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Picture this: a Gen Z leading a Gen X or boomer, especially at a time age bracket delineation is heading almost every conversation. You might imagine corporate chaos, but it really might not be that deep.
For the average African, respect is a big deal, and age and position are major determining factors of respect as well. Even at the workplace, with all its official ambiance, this still plays out. So, imagine what it would be like to lead older employees. Corporate life offers a myriad of experiences, from being an employee to leading other employees, and in this article, five team leads talk about what’s it like to lead co-workers older than them.
(Read this too: Best onboarding tools for new employees in 2023)
“I simply do my job and everyone is fine.”—Helen, Growth Head and Operations Lead.
“The older guys on my team are not older by virtue of age, instead, they’ve been at the company before me. This is my first team lead role in a different role. I got promoted at my former place of work and barely a year into that, I left. When I got here, it was difficult for me to handle the team. In fact, two people resigned (and I don’t know if it has anything to do with me, but I couldn’t help that feeling). Apparently, they were shocked that someone else would be hired to come to lead them when they should have been promoted instead. All I had to do was detach myself from that drama and whatever happened before I got the company. I simply do my job and everyone is fine.”
“One of my team members is a married man and older than I am” —Deborah, Head of Operations and Growth Lead.
“One of my team members is a married man and older than I am. Sometimes last year, I had to answer some queries at the management meeting, and when I went to my team, I was vexed because they were responsible for what happened. I scolded everyone, including him. He got angry, walked out of the office and I didn’t give a damn. Later on, he came back and tried to sort things out, but he still went back to how he felt disrespected by what I said and I simply told him what was at stake. If it happened again, I would call him out and correct him. I was even surprised I didn’t cower, but that was the end of it. Of course, it marred our relationship since then, but he doesn’t take it to heart when things like that happen again.”
“I think there’s something cool about tech bros that made it less stressful for me.”—Sadiq, CTO
“I’d been a tech bro since 300 level, so when I graduated, I was no more a newbie. I joined this company —not really a startup— heading the tech department and I was the youngest. To be honest, I wasn’t confident. During the early days when we had to work on weekends, I would do those tasks myself or “beg” any of them to help out because I didn’t want to invade their weekends. Eventually, the COO called me and spoke with me about it. I tried to become more confident and assertive. I even measured out discipline when I had to and Lord, it was weird! What helped me, I think, was the times we had to joke around. I made sure I had fun with everyone so it was easy to be serious when it was time for work. But generally, I think there’s something cool about tech bros that made it less stressful for me.
We had just one lady on the team and she was literally my work wife till she left. I left for a foreign startup too and it was easier to blend in.”
“It wasn’t a big deal for me.” —Emenike, Senior Accounts Officer
“It wasn’t a big deal for me. I won’t say every company had structures, but mine had, and you simply had to respect authority. It’s not as if I’m going to flog anyone or ask them to kneel or something like that, but there are corporal punishments for offenses and times when we had to be hard on each other. I also took criticisms and feedback from my people. So, it’s really a balanced thing and there’s no sentiment about it. it’s just like the law and constitution, you’re not supposed to be above the law or any law enforcement agent, and if they err too, they face the penalty. It’s simple.”
“You are not leading them based on your own rules, you are doing it based on the company precepts.” —Oyin, Human Resources Manager
“I think the reason people think this is an issue is that they are too obsessed with giving penalties for offenses. And that isn’t what leadership is about. In fact, you may not need to measure out discipline to anyone. There’s a structure and people simply follow that structure. I think it will be a problem for leaders who plan to be toxic, cause that’s when you’d be worried about leading older employees. You are not leading them based on your own rules, you are doing it based on the company precepts.”
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