For truly exceptional work that exceeded expectations

Excellent work must always be recognized and differentiated as such. High performers are intrinsically motivated by doing excellent work and producing something that impresses others. When that credit is not given, over time they will redirect their effort and contributions towards work that does meet that need for high achievement.

1. Brilliant job!
2. Outstanding work!
3. This is truly above and beyond.
4. We are thrilled to have you on our team and this is exactly why we need you.
5. This is superb! I had no idea a document could look this good.
6. To be honest, when we started the project I wasn’t sure we could pull this off but you certainly did it and did it well.
7. We are so fortunate to have an innovator like you on our team.
8. This is so great I think others could benefit from learning about it. Can I share your work at our team meeting/with my peers/with my boss, etc.?
9. You set a high bar with this one.
10. This showcases you are a role model and leader in our organization.

For work completed fairly, accurately, and on time

It is true that this is an expectation that comes with the job—to get work done without error and within deadline. This work still deserves appreciation and recognition, albeit at a more moderate level. You don’t want to overstate the contribution, but you do want to acknowledge that the effort it took to complete the assignment is not being taken for granted.

1. Thank you!
2. Good work, as always.
3. Thanks for getting this done.
4. You are a lifesaver.
5. Thank you for pulling everyone/everything together on such short notice.
6. I appreciate you getting this to me so quickly so I have time to review it.
7. Thanks for your help today.
8. Thanks for your good work this week.
9. Thanks for stepping up and getting this done for us.
10. I don’t know what I would do without you.

For a job well done

Last but certainly not least—and in fact, most work will fall in this category—is work that delivers more than the minimum but is not quite out of this world. The goal here is to recognize that it is good work but you don’t want to muddle the feedback to sound like it could be one of the other two categories.

1. Perfect!
2. Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for.
3. Wonderful, this is more than I expected.
4. This is so great I don’t need to make any revisions to it at all.
5. I appreciate your critical thinking around this project.
6. Well done—and ahead of deadline too!
7. You are such a team player.
8. You are so creative—I always love getting your perspective on things.
9. You consistently bring your all and I truly appreciate that.
10. I am so proud/glad/lucky to have you part of my team.

However you choose to say it, don’t skip it. Positive feedback makes us feel recognized and appreciated, it identifies what we have done right (and thus gives us a clue to what we should do more of), and it makes negative feedback and constructive criticism easier to accept and integrate.

Your manager gives you an assignment, and when you think you have a good handle how to proceed, you go off on your merry way.

You’re independent and a great employee, so you come back a few weeks later – the project complete.  You’re confident because you worked hard and developed a good product.  But much to your dismay, your boss isn’t happy.  She has so many problems with it, you might as well start over.  You thought you understood the assignment, but apparently your approach wasn’t what your manager was looking for at all.

Clarify the Message

This happens to all of us occasionally, but if it happens to you more frequently, you need to address the situation.  Your boss may have an ongoing issue communicating expectations and/or details about her thinking, you may have trouble following instructions, or there is room to improve on both sides.  And neither of you is going to be particularly productive if you don’t nip this one in the bud.

The next time your boss tries to delegate an assignment, don’t let her rush you out of the office (or off the phone).  Speaking of which, do not accept a complex assignment over e-mail, IM, or social network because this is a misunderstanding waiting to happen.  Insist on an actual conversation.

In this conversation, get step-by-step directions for how you should approach the project, including the resources you should tap, the content you should include, and the order in which you should accomplish individual tasks.  If something doesn’t seem clear right away, ask about it now.  Don’t leave the meeting until you have both agreed on exactly what it is you will be doing.

Check Yourself Frequently

Divide the assignment into phases and set up a follow up with your manager to discuss Phase I.  Especially if there is work involved that requires a lot of heavy lifting on your part, you want to be sure you’re headed in the right direction before doing more.   This check-in will give your boss the opportunity to scrap off-target work early enough in the process so that you don’t have a stroke.

Ensure Final Acceptance

If you manager does not sign off on Phase I or has substantial problems with it, keep re-submitting until these are resolved.  Do not move forward until you are positive that you are able to provide a final product with which she’s satisfied.  You’re essentially forcing her to micromanage you a bit – which admittedly is a bit annoying for you and for her – but hopefully it will prompt her to express her thinking more clearly in the future.

Ask in the Moment

It could be the case that your manager gives terrific direction, but you are not great at following it.  You can improve by listening actively (versus just nodding and smiling) when your boss is explaining an assignment.  Take detailed notes on all of the specifics, and verbally repeat back instructions to your boss that you know right then and there if you have it right.  If in doubt, don’t assume you’ll figure it out.  Better to ask now then have to start over later.

