There is an interesting form of ageism that doesn’t always get talked about. As experienced workers get older, some can find it increasingly difficult to secure a new role. One factor can be the perception that they may be ‘overqualified’, difficult to manage, or simply too experienced for a younger manager.
What if sometimes, the person interviewing someone significantly older and more experienced is wondering whether they’ll be able to manage them? It’s an uncomfortable thought, but one worth discussing, as they may be mulling over questions such as:
Will they respect me?
What if they know more than I do?
What if they question my decisions?
Am I experienced enough to manage someone with that much experience?
What nobody talks about is when this discomfort turns into a form of imposter syndrome that can potentially influence a hiring decision by overlooking an experienced candidate. A confident manager should see an experienced employee as an opportunity, not a threat.
How can managers confidently lead more experienced employees?
Don’t try to prove you are an expert; lead with clarity
You don't need to know more about every aspect of the job because your role as a manager is to provide direction, set expectations, remove obstacles and help your team succeed.
Respect experience without surrendering leadership
An experienced employee may have valuable knowledge, but that doesn't mean they should be running the show. Ask for their perspective, understand what they've learned over the years and then make the decisions you're responsible for making. You can value their knowledge while still being clear about who is accountable for the final decision.
Don't confuse confidence with authority
You don't need to prove you are the manager, in fact, more often than not, trying too hard to demonstrate authority can actually undermine it. Good leadership comes from consistency, communication and trust.
Use their experience
Learn from their experience by asking questions. What have they seen work before? What mistakes should the team avoid? What could be done differently? You might discover that their experience saves the business considerable time, money and frustration.
Focus on results, not age
Ultimately, the question should be whether the person can do the job, contribute to the team and achieve the required results. These are basic standards that should apply to everyone because capability, attitude, contribution and positive outcomes matter far more than the number of years someone has been alive.
Good leadership is about being confident enough to recognise what you don't know and smart enough to draw on the knowledge around you.
Imagine what businesses could achieve if experienced employees weren’t seen as a threat, but as an opportunity to harness decades of knowledge, experience and expertise to strengthen teams, achieve goals and exceed expectations.