that philosophy, keep reading… Read the rest of this entry »

I’d like to thank the kind folks at Social Media Delivered for featuring me as one of their favorite authors!

Here’s what they had to say about my book, Ties to Tattoos: Turning Generational Differences into a Competitive Advantage:

When bringing up a point related directly or indirectly to social media, digital communications, or online communities, one hears more often than thought.. “Facebook’s that thing my grandkids are always on,” or “I’ve heard about this Twitter thing lately, but I’m still not quite sure about what or how should I tweet.”  The communications landscape is changing the way we relate to and with different demographics. Read more on socialmediadelivered.com

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On April 12, I’d like to invite you to join me for the Leadership and Learning Lecture series sponsored by Tenet. I’ll be speaking from 1-2 p.m. about generational differences. The title of the speech is “Collaboration vs. Collision: Bridging the Communication Gap Between Generations.”

I hope to see you there!

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If you think Social Media is a fad or has no implications for your business, you couldn’t be more wrong. Particularly if your target market is Generation Y, otherwise known as the Millennials, your business needs to invest in an agressive social marketing strategy immediately. Take a look at this video to understand why:

The salesperson’s mantra is “ABC: Always be Closing.”  But author and speaker Maura Schreier-Fleming thinks that’s not always the best strategy. She says, instead of always closing, why not always opening?

Find out how to develop your opening skills in on Maura’s Best@Selling blog. And notice the quote from the expert at the end!

Jessica Miller-Merrill has the answer! Read about it here.

The latest Generational Guru Newsletter went out today! Click here to have a look. In it you’ll find articles on generational issues and other HR and business-related issues, including:

• How to Fire a Client (Transitioning Well)
• Six Diversity Competencies Successful People Share
• Economic Shift: Back to Employee Retention Basics
• Keeping the Keepers

Also take the Strong Life Quiz and find out what type of job best suits your personality!

Finally, enter the Texting Lingo contest and win a $50 iTunes gift card!

To subscribe, fill out the form in the upper right corner of this page.

The beauty of being an entrepreneur and working for yourself is that you’re in control of your own destiny. You get to choose who you work with and for how long. Sometimes you love your clients and you want to continue the relationship forever. Other times, you love your clients, but you know it’s time to go.

I have a personal success statement that defines where I work, with whom and how I work. This success statement provides me the clarity to determine IF I am a good fit for their needs and if the client is congruent with my leadership and workplace beliefs.

Recently, I found myself on a consulting job (for a company we’ll call Client X) that paid well but was no longer personally fulfilling. As a Gen Xer, I want to work in an environment where I can be effective. I want to make a positive impact on the world and achieve something that adds up to more than just numbers on a paycheck. Unfortunately, I recently reached a point where I had maxed out my value to Client X and I knew it was time to move on.

Now, when you’re working for someone as their employee, you give your two weeks’ notice of separation, and if you’re lucky, they let you stay and say your good byes—otherwise you get walked out the door with a box. But when you’ve got a client / consulting relationship, the termination process is totally different. You assumed responsibility for your client, and you have to find a way to transition out of that relationship responsibly. You don’t just get the luxury of quitting a job, walking away, and moving on to greener pastures.

Keeping all this in mind, I sat down and placed together a successful exit strategy for an “entrepreneur” who finds him or herself in the place of firing a client and transitioning them on to other more congruent sources. Here’s what I learned from that process.

Remain Emotionally In Control It’s important to remain emotionally in control, even though you might want to run kicking and screaming out the door. This is especially true if you’re working in an industry that is small or tight-knit like mine. In this circumstance, your name is your brand. If you act hastily or allow your emotions to put you in a situation that reflects badly on yourself, you will irreparably damage your brand. And if that happens, it’s a long road back to the top.

In my case, I was working with a company whose C.E.O. approached situations emotionally, so staying calm and collected as I prepared to terminate my relationship was paramount. I knew I couldn’t allow myself to lose it if my client reacted emotionally to my decision to terminate the relationship.

Be Transparent–Dot your I’s and Cross your T’s

It’s extremely important to be completely transparent about the process. All the appropriate documents have to be in place. For me, being transparent also included clearly communicating why I was leaving. My value is going in, fixing a problem, and then leaving. That’s where my strength is. I like to keep things fresh, and it has never been a professional goal to sign on again with an employer permanently or become a “fixture”. I tried to be very transparent while explaining this to my client, and in the end, the client understood.

Prepare for Your Client’s Emotions as You Break the News

Again, in this particular instance, I knew my client operated from an emotional base, so I had to create a process that would allow me to effectively manage those emotions. First, I put everything in writing and submitted it, which gave my client time to look it over, emotionally react, and cool down before we discussed it in person. Then, I gave the client a specific time period for winding up—I set the schedule, so to speak. And I was very firm in adhering to that schedule, even though the client resisted. There’s a sign in my office that says “Change is hard. You go first.” In this instance, I went first. I decided I’d put the elephant on the table, stay accountable to the schedule, and see how it turned out. This can be a hard thing to do, especially if you like your client and the people who are there.

Put the Client First

The bottom line, really, is that you have to put the client’s needs first. You’re firing the client. You’re recognizing that it’s time to go. But you took this client on as a responsibility, and therefore you have to transition responsibly. You have to ensure that whatever you’re doing works for them. If you don’t, you damage your personal brand. Your name is your market. That’s the brand “YOU.” So it’s important to walk away with everyone feeling as good as possible about the process.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to fire a client, my best advice is to focus on what you really want so that when you have to explain it, you can sit in front of your client or the business owner and explain why you’re leaving. And when you do that, make sure to use “I” statements. You don’t say, “I’m leaving because you make me mad,” or “you drive me crazy.” You say, “I have further aspirations,” or “I am more valuable in other capacities. You have done a great job. You have given me a great opportunity here. Thank you. It’s time to move on.”

People understand honesty. As long as you’re honest and have integrity, that’s going to come through. If you stay honest and stay true to yourself, people will respect that, and you can move on without damaging your brand or making any enemies.