I’ve recently ascended rather quickly into a new leadership role at my company and I am struggling with communicating to those on my team such that everything is not a collaboration and debate. There are times when I need people to do what I am asking them to do, simple as that. Yesterday, a direct report looked at me and said, “Are you the lead on this or am I?” when I was instructing him on how a certain part of a project I’d assigned to him needed to be handled.  Today I will have a conversation with him about how he is the lead on projects I assign him, but that he is under my direction, meaning when I step in and say something should be handled a certain way, it’s not a suggestion, but a directive.

I believe in creative collaboration and it’s important to me that all team members contribute ideas, but I also need to clearly communicate directives that are received as directives and not suggestions. I need to figure out how to stop talking/being heard like I’m asking for people’s permission and buy-in, and start talking/being heard like the person in charge.

Much of this is about simply being clear with your language and your tone, so I’d start by taking a good look at those. For instance, consider the difference between these statements:

• “It would be great if you talked to Kathy and got her thoughts on this before you start working on it.”
• “Please talk with Kathy this week and incorporate her input in your draft before you send it to me.”

You might think that they’re both equally clear, but the first can be heard as a suggestion, whereas the second is a clear directive. So if your statements tend to sound more like the first example, try more directive language and see if that changes anything. Also, ensure that you’re speaking in declarative statements and not ending sentences with a question in your voice, unless you truly intend it as a question. If you sound hesitant or unsure, people will assume you’re not speaking with authority.

If you’re speaking clearly and confidently but still getting push-back, you can simply acknowledge the staff person’s different viewpoint but reiterate your request. For instance, if you assign a project that you need by Friday and encounter resistance, you might say, “Thanks for that input. I do need you to do this by Friday, but I appreciate hearing your point of view.”

And if you notice a pattern of directives being ignored – or if someone openly undermines your authority – then you need to tackle that directly. For instance: “Bob, there are times when I’m going to look to you for input and ideas before we solidify our plans, and I value the contributions you make to those discussions. However, I’m going to make the final call on some things, and there are times when I’ll simply need to assign you work and know that it will be done in the way that I’ve requested. For instance, with the XYZ project, my instructions to you there weren’t suggestions, but you seemed to respond as if they were. Is there a better way for us to communicate in those situations?”

Of course, in all these cases, make sure that you really are listening when your staff pushes back – they might be giving you important input that you wouldn’t otherwise have. Don’t get so caught up in asserting your authority that you miss valuable information or tune out viewpoints that are worth hearing. (And in fact, adjusting a directive based on new information can strengthen, rather than weaken, your position, because it demonstrates that you’re not defensive or insecure – two hallmarks of managers who don’t trust in their own authority.)

And finally, eventually this should all start feeling more natural. When you’re truly confident in your own authority, you can simply be calm, direct, and straightforward – in assigning work, in asking what’s going on if someone doesn’t respond well to that, and — also key — in creating consequences if the problem continues.

Off With Its Head!

Whether you’re a new employee who has seen things done better on the outside or a tenured one who knows change is essential, your first reaction might be to march into your manager’s office and let her know exactly what you think of this nonsense.  This may include an emotional, frustration-fueled recommendation (read: rant) to do away with the process immediately.  Or better yet, why not skip your boss and go straight to the source of the problem – the “keeper” of the process?

Well, hold your horses because this approach doesn’t usually work.  The truth is, most processes were implemented for a reason, and most were sensible at one time.  Managers, and especially the “keeper” of the process, are invested in it and presumably understand the big picture regarding how the process fits into the scheme of general operations.  They will probably not appreciate being told how things should be by someone who doesn’t have the whole story.  And by railing on said process, you may in fact be implying that they are not doing their jobs well, which will put them on the defensive right away.

Know Of What You Speak

The most effective way to address an inefficient process is to first fully understand it.  Interview your colleagues to find out how the process started and the rationale behind it.  Then, work with a few people you respect to devise some modest changes that would have a big impact.  Test these out informally.

When you do meet with the “keeper,” be diplomatic.  Remember this is his life’s work – or at least a key responsibility.  Tell him that you feel the process is important and ask if he’s amenable to hearing some of your ideas for keeping it current and maximally productive.  Show him what you’ve come up with, and solicit his feedback.  Ideally, he’ll now be receptive to your overtures and he’ll become your partner rather than your adversary.

