The Tribune

Millennials and younger generations of leaders are increasingly finding themselves managing departments with older persons serving under them. Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generations ‘X’ and ‘Y’, and Millennials are all still actively engaged in the workplace, and sometimes have great difficulty in finding common ground. Communication between these generations poses a great challenge, which is exacerbated when the leader is younger than other staff.

One of the first things the young leader must ask, as he or she attempts to supervise older persons, is: ‘How can I earn the respect, and get ‘buy-in’, from those who do not always enjoy getting direction from a leader who was (in some cases) as old as their own children?’

Managing older generations at work requires patience, the ability to listen carefully, and the knowledge that you must learn the old ways of doing things before you can apply your new ideas. What older generations find disrespectful is when young leaders abandon the ‘old’ ideas without having a clear reference point. A new path must be clearly accepted as a more efficient way of doing business.

Older persons have seen youthful zeal many times during their careers and, in most cases, they sit by idly waiting for the fire and passion to wear off. They snicker under their breath and anticipate the crash. For this reason, young managers must quickly become great leaders. There are any number of ways for the young leader to accomplish this. Here are a few of these ideas:

1. Eliminate the hierarchy, become just another member of the team, and help get things done. They must see that you are not concerned with being the big boss.

2. Build relationships, earn trust and allow your leadership to rise organically. The rapport you have with each team member is crucial to their liking you and wanting to work with you.

3. Respect the experience that older persons bring to the table, and use them frequently as a point of reference. Older generations want you to respect their ideas and ideals. Get to know them on a personal level and extend social invites to them as often as you can

4. Use the appropriate courtesies and manners that the generation in question is accustomed to. Formal addressing and interactions is often the standard, and it is best to remain in this lane.
   

5. Be an active listener and learner, and watch the behaviours and actions of older team members. Know their ways of working, and be certain to acknowledge the lessons learned from these older colleagues by applying what they have taught you.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.