Millennial - generation Y, all those youngsters who have been born in the age of internet, and are spending more than 18 hours with their mobiles and laptops, active on social media – interacting with unknown people, having access to loads of knowledge which they can find with just a press of a button. Technology has made them well informed about almost anything they desire to learn about. Technology may have given them access to information on literacy skills and life skills but the personal experience one develops when he interacts with a neighbor, a friend or in school or with any stranger has been lost. They have the instructions and the guidelines to follow from the internet, but they lack the communication skills we develop when we interact with each other. They have access to audio books which they can listen to and get the summary but have lost the opportunity to read classics which not only develop vocabulary but also creativity of a person. They may be having hundreds of friends and followers on the social network, but not even a single friend with whom they can cry their heart out. The bonding which comes from communicating and spending time together has been lost.

Millennials usually stay in touch with their friends by texting or calling. Feelings are being conveyed by emojis and the abbreviated words have found a place in dictionaries. The vocabulary and the communication skills have gone for a toss. It is imperative for them to develop their interpersonal skills to succeed in this real world where effective communication is the key to success be it in the corporate world or at home or their very personal relationships. A two-way Communication teaches us to be unbiased and more receptive to others’ views and ideas.

Access to technology has outsourced our cognitive process to computers. Millennials have the theoretical information but they lack the problem solving skills. They don’t have the critical thinking abilities which earlier generation –our own jugado (eng translation) generation had. They look for information and ways on Google rather than analyze and think of a solution. Some responsibility for being always there for our children and always trying to protect them by removing all the obstacles and not giving them the opportunity to face challenges also lies with us. Most of the parents insist on making the lives of their children so comfortable that they obstruct the learning experience of their children - the skills to handle even small problems, the skills required to interact, to think and find a solution.

Lack of means and clear information and scarcity of resources had helped us to develop our reasoning and problem solving skills. We used to think of ways to solve our problems. Millennials should try to disconnect with technology for some time and give time to their analytical skills. They should try to collate and analyze information and use abstract ideas to interoperate it.

Generation Y struggles with feelings of fear and anxiety when they have to interact. They are less able to manage their feelings as technology has cut them off with their pillars of strength – their parents, family and friends.  They are hooked to social media platforms like facebook and instagram for social validation and ego boost. The approval or disapproval of the follower, the comments and likes of strangers have become important for Generation Y

Our Generation Y is well aware and accepts the fact that their knowledge and protective environment has hindered in developing their social skills. They are not well equipped to handle the difficult human behavior in various environments.

Millennials- the future leaders, who have been raised with the access to information on internet, are more comfortable with diverging opinions and beliefs. But they need the skills to bring different communities and people together to face and solve the common problems. This requires strong interpersonal skills and critical thinking on their part, requires them to be inclusive, empathetic, agile and open to imbibe from the environment. The need to develop soft skills to be successful in todays’ world is imperative. They have technological advantage on their side and are very good in interconnecting online but need to work on those very important soft skills to be today’s leaders.