{"id":15220,"date":"2019-02-02T01:42:14","date_gmt":"2019-02-02T01:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=15220"},"modified":"2019-02-03T01:46:31","modified_gmt":"2019-02-03T01:46:31","slug":"belichick-versus-mcvay-an-age-old-question-of-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/belichick-versus-mcvay-an-age-old-question-of-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"Belichick versus McVay: An age-old question of leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"

Megan Gerhardt<\/a>, Miami University<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Super Bowl LIII will pit the Los Angeles Rams against the New England Patriots, but the sidelines will be the setting for another kind of matchup: youth versus experience. <\/p>\n

In 2017, Sean McVay, at 30 years old, was the youngest head coach to be hired in NFL history. Now in his second season, he\u2019ll be facing off against Bill Belichick, the league\u2019s longest tenured head coach.<\/p>\n

As a leadership professor<\/a>, I study how leaders of all ages navigate generational differences, including how to motivate those that might be on the other side of the generation gap.<\/p>\n

For Belichick and McVay, the challenges might seem particularly acute. Most of Belichick\u2019s players hadn\u2019t even been born when Belichick secured his first coaching gig. And while McVay can probably talk about social media with his players in a way Belichick can\u2019t<\/a>, he\u2019s in charge of a coaching staff that includes septuagenarians.<\/p>\n

But it doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re the greenest of leaders or a grizzled veteran: With some insight into generational dynamics, your age can become irrelevant.<\/p>\n

Bridging the generational divide<\/h2>\n

Having a leader at one end of the age spectrum can lead to all kinds of assumptions.<\/p>\n

Research has shown<\/a> that older leaders are expected to be stable, dependable and interested in upholding the status quo. Younger leaders are thought to be natural change agents and innovators.<\/p>\n

There seems to be a basis for these assumptions. Studies have found older leaders do tend to take a more measured approach and lead in ways that are described as structured and conservative<\/a>. Younger leaders, in contrast<\/a>, are more energetic and have what employees describe as a \u201ctake charge\u201d approach.<\/p>\n

But one approach isn\u2019t necessarily better than the other. Instead, what matters is the ability of a leader, young or old, to do two things. <\/p>\n

First, they must reflect certain leadership qualities. Research shows<\/a> that people want leaders who they see as inspiring, competent, forward-looking and honest. <\/p>\n

Second, a good leader must also understand the needs and perspectives of each team members \u2013 specifically, the different kinds of support younger and older employees require from their leaders. Navigating these generational differences requires what I call \u201cgentelligence.\u201d <\/p>\n

For example, a young employee and an older employee might interpret the same action differently. While boomers tend to interpret a lack of feedback as a sign that everything is going well, millennials may assume the opposite. Studies show that they expect a steady stream of feedback and mentoring<\/a>. <\/p>\n

We also know<\/a> that millennials place a lot of weight on how well a leader communicates and connects with them on a personal level, which makes them feel valued. Boomers also want to feel valued, but asking them what they did over the weekend isn\u2019t the way to do it. Instead, a boss could ask them to offer advice or input<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The yang to McVay\u2019s yin<\/h2>\n

The Rams aren\u2019t the only organization giving the keys to a young leader: Across many industries, the number of millennial bosses is rising. Those born between 1981 and 1996 now make up 20 percent<\/a> of organizational leadership roles. Baby boomers like the 66-year-old Bill Belichick currently hold just 18 percent<\/a> of these roles.<\/p>\n

Baby boomers may appreciate the energy and communication skills of younger leaders. But in order to gain the trust of older employees, young leaders often need to be willing to openly acknowledge what they don\u2019t know yet, and ask others for input. <\/p>\n

McVay appears eager to do just this. When asked what it means to have the older, more experienced Wade Phillips as his defensive coordinator, McVay described it as a \u201cyin and yang\u201d dynamic. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt allows you to have a sounding board from someone who has been through a whole lot more than you have, have somebody to bounce things off of,\u201d he told NBC Sports\u2019 Mike Tirico<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the people you\u2019re around,\u201d he later added, \u201cand not being afraid to say, \u2018Hey, help me figure this out.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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