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By Victor Landry
One of the most significant challenges for
managers from the baby boomer generation is understanding Generation “Xers”
and “Nexters,” and what it takes to get members of this young generation to
fit into the workforce.
When comparing managers in the age range of 50-65 with managers in the age
range of 20 to 35, many differences appear. One major difference believed is
in the levels of commitment to employers. Many individuals in the 50-65 age
range (baby boomers) came up in the era of onecompany commitment.
One can conjure the image of a father working at the local plant until the
time he was 55 or 60, and then living off his retirement or pension. During
his tenure he was promoted to supervisor or manager.
Many baby boomers are beginning to retire and are having their jobs taken
over by young managers, many of whom possess master’s degrees. The young
managers (Generation Next), however, also possess a different commitment.
Their commitment is to the profession they’ve chosen for their lives, which
means that they’re highly transient. This leaves an underlying question:
What makes a young manager stay committed to a particular company?
What Young Managers Value
When trying to answer this question about commitment, values must be
considered. In an article written by Glenn Withiam, publications director
for Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, he asserts that
younger managers are looking for jobs that present them with an opportunity
to experience personal growth through challenging work that results in an
obvious contribution to the organization.
He notes that young managers aren’t interested in becoming turnover
statistics. Rather, they’re “motivated workers who aimed to make a real
contribution to their current employer’s organization.”
Also noted is that their commitment level is directly related to challenging
opportunities afforded to them. If a young manager doesn’t feel as if he’s
adding to the team, the manager equates this with expendability, which
facilitates a perceived lack of job security.
 Another
item that young managers value is the ability to better themselves in the
organization. One author notes that “young workers are known for putting a
premium on training and development. If they aren’t learning new skills and
advancing in a marketable direction, they’re unlikely to stick around.”
Managing Young Managers
A young manager’s commitment to an organization is directly related to that
organization’s commitment to him. If he doesn’t feel that upper management
is committed to seeing him be successful, then the focus changes from “what
I can add” to “what I can get.” This is evident by the high number of young
managers that have difficulty being successful when promoted to chief
positions (i.e., chief executive officers, general manager, executive
director, president, etc.).
This turnover rate is inversely related to the amount of training/mentoring
the young manager receives prior to becoming a chief officer. The
correlation of success to time is inverse: The more time invested by a
mentor, the less likely the young manager is to fail at the position.
While many young managers have the education, many lack the on-thejob
experience, by virtue of their age. Many companies invest in half-day
workshops on management, and some even send managers to training after
they’ve been on the job for a while. The fact remains that many of these
workshops or trainings are based on theories and not practical knowledge.
If we were to take a further look, many of these young managers, who
themselves have master’s degrees, could probably teach the workshop/training
themselves. The need for practical, onthe- job experience and mentoring from
seasoned professionals in the industry far outweighs the benefits that any
workshop or training session could provide the young manager.
Young managers are also under significant pressure to succeed. The pressure
increases exponentially when you consider that his challenge is threefold:
managing peers, managing subordinates old enough to be their parents or
grandparents, and gaining credibility and being taken seriously by senior
managers.
Achieving Success
The hallmark of being successful to young managers is feeling like they’re
contributing to the organization. This is why it’s important for “executive
managers, especially the young manager’s boss, to play a key role through
regular coaching, mentoring, and performance feedback.” This interaction
from the executive management allows for performance by example, which will
trickle through ranks to the young manager’s subordinates. Another means of
fostering success for young managers is by giving them an opportunity to
interact with other young managers (e.g., IAAM Annual Conference & Trade
Show, industry specific conferences, etc.).
Lastly, executive management can foster success for a young manager by
conveying support and confidence in him to his subordinates, especially in
the area of why he was selected. For a young manager charged with leading a
group of people who may be as old as his parents — people who may feel that
they were passed over for a promotion — or leading a group of peers who may
feel like they’re equally if not more qualified, it’s important that the
team identify with the upper management’s commitment to seeing this person
be successful.
As we look forward to what’s on the horizon for young managers in our
organizations, the outlook calls for strong and positive leadership. These
young managers are the keys to the success of the organizations to which
they belong and to our industry.
Making their presence count and accepting the challenge is the task for
young managers. Finding ways to better mentor these young managers, showing
them the path of least resistance, and helping them steer clear of unwise
decisions is the responsibility of seasoned older managers. Together,
younger and older managers can take their organizations to the next level.
Victor Landry is event
manager for the Crown Center in Fayetteville, N.C. |
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