Generational diversity is an opportunity for businesses to utilize a workforce that matches their customer base. It is often unfortunately seen as a disadvantage. Millennials are viewed as spoiled entitled techies with little understanding of how business moves. This edition of Preneur Pro Tips will feature the writing of a Millennial that has a brand of integrity.
Every business owner has life experiences that shape their worldview. This young college student has been a part of more than one instance of unfair treatment. It has caused them to scrutinize every situation and seek truth. Your brand must be genuine from the honest integrity of your heart. This Millennial attends a college that does not share his ethnicity. His brand of integrity must speak louder than his skin color. Hear his words:
I don’t embarrass easily but hearing my name so close to quitting time put me on edge. “I’m not staying late again,” I mumbled under my breath. I opened the door to find two familiar faces and they both looked grim. Did I do something? The pressure of authority is like being locked in a cage with a large cat, fully capable of taking you out. The word stung like a slap to the face, SLANDER. Now I remember.
A few nights back after staying late and exhausting my polite demeanor, I was eavesdropping on a cashier and customer talking about a wage gap yet using figures from the earnings gap. One is the unfair wage in which a woman gets paid less than her male counterpart despite having the same experience, position and education.
The other is a number crunched by calculating the take home pay of men versus women with no regard to part- or full-time employment. A teachable moment; I interjected saying the difference and corrected her. Even the customer stayed a moment to learn more. However, this cashier took offence to being corrected saying I was deliberately lying to make her look bad.
Slander is mostly handled in house, we sat in anticipation as the facts were straightened out. I would be lying if I told you I remembered a word of what she said in that office, but I remember the verdict. My facts checked out and although telling the truth might have made her look/feel bad, it wasn’t a lie. For my honesty I was rewarded with a gift card to make up for my wasted time. All I could say was, “thank you for not siding with emotions.”
A lesser man would have crumbled in fear, simply apologized and hoped for a lighter punishment. A lesser company would have sided with the outraged party to make peace. But, it is our integrity that holds weight. Our willingness to strive to be better, more informed and just is what drives this nation and it economy.
This young man has earned the respect of his peers and managers because he stands with integrity. He does not expect what he is unwilling to give himself. His name is A’Donté Sharpe and he is pursuing a Sociology Degree with a minor in Creative Writing. His aspiration is to enter the career field of Human Resources. We anticipate success as he’s Moving Forward . . . Achieving Excellence!!!
