Working With A Younger Boss
The occurrence of working for a younger boss used to be very rare, but now it has become much more common to have a younger boss, and this trend is only expected to grow. More and more individuals have begun working well past what was previously thought of as retirement age and many are returning to work in these uncertain economic times.
Working with and for a younger boss presents many challenges that must be addressed and overcome to have a pleasant working environment. In this blog post, you will find the dos and don’ts of working with a younger boss and how to navigate this awkward situation.
Do:
- Support and show respect for the younger manager.
- Learn how to manage up so you will be valued.
- Be open to new ideas, even if untested or recycled.
- Look for mutual mentoring opportunities.
- Be tactful and sensitive in making constructive suggestions for improvement.
- Learn the manager’s communication style – and flex yours if necessary.
- Keep up to date on technology and current software.
Don’t:
- Talk about how things used to be, the good old days.
- Put down ideas.
- Adapt a communication style or interests that seem inauthentic to seem cool.
- Overvalue years of experience.
- Withhold information that will help the younger manager succeed or reject a collaborative style.
Tips:
- Respect experience (this goes both ways)
- Motivations change with age
- Older workers should be given more latitude
- Keep the lines of communication open
- Learn about each different generation
- Adapt to new technologies, use email, etc.
- Don’t compete
- Remain positive
- Stay current and up-to-date on projects, the business, etc.
- Try to learn from each other
- Act like grown ups