Is there anyway for young supervisors to get along with older subordinates?

Question

I just turned 26 years old,and most of my staff has children my age. They don't like the fact that i've been promoted over them. Anyone else experience this. advice/help?

Answer 1

Hello!! I'm home sick today. But Yes!!! I have to deal with this all the time. I'm 25 I'm a manager & the youngest person at my work.

You have balance respect for your elders along with doing your job. You can not be a push over. I don't know what you do. But here are somethings that help me. I always listen to everything someone says/suggests, I pay attention to whats going on in the office, I'm always curtsy & show my elders the up most respect, open doors for the ladies ext..., however when I say something needs to be done it gets done. If it is not done I want an accounting for what happened & how come it wasn't completed. It took a LONG time for them to adjust to me. I actually ended up having to fire two people that wouldn't do things how I asked them to do them or show respect for my authority. After that everyone did there job but it was a crap work environment it took a while for people to trust me, and realize that I wasn't out to get them & I wasn't some control freak. Now I have an amazing team FULL OF WISDOM; who trust me!! And we run together like a well oiled machine. But I'll tell you what that first year was tough. And I cried myself to sleep more then once.

You might have the skills for your position, but keep in mind your staff has loads more experience then you do. Listen to what they have to say & take there suggestions BUT DO NOT allow them to walk all over you. It's a hard balance. But you'll get it in time. Sorry if this is convoluted cold medicine makes me very loopy!

Answer 2

Depends how you got the job. Just because someone has been doing something a long time or has a lot of experience does not mean they will be a good supervisor. If they were qualified they would have your job and you would never have been hired. That is unless you got the job through nepotism or the good old boy network. If you got the job that way, they will always resent you no matter how good you are. They will always feel you did not earn it. I am 37 and a VP in a billion dollar corporation. I worked my way to the top from the bottom. I have fired a lot of old timers because their performance and attitude were bringing everyone down due to their sense of entitlement. I also have the owners son working for me. He's a poor employee at best but one of my regional managers(a position that took me 8 yrs to get and that he started at straight out of college). I resent that he has this job and so do my direct reports. You are running a business. A good manager figures out how to get the most out of an employee. If they refuse to work for you, either fire them or move them to another position in the company that they can do if they are salvagable.

Answer 3

If your subordinates have so much more experience than you do, then it is an interesting question: WHY did you get promoted over them? Usually, seniority in rank goes, or should go, with seniority in experience. Apparently, an exception was made in your case, and, also apparently, some of your staff believe that the exception was inappropriate.

How, may I ask, was your competence for management assessed? Did your "scores" in that assessment really outstrip those of each of your present subordinates. Or was THEIR competence even measured? For that matter, were YOU measured? How? Did you actually come by your present position because you were the most suited to have it, or were other considerations involved?

While it is true that experience at a job and leadership ability are not the same things, experience certainly is a plus for someone in a middle management position. It helps to know the job yourself, since that lets you show the ropes to new workers and helps you sort them out in rough order of ability. If you don't have experience, you're vulnerable to fast talkers and politickers and tricksters of every sort.

So either you're a MUCH better leader than anyone else, enough better that it makes good for your shortfall in experience, or else some factor other than your worthiness was used in your advancement.

And, somehow, I doubt that you are such a great leader as this. Have you ever actually met a natural leader? I have. He's a man who you want to work for, who you want to serve, so much that you'd consider doing it without pay if you could afford to. You don't necessarily love this guy, but you can't help but respect him. He's one man out of a million men, and I've been privileged to work for such as he, once in my life. If you were like him, there would be no resentment, nor any doubts about your worthiness to hold your position.

