It's not easy having a boss who's younger than you; it's not easy being the boss of somebody who's older than you. As we discussed last week, the preconceptions that both sides bring to the table can make the relationship unworkable. Let's talk today about how to overcome these problems.

Building Bridges - the Older Subordinate

If you're the older subordinate, the first thing you need is respect for the new boss, regardless of his or her age. The company chose that person for a reason and your job is to contribute to the person's success.

A smart move is to reach out to the new boss early in the transition. Don't be surprised or discouraged if the new boss doesn't immediately respond to your overtures. Remember that it takes some time for bosses of any age to settle into their new position. Reaching out to a younger boss doesn't mean acting like a parent. In fact, the cardinal rule is to resist the parental instinct. The boss is not your child.

In the meantime, make an effort to demonstrate your value to the new boss. Gently, carefully and modestly inform the boss of your expertise and skill.

Building Bridges - the Younger Boss

If you're on the other side of the desk, the first rule is to feel comfortable in your new position. Don't feel the pressure to justify your qualifications because of your age. Focus your energies on learning and cultivating the experience and skills of your team.

One of the most common mistakes that young bosses make is failing to establish open lines of communication with their subordinates. Building bridges takes time and energy. According to one consultant, "the impatient, get-it-done-and-go-home boss won't be successful in gaining the psychological support and benefit of the doubt necessary to earn the trust of subordinates."

Listen and ask questions early in your transition. Make the effort to learn what the group was doing before you arrived and don't repudiate their efforts. Once you familiarize yourself with the group's goals and processes, you can concentrate on improvement. "Know your strengths and bring them to bear to benefit the group," advises consultant Tamara Erickson. "For example, integrate new technologies that you've applied in previous positions to make the group's work processes faster and more efficient."

One more thing: Just as older subordinates shouldn't treat younger bosses like their children, younger bosses shouldn't think of their older subordinates as their parents. Everybody is a professional, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.

Conclusion

The difficulties inherent in the collaboration between young bosses and older subordinates can be overcome; better yet, they can be transformed into a positive force. Next week, I'll explain how.

Wishing you career success,
Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet, www.execunet.com

OSHA & THE CANDIDATES

Willard Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney

By: Glenn Demby [Note: Lauryn Franzoni did NOT write this piece. I did. If you have any comments on it, please send them to me, glennd@bongarde.com.]

Bio: Born in Detroit, March 12, 1947. Father former Michigan Governor who ran for 1968 Republican presidential nomination. Mother ran for U.S. Senate in 1970. BA from Brigham Young University, 1971. Business and law degrees from Harvard, 1975. VP of Bain & Co., a private equity consulting firm in 1978. Formed his own firm in 1984. Lost close U.S. Senate election to incumbent Ted Kennedy in 1994. In 1998, became CEO of 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Helped organization recover from bribery scandal. Despite dire predictions, Games netted profits of $100 million. Elected Governor of Massachusetts, 2002. Served single term.

Position Regarding OSHA: Mitt Romney has never held federal office. And his speeches and campaign materials make no mention of OSHA or workplace safety. So it's hard to determine where he stands on OSHA matters.

Ergonomics: Romney hasn't taken a position on the OSHA ergonomics standard. "It's not an issue we have discussed on the campaign to this point,"according to a campaign spokesman. However, Romney's general distaste for cumbersome regulation would make him unlikely to support reinstatement of the standard.

Massachusetts Governor: The best clues on Romney's stance on general safety matters can be compiled from his record as Governor of Massachusetts:

• Signed a law that increased penalties for drunken driving, especially for repeat offenders ("Melanie's Bill"was named after Melanie Powell, a 13-year-old girl who was struck by a car driven by a repeat drunk driver while she was walking on the beach);
• Signed a law requiring owners of residential properties to install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms;
• Signed a law requiring teenagers under 18 to meet more stringent requirements to get a driver's license and imposing tougher penalties for driving violations they commit;
• Signed a law requiring health clubs to install automatic external defibrillators and have a person trained to use it on staff during business hours;
• Vetoed a bill requiring construction companies that bid for public contracts to provide all workers at least 10 hours of OSHA safety training (veto was overridden and the bill took effect in 2006).

General Philosophy: Romney's campaign is fighting hard to get the media and the nation to define the Governor by his business background rather than his religion. In fact, Romney is the consummate capitalist. Over 14 years, his investment firm averaged an annual return of 113%, mostly by investing in leveraged buy outs. Although he hasn't singled out OSHA, Romney believes that the federal government is "overfed"and he has pledged to apply private sector business principles to make the government more efficient.

Rhetoric: "I had occasions to be in the turnaround business. And I'd like to get my hands on Washington. It needs to be taken completely apart, with every program and agency evaluated for effectiveness and efficiency. Every business does that or goes bankrupt."

TUESDAY'S PROFILE: Mike Huckabee

HEROES OF WORKPLACE SAFETY

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: His cause was equality

Martin Luther King & the Labor Movement

By Glenn Demby

The man we celebrate Monday is best known as an advocate for the civil rights of African-Americans. But Martin Luther King, Jr. wasn't speaking simply for people of color. At the essence of Dr. King was a commitment to the disadvantaged and oppressed of all races, religions and economic classes.

A vivid example of Dr. King's dedication to the principles of equality and treatment in all contexts was his support for organized labor. Blacks "are almost entirely a working people," Dr. King told the delegates of the 1961 annual AFL-CIO convention. "Our needs are identical with labor's needs - decent wages, fair working conditions, livable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures, conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the community."

Throughout his life, Dr. King reached out to workers and visibly took their side in labor disputes. In a sense, this support cost him his life. Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968. He was in the city to support 1,300 striking sanitation workers. The dispute was bitter and the situation dangerous. Disdaining all warnings, Dr. King went to Memphis and on April 3, delivered one of his most famous speeches to a rally of strikers, their family members and supporters. Dr. King concluded what is today known as the "I've Been to the Mountaintop" address with these eerily prophetic words:

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!

And so I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!

Happy Martin Luther King Day, everyone.

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