Working for Doogie Howser
"What to do when your boss is younger than you?" It’s a question that is surfacing more and more in conversations among the Boomer generation. As those in Generation X assume increasingly senior responsibilities, those who have spent years in the workforce reporting to someone older are now finding themselves supervised by those their children’s ages. Here are five suggestions for making the relationship a success:
1. Keep the situation in perspective. It can be easy to spiral into frustration or depreseion about having younger supervisor. Instead, interpret it as a wake-up call to take stock about how you can better position yourself for the future.
2. Provide support. Just because this person has been put in charge doesn’t mean they know what they’re doing. Look for opportunities to share operational insights which will smooth this transition. If what you share goes unheeded, it’s probably a good idea to back off and learn more about the person’s style and how you two might relate.
3. Refrain from offering advice from you life experience unless requested. If this person is insecure about their authority to begin with, your stories might be interpreted as patronizing or perhaps even an attempt to undermine that authority.
4. Stay clear of the undercurrent that may consume the work environment about this person. This is not a time to participate in gossip or the grapevine. The new person will most certainly know that one exists and will be watching for signs of who is fostering these conversations.
5. After the dust has settled, ask this person about how he or she sees you thriving within the organization. Then listen carefully. In spite of his or her age, this individual might have better contacts within the organization. Rather than resenting this, look for ways to capitalize on it.
Remember, if you’re in your 50s your life’s not over simply because your boss is considerably younger. As most employment relationships continue to evolve from calling to contract, you need to remain vigilant about additional training and opportunities within and without your organization. Going forward, personal versatility is the key.
To better understand the challenges that GenXers face in managing up, visit Managing People Older than Yourself on our FAQ page.
(H)earing Aid for Young and Not-So-Young Hipsters
Forward-thinking companies are looking capitalize on Millennial’s love of alternative jewelry — and future hearing loss. Anticipating the potential need for a generation of music lovers to augment hearing at an earlier age due to having ear buds constantly in their ears, Designaffairs has recently released an ear plug called Deafinite Style that can also serve as a hearing aid. This company’s designers encourage youngsters to embrace their protheses by wearing the aid "like a piece of jewelry, a stylish accessory."
Like their Millennial children, Baby Boomers are also opting for a more modern look in prothetics. Phonak Audeo has an entire line of swank hearing aids orignially targeted for Millennials but are being purchased in droves by aging Baby Boomers.
Four months ago, I hired a new receptionist for my medical practice. A new college graduate, she had a great looking resume, said all the right things, related well with patients, and was referred by a friend. Everything went fine for about 30 days. Then she became restless and started complaining about all the work. She eventually demanded a five dollar per hour raise, which I did not grant. Finally, she asked me to lie about her compensation to a loan company. After I released her, her mother came to pick up her final check and lectured me about how poorly I had treated her daughter. How can I avoid this situation again?
There does seem to be a sense of entitlement among some, but certainly not all, Millennials. This, coupled with an ignorance about the world of work and a lack of understanding about her personal finances probably resulted in the situation you went through. Everyone learns from experience and this has probably taught you to be more circumspect about hiring those fresh out of college. Suspecting that you’re a smaller organization, you might want to consider hiring someone who will bring more experience and wisdom to the job, since every position is more critical to overall success.
If you do find another applicant who presents him- or herself as well as this young lady, I would delve more into that person’s perceptions of the job and whether it will fit with her expectations over time. While you can’t ask about an applicant’s personal finances, it is important to make clear your compensation practices to ensure that this situation does not repeat itself.
Finally, I would make sure to put every applicant, even those referred by friends, through the same rigor. The halo effect of knowing that someone else likes them sometimes obscures our judgement and objectivity. I have been guilty of this myself. Good luck. To read more on this topic, see Redeveloping Work Ethic and Millennial Entitlement on our FAQ page.
Are Your Young People Bringing Their "A" Game?
We hear from supervisors every week about the struggles they face in managing and motivating many employees 25 and younger.
Instead of constantly brainstorming new ideas that inspire and motivate young employees, consider The A Game, a proven solution by Eric Chester, my good friend and colleague. This collaborative workplace program is designed to instill work ethic in teens and young adults.
If you’re a parent, get your kids involved. If you’re an educator, get your school involved. If you’re an employer, provide this program as a part of your orientation to ensure that your people are a leg up on the competition.
On top of all this, you get a discount if you order through us. Click here and use code 80014RW to receive 20% off on all components. This thing is so good, I’m kicking myself for thinking of it first!
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