This is the part two of the blog by Mallika Sarkar about managing and leading across generations.  To read the first part, click here 

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In the previous, first blog of two, I described data illustrating how the next decade will bring about the rise of the millennial workforce globally, not just in workforce participation, but also in leadership roles.

The uniqueness of each generation can create unusual challenges for younger managers in leadership roles when motivating and coaching team members. It should not be ignored, as an inability to successfully manage across generations may result in performance and engagement issues at the workplace. It is critical for new managers to strike the right balance between likability and being respected without stepping on anyone’s toes, especially with employees who are significantly older and more experienced than they are, to build an environment that maximizes employee motivation and engagement.

Here are some recommendations for building a trusting relationship and coaching more experienced team members:

• Become your senior colleagues’ biggest cheerleader, taking time to know them, and understand their skills and experience. Throw competitiveness out of the window and have the humility to ask people questions about what they do and how they do it will inspire trust, especially with more experienced people. You may find the gift of a lifetime of experience and some of your best resources in your more experienced team members which you can leverage to improve your business. In certain cultures, it may also be advantageous to show some deference and respect to age in a public setting – being authentic about this is very important to build the trust in the relationship.

• Find out what motivates or inspires your staff and what they want. While it may be much easier relating to someone closer to you in age, forging a personal connection with your senior colleagues will help you understand what motivates them, and what their communication and learning preferences are. This in turn will help you inspire and lead your team.

In my experience managing senior colleagues, I made an effort to make them feel valued and relevant by having them help mentor other team members – this has been a win-win as it recognizes their experience and helps the overall team benefit by accelerating their learning and development. Another strategy I used with success is to ask for opinions often and especially on topics which may not be within the immediate scope of their roles. Doing this challenged the possible preconceived notion that as a younger manager, I may be territorial about the decision-making. This also resulted in some great cross-functional insights based on their experiences and revived their sense of being a part of the whole organization.

• A particularly tricky element of the relationship between a younger manager and a more experienced colleague is providing feedback and coaching for performance or development. Establishing trust in this equation is critical as is for the staff to know that you are personally invested in their career and success. Rather than presume to be the one to do all the coaching or mentoring, I created a platform for mutual feedback and mentoring through regular sessions to share best practices and experiences. I consider this to be a helpful exercise in building trust with all team members and find it particularly beneficial and valuable with senior team members. My recommendation is that you take time to get to know your staff and their work processes individually to have greater clarity on their development need. Avoid making assumptions based on age or generation.

No matter your age, at the end of the day it’s your organization or team and there’s a reason you are in charge. It’s important to do your job and do it well. You stand to gain your colleague’s trust and respect by staying focused on the most important things you can provide as a leader, regardless of your or their age – purpose, setting direction, autonomy, fairness, recognition of success and the opportunity to develop.