This article originally appeared on Monster.com.
These days, it's entirely possible for someone in their 30's to oversee people 10 or 20 years older. And although that scenario is increasingly common, it's often met with tension. The older crew doesn't want to be bossed around by someone younger, while the young go-getters grapple with how to establish authority without shaking things up too much.
There's good news if you're a young manager: You can be successful in your role even when you're managing people decades older than you. We spoke with a number of career experts about how to be the boss--no matter how big of an age gap you've got with your team.
Be humble
Don't let ambition come across as arrogance You might feel like you need to validate how you ended up in your advanced position. But rattling off your impressive resume could come off as bragging. "Sometimes a leader is better off saying less," says Sara Canaday, a leadership development expert based in Austin, Texas.
Aim to be graceful and humble instead. "You almost need to overcompensate here," Canaday says. "People who have been there longer are going to be hypersensitive to any signs of power and privilege, so you need to embrace that your role is to be supportive and--corny as it sounds--an inspirational leader."
Understand how they like to communicate
You might have a direct, to-the-point communication style, whereas older employees might be used to spending the first few minutes of every meeting chit-chatting about the weather. Pay attention to the pace they're used to and cater your style when appropriate, suggests Chip Espinoza, Ph.D., a California-based expert on generational diversity in the workplace.
Since the older generation tends to divide work and life more than young people do, you should reconsider sending 11 p.m. emails, lest your team thinks they're expected to be on the job 24/7. To get on everyone's good side, avoid communicating between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless absolutely necessary, Espinoza suggests.
Learn from your older employees
Take the time to recognize the team that's in place and how things are done. "They have the corporate culture knowledge that you need to be successful," says Tracey C. Jones, M.B.A., a Pennsylvania-based career and leadership advisor and author of A Message To Millennials: What Your Parents Didn't Tell You and Your Employer Needs You to Know.
Their years of experience can help you navigate your new responsibilities and avoid tenuous situations, says Jones.