How to Manage Employees Who Are Older or More Experienced Than You
Leading people who have been doing the work longer than you can feel awkward at first. It gets much easier once you stop trying to prove you know more and start leading with respect and curiosity.
To manage employees who are older or more experienced than you, lead with respect and curiosity rather than trying to prove yourself. Ask for their advice, acknowledge their expertise openly, involve them in decisions, give them meaningful ownership and hold them to the same standard as everyone else. Your job is not to know more than every person on the team. It is to help the whole team succeed.
My first leadership role was as a shift supervisor in a restaurant, and some of the people I was suddenly responsible for had been there longer than I had. I had earned the promotion by working hard and doing the extra things, but I still felt the awkwardness of directing people who knew parts of the job better than I did. What I learned quickly is that a title does not make anyone follow you. I had to earn their trust.
Many new leaders face the same situation, and it can make you second-guess yourself. The good news is that experienced team members can be your greatest asset if you approach the relationship the right way.
Stop trying to prove you know more
The most common mistake is trying to establish authority by showing that you know more. It rarely works, and it usually backfires. Your experienced team members can tell when you are bluffing. Instead, be honest about what you are still learning, and focus on what you bring: support, clarity, removing obstacles and helping the whole team succeed. Leadership is not about being the expert in every task.
Ask for their advice
Some of the best things a new leader can say are: you have seen a lot more of this than I have, what would you do? or what have you seen work before? Asking for advice shows respect, draws on real experience and often leads to better decisions. It also helps experienced people feel valued instead of overlooked.
Six habits for leading experienced people
- Lead with respect. Acknowledge their experience openly.
- Ask for advice. “What have you seen work before?”
- Involve them in decisions. Especially ones in their area of expertise.
- Give real ownership. Projects, mentoring and problems to solve.
- Learn what motivates them. It may not be the same as for others.
- Hold one standard. Respect does not mean exceptions.
Give them meaningful ownership
Experienced people often want to contribute in ways that use their knowledge. Ask them to mentor newer team members, lead a project, improve a process or train others. Ownership tells them their experience matters and frees you to focus on leading the whole team.
Learn what each person wants
Do not assume. Some experienced team members want to keep growing and take on more. Some want stability and respect for what they already do well. Some may have wanted your job. Have a one-on-one conversation with each person about what they enjoy, what frustrates them and what they want next. Fair does not mean identical, and good leaders adapt to what each person needs.
Hold the same standard
Respecting experience does not mean exempting anyone from expectations. If an experienced team member is not meeting the standard, address it the same way you would with anyone else, calmly, privately and specifically. Consistency builds trust across the whole team.
Earning trust as a new leader is part of my leadership workshop, You Are Capable of More: Leadership. See also How to Lead People Who Used to Be Your Peers and First-Time Manager Mistakes and How to Avoid Them.
Leading older or more experienced people works best when you stop trying to prove you know more. Lead with respect, ask for their advice, involve them in decisions, give them real ownership, learn what each person wants and hold everyone to the same standard.
Frequently asked questions
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You Are Capable of More
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