How Is Leadership in the Workplace Affected by Age?

by Tara Duggan

An effective leader enables a small business to achieve its strategic goals. Major shifts affect today’s business leaders, including changing demographics, four generations in the workforce, global employees and new social media technology. These change the role of leadership. By acknowledging and responding to the needs of each generation, small business owners can maximize everyone’s potential. With appropriate guidance, older employees can cost-effectively mentor less experienced staff while younger workers can share new techniques and technology.

Today’s Workforce

Many small business owners have several generations working for them. Employees include those born before 1945, many of whom have retired from their primary careers. Baby boomers comprise the bulk of the current workforce. Those people were typically born between the late 1940s and early 1960s. Workers born between the middle of the 1960s and the early 1980s are known as Generation X. Generation Y workers were born in the 1980s and 1990s. As they enter the workforce in the new millennium, they are often referred to as millennials. Social, economic, political and financial conditions shape their views on leadership.


According to author Jeanne Meister, by the year 2020, five generations will work together. Attracting, motivating and engaging workers involves understanding culture and society. Baby boomers tend to focus on hierarchy and respect. Younger workers expect more flexibility. Growing up in a global, dynamic world, millennials expect global exposure. They recognize the growth occurring in Brazil, Russia, India and China, as well as Africa.


Age typically affects leadership by how each generation communicates. According to Anick Tolbize, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, generational conflict often arises from communication problems. By recognizing that Generations X and Y prefer immediate feedback but baby boomers consider this insulting, an effective leader can tailor her approach leading a team to achieve strategic objectives. Baby boomers may prefer face-to-face communication. Younger workers use social media technology, such as wikis, blogs and forums, in their educational and personal lives and expect to use these tools to collaborate in the workplace as well.


Younger workers may appear to dislike micromanagement but want strong leadership with clear direction. Baby boomers may dislike supervision and prefer more freedom. Older workers might particularly resent reporting to a younger employee, even if that person possesses the appropriate level of education, skills and knowledge. Older workers may perceive that the younger workers lack the real-world experience to make good business decisions. The Generational Differences survey published by the Society for Human Resource Management in 2004 states that 30 percent of the time, older employees complain about reporting to younger managers. Effective leaders need to take the time to establish trust with every generation in the workforce.

References (6)

About the Author


Photo Credits

  • Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images
Suggest an Article Correction