Diplomacy 101

Let’s look at this approach in action.  For instance, perhaps your company needs a better system for tracking freelancer assignments.  Andy is in charge of his process, which currently involves 10 managers working independently with no concept of what the others are doing.  Random e-mails are floating around all the time, projects are being held up, and freelancers are getting paid late.

You’ve researched a piece of cloud software that facilitates communication and ensures accuracy [such as Intuit QuickBase].  You might ask Andy if you could meet with him to discuss the freelancer tracking process.  Launch with something like:  “Andy, I think it’s great that you’re establishing a central repository for freelancer assignments.  I know of some software that would make your job easier.”  Proceed to show Andy the solution and explain any cost or productivity savings.  Say you’re willing to assist with implementation if he’s interested.

As the “keeper,” Andy will be able to share why your idea is doable, or why it might not be (remember, he has the big picture).  But regardless, appearing educated and demonstrating deference and respect will make it far more likely that Andy will listen to you, and far less likely that you will get shut down.

5 Ways to Help Generation Y Workers Achieve Fulfillment at Work

1. Set expectations with them

The biggest problem I see is that managers don’t tell their Gen Y employees what they need to do in order to get ahead at work. They don’t tell them what the criteria is for a promotion, how to obtain the skills they are going to need and show them the path to success. If you don’t set expectations, then don’t expect them to be with you very long. This year, companies are going to be aggressively stealing talent and you might just lose employees if you don’t tell them what they need to do in order to advance.

2. Have managers mentor them

Gen Y wants their managers to almost be their parents in the workplace. They were coddled when they were younger and parents have always played an important role in their lives. Some parents are even called “helicopter parents” because of their intense involvement. Obviously you aren’t their parents, but you need to give them career advice so they feel like you care, like the company is investing in them and so they understand what it takes to get ahead.

3. Show them the impact they are making

Gen Y feels fulfilled when they know they are making a difference. When you introduce them to a project, explain what impact a positive result will have on the company (and even society). This way, they will feel like their performance is making a difference and they will work harder as a result. After they complete a project, sit down with them and explain how the result helped the company and then give them even bigger projects.

4. Give them access to executives

Gen Y’s love the ability to network with people who can have a positive influence on their careers. In most companies, especially the larger ones, it’s hard for them to gain access to executives because of their schedules and seniority. I recommend that you break down these barriers, flatten your hierarchy and create executive sponsorships. This way, Gen Y can feel like they are not only important to the company but that they have someone who can take their career to new heights.

5. Enable them to pitch their ideas

They typically feel ignored at work because they are confined to a specific role and job title. If you want to engage them and make them want to stay at your company, you should allow them to pitch their business ideas to you. They might see problems and solutions that you don’t! In general, companies need to better utilize their talent and extract ideas from their current database instead of just going outside for ideas.

Have you adjusted your strategy to accommodate for Gen Y workers?  Why or why not?

Here’s the question, with our experts’ responses below:

My manager quit earlier this year, leaving me to run the marketing department with a woman we’d just hired.

I wasn’t in favor of the hire because I was concerned that she lacks professional maturity, but now she’s my co-director and we’re making do.  They’re not replacing my manager, and there’s been no conversation about how our roles have changed or what our strategic direction forward looks like—we’re just barging ahead.  My problem is this:  She’s hardworking, cheerful, and bright—and absolutely incapable of saying “no” to any request.  Whether it’s another director, a member of the senior team, or even (not making this up) a janitor with another “great idea” for improving the web site, she’s on board and happy to make it happen.  Web cams on the roof?  Sure!  Amateur photo contest?  Why not!  Some of the projects have been great, but most just clutter up the site and create huge amounts of work for me, because she doesn’t think about how her “happy to do it” attitude drags me into hours of editing work for unproven ideas that sound like fun and then backfire in big ways.  Our more boring, but important, work falls by the wayside, and our numbers are suffering because she won’t focus on fundamentals.

We now report to someone off-site, and he’s as hands-off as can be.  How can I work with her to make her understand that we need to make decisions as a team, and that her decisions set precedents for expectations we can’t undo?

Alison Green says:

Well, first, understand that it’s not your job to fix this problem; it’s your manager’s. And in order for that to happen, you may need to bring it to his attention. And it IS a problem: This isn’t a difference in work styles, where you’d simply need to adjust to working with someone different than you. This is a problem that has a direct impact on your own work, and on your department’s ability to get the right results.

