Workplace Doctor: Unsettled by youthful and inexperienced boss

The Workplace Doctor advises an Abu Dhabi worker in his 50s who finds it hard accepting orders from one so young.

I’ve recently moved to Abu Dhabi to join a new company and while it all seems to be going well, I can’t help but find my manager’s youthfulness unsettling. He walks the walk and talks the talk but he’s only 28. I, on the other hand, am in my early 50s with over 30 years of experience in my field. At times my boss’s relative inexperience shows through and I sometimes find it hard accepting orders from someone so young. How can I move past this? AG, Abu Dhabi

The UAE and the broader GCC have a relatively young workforce, as well as strategic focus on localisation. This often means “Generation Y” managers (those under 30 years of age) find themselves in quite senior positions early on in their careers. Equally, expatriates move to the UAE seeking greater opportunities, and sometimes find themselves being managed by people with seemingly less experience than them. So, although the job seems to be going well for you, I understand it may be unsettling. However, this is a reality of not only this region, but the modern inter-connected world we live in, with Generation Y leading many top organisations.

There is some learning that you can apply to help you adapt, which starts with overcoming previous perceptions you may have formed in past environments around leadership and management. Although your manager may not seem experienced in the same way as you, he will have other key qualities and is likely to have worked in the UAE context for longer, and there is a lot you can gain from that.

Along with Ashridge colleagues, I have recently been researching Generation Y at work, and specifically in the GCC. We have found that a lot of younger managers feel a strong pressure to succeed, and this is often something they put on themselves because they want to perform in their careers. In the UAE, one of the other key drivers of the younger workforce is giving back to the society in which they live. Therefore sometimes his inexperience may show through as overconfidence or unrealistic expectations. This could simply be a reaction to the pressure he feels from the organisation itself, and the expectations placed upon him.

I would encourage you to think about this pressure and what you can do to support your manager to deal with this positively. He is likely to value the experience that you have and situations you have been in the past. Our research also shows that Gen Y managers are more likely to speak their mind, make instant decisions and be switched on and connected with other people. In turn, you may need to be aware that he may have a different work style than your own (for example, it may be more natural for you to logically think through decisions before making them).

We also find that that many younger managers are willing to learn from their older colleagues, especially around communication, patience, perseverance, and how to make certain decisions. If managed appropriately (you do report to him), and in a way that does not make him feel threatened or undermined, you have an interesting opportunity to share your 30 years of knowledge and experience. You could even informally help to develop his management and leadership capability, which I am sure would be truly satisfying and motivating for you, and beneficial for him.

If you embrace this new experience positively, I am sure that you will have a motivating new experience with a Gen Y manager in an exciting and fast-growing region.

Doctor’s prescription

Although challenging to the way you may have worked in the past and some of the “mental models” you have formed in your 30 years of experience, it is important to consider the context you are in, and the pressure this young manager may find himself under. Most importantly, find opportunities to share your knowledge and experience in a way which supports his development and your own experience.

Alex Davda is a business psychologist and consultant at Ashridge Business School based in the Middle East. Email him at [e-mail] for advice on any work issues

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