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Business development professional, Howard Wilner who is currently based in Sudbury, MA often gets asked about how young leaders can effectively lead people in their team that are older than them. One of the things he says that young leaders need to be mindful of is that older employees have experienced their youthful enthusiasm before. You may often find them in the workplace telling everyone around that they have "heard it all before". Sometimes, they may even want you to fail. Well, here's what you need to do according to Howard in order to get started on the right track.
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Howard Wilner of Sudbury, MA Shares Some Effective Tips for Leading People Older Than You Business development professional, Howard Wilner who is currently based in Sudbury, MA often gets asked about how young leaders can effectively lead people in their team that are older than them. One of the things he says that young leaders need to be mindful of is that older employees have experienced their youthful enthusiasm before. You may often find them in the workplace telling everyone around that they have “heard it all before”. Sometimes, they may even want you to fail. So, is there a way for young leaders to effectively lead older generations without any tension in the workplace? Well, here’s what you need to do according to Howard Wilner of Sudbury, MA in order to get started on the right track. Be an Active Listener and Learner–It is important to understand that you’re still learning. So, be an active listener and keenly observe how your older team members operate. Identify their personality traits and strengths so their
experience can bring more value to the overall team performance. And most importantly, don’t forget to acknowledge their wisdom. Try to Know Them on a Personal Level– Invest time in getting to know each of your team members on a personal level. Your genuine effort in knowing them personally will indeed make in difference in how they view you. Stand your Ground, but Do it Respectfully– Always keep in mind that an older member in your team is most likely to be more sensitive to a younger leader being disrespectful. So, even if you have to give a negative feedback, do it in a respectful manner. Be Patient– Dealing with older team members can be a bit challenging and therefore young leaders must be prepared for it. Howard Wilner of Sudbury, MAsays that it’s important for young leaders to understand that their older team members may not be as technology savvy as they are, but they make up for it in
other ways. So, be patient with working with them and you are sure to get positive results.