We spent the first two parts of this series discussing how to overcome the problems that typically arise when bosses are younger than their subordinates. Let's wrap things up by focusing on how to turn age differences into something positive.

Finding Common Ground

Both parties to the young boss/older subordinate relationship owe it to each other to find ways to work together. Once the two sides open lines of communication, they will likely find common bonds and recognize that their overall goals are the same. For example, completing a project on time and on budget is likely to be of primary importance to boss and subordinate. Agreement on the goal can then serve as the platform on which the parties can work to align their differences on methods.

At that point, the parties may begin to realize that they each bring unique skills and perspectives that, when they're combined, can make for a powerful alliance. "The older subordinate's experience fused with the younger boss's new perspectives can result in a collaboration that's greater than the sum of its parts," explains consultant Tamara Erickson. But both individuals need to be open to learning from each other for the collaboration to work.

Holding the Dialog

What's the best way to create such a collaboration?

Some consultants recommend that older subordinates start the dialog. The subordinate should take from this conversation a sense of how often the boss wants to discuss ongoing projects. This is an important point because different generations have different views on how often such discussions should take place. "In general, the younger the employee, the more frequently he/she is accustomed to interacting," says Erickson. "Thus, older workers shouldn't interpret frequent messages from the younger boss as a sign of mistrust but as simply a difference in communication style and habit."

The parties need to determine how communication will occur, e.g., via the telephone or email. They also should form a consensus about how performance will be measured. "Boomers tend to base performance on results and Gen X managers focus on results plus style, behavior and 'getting along'," notes Erickson.

Conclusion

The multigenerational workforce is here to stay. Those who can't adapt to the new ways and accept the fact that a boss can be younger than a subordinate will find themselves at a serious disadvantage. Conversely, professional success in this brave new twenty first century world will belong to those who are prepared to accept the new ways and work to make them successful.

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

GO FIGURE

CEO Salaries & Job Growth

By Glenn Demby [Note:Lauryn didn't write this piece. If you have comments on it, send them to glennd@bongarde.com]

9 HOURS, 33 MINUTES

That's how long it takes the top 100 highest paid Canadian CEOs to earn what the average Canadian wage earner makes in a whole year.

Explanation: Canadians who work full time earn an average of $38,998 per year. The top 100 paid Canadian CEO make an average of $8,528,304 per year. So, by 10:33 A.M. on January 2, the CEO will have already cleared what the average wage earner will bring in over the course of an entire year. And when the working day ends on January 2, the CEO will have made more than $65,000.

It takes a CEO just four hours and four minutes to pocket what a worker on minimum wages earns for the year.

Source: "The Great CEO Pay Race: Over Before It Begins," Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, (figures based on 2006 data) http://www.policyalternatives.ca/documents/National_Office_Pubs/2008/The_Great_CEO_Pay_Race.pdf

Here's another cool figure:

60

That figure represents the approximate percentage of U.S. jobs that were located in the suburbs between 1990 and 2000. Roughly 65% of the population lived in the suburbs during this same period. More people now live in high-income suburbs than in the central cities.

At 36%, population growth was the greatest in the lower-income suburbs. Population increased in the central cities by 24% and by 16% in the high-income suburbs. By contrast, jobs grew fastest in the high-income suburbs-26%, as compared to 18% in both the central cities and low-income suburbs.

Source: "Where Workers Go, Do Jobs Follow?," Brookings Institute, Dec. 2007,

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2007/1231_cities_holzer/1231_cities_holzer.pdf

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