You've worked for your company more than twenty years. The younger, ambitious Ron has ideas and suggestions for you that would streamline the way you deal with customers.
Part of you wants to snap at him, "I've been here longer than you've been alive!" Right now you feel like ignoring the younger man and sometimes put him down. You figure, "Somebody with no experience coming in here and telling me what to do. If he doesn't change his attitude, he won't have a future here."
Discussion
First, be realistic. He's got things to teach. Stop for a moment and ask, "What's wrong with me?" "Why am I so eager to find fault with this new guy? You've spent a lot of time and energy on what's wrong with him, so you probably have a few seconds to look in the mirror. Maybe his style is aggressive, but are there parts of what he's saying that are true?
You've got to be good to work at your company in the first place, right? As a new person joining your company, the younger employees probably do have new perspectives. Maybe 80 percent is "been there done that," but the other 20 percent could be gold. Don't shut them down on everything — maybe modify their delivery system but stay open for the deliveries.
Is he coming to your office every ten minutes? Or sending you 18-page emails? Find specific ways to direct the behavior. Challenge his brash enthusiasm to work hard and focus energy on a weekly meeting with you. Write out the lengthy materials, but then re-read his work and send only a summary for you.
Maybe if you're older, you're going to retire soon and who cares about what these kids do, right? You should care. You want the company to stay successful because that's the source of your retirement package. With a younger employee, you have an opportunity to leave the place in good hands.
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