Tag Archives: Careful

How Do You Best Manage a Multi-generational Staff? Five Suggestions

Situation:  Employee pools are now multi-generational, with Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y/Millennials and Echo-Boomers. Each group often has different expectations regarding work environments and careers. How do you connect with different generations? How do you best manage a multi-generational staff?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • People may be of different generations but they are still individuals. Ask what drives or motivates them. What they would consider an ideal reward for hard work?
  • Some companies offer a sabbatical after several years of employment – the opportunity to work on hobbies, go on an adventure or use the time as they wish. This attracts employees and encourages retention.
  • Some employees don’t seek promotion but are good contributors. They may prefer an extra week of vacation over a promotion.
  • One company gives employees budgets to spruce up their work space – allowing them some control over their work environment.
  • What are good tips on working with younger employees? Coach them to communicate thoughtfully and carefully – instead of shooting from the hip without considering impact or consequences. Bring them into the process; don’t tell them to wait. Let them start as an observer. Listen when they have questions or suggestions. Ask their opinion. Younger managers may find that they need more patience communicating expectations to older staff. Establish individualized performance metrics and enable them to monitor progress on their computers. Break down job tiers into additional levels with more achievement incentives. Allow them to reset expectations frequently.

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How Do You Coach a New Manager Who Isn’t Cutting It? Six Points

Situation: A CEO recently hired a new high level manager. To integrate the individual into the company the original set of assignments was limited in scope – to help the manager get to know others within the company. The new manager seems to overanalyze things. Long hours are spent carefully drafting plans but there is little action. How can the CEO manage this individual without micromanaging? How do you coach a new manager who isn’t cutting it?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • It looks like this person is working long but not necessarily productive hours. This is costing you time and money – both yours and your employees. The question is whether the root cause is the individual’s behavior or your own expectations and behavior. Ask yourself the following questions:
  • Have you clearly outlined your expectations in terms of what is to be delivered, the time in which it is to be delivered, and any constraints around the projects for which this person is responsible?
  • Have you provided the necessary resources and empowered the individual to make the decisions required to bring projects to completion?
  • Have you scheduled regular update meetings with this individual and openly discussed project progress and obstacles to completion?
  • Have you set appropriate expectations with your other staff as to the authority of the new individual? Are you honoring those expectations in your own behavior?
  • If you have done these things, and the individual is not performing, then it is time to ask whether you hired the right person.

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