Thread by @MrJacobEspi

Managing people who have been in your industry longer than you’ve been alive can be intimidating.

Here is how to be a 20-year-old leader (manager, business owner, etc.) and lead people older than you:

Leadership is a life long journey

Your goal every day should be to get better.

My goal with this thread is to give you a few easy wins.

Let's go...

Your first conversations should be all about building trust and rapport

When you have conversations, put your phone away and be curious.

Things you’ll want to learn:

Their goals
Their strengths
Common interests
How they prefer feedback

Don't make any changes in the first 30 days

Be patient. Spend this time getting to know people and processes.

Taking this time to focus on relationships will allow you to develop trust needed to elevate the team’s performance.

Focus on the outcomes

If you have people who like to problem solve, let them.

When your team tells you what they need to be at their best, listen and get creative finding solutions.

Remember, its not about doing it your way, its about getting the job done.

Communication is King

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Assume your team has communication gaps, so you can find them and fix them.

Three keys:

- Keep it simple
- Stay consistent
- Inspect what you expect

Be aware of your emotions

- Observe the ripple effects of your emotions
- Don't let a good or bad emotion fool you
- Learn how you act when you are stressed
- Know what is going to provoke you
- Learn to feel your emotions

Be humble and transparent

Be honest with your team. Let them know you understand you have a lot to learn. (We all do!)

When they have feedback for you, avoid getting defensive.

Becoming defensive will prevent your team from continuing to bring you feedback.

Build on Strengths

Be consistent in reminding your team of the things they do well.

As you focus on their development, be sure to focus on one small but impactful change at a time. (1/2)

Example of building on a strength:

“You are so consistent with your cold calls, we all really appreciate that about you. I made an observation watching you earlier today. It's a really small thing, but I know it will help you close way more deals...” (2/2)

Make gratitude genuine and specific

Don't let an accomplishment seem underwhelming. Be sure to call out specifics that made the achievement possible.

Digging into these stories will also provide valuable insights into how they approach their work.

Do What You Say You Will

Always.

This is Leadership 101, but it becomes increasingly challenging as your responsibilities grow.

Trust takes time to develop, but missing commitments will cause your team to question your competence or character.

Show your team you believe in them and ask how you can support them.

The word “Support” works wonderous.

It lets your team know you are there for them and lets them know you are confident in their own abilities.

“I know you got this. What can I do to support you?”

Learn who are extroverts and introverts.

Extroverts will want to talk out problems.

Introverts will want time to think and reflect before sharing thoughts or ideas.

Knowing when your team is at their best will help you set everyone up for success.

And lastly, hire a coach.

This one is going to seem self serving, but you will save yourself a ton of headaches by having someone to talk through difficult situations with.

When your team's goal is making money, culture matters.

Thanks to @sergiosilesky for this thread idea.

Do you have an idea for a thread you'd like to see me write?

Reply with your idea, I'll pick a few of my favorites.

Enjoy your day my friends!