However, the right first step is to talk to your coworker about what your team’s priorities are, and where energy should be focused. Get aligned on clear goals for both of you, with plans for how you’ll achieve them. As part of that conversation, point out that achieving these goals will necessarily mean not doing other things – and that will mean handling requests that fall outside your priorities differently. You should explicitly say to her, “Since we’ll need to really be focused to make X, Y, and Z happen, we’ll need to handle other requests and ideas differently. Let’s set up a file of ideas to consider later on, maybe when we’re creating next year’s goals. And if something seems important enough that we should add it to our list for right now, then let’s agree to meet and decide what we’ll remove from the list to make room for it.”

If she resists – or if she agrees but then doesn’t change her behavior – then you’ll need to get more direct:  “Jane, when you say yes to things outside our main priorities, it takes me away from the most important things I need to be working on. I need you to talk to me before you agree to take on new projects that will affect my workload.”

And if the problem continues after that, it’s something your manager needs to be aware of.

Alexandra Levit says:

I can rather picture this person.  She is very idealistic and enthusiastic, but lacks the experience and critical eye to fully understand what’s doable and what isn’t.  Working with her would probably drive me to distraction too.

But that’s not helpful, because your success in your role depends on your ability to get this co-manager to cooperate with you.  So I’d appeal to what seems to matter most to her – that people like her.  I’d take her to lunch and preface the discussion with how happy you are to be working alongside one of the group’s rising stars.  Ask her if she’s amenable to developing a system for vetting projects so that the two of you are perceived as a can-do team, the one with which everyone wants to work.

Then, lay out your suggestion.  I recommend that this include meeting semi-weekly to discuss your duo’s priorities and decide what you’re going to move forward on, and in what order.  Neither of you should give other team members definitive answers on their recommendations until the two of you have met.  This will hopefully give you a regular chance to talk her out of ideas that are not feasible, or re-direct her energies into the fundamentals you mention.  Always remain positive when discussing an idea, no matter how wacky.  Say something like:  “That sounds really fun, but given that we’ve already committed to X, I think we should revisit it.”  The less forcefully you shut her down, the more likely she is to comply.

It sounds like you may be a little older than her.   If this is the case, perhaps you can offer yourself as a mentor and she’ll begin to lean on you for more strategic direction.  At that point, you can probably be even more direct with her about the problems that can arise when expectations aren’t managed properly, and your advice will be better received.

Eva Rykrsmith says:

I would take one step back and have a discussion that includes establishing expectations. Without clear expectations and boundaries, there is a risk of this type of thing happening again and again.

To start the chat, pick one project that has created more work for you without a beneficial payoff and discuss with her face-to-face. Give her time to react and listen while she explains why she was so enthusiastic to implement. There might be something behind it (such as trying to impress you, a misguided attempt to prove she is hardworking, or perhaps she is struggling to understand how she can make an impact since she’s new). Listen carefully because the explanation she gives presents an opportunity to redirect her future actions to be more in line with the intentions she had.

Anita Bruzzese says:

It could be that the reason your colleague is so eager to say “yes” is because she may be concerned that if she says “no” she won’t be thought of as a team player or somehow be thought of as a lazy new hire. (After all, she may have some legitimate concerns since you weren’t in favor of her hire and she may be picking up some unfriendly vibes from you.)

So, I’d say the first order of business is to sit down with her and just assure her that you think she is hardworking, cheerful and bright.

Then, I’d outline your concerns. Tell her that as a team, you need to focus on results that have a bottom-line impact, and you’d like to come up with some mutual goals. That means decisions are made together – she can’t accept work without clearing it with you and vice versa.

To get the ball rolling, I’d set up a joint calendar that shows what you’re both working on and when projects are due.  I’d also track the amount of hours being devoted to projects and the projected ROI.  This will help you set up a criteria for accepting projects so that in the future you’re not bogged down in work that doesn’t have a direct payoff. (This is where you can show her the proof that your numbers are suffering.)

At the same time, I’d let her know that you appreciate her enthusiasm and willingness to be open to ideas. This isn’t always a bad thing, and don’t discount that her networking won’t have a payoff. But the key is to stop resenting her actions, and instead communicate openly with her about mutual goals.

What is the best way to approach a department assistant about task effectiveness when she doesn’t technically report to me, but owns certain processes/administrative tasks? I purposely limit my interactions with her because I and others find that it can sometimes be like pulling teeth to get a helpful answer, result, or response. She seems to be signalling,“I just don’t care.”

