Abiola Salami is a performance strategist (CHAMP) providing valuable insights to high-performing professionals, entrepreneurs & politicians.
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One of the realities of today's world of work is that sometimes people end up working with a much younger boss. While it is true that age itself should not be a limiting factor, it's unhelpful to ignore the cultural issues, personal biases and practical concerns that may arise when you are older than your boss.
For example, you may have conflicting perspectives on certain issues, especially if the age difference amounts to a generation gap. Another concern is the fact that your boss may not have sufficient experience to support your career development. In an employee survey conducted by Olivet Nazarene University, it was discovered that 36% of Baby Boomers have quit their job because of a Millennial boss, manager or colleague, and 52% have experienced age discrimination at work.
However, working with a younger boss does not have to be a problem; it can actually be an advantage if you focus on building an effective working relationship that will empower you to not only fulfill the company’s objectives but also facilitate the achievement of your personal goals.
You can apply the following practical tips to further create a positive experience regardless of the age difference between you and your boss.
1. Be open-minded.
Many of the expectations you may have about working with a younger boss can be traced to mental stereotypes and the experiences of other people whose situations may be quite different from yours.
When you embrace these preconceived ideas, they can become self-fulfilling prophecies, thereby confirming your biases. Be open-minded enough to discard perceptions that are not founded in reality, and adopt a new perspective that looks beyond the age difference.
Asking questions can be a powerful way to build rapport with your boss while also creating opportunities to achieve mutual understanding through shared experience.
2. Make your experience count.
Young bosses may be more innovative and tech-savvy in some cases, but when they're new to an organization, they may also be less knowledgeable about navigating the complex web of relationships and other intricacies of the workplace.
Make your wealth of knowledge and experience available to your boss. For example, you could provide practical advice on issues related to company culture, customer preferences and other areas where your experience puts you in a position to help. Be deliberate about doing this with tact and not in a patronizing manner.
3. Maintain professional boundaries.
It is not unusual for older people to subconsciously assume the role of a senior relative when working with younger bosses. But this will only put both of you in an awkward situation, and it could have dire consequences for your career.
As much as you may seek to help your boss with your knowledge and experience, keep the interactions professional. As with any work colleague, avoid giving unsolicited advice on issues like dating and marriage, raising children and other matters that are not work-related. Your role in your relationship with your boss is that of a collaborator, not a mentor, except when specifically requested.
4. Understand your boss's strengths and weaknesses.
Younger bosses are likely to have a more favorable disposition to technology and a better sense of current trends. They may also tend to have an entrepreneurial spirit that can make them creative and more willing to take risks, which can lead to successful innovations as well as some failures for the company.
Younger bosses may also have less experience in managing people, which means that they may need your help in honing their interpersonal skills.
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your boss will help you have guided expectations so that you can respond to situations appropriately instead of reacting on the spur of the moment.
5. Upgrade your skill set.
Continuous improvement is one of the factors that distinguish peak performers, and this becomes even more helpful when working with younger bosses.
Having many years of experience does not necessarily translate to having the right set of skills to satisfactorily deliver on your job responsibilities. It is important for you to stay abreast of developments in your industry and go the extra mile to fill identified skill gaps, including technical and peak performance skills.
Experience has shown that leadership, communication, conflict resolution, problem-solving, critical thinking, emotional intelligence and social skills enable clients to create a positive work experience while also delivering peak performance. Your relationship with younger bosses will significantly improve as you continually expose yourself to relevant training and resources that will help you develop relevant soft skills.
6. Separate results from preferences.
Your younger boss may have a work style that is so different from yours that it makes you uncomfortable.
For example, an older employee may prefer to take meeting notes with pen and paper, which they later type up on their laptop, print out and distribute in hard copy to relevant team members. Their younger boss, on the other hand, may prefer to use a note-taking app and share the document through electronic communication channels like Slack, Google Drive and email.
One approach is not necessarily better than the other. As long as the desired results are achieved, everyone should be free to adopt the approach that works best for them without compromising operational standards.
Final Words
The world of work is changing rapidly, especially with the evolution of the hybrid workplace that has removed geographical barriers to accessing talent. One of the natural consequences of this shift is that we will often have to work with people who are very different from us.
These differences—especially a difference in age—can be an advantage when approached with the right mindset. As you implement the practical tips that we have discussed, you will find that there is indeed strength in diversity.
If you focus on being your very best and rising to the peak of your career, working with a younger boss can be a significant leverage point and not a problem that you have to worry about.
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