This article is a must read for anyone ever doubted of their skills, knowledge and expertise, because of their age. As a young professional myself I feel like I’m constantly running into this issue. At age 22 I was managing a team of 10 as an assistant manager of a retail bank and every day I had to prove myself and my abilities to successfully operate a branch. The article discusses six reasons why younger managers perform better than their more experienced, older counterparts. Many assume that a veteran leader would be more effective at their role, but the data presented in a Harvard Business Review proves the contrary.
- Welcome change: The author found that younger leaders embrace change and are successful at marketing their new ideas.
My 2 cents: This past summer I was unfortunate to be a part of an exhausting project (mostly frustrating due to its poor execution) and I wasn’t afraid to make recommendations and suggestions. The management team was very much opposed to implementing any new ideas, because they are very much stuck in what seems like the Stone Age of Project Management. A younger leader might have been more optimistic about innovative proposals and encouraged creativity.
- Inspiring Behavior: Older colleagues more often lead with a “push” rather than a “pull” approach. Younger managers know how to engage their employees and inspire greater effort and excitement about production.
My 2 cents: Back in my retail banking days I had the privilege to work for a younger, vibrant manager. I enjoyed her management style as the incorporated contests and games to motivate the team to not only meet, but exceed our sales goals. She wasn’t afraid to try new methods to stimulate production and as a results she was always ranked amongst the highest performing production managers.
- Receptive to Feedback: younger managers are more open minded to receiving feedback as opposed to their older counterparts. They asked more frequently for performance advice and expected more detailed response.
My 2 cents: I can definitely relate to that statement although I’m not managing employees. I am the youngest in my department and I recall how much longer my annual review meeting took as compared to my co-workers. I probably annoyed my director with my multiple questions, but “you are doing awesome” wasn’t going to cut it for me. I wanted to know details as to where I stack up amongst my peers and what I needed to do to get to that next level.
To read the remaining 3 reasons – continuous improvement, results focused and elevate goals please refer to the article http://www.forbes.com/sites/joefolkman/2015/10/01/6-surprising-reasons-younger-managers-perform-best/print/
Have you experienced working for either a younger or older manager where the discussed characteristics were apparent? Which management style did you find more effective and/or you preferred?
Reference: Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/joefolkman/2015/10/01/6-surprising-reasons-younger-managers-perform-best/
