by Amy MacMillan, Experience, Inc.
Your baby face has never been such a liability.
Twenty-five-year-old Wendy Brez, a public affairs manager, grew so tired of coworkers commenting on her age that she started wearing makeup and considered cutting her hair in an effort to look older. "I didn't expect my age to be an issue, and it is," says Brez, who works at Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Brooklyn, New York. "I really thought people would judge you on your merit."
"More young people are in management positions these days," says Barbara Kate Repa, vice president of content for HROne.com, a human resources portal. Young professionals have "fresh energy and new perspective" that companies find valuable at the management level. Age-related skepticism (and even criticism), however, is a challenge that these new managers must face.
Go Team, Go!
Young managers can make subordinates of all ages feel comfortable by emphasizing teamwork. "Being a manager doesn't mean I make final decisions," says Dennis Esser, 27, coordinator of publications at Northwest Missouri State University. "It means I collaborate with my players to come up with the best solutions and implement them." Esser has been coordinator for three years, manages three people, and oversees the creation of 600 publications, a website, and a $300,000 annual budget.
Esser's only management training (like so many other young managers) comes from carefully observing other managers. He's also aware that a sense of ownership is important for most employees. "I really try to let them take the ball with [projects], then I ask for a review session to give me the opportunity to give input and advice," he explains.
Brez started out at Brooklyn Botanic Garden as a public affairs associate in 1999, working under a manager who cultivated her ambitions. When the manager left, Brez was promoted. "I was thrilled, but I was also nervous, because I didn't have much management experience"
Brez says her youth has been a challenge in her role because it "creates a problem of respect. You know you can do the work, but because you are young, it may take a longer time to prove yourself." Brez has found other methods of building respect, like always showing appreciation to helpful colleagues. "It develops relationships," she says.
Tailored Approach
Esser quickly discovered that he sometimes has to tailor his behavior to a situation. For example, he knows that email is effective with his younger colleagues, but older colleagues want a more personalized approach.
Repa admits it's not easy to deflect criticism like "you look too young" when you are a young manager. "Just concentrate on what you were hired to do," she says. Jenny Phillips, a 23-year-old public relations manager at Greencrest in Columbus, Ohio, does just that.
As she says, "If you have the talent and skills and desire to accomplish your goals, you can, regardless of your age."
Copyright 1996-2008 Experience, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
Your baby face has never been such a liability.
Twenty-five-year-old Wendy Brez, a public affairs manager, grew so tired of coworkers commenting on her age that she started wearing makeup and considered cutting her hair in an effort to look older. "I didn't expect my age to be an issue, and it is," says Brez, who works at Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Brooklyn, New York. "I really thought people would judge you on your merit."
"More young people are in management positions these days," says Barbara Kate Repa, vice president of content for HROne.com, a human resources portal. Young professionals have "fresh energy and new perspective" that companies find valuable at the management level. Age-related skepticism (and even criticism), however, is a challenge that these new managers must face.
Go Team, Go!
Young managers can make subordinates of all ages feel comfortable by emphasizing teamwork. "Being a manager doesn't mean I make final decisions," says Dennis Esser, 27, coordinator of publications at Northwest Missouri State University. "It means I collaborate with my players to come up with the best solutions and implement them." Esser has been coordinator for three years, manages three people, and oversees the creation of 600 publications, a website, and a $300,000 annual budget.
Esser's only management training (like so many other young managers) comes from carefully observing other managers. He's also aware that a sense of ownership is important for most employees. "I really try to let them take the ball with [projects], then I ask for a review session to give me the opportunity to give input and advice," he explains.
Brez started out at Brooklyn Botanic Garden as a public affairs associate in 1999, working under a manager who cultivated her ambitions. When the manager left, Brez was promoted. "I was thrilled, but I was also nervous, because I didn't have much management experience"
Brez says her youth has been a challenge in her role because it "creates a problem of respect. You know you can do the work, but because you are young, it may take a longer time to prove yourself." Brez has found other methods of building respect, like always showing appreciation to helpful colleagues. "It develops relationships," she says.
Tailored Approach
Esser quickly discovered that he sometimes has to tailor his behavior to a situation. For example, he knows that email is effective with his younger colleagues, but older colleagues want a more personalized approach.
Repa admits it's not easy to deflect criticism like "you look too young" when you are a young manager. "Just concentrate on what you were hired to do," she says. Jenny Phillips, a 23-year-old public relations manager at Greencrest in Columbus, Ohio, does just that.
As she says, "If you have the talent and skills and desire to accomplish your goals, you can, regardless of your age."
Copyright 1996-2008 Experience, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
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