How to lead those who may be older than you.
You've just been promoted. You should be psyched. Trouble is, everyone on your staff is at least ten years older than you, and some are old enough to be your parents. You probably feel overwhelmed, in over your head, and downright scared. But you're not alone. In fact, the younger management ranks are growing. The Department of Labor reports that nearly 12 percent of all those employees aged 20 to 34 hold management positions. So, there are more than 5.2 million of you out there.
Youth-driven high-tech and consumer markets are pushing the trend towards young managers. "There's a strong move away from the seniority system," explains Bruce Tulgan, author of Winning The Talent Wars and president of Rainmaker Thinking, a Connecticut-based consulting firm. "Today, it's about skills and ability." Plus, the rise of ad hoc teams to address short-term projects has propelled many younger workers into supervisory positions.
Learn the Ropes
One of the biggest problems young managers face is lack of experience. Nothing bolsters confidence more than knowing what you're doing. "There's a myth out there that says either you're good at managing people, or you're not," Tulgan says. "No one thinks this about accounting or surgery, but they do about managing."
Nothing commands respect more than competency.
First-time managers should ask their companies for help in becoming effective. "Smart companies will train people," says Neil Stroul, president of Management & Training Innovations, a Virginia-based consulting firm. If your company won't, then Tulgan recommends doing some research yourself by reading books and magazines on management-- and by talking to successful managers.
Co-Opting Talent
Age shouldn't matter, but it does. When twenty- and thirty-somethings are given the reins, it often provokes resentment among older workers. "Older people are going to test young managers," says Stroul. "Take it as a challenge."
There are some practical ways to diffuse tension. First, don't assume you'll have problems. "Don't come in with a chip on your shoulder," Stroul cautions. "There may be some resentment among staff, but ignore it and just do your job. Most employees will forget it."
Next, befriend a select few older workers. "Identify key people and make them your allies," Tulgan adds. "Get their input and the benefit of their experience. They've been around longer and have an institutional memory." Listening to them will earn their respect and create allies for you. Another successful strategy for starting off right is to find a low risk way to affect change. For example, "if the vending machine has been stealing everyone's money. Call the vending company and get a new machine," Tulgan says. "You're instantly a hero."
Manager, Know Thy Job
Nothing commands respect more than competency. "If people see that you can do the job, they're going to accept you as a manager," Tulgan says. But be careful. Confidence and arrogance are two different things. Managers are only as successful as their staff. So, rely on and encourage your employees to excel. "Reward top performers, and talented people will gravitate towards you." On the flipside, avoid downplaying your position, If the company has vested authority in you, seize it. "Don't hold back," Tulgan advises.
"People respect people who can lead," adds Stroul. "Don't apologize for doing your job." In rare cases when you cannot win the employees over, don't hesitate to call them insubordinate. "When that happens, you have to deal with it quickly. Otherwise word will get back to other employees and it's a recipe for disaster," Stroul adds.
Tulgan recommends giving insubordinate employees fair warning, though. "Tell them you consider what they've done a deal-breaker. Then, if they do it again, fire them," he says. "Don't be afraid to get rid of dead wood. As long as they're around, they undermine you and the project."
Stay Focused
Emphasize the work. By doing so, you de-emphasize other problems, like age difference. "Communicate to everyone that there's no room for personal problems," Tulgan says. "That way, everyone is focused on the same goal. Whatever the personal issues may be they aren't being played out at work." If you keep the staff focused on work and deliver results, you're going to succeed.