Do you even know the difference between the FOCUS of trouble and the CAUSE of it? They're not the same things, and too-quickly-jumped-up bosses cause harm for years because they do not understand that difference. Let me clue you in. Once in a while, you will (probably by accident on your part) hire a worker who has an unusual level of talent. That talent probably will become apparent to his coworkers several weeks before it becomes apparent to you. Fearing to be put in the shade, again (ahem), some of the coworkers will conspire to make it seem as if the superstar new guy is a troublemaker. Each of them will contrive a different complaint and bring it to you. If you're not wise to the kind of game being played, you will be tricked into getting rid of your most talented worker.

Although I don't know the details of the situation, I suggest the possibility that moral considerations should persuade you to quit your job, lest you be a willing party to whatever corruption made you the senior in rank to those who are your better in experience.

Answer 4

It can be tricky based on the personalities and attitudes of your staff. Try to connect with them, get their opinions and make fair choices. You don't say what type of business we're talking about so it's difficult to give detailed ideas.

If you don't know them by their first names, learn. Delegate some authority when you are able to. Be sure to recognize their accomplishments in some way shape or form. If you are on good terms with any of them, talk about it and see what kind of feedback you get.

If it really becomes an issue, talk to your supervisor. Unless you've got real resentment, they should adjust to your leadership in a few weeks.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

I've been there. I am 24 and was promoted to Controller a year ago. The best thing you can do is be friendly, but not their friend. Be firm, lead by example, work hard and soon people will learn to respect you. It may take a while, but just keep doing your job, delegate and follow up.

Answer 6

I seem to attract them all. Old, young, my own age and even the opposite sex come on to me. I mostly agree with you about the age thing. Twice or half your own age is ridiculous. My first husband was 14 years older than me and my second husband was 14 months older. There was too much age difference with 14 years; especially because I was 18 and he was 32 when we met. It was kind of fun watching everyone snicker or be shocked at the age difference though. i went to pick him up from jail (lovely) and the guard gets on the phone and tells them to send my husband down because there was a little girl there claiming to be his wife. LOL In the 14 months age difference; there wasn't enough of a difference. Women mature faster than men and this guy was REALLY immature. Plus we we were from dissimilar backgrounds so there just too many issues and differences. I was engaged to a guy ten years younger than my mom, but he died. Now I am going out with someone who is six and a half years younger than me. I guess I really have no consistency with my relationships. Some people say that age doesn't matter, but I think it does. Think about the astrological factors: The slower moving planets which affect generations will bring different importance to the people in that particular generation; which is usually around a decade. Partners with ten years age difference are likely to have little in common as far as political issues, music, style, etc. I feel weird when I date someone younger than me. I liked this one guy but he was 8 years younger. It was weird enough having sexual stuff starting to happen so i had to break it before it became serious. So I guess I prefer closer to my own age, but I seem to attract older guys or I am attracted to older guys more....

Answer 7

being an old guy myself I can say that you can be a great supervisor. a really good supervisor knows how to bring forth leadership by letting the person you are leading think they came up with the pathway to what ever you are trying to do. And then tasking them with the responsibility to discharge that task. when they do discharge that task don't ever take credit for it yourself but celebrate it with them. you will grow on these people if you can master this part also you may want to look up a method of leadership known as servant leadership it works very good!

hope this helps

D

Answer 8

If you want their respect, you will have to earn it, and that takes time. Be courteous, don't be cocky, and do NOT assume that because you are the supervisor it means that they don't know anything. Make any changes gradually, and with consideration for the existing pecking order (and don't think that there ISN'T one). Listening and communication will go a long way toward making things work smoothly.

Answer 9

The only way you will ever get along is if you prove to all of them that you deserve to be in the postion you are (which just happens to be above them). They will respect your ideas and requests way more if they see that you know your stuff and work hard! They might give you a hard time to start, and it will take a bit for you to prove yourself, but it will come.

Answer 10

Absolutely. You get respect by earning it. First thing to do is speak with each person individually. Tell them that this is your first supervisory position and you would appreciate their advice based on their experience. Ask them for any suggestions they may have, look at them honestly and directly, shake their hand and thank them for their support. Everyone just needs to be appreciated and valued.