I don’t want to whine to her boss (who is also my boss) or appear as if I’m exerting some kind of authority over her that I don’t have. Most of us shy away from addressing the issues because she’s moody and resentful enough as it is. I’m simply looking to get more value when we do have to collaborate on something. Our small department needs all hands on deck and I’m unsure of who should (and how to) approach this.

Ways to Deal with Low Performer You Don’t Manage

If this is someone who you rely on to complete your own work, and if she’s impacting your ability to do your job well, then you need to say something. And note that that says “need,” not “could.” You actually have an obligation to address issues when they’re getting in the way of your work.

In general in situations like this, you should start by talking to the person herself, and if that doesn’t resolve the problem, then you take it to someone with more authority – your boss or hers (who in this case are conveniently the same person).

So talk to her. Tell her specifically what you need that you’re not getting. For instance, if you’re having trouble getting client billing histories from her, say something like, “Jane, I’m having trouble getting client billing histories from you. Is there a better way for me to ask you for this type of thing? I need to be able to get it without a lot of back and forth, and if there’s something I should be doing differently on my end to make that happen, let me know.”  Or, “Jane, I’ve noticed that I often end up following up with you about emailed requests because I don’t receive a response the first time. It’s holding up my ability to move forward with my work, so I wonder if you’d be able to get back to me more quickly on this kind of thing.”

If the problem continues after that, you could go back to her for one more try (“Jane, like we talked about last month, I need to receive replies to my emails so that my projects don’t stall”) to show her that you’re not going to be stop pressing for what you need regardless of what roadblocks she puts up, or you can jump to your boss at that point.

And you will need to talk to your boss if this keeps up. Good managers want to know about problems like this, and they won’t necessarily realize how much you’re being impacted unless you tell them. If your efforts to resolve the problem yourself haven’t worked, then the problem is one for your boss to handle. Let her know what’s happening, with clear and specific examples, and let her take it from there.

When to Take it Up Directly with the Boss

One final note: While I’m a big believer in starting by talking to people directly, if you know that realistically you’re just not likely to take it up with Jane herself because she’s so difficult, then go straight to your boss — and explain that you haven’t addressed it directly with Jane because you don’t feel comfortable raising sensitive issues when she’s already hostile and resentful. But don’t let your discomfort dealing with Jane become a reason to say nothing.

Do you have problems with a low performing colleague?  Tell us how you dealt with them in the comment section below.

According to Tribe HR’s new Pay Raise Index, women received more pay raises than men during the first nine months of 2012, but men earned larger pay raises. TribeHR analyzed salary and workplace recognition (“kudos”) data from 20,000 employees at 2,200 small to medium-sized companies between Q1-Q3 2012, and found that, 7.4 percent of women received raises while only 6.2 percent of men received raises.

Overall, the Index reported that average salary increase for employees at small and medium-sized businesses grew by almost 11 percent between Q1 and Q3 2012. The size of the average salary raise grew from 8 percent in Q1, to 13 percent in Q2, but then dropped to 11 percent in Q3.

Peer Recognition: An Under-the-Radar Influencer

More interestingly, however, the study also examined the correlation between salary increases and employees who had received documented recognition for a job well done. It found that 85 percent of documented recognition was given by peers, and that employees who received recognition from peers were two to three times more likely to earn a pay raise.

So it’s recognition from peers rather than recognition from managers that matters most.  Go figure.  In any case, it has always been important to purposefully raise the visibility of your terrific contributions within the organization.  But given this new information, it’s now essential.  If you want a raise this year or next, it’s up to you to document as much positive feedback from your peers as possible.

Collecting the Goods

There are a few ways to do this.  The simplest is to collect any e-mailed or handwritten thank you or kudos notes you receive from colleagues or clients.  Store them in a folder to be shared with your manager – ideally before your next performance review.  The next step is to respond proactively to positive feedback you receive verbally.

For instance, if a colleague tells you that you saved her life and her project would never have survived without your help, ask her if she’d mind communicating that sentiment in writing.  If you know her well, you might also consider asking her to send you an e-mail in which she copies your boss.

Additionally, there are several online services that allow you to solicit peer comments on how well you’ve achieved your goals.  One such offering is Work.com, or the product that resulted from the merger of Rypple with SalesForce.com.  If your organization does not have such a system already, it’s worth bringing up.  Not only will it benefit you personally, but it will enhance your reputation as someone who is striving to improve the overall performance of the organization.

Finally, if your company or field has internal or external award competitions, always apply or better yet, get a colleague to nominate you.  Even if the award does not come with financial compensation, it will boost your resume and, if the Pay Raise Index is correct, will be likely to lead to a raise in the future.

