While management always has its challenges, one can prove quite stressful for millennial managers: getting stuck between their Generation Z and millennial team members and their Generation X and baby boomer bosses. These different generations may not click with each other, noted Lucy Georgiades, CEO and co-founder of Elevate Leadership, a company that designs management training programs.
“This tension can lead to miscommunication, conflicting expectations and a disconnect between different generations in the workplace,” Georgiades told BioSpace. “As a result, productivity and team cohesion can suffer, and millennial managers may feel pressure to navigate these opposing values without alienating either side.”
As Georgiades described it, “On one side, they’ve got to respect the old-school ways that Gen X and boomers are used to. But then they turn around and lead their Gen Z team members with a softer touch. It’s like walking a tightrope, and it can take a toll.”
Georgiades noted that millennial managers can end up wiped out and struggling to keep up.
“They’re pulled in all directions, and it’s no wonder some of them quit or their teams start to suffer,” she said.
How can millennial managers best bridge the gap between their younger teams and older bosses? To start, it’s helpful to understand some key characteristics of each generation.
Different Generations, Different Perspectives
Georgiades noted a few characteristics for Generation Z through baby boomers, including:
- Generation Z values purpose and impact over loyalty.
- Millennials tend to want a good work-life balance and like working in teams.
- Generation X values stability, efficiency and independence.
- Boomers prioritize experience, loyalty and hierarchical respect.
Because they have different perspectives, the various generations can have varying opinions on key workplace issues. One is how work gets done, according to Olipriya Das, a millennial manager and assistant vice president at Russo Partners, a public relations and investor relations firm whose clients include biopharma companies. The older generations want people in the office, she told BioSpace.
“They like stricter timelines of when work begins and work ends,” Das said. “However, my younger colleagues, they are more open to a flexible schedule. They look forward to jumping in as and when needed, as opposed to being always on.”
Das shared an example of how she’s served as a bridge between differing viewpoints. A colleague once asked to work remote for a week. Das had to explain to her bosses why it was OK, telling them, “‘We will be watching them during this period very closely to see that they are delivering on their promises and their assignments. And should they not deliver, then they lose the privilege going forward.”
Tips for Bridging the Gap Between Generations
While different generations have varying characteristics and perspectives, Georgiades noted it can be dangerous for millennial managers to think and act in terms of stereotypes or mass groupings. The most effective approach, she said, is to understand each person’s motivations and values.
Georgiades also recommended managers use the differences they see to start conversations with team members. For example, they might say, “As you might have noticed, we have some very different personalities and backgrounds on the team, and I’m hoping that a full-scale listening tour on my part can help piece together a way for us to work with, versus past, each other. Would you be willing to have an honest conversation with me about how you approach work and life?”
To best bridge the gap between generations, Georgiades shared four tips.
- Lead with authenticity. Georgiades noted that all generations appreciate and respect openness and authenticity. “Don’t try and be someone you’re not,” she said.
- Be thoughtful with how you communicate with each group. “If you have information to deliver, especially if the stakes are high, take some time to write yourself a quick comms plan for each individual or group, making sure you’re speaking their language and putting the information in a way that will resonate,” Georgiades said.
- Learn how to respond empathetically to your team. In highlighting the importance of empathy, Georgiades noted, “Each generation will find different situations emotionally triggering, so empathy will be your friend to connect with each individual.”
- Keep your team connected, especially if some are remote. “People who have better rapport and deeper relationships give each other the benefit of the doubt and more patience, so it’s really important to do all you can to foster this and bring people together,” Georgiades said.
Das also offered advice for millennial managers, including not getting emotionally tangled in conversations with the different generations.
“I’m not saying don’t be emotional or don’t have emotions, but don’t take things personally if something goes a little awry,” she said.
Finding Common Ground
In the end, Georgiades noted, while the different generations have different expectations of what a great workplace looks like, there is still more in common than not.
“How each individual is motivated may be different, but the core is the same,” she said. “Purpose, recognition and shared experiences bond us more than they divide us.”
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