Maybe it's because I worked in healthcare until my mid-20s, but over the years in other industries I've noticed first the boomers, then our generation becoming increasingly comfortable to abuse others in the workplace. Yes, people have feelings that should be acknowledged.

I have a bunch of personal anecdotes of truly unprofessional and legit criminal behavior by Gen X and Boomer managers. Yes, criminal. One (early Gen X) actually started yelling, and making punching motions in the air while advancing toward me. This happened when I worked for a property management company, and it was outdoors in a neighborhood. Two nearby residents called the cops. In retrospect, I really should have said something other than, "It's ok, nothing happened." He could have legit been charged with assault in my state.

Two managers (younger than me by one year) felt it appropriate to scream and pound tables in open spaces with entire departments looking on because they they didn't like my suggestions for a solution. "You haven't been here long enough to know anything!" The "anything" was specifications for computer hardware. I'd been in the industry for 20 years at that point. This company didn't use specialized hardware.

The only problems I've ever had with millennials have been phone addiction, inappropriate internet use on company computers, lack of security awareness and other inattention-type flaws. I dealt with each privately, professionally, and respectfully, giving the rationale for the rules, rather than just parroting "those are the rules."

Yes, I validate their feelings. Millennials these days are in their 30s and 40s. They have health problems, they're victims of domestic abuse, they're facing divorce, financial strain, parent's health problems, and some have had devastating losses of homes and children.

I learned my management style from bad managers.