{"id":39085,"date":"2014-08-14T10:02:29","date_gmt":"2014-08-14T10:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=39085"},"modified":"2014-08-14T07:45:02","modified_gmt":"2014-08-14T07:45:02","slug":"what-to-do-when-your-boss-is-younger-than-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=39085","title":{"rendered":"What to do when your boss is younger than you"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There are always going to be challenges associated with generational differences in the workplace, but some people find dealing with a younger boss to be especially difficult. If you\u2019re older than your boss, here are some things you should keep in mind.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Show Some Respect<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the most important things to remember when your boss is younger than you is to show respect, says Robin Throckmorton, president of Strategic HR Inc. \u201cWhile he or she may be younger, they wouldn\u2019t be in this role if someone didn\u2019t feel they had a lot to offer the role, even if you disagree.\u201d<\/p>\n

While it can be easy to think, \u201cmy kids are younger than you\u201d or \u201cbefore you were even born, we\u2026\u201d Throckmorton says if you show respect for your boss, you\u2019ll get it in return.<\/p>\n

Be Flexible and Cooperative<\/strong><\/p>\n

Keeping an open mind and staying flexible about how things get done at the office are important when there\u2019s an age difference between you and your boss, says Paul Bernard of Paul Bernard and Associates. \u201cFor example, you may be used to a lot of face-to-face meeting time, but your boss may prefer to handle a lot of his communications via text or instant messenger,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon’t balk at this — you’ll come across as stubborn and old-fashioned. Instead, try to align yourself as best you can with your boss’s management style. You might find that there are some real advantages to doing things differently.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bernard then recommends trying to figure out how you can complement your boss’ strengths. \u201cYour boss may be a mobile content maven but might need help navigating office politics or be able to use some historical context about your company and how things are typically done. If you can find a way to make your younger boss more successful, you’ll help not only him\/her but yourself as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Remember Age Is Just a Number<\/strong><\/p>\n

An age difference can be a distraction, so try not to focus on it, says Kelly Hadous of Win The Room. \u201cDon’t pay attention to your boss’s age! Age doesn’t matter as long as your boss provides good leadership and strong guidance, and brings passion and motivation into the company and the team. Ride along with your boss; if you share the same willingness to grow the company and move the team forward, everything will just be fine, and age won’t matter.<\/p>\n

Communicate<\/strong><\/p>\n

No matter how old your boss is, it\u2019s important to ensure you\u2019re on the same page, and that requires clear communication. \u201cEarly on set a time to speak with your younger boss regarding expectations, style, and role clarity,\u201d says Scott Span of Tolero Solutions. \u201cAsk their preferred way of communication and delivery of requirements. Boomers and Millennials need to continue to dialogue, build trust, to put stereotypes to rest to maximize performance.”<\/p>\n

Focus on the Organization<\/strong><\/p>\n

You and your boss are a team, and you\u2019re working to help build your department, division or company. \u201cKeep focused on the vision of the company or division for which you’re working, and praise alignment,\u201d says business coach Wayne Pernell. \u201cYou get more of what you focus on and being focused on a bigger picture can interrupt the internal monologue stemming from generational differences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Be Sensitive<\/strong><\/p>\n

It can be hard to avoid holding forth with the wisdom you\u2019ve accumulated over the years, but you should try. \u201cRefrain from behaviors that drive younger generations crazy,\u201d says Tammy Hughes, CEO of Claire Raines Associates and international speaker and consultant on generational issues. \u201cAvoid comparing your manager to your son or daughter. Don\u2019t act like a know-it-all. Nip cynicism and sarcasm in the bud.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Source: Yahoo<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are always going to be challenges associated with generational differences in the workplace, but some people find dealing with a younger boss to be especially difficult. If you\u2019re older than your boss, here are some things you should keep in mind. Show Some Respect One of the most important things to remember when your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":39086,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[51],"class_list":["post-39085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-ports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39085"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39085\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/39086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}