Young managers face a number of challenges
Friday, 20 May 2011
Being a young manager can be difficult.
It seems nowadays more than ever that new industries are popping up all over the place, and this has led to many younger people being put in managerial positions.
This development is not a bad thing; in fact in many ways it is a good thing, however those young professionals finding themselves in a position of authority may not be as savvy at handling such roles as their older counterparts.
The temptation for young managers, since they are often overseeing the work of others who are in their age group, is to be nice. While being friendly and courteous is essential for all types of workers, managers should be sure to not be too “buddy-buddy” with the people they are supposed to manage as this can lead to them being taken advantage of.
On the other side of the coin, being an overly-stern taskmaster can be an easy role to fall into for young managers. Eager to prove their disciplinarian bonafides, they will be too hard on workers, which can have the opposite of the intended effect.
Just as it is important for workers to find a good life balance between work and home, it is vital for new managers to have a balance between understanding and discipline.
