As a young manager, leading a team with employees older than you requires unrelenting authority and a steadfast commitment to your vision. It’s time to shatter the myth that age equals authority. Your position demands respect, and it’s essential to establish a clear chain of command. You should not suffer in the name of culture.
1. Assert Your Dominance
Make it clear from day one that you’re in charge. Set the tone with a firm but fair demeanor. Your authority is not up for debate. Only once you have laid this ground work will you be able to exercise democracy and empathy.
2. Set Clear Expectations
Establish rigid standards and consequences for failure. Ensure every team member understands their role, responsibilities, and performance metrics. It is not about age, it is about the contract that they signed.
3. Make Decisions Without Apology
Do not seek validation from your team. Make informed, decisive decisions, and own them. Sometimes, your authority is not a democracy especially if the resistance stems from you being young and not from the facts of the project.
4. Demand Accountability
Hold team members to the highest standards. Address underperformance swiftly and decisively. No excuses, no exceptions. Do not be disrespected because you are young.
5. Unwavering Consistency
Apply rules and consequences uniformly. Favoritism and exceptions undermine your authority. Ensure everyone is held to the same standards. Your young age should not be treated like a weakness.
Sounds harsh right? However, think about life long mental health issues that young managers develop from being disrespected for their age. The trauma of it all. Now we can talk about harsh. To avoid all this, respect your young managers as you would your age mates. There will be no need for this. It can be avoided.
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