Leadership consultant Simon Sinek has been told that millennials – people born after 1982 – are 'entitled, narcissistic, self-interested, unfocused and lazy' - but he believes it is not their fault.

The author's response to the 'millennial question' on Inside Quest 'broke the internet' after he revealed why many young people may display the undesirable qualities listed by their bosses.

He explained millennials grew up in an environment where 'every child wins a prize' only to find the 'real world' after school is much different.

Scroll down for video

Simon Sinek - pictured - became an internet sensation for his answer to the millennial question

Sinek explained millennials are used to 'instant gratification' because of how they were brought up (stock image)

Where they were told they were special all the time, they were told they could have anything they want in life just because they want it.

'Some of them got into honours classes, not because they deserved it, but because their parents complained,' Mr Sinek said.

'And some of them got As not because they deserved them, but because teachers didn't want to deal with the parents.

'(They were) thrust into the real world and in an instant, they find out they're not special, their mums can't get them a promotion. And by the way, you can't just have it because you want it.'

The 43-year-old Englishman said he researched millennials after constantly being asked by business-leader for help dealing with them at work.

'People would say they were struggling with their millennials at work,' he said.

The leadership consultant says millennials need to be treated differently to other generations because they were brought up in an 'every child wins a prize' environment

The millennial question segment was uploaded to Youtube in October 29 and soon went viral – attracting more than three million views (stock image)

The conclusion Mr Sinek came to in the video was that because millennials had been dealt 'a bad hand' with their upbringing and business leaders need to nurture them in the corporate environment.

The millennial question segment was uploaded to Youtube in October 29 and soon went viral – attracting more than three million views.

His answer to the controversial millennial question also outlined social media and instant gratification as a problem with the young generation.

He says using social media constantly can be compared with having an addiction to alcohol, cigarettes or gambling.

He says using social media constantly can be compared with having an addiction to alcohol, cigarettes or gambling (stock image)

While alcohol, gambling and smoking all have age restrictions using a mobile phone does not (stock image)

He said dopamine is released from the brain when people interact with each other on online platforms – making it addictive and insisted if people are checking their phones before saying hello to their partners they 'have a problem'.

While alcohol, gambling and smoking all have age restrictions using a mobile phone does not.

'It is the equivalent to opening up liquor cabinets – by the way this adolescence thing – if it gets you down…

'Too many kids don't know how to form deep meaning relationships.

'In times of stress they're not turning to a person turning to a device, temporary relief.'

The author now has more than 283,000 followers on Twitter and is touring Australia and New Zealand with The Growth Faculty in March to share his ideas.