How to lead people older and senior to you

Sometimes you find yourself in a rather difficult situation, where you have people older and more experienced than you, reporting to you.

Or perhaps you have been asked to lead a project and there are team members who are senior to you.
Maybe you feel awkward and intimidated.

How can you effectively lead and manage people who know more than you, or are senior to you?
Why should they take direction from you

What is leadership and management?

Well let’s consider what we are doing here. The definition of management is achieving things through other people.
There are many theories and models of leadership, and leadership styles, including John Adair’s Action Centred Leadership, which focuses on Achieving the Task, Developing the Team and Developing Individuals
So your task here is three fold;-

1. Achieve the task; -Ensure the team’s task, project or workload is completed on time, within budget. So you are managing the resources at your disposal.
2. Develop the team-make sure the team work together to achieve the task. Establish performance standards, monitor performance, give feedback, facilitate communications, encourage the team to deliver objectives.
3. Develop the people -assist and support individual team members, develop their skills, provide training if required, encourage them to reach their potential

   Think about their reasons

   In the situation where you have older people as direct reports it is worth considering why that situation has arisen. Perhaps there is a formal hierarchy, and they are not suitably qualified to move up to the position you hold. For example you are a qualified Solicitor, Accountant, Nurse, or Buyer, and this person is your secretary or assistant.
   They will have come to terms with that long before you came on the scene-your job is not open to them.
   Maybe they have chosen to stay in their position and not tried for promotion. Or perhaps they have caring responsibilities and value the fact that their job level does not require them to work late, take work home, work weekends, and travel.
   Again, they have made a choice and they should have come to terms with that

   What if they wanted your job?

   The problematic situation arises when they have applied for the position that you hold and were unsuccessful. They may not be well disposed to you, and unwilling to cooperate fully with you.
   In this case all your interpersonal skills will be called into play. You should behave professionally at all times, treat everyone with respect, and prove your ability to perform better than them.
   |After all you were selected because the management thought you were better than internal candidates. Now you need to demonstrate that.
   The danger here is that a vindictive person may withhold information, or even provide misinformation. Consider carefully the facts they provide, and keep your wits about you!!
   In all cases, concentrate on the three elements of your task, and behave in a professional way.
   The best way to deflect any potential conflict is to lead the team to a great result !