To find it very hard to deal with a very young senior manager?

[ForBoldMintBear]

I’m 36 and I’m a general manager of a restaurant that is also part of a large chain. A few months ago we got a new area manager who is only 22! I just find him very hard to deal with because he is so young and in my opinion lacks experience. I’ve never known an area manager to be as young as he is either. I find him very difficult to deal with because he is so young. He also won’t take on board any suggestions or advice and he thinks he knows it all, including when I know that some of what he wants to do won’t work for the restaurant and that it will make things worse! AIBU to find it so hard to deal with an area manager who is this young? I don’t even know how he got the job when he is only 22.

Some sort of fast track/ graduate programme? A younger manager being brought in to challenge the status quo? Younger people can be better at embracing change ( and leading on it). There are lots of experienced employees who simply do things because that's the way it's always been done. Some companies want outside the box thinking rather than that.Someone hired him for a reason. I think as others have said, leave him to sink or swim. Plus he's your boss, it's not a good idea to make your dislike for him known, especially when it's because of his age.

As someone who was appointed to that job at 22, in a different sector, it was incredibly difficult to manage some staff who couldn’t get past my age to see my actual skills and knowledge. Some did and they received more support and encouragement from me than any previous managers and really appreciated me. Others saw someone as young as their kids and found out the hard was that they actually had to perform well and show me at least some respect. Which I had earned by outperforming nearly all of my older peers by the time I left 8 years later.
Theres a reason age discrimination is against the law. I feel for your manager.
Edited to add that as a much more senior manager now I’ve promoted people all ages, including one nearing retirement, one heavily pregnant and some as young as I was. If they can do the job they deserve a chance.

I was a manager at 22, had people working for me who were 16-62. Unless he’s someone high ups son and is a nepo hire, you don’t get promoted that young unless you know what you’re doing.

YABU because you come accross senior management like this regardless of age.

I did very well in a management role at his age. I listened and learned, if he didn't then that's just his personality.

He does sounds a big too young for this job but nothing you can do about it. If his mistakes could affect you I would rather focus on how to manage these consequences.

His age is irrelevant

Can you give an example of something specific he’s done or a decision he’s made that you think is wrong? If he lacks experience as you say, then how is that manifesting beyond just being young

He shouldn't have to justify himself to you or anyone else.

He's got the job, he's obviously trusted to do it.

Your own opinion on the matter is something you'll have to learn to deal with I'm afraid.

Frankly, OP, it’s none of your business.

Presumably your age hasn’t