The 43-year-old Gen Xer describes the younger generation as"accused of being entitled and narcissistic,self interested,unfocused and lazy – but entitled is the big one"– blaming the situation on cosseted parenting,technology overload,their own impatience and the current environment.
Mr Sinek's interview,which has been viewed 60 million times,hasdrawn criticismas well as support from Millennials,generally described as beingborn between 1982 and 2004,although definitions do vary.
"It touched a nerve,"he said."For a lot of people people who lead millennials,it gave them some insight. The overwhelming majority of Millennials said:'Thank you,we feel understood.'That was very heartening."
The British-born,US-based management guru,who will be inAustralia for a speaking tour next month,said business leaders constantly asked him for advice on guiding Millennials in the workplace where they were a growing force.
"The most important thing is to practice empathy,"he said."Leaders have to be supportive of Millennials because they are unbelievably misunderstood. Leaders can't say:'I just need them to work.'That's irresponsible."
The problem,as Mr Sinek saw it,lay with bosses rather than the Millennials,who were expected to represent an estimated50 per cent of the global workforce by 2020.