Multigenerational teams have given leaders cause to pause for review of their management styles, tools and techniques. It is no secret workforce changes have prompted a revisit of everything from training delivery to employee benefits to leadership development. What worked for the baby-boomer generation doesn’t necessarily work for Generation X, millennials or Generation Z.
Leaders across the board are challenged with assembling and managing teams whose varying skills and experience create an ultimate opportunity at success. The question becomes, how can leaders add tools for the team and lead the way to maximize synergy, productivity and success? How can leaders bridge the gap between generations while executing the organization’s plan for success?
Psychologist Abraham Maslow has been credited with the phrase, “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Of course, if there is only one tool in the toolbox, there is a high probability it will be overused. Case in point, a senior executive client recently asked for possible solutions to a management conundrum involving a recently promoted older manager, who admittedly had limited experience with multigenerational teams. His management style was directive-based and he tended to approach younger team members like a hammer. Pushback or questions from the team were viewed as rebellion and a direct assault on his authority. My client’s goal was to impactfully direct a change in process without damage to an otherwise valuable employee.
The key was to add tools of adaptation to the manager’s toolkit. First, we began by analyzing several applicable components of leadership and noted any deficiency.
Dimension: Good leaders are multidimensional and value high-quality interactions with the team. They value and respect those who mirror them and those with whom they differ. In this case, the manager was not open to hearing from team members unlike himself.
Diversity: Good leaders recognize the power in diversity of people, talents, insights and enthusiasm. A McKinsey analysis found there is an existing correlation between diversity and company success. The definition of diversity is expansive and includes characteristics such as age, background, experience, cognitive style and language. This manager did not recognize the value of team diversity and its impact on the bottom line.
Conversation, Collaboration And Feedback: Millennials and Gen Z employees prefer to be supported by openly sharing ideas with team members. They feel most engaged and productive when conversation and collaboration flow freely. They value constructive feedback. The older manager managed with his one tool, the hammer, and failed to recognize his team was made up of more than nails.
Next, my client scheduled a series of coaching sessions for the manager. Over the next four weeks, the manager worked with me for one hour per week. Here’s how we addressed each deficiency.
Expansion: I coached to expand past "it’s the way I was taught and the way it’s always been done." We role-played past confrontational situations and practiced reframing verbiage. During our sessions, an underlying issue came to light. He was uncertain how to manage in a diverse and rapidly changing work environment and fearful to admit it. To bolster his knowledge and confidence, I suggested print and online reading materials related to human resources and people management.
Correction And Change: After talking through several specific situations, he admitted his way was not the only way to get from start to finish. Going forward, he committed to listening to team ideas while striving toward the end goal. Daily team briefing sessions were scheduled to address questions and feedback.
Connection: Team success is grounded in the connection between manager and team members. To begin, he scheduled brief one-on-one chat sessions, purposed to develop a personal relationship with each team member. He arranged and participated in small group mentoring sessions, designed to give each team member the opportunity to mentor in his or her specialty.
Lastly, we measured success.
The manager reported marked improvement in team enthusiasm, synergy and production. During this four-week period, each team member showed up every day ready to work, explore and grow. Productivity increased and projects were routinely ahead of schedule. Team members engaged more freely with the manager and expressed appreciation for his willingness to trust their abilities. To keep the momentum going, the senior executive decided to make coaching sessions available to all team members.
Most people inherently have the desire to succeed. Finding and overcoming the roadblocks to success is paramount to reaching goals and objectives. In this case, we were able to quickly move forward because the manager was willing to immediately make the needed changes. At the end of our four weeks, the manager shared two revelations: uncertainty and fear can be overcome, and on many levels, we are all the same. I completely agree -- goal accomplished.
