Why I'll always be too young to lead
Welcome to Questions from my team; where my team at Deakin gets to ask me questions and hold me accountable in answering them.
So here's Question #5:
Ah yes - the age old adage of well, age.
I read an interesting article about how Millennials are the most self centred and least hard working generation in the workplace.
Apparently, we ask for too much, too soon.
A generation defined by and obsessed with instant gratification, we all want;
more money
more autonomy
more balance.
And more often than not, these stereotypes from horror stories told on LinkedIn or detailed in listicles on Buzzfeed can bleed into real life - causing employees to view young individuals in a certain way, thereby painting all of us with the same brush.
This leads to a variety of things including lack of opportunity, a lack of empathy and microgement (micro management) - a term coined by Dunder Mifflin's own Michael Scott.
Having made the leap from junior writer to Head of Content at the ripe old age of 25, I myself have experienced the tension that youthfulness can create in a workplace.
"You're too young to be in charge."
"You're too young to be the Head of anything."
"We're looking for people with at least a few more years experience."
From being told I was too young to lead to actually becoming a leader, I've learnt how best to navigate that point of tension - lessons which I'm hoping you'll find helpful moving forward.
(i) Your experience is just that - experience.
It's the classic case of applying for a job only to be turned away for a lack of experience.
On paper you have the right skills, so you leave the process feeling frustrated.
One thing I want to set straight from the get go is this:
Experience is multifaceted.
It's not simply just measured in time spent at a desk.
In a year I went from amateur writer and photographer to having work published with Broadsheet, HuffPost and Rucksack.
Some people spend hours in a spinny chair mindlessly going through the motions and call it experience.
While others are putting in the work; reading, listening, applying.
Practitioner-ship is everything.
It brings your experience to life; making your skills and value undeniable.
And if others still won't pay respect to that - you just haven't quite found your people yet.
But there's no rush; especially if you're honest with yourself and putting in the work.
Your time will come.
(ii) Be humble.
Its levels to it, you and I know, tell 'em be humble
Kendrick Lamar
But backing yourself isn't the only element to gaining respect in the workplace.
Being humble plays a huge part.
I've worked with other young people who roll in and act like they know everything.
They over index on the fact that they are young - but no more than that.
They never lasted long.
Consequently, self awareness becomes pivotal.
Know where your strengths lie, but also where your weaknesses exist.
Ask questions, always.
Always be willing to share.
Get real good at listening.
Like Kendrick said, there's levels to it.
And if you're not listening to those playing at a higher level - at the levels that you want to ultimately be at - you'll forever be at Level 1.
(iii) Being different is your secret sauce.
This was the best piece of advice I'd received in months.
After having a coffee with Lach from Ruck Agency, he said something that has stuck with me since:
Being young is your secret sauce.
We live in a world where our differences are looked upon unfavourably.
"Too young."
"Too old."
"Too this or that."
But its time now to flip the script, embrace our differences and celebrate them.
I like the idea of positioning our differences as strengths; as new ways to understand the world and new ways to understand each other.
And you'll notice in my LinkedIn headline it says "too young to lead."
It's a petty nod to the people that said those exact things to me; I like to prove people wrong.
But it's also me embracing my secret sauce.
Embracing the fact that no one can see it like me.
So yes, I'll always be too young to lead.
But thats kinda the way I like it.