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| Adventures of a Middle-Aged Editor |
GH Editor Michael Egan takes a terrifying trip
to Las Vegas. |
| New Hope for Alzheimer’s Sufferers |
| GH Medical Reporters discuss a series of dramatic breakthroughs. |
| GH Survey Winners |
| You could be the lucky recipient of a gift certificate. |
| Are You Older Than Your Boss? |
| Here are eleven coping strategies for dealing with a younger manager. |
| The Amusement Park |
| A new cartoon feature by Michael Egan. |
| A Whiskey a Day Keeps the Doctor Away |
| Moderate alcohol consumption is good for you! |
| Brother Noland Sings |
| Cover story features one of the Islands’ most popular musicians. |
| Heart Check |
| The American Heart Association offers women good advice. |
FEATURE:
Are you older than your Boss?
Ten Ways to Cope
By GH Staff
The reader survey we published last month surprised us. Among other
things, we discovered that despite being eligible to retire, a plurality
of our readers (46.5%) continues to work. As a result, many find themselves
taking orders from bosses considerably younger than they are.
In some cases—the military is a good example—people close
to retirement age prefer to avoid the pressures and responsibilities
of senior leadership and/or administration. But in so doing they leave
the way open for twenty- and thirty-something go-getters who naturally
seize upon the opportunity for quick promotion. Suddenly older men
and women find themselves obliged to take direction from youngsters
they consider to be less qualified and competent than themselves.
And who may well be.
Here are the Ten Commandments of dealing with a manager younger than you:
1. Treat your youthful manager as you would any other. Always be respectful, even if it means biting your tongue. Someone senior thought he or she had the right skills, abilities and competencies. It’s likely that judgment was correct. Muttering under your breath or making dismis-sive comments won’t help. Give the young ’un a chance.
2. Your boss was promoted because he or she has appropriate skills and impressed top management. Respect those abilities and concentrate on the ways that you can be genuinely helpful. Be open to working with someone who is probably highly talented.
3. Like the old song says, accent-uate the positive, eliminate the negative. You will continue to feel uncomfortable if you dwell on the downsides of the situation. Instead, focus on the pluses—the drive, energy, enthusiasm, dynamism, and fresh perspectives brought by a young boss. He or she may be inexperienced but is probably bright and eager.
4. Evaluate your own skills. Although your manager is younger, you have a lot to offer: experience, maturity and above all judgment. You are probably well-rounded with an extensive network of personal contacts and professional contacts. Keeping your own strengths firmly in mind will help dissipate any residual feelings of insecurity or resentment.
5. Update your skills. This is especially necessary if you are returning to work after a spell—you’ll be rusty. Experts say that it’s particularly important to keep up with recent market trends and technological developments. Ask to attend courses that will improve your skills and knowledge base. This will bring you up to speed quickly and may also result in your becoming a key person to your new the boss.
6. Don’t hide your talent! Let your boss know that you have good skills in certain areas. Without bragging or boasting, make sure he/she knows what you’ve accomplished. Choose your moment, e.g., when proposing that a certain project should be assigned to you.
7. Dress well. Senior doesn’t mean frumpy. Think about your appearance and ensure that it reflects a professional, contemporary image. Don’t dress in ways possibly unsuited to your mature years but do keep your wardrobe in current trends and styles.
8. Be a mentor. Mature people naturally tend to offer the fruits of their wisdom and experience, and this is not necessarily out of place with a youthful boss. Be someone he/she can rely on for advice and sounding out ideas. Warning: Don’t condescend or intrude. Humility and good will are the hallmarks of effective mentoring.
9. When you’re given a chance to work with other senior managers, alert them to your skills and worth. This will reinforce your importance and value to the whole company or organization.
10. Don’t be afraid to assert yourself! As with any boss, do not feel that you cannot discuss issues directly with him or her. If the generational differences make you feel uncomfortable, request a one-on-one and raise the matter discreetly. You may be surprised to find that your boss has mirror feelings about the age issue, or may have some very interesting perspectives that settle the issue satisfactorily for you.
And an Eleventh Commandment...
Socialize with your boss. Invite him or her to drinks or dinner with
your colleagues. It will be appreciated and help to make life around
the office better for everyone.