Easiest Way to Lead All Generations

Millennials have become the largest generation in the American workforce. As we grow in our careers, we are finding ourselves being promoted within our companies. Even at our young age, we are finding ourselves in charge of people older than us. In some instances, we are responsible for leading people older than our parents.

How do we lead people well when a significant age gap exists? We want to succeed, but how do we succeed when we have to lead someone twice our age?

Glad you asked.

Leadership is an incredibly complex and diverse topic, but the answer to this question is incredibly simple:

Lead people-young, old, whatever-as individuals, not as generational stereotypes.

Millennials know the frustrations of generational stereotypes as well as anyone. Countless articles are written daily about the “problems” that millennials are causing in the world (like the decline of the cereal industry)? We encounter roadblock after roadblock based on our age.

And instead of breaking the trend, we perpetuate it with older generations. We see them only as their generational label and not as an individual with experiences, passions, and dreams. That is not true leadership.

Real leadership looks past any labels, generational or otherwise, and seeks to learn the uniqueness of the individual. Only then can a leader learn the person and discover how they can best serve the team.

I learned this lesson as a 23 year old in Einstein Bros Bagels in Orlando, FL. I was fresh out of college and working for a non-profit in the Orlando area. After reading a leadership book by a former Disney COO, I discovered he lived near me in Orlando. I emailed him, and spent an hour with him drinking coffee and talking leadership.

One of my questions (still in a Moleskine journal in my office) was “What advice do you have for me as a young leader?”

I thought it was a great question, but I was surprised by his answer.

“First, I don’t believe in young or old leaders. Leadership is about personality, not age. I know many people who have been in business 40 years that would have never reached out to try and learn from my experiences.”

That day, in Einstein Bros Bagels on Sand Lake Road in Orlando, was the day I learned that generational stereotypes have no credibility in life and leadership.

And it is a lesson that continually comes to mind in my leadership journey. On more than one occasion, I have been asked to lead people older than my parents. In some cases, I’ve had to lead people that are almost as old as my grandparents.

That can be challenging.

But how do you do that well? I can’t say I’ve done it right every time, but I can say that striving to treat everyone as a unique individual is the best way to do it well.

No one likes to be seen through the lenses of labels. We all want to be understood and valued for who we are and what we can do. As you are asked to lead people older than you, remember that they too have stories, hopes, dreams, passions, and a desire for purpose. Seek to discover those things, and you will gain the trust and respect necessary to lead a team to do great things.