EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT FOR ALL: INTERGENERATIONAL NUANCES
Up to five generations of people are now a part of the American workplace, according to the American Psychological Association’s 2024 Work in America Survey. This diverse mix of employees can spur unique opportunities and challenges for today’s managers. An effective manager can recognize and adapt to generational differences in perspectives, values and communication styles.
“Younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z tend to prioritize transparency, open communication, flexibility and a focus on employee well-being in effective management,” says Lee. “In contrast, older generations emphasize a more traditional hierarchical structure and focus on productivity and output.”
Powers concurs. “Today’s younger generations value their experience at work more so than older generations,” she says. “Gen X and Boomers may have looked at their managers and thought, ‘this is who I am working for and I’m going to fall in line a little bit for better or worse.’ Today’s young professionals want an individualized leadership approach. They want to feel understood. They value flexibility and autonomy more than prior generations, so they look for managers who create that.”
Flexibility — in particular, whether in schedule or work environment (remote or hybrid) — is a significant factor in employee satisfaction today, especially for younger professionals. “Younger employees look for managers who appreciate and encourage work-life balance and look for someone who respects their time,” says Lee. “What matters most is the flexibility to fulfill both their personal and professional commitments.” This flexibility builds positive working relationships among managers, employees and team members.
“If you are a manager, you need to first and foremost find out what motivates your people. What opportunities are they excited about, what skills do they want to develop …”
In this respect, a successful manager will know how to balance flexibility while reinforcing job expectations. “With every generation a manager is leading, it’s important to set very clear expectations for each team member while also providing context for why they exist,” says Powers. “The best thing a manager can do is to be clear. Say these are the expectations. These are the non-negotiables. This is what needs to happen and outside of that, we can create flexibility for you based on what’s important.”
Along with communicating job expectations well, a successful manager will know how to effectively handle another emerging trend in today’s workplaces — the growing importance of mental health and wellness for employees. American workers who feel safe and comfortable expressing themselves while on the job have higher productivity and less burnout. This fact offers managers a solid opportunity to hone their leadership and communications skills while also improving their team’s performance and engagement.
“Gen Z is more likely to speak up and talk openly about mental health challenges, which may be unexpected for leaders, especially those who are Boomers or Gen X who didn’t grow up in an environment where that was normal,” says Powers. “Leaders need to be prepared to have those conversations and to understand when something requires escalation, how to protect confidentiality and how to create a safe space.”
INSTILLING CORE MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES IN NEW MANAGERS
For any business, finding the right person to manage a team can be a challenge. First and foremost, it’s important to recognize that a high-performing employee will not automatically transform into a good manager. Training is essential. You need to give new managers the knowledge, resources and support to succeed. By doing so, you will build both their confidence and their skill set.
“Firms make the mistake that leadership is intuitive and that people will naturally mold into leaders who will empower your team,” says Powers. “It’s this dynamic where someone was promoted because they were really good at what they were doing. That doesn’t mean they are going to be a great people leader. They need training.”
This training can be given in many forms, including LinkedIn Learning courses, online programs, conferences, professional development courses and interactive workshops that offer peer support and input. Mentorship can also be instrumental. Lee encourages law firms to give younger managers the opportunities to lead projects: “Law firms can provide formal mentorship programs, offer opportunities for early leadership experiences and foster a culture of continuous learning, especially around soft skills like communication and emotional intelligence.”
Holding new managers accountable for what they’ve learned from such training can further instill and reinforce effective management skills. For instance, Powers recommends scheduling follow-up meetings to discuss key takeaways and how best practices have been applied. This strategy allows those who participate in training to get better at navigating common problem areas for people leaders, such as how to encourage team members to take more ownership of their work, what to do if someone isn’t hitting their billable hours or how to create an environment where team members feel comfortable offering ideas and expressing themselves.
“Younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z tend to prioritize transparency, open communication, flexibility and a focus on employee well-being in effective management.”
“A great manager, when they get questions, helps the other person think through the problem themselves, so they develop confidence to work through problems moving forward,” says Powers. “When someone comes to you with questions or wants to talk through something, give them your full attention. Ask follow-up questions and guide them to figure out a solution to the problem they are navigating.”
Effective feedback — both giving and receiving — is another powerful tool that can help cultivate and support new managers and their direct reports. Providing effective feedback, whether positive or negative, requires empathy and planning. Being specific and clear can also help elicit actionable comments and input.
Powers recommends that managers directly ask their team members how they can better manage them, but to do so in a strategic, non-confrontational way. “You don’t want to put someone on the spot, where they have to come up with something tangible and meaningful in half a second. Instead, ask them in advance to think about their answer to the following question: What is one thing I could do differently as a leader that would make a 10% improvement in our working relationship? Then, schedule a time to discuss their answer after they’ve had time to think about it.”
Finally, firms need to realize that developing a good manager requires time and commitment. Instilling that same perspective and approach in a new manager will make a difference in their overall development and success as a people leader. In the end, a good manager invests time in understanding their team members, their goals and their challenges. They view it as their job to do so, remarks Powers.
Lee offers some solid final advice for law firms, including new and seasoned managers at all levels: “Every single day, imagine that your employees are volunteering to work for you. Treat them accordingly.”
