For the last 5 summers, I’ve given our interns the same assignment on their first day. Not one person has completed it.
Go home and watch Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead. First person to watch it wins an awesome prize from me. Let’s just say, there was no “Right on Top of that Rose” response to this ask.
Now, it’s not lost on me that I am a mom… who employs babysitters. So naturally, these college kids probably think I’m assigning some cute movie about kids or family or responsibility. I DO always clarify that the movie has absolutely nothing to do with children. I also tell them, spoiler alert, the babysitter is dead. And yes, I have even suggested that the interns (of legal age, of course) may enjoy the movie with something that will make them giggle.
Not ONE intern has watched it. Not one.
Not only that, but none of our GenZ Branded employees have either.
This came up over dinner recently with my college aged niece, her boyfriend (side note: who will be one of our interns this summer on our Capital team), and my brother and sister in law. My sister in law (a GenX) was enraged on my behalf. She could not comprehend how someone could be “assigned” something by their boss and not go home and immediately do it. Which then turned into a whole conversation about generational differences and how differently Millennials and older generations were wired around leadership, assignments, hierarchy, curiosity, follow through, etc.
Because I do think a lot of us grew up with the mindset that if your boss, teacher, mentor, coach, etc. told you to watch a movie, read a book, listen to a podcast, you did it. Immediately….because clearly there was a reason. Maybe there was a lesson in it. Maybe it was a reference point. Maybe it was culture. Maybe it was just a way to connect.
(Sidebar, my love for this cult classic goes so deep that I’ve even posted this photo above the office sink as a reminder to put your dishes in the dishwasher. I clean enough dishes at home that I try not to be the office mom too.)
So what’s my point? College graduations are happening, school is out for summer. Internships are beginning. The people early in their careers who stand out most are usually the ones who lean in a little harder. The ones who are curious. The ones who follow the thread. The ones who do the “extra” thing that technically wasn’t required. While I know that this is more of a social assignment than an actual job requirement and their performance will not ultimately be judged by not completing the Marketing girl’s evening assignment… not completing it is something I won’t forget.
Will our summer’s interns will finally take me up on my offer? I’m not going to hold my breath. And while I’m not going to spoil the prize for watching the movie, let’s just say not completing it deserves its own Pretty Woman moment:
“BIG mistake. BIG. BIG mistake.”
Also, if you’ve never seen Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead… please correct this immediately.