Since the company’s HR department spent a lot of time and money developing a new employee survey, Olivia decided to be honest when she received it.  The intention seemed earnest enough, after all, and Olivia thought her feedback would help the company reach its goal of increased employee engagement.

In the comments section of the survey, Olivia noted the lack of empowerment among junior staff as well as the overly critical eye of management.  She cited examples of inconsistent expectations and unkept promises.

Although the survey was not anonymous, Olivia never imagined she would be called out for being insubordinate.  She received a “talking to” from her boss as well as her Group Head and was treated like a naughty child until the situation was so intolerable Olivia felt she had to leave.

The Truth?  You Can’t Handle the Truth!

It’s tempting to use company evaluations, your own performance reviews, or others’ performance reviews to express your true opinions about the organization or its people.  I urge you to use discretion, because blatant honest comments – especially when your feedback is negative – can wreck havoc on your career if they fall into the wrong hands.

Even if a survey is technically anonymous, it can often be traced to you if each employee is provided with her own URL, and your candidness could come back to haunt you.  Employers may say that they value your opinion, but the hard truth is, sometimes they simply want you to tell them how great things are.

Always Be Constructive

If you genuinely feel that your organizational culture is one that supports growth and change and that you can share criticism without being penalized for it, then make sure you are unwaveringly constructive in your comments.  Read over your feedback two or three times to ensure that everything you say is motivated by your concern for the company, not concern for yourself.

In the Exit Interview, You DO Have Something to Lose

Even if you’re leaving the company and are in the midst of an exit interview, you should dial it down.  As I said in a post last year on leaving your job gracefully, stick to official business as much as possible, and if you must provide criticism of any kind, proceed with tact and caution.  Please do not complain about the company’s difficult personalities and insufferable policies.  Having the last word is not a good enough reason to risk ruining the good reputation you built with that company, or to close the door on any opportunities to work with that organization in the future.

On his blog, Bruce recently shared this scenario:

At a major food conglomerate, summer interns are usually given an assignment, such as a big data-entry project, that they can complete during the course of their summer employment.  An executive there shared with me the story of one of his latest interns.  On the first day, she announced she had invented a new cereal. She had a box, complete with artwork and a bag of her cereal inside, that she called her ‘prototype.’ Clearly she had gone to great lengths, including the recipe and nutritional information and preparing a slide show. She wanted to know when she would be able to pitch her idea to senior executives. “The sooner the better,” she said.

Here’s my question: what would you do if you were this intern’s manager?

If you are a member of Gen Y yourself, you probably admire the intern’s enthusiasm and initiative but at the same time realize that she has no idea how products are actually developed in the organization.  There is a lengthy and complex process involved that can’t be circumvented because a twenty-one year-old college student has an idea.

For this reason, if you are a Baby Boomer or Gen X-er, you are probably annoyed at the whole situation.

Deliver Measured Feedback

In my opinion, the right way to handle this is to praise the intern for all of the forethought and preparation she has given to her summer job.  Then, you must explain exactly what her responsibilities will be, as well as the protocol for working within the organization.

Talk through how her tasks should be accomplished, giving her the freedom to be creative within certain boundaries.  Encourage her to use her unique expertise and talents to make a difference one small step at a time.  Make sure she goes away with an understanding of the big picture, and with the feeling that her duties will be meaningful and will add value to the company’s operations.

When it comes to this cereal prototype in particular, work with her to share the idea in a way that will be most easily accepted in the company culture.  For instance, maybe there is an in-house innovation committee she can approach, or a general product development inbox for employee ideas.

Keep the Door Open

You do not want to chastise her for overstepping her bounds, or dismiss the cereal project outright.  Not only will this alienate the intern and render her unproductive and sullen for the rest of the summer, but word of your bureaucratic smackdown will travel in this group of interns and possibly to future prospective interns as well.

Offer Other Networking and Learning Opportunities

It will certainly be motivating to give her an opportunity to meet senior executives, though again, you must educate her on specific dos and don’ts (and a lengthy presentation on a new cereal is probably among the don’ts).  Frame this guidance by saying that you just want to help her make the best possible impression.  It’s also a good idea to set up meetings with superstar employees in different areas of product development who can mentor her in this area of interest.

In summary, younger Gen Y-ers may think they are ready to run your company right away.  More often than not, they have terrific ideas and bring a much-needed fresh perspective, but don’t understand who/what is involved or the best way to communicate their point of view.  Give them a gentle reality check while supporting their eagerness to learn and do great work.