“Young men think old men are fools,
but old men know young men are fools.” – George Chapman
For the young executive, the above fifteen words sum up your daily fight. Within that short statement are the three main hurdles you will have to overcome to lead effectively: inexperience, imprudence, and the perception that you have not yet earned the right to be taken seriously.
Fighting the First Stereotype: Lack of Experience
Young executives are often criticized by older colleagues and subordinates who claim a younger executive’s limited experience is a liability to the company. More often than not, I suspect the truth is more likely the young executive’s hard-earned success is a liability to the other person’s ego. The good news is, you’re not responsible for the other person’s ego. The bad news is, if you are unwilling to take advantage of the lessons learned through the experiences of your colleagues and subordinates, you may end up fulfilling their prophecies after all.
Truth be told, experience is an excellent teacher. But it’s not the only teacher. As you work in your industry, you will inevitably gain the experience and learn your industry inside and out. For right now, rely on the insights more experienced colleagues and team members can offer you. Don’t take their ideas and pass them off as your own, but humbly ask for what you are lacking in a way that acknowledges and affirms the value of their years of experience. And get yourself a mentor. (Read how others are taking on this workplace bias in “Wise Beyond Our Years: The Challenges of Young Managers.”)
Fighting the Second Stereotype: Imprudence
The refusal to acknowledge that theory and application are not one in the same can make you imprudent. Experience helps people to gather wisdom, which, if properly applied, leads to prudence. Younger executives often have smarts, vision, insight and wisdom to an extent, but limited experience is often accompanied by marginalized wisdom. If you’ve ever watched a romantic relationship unexpectedly crash and burn, you know that sometimes what looks good on paper – in a controlled setting – doesn’t always pan out in the real world.
So here’s a heads-up: your colleagues may be Baby Boomers and Generation Xers who think differently than you think. They were exposed to different cultural events, reared in a different time, and adhere to different ideals. Don’t fight it. It’s just a fact. Simply accept it and learn how to respectfully manage the differences.
Fighting the Third Stereotype: Your Just Desserts
This is the big one. Some folks will think that you haven’t earned the right to be taken seriously. The underlying stubbornness that says, “I’ve got kids her age,” can make it a challenge to rally the troops and get older subordinates and colleagues backing you 100%. Here’s a lesson of life that you probably already know: trust is not given, it’s earned. Just as acquaintances have to earn the privilege of being considered a friend, you are going to have to earn enthusiastic followers. The truth is, you have everything to prove. So go in with the resolve that you are going to earn your keep. Establish a track record of being trustworthy and when you have done so, then it is perfectly okay to tell people to trust you.
Perception is definitely your primary challenge. Assuming you are not in fact the whippersnapper (one whose inexperience negates his or her value) you are accused of being, your knowledge, expertise, vision and commitment are valuable professional assets the company needs to progress… even if others think you lack the experience needed to lead.
Often, your direct reports are older and more experienced. There may an air of resentment and suspicion circulating through the office amongst team members who may be more experienced and who think that experience entitles them to greater rewards. But let’s be honest, if the only criteria for executive leadership were experience, there would be no such thing as a young executive and this conversation would never have to happen – but that’s simply not the case.
Want more information on this topic? Read American Society for Training & Development’s (ASTD) article, “Breaking Through Generational Stereotypes.”
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