When the Boss is Younger – healthyblackwoman.com
Happy Thursday!
In today’s changing work dynamics, it is not uncommon for work teams to be extremely diverse, whether in terms of race, gender, and oh yes…the dreaded age factor!
So much so that for many of us corporate sisters entering the corporate arena later in life, transitioning from other industries or returning to the workforce after some time away, it is not uncommon to report to managers much younger than us.
As a result, the traditional hierarchical order of authority, although much obsolete, is disrupted, and without our realizing so, there needs to be some form of a mental adjustment to it on both our part and that of our leaders.
Indeed, reporting to someone much younger, and by the same token, leading an older report, can be threatening to both the manager and the report, whether either party admits to it or not.
From speaking to a few corporate sisters in the same situation, these appear to be some of the main tips to address such a situation at work:
. Build a professional rapport BEFORE getting personal! A strong and focused professional rapport helps avoid many of the personal pitfalls we may tend to fall in at work. It also makes it much easier to recognize and honor the professional boundaries between reports and managers, without the interference of personal differences.
.Avoid making assumptions! One of the personal pitfalls we tend to fall into at work, is when we make assumptions about other people (isn’t is just about the same in pretty much any area of our lives?). Be positive and avoid making “what if” type assumptions about your report and/or manager. Focus on results and professional outcomes instead.
. Be honest! Even at work, it is extremely hard to avoid anything personal. Our personalities, circumstances and lives in general are bound to interfere as part of our work, even if minimally. Be diplomatically honest about some of the challenges you are facing, and offer your honest, constructive opinion when necessary!
How do you handle professional relationships when the boss is mich younger than you?
