You know as well as anybody that connecting with millennials can be a Herculean effort. You're not alone. The corporate world has been looking for strategies and techniques to effectively engage with this tech-savvy/always-online generation. An unlikely source of inspiration comes from the world of big-time football. Every year, a new crop of young, high-performing athletes join teams led by older players and coaches. In order for the team to gel quickly, some adaptation needs to take place to make sure the team’s goals resonate with the rookies and veterans alike.

It’s the little things that go a long way. The San Francisco 49ers have restructured meetings to allow their players to get back on their beloved digital devices for a quick status update. One player on the Chicago Bears has taken it upon himself to observe his younger teammates playing video games to get to know them better. At the University of Oregon, the football program has taken a softer approach to getting the most out of its young student athletes. It’s all working, too. So take a page from the gridiron playbook and score big with your TXGU kids.