{"id":9096,"date":"2022-03-14T10:59:40","date_gmt":"2022-03-14T15:59:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.managementcenter.org\/?post_type=resources&p=9096"},"modified":"2025-08-28T21:11:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T21:11:17","slug":"how-to-manage-someone-more-experienced","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.managementcenter.org\/resources\/how-to-manage-someone-more-experienced\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Manage Someone More Experienced Than You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A client asks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I manage someone who has more experience than I do and I feel awkward about it. What do I do?”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hear this question a lot, so you\u2019re not alone. It really can<\/em> feel awkward to manage people who have more experience, whether that\u2019s in terms of tenure, experience, age, or specialized expertise. This line of difference can feel weird initially, but it doesn\u2019t have to be hard on your relationship or results. Remember that your staff members want a smooth relationship with you. They want to feel respected and supported. They want to be successful and they want to be on a winning team. If you practice effective management<\/a> well, differences in tenure, age, or expertise won\u2019t matter as much as you think. Here are some things to keep in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn how to activate your team\u2019s full potential<\/strong> by enrolling in our <\/em>Ace Performance Management<\/a> training package! Gain the confidence and strategies you need to develop your team\u2019s skills, distinguish growth areas from performance problems, give better feedback, and create great team culture. Grab your spot today!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember: you have expertise, too.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your combination of values, skills, and experience got you where you are now. Your staff person may have more tenure, experience, or specialized expertise than you in some ways, but that doesn\u2019t diminish what you bring to the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure you\u2019re aligned on clear roles and goals.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your staff member has been doing this work for years and you\u2019re new to it, you might feel awkward about trying to guide them. If that\u2019s the case, focus on supporting, not guiding. Get aligned around big-picture goals<\/a> so you can stay focused on what matters most\u2014outcomes\u2014while they use their experience to own their lane and get work done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acknowledge their experience\/expertise and<\/em> be secure in your authority.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Two things can be true: your staff can have more experience or expertise than you and<\/em> your job is to be their manager. If you overcompensate to prove your authority or seem too insecure to do your job, your staff can\u2019t count on you. It\u2019s okay to say, \u201cYou know way more than I do about immigration law so I\u2019ll lean on your expertise for strategy decisions\u2014my job is to support you to do your job and make sure our team works well together so we can meet our goals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Address problems if they arise.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your staff member resists your authority or undermines your decisions, address that the same way you would any other performance or interpersonal issue\u2014by giving feedback<\/a> and seeking perspective. For instance, you might say, \u201cI\u2019ve noticed you seem reluctant to take on assignments I give you. What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Double down on relationship-building.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While respect can be earned through expertise, age, or experience, it\u2019s better cultivated through relationship-building<\/a>. Work to build strong working relationships with authenticity, trust, openness to talking about power and difference, and a sense of shared purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pay attention to your power.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Remember that the qualities that make great managers often have nothing to do with subject matter or technical expertise. Effective managers care about wielding their power responsibly because they recognize they have significant influence over their staff\u2019s quality of life at work. They guide, support, and advocate. They cultivate healthy team dynamics and culture, give kind and direct feedback, and seek perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And last, sometimes it just takes some time. Do your job well and you might find that six months from now, you\u2019ve forgotten you even had this question.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you practice effective management well, differences in tenure, age, or expertise won\u2019t matter as much as you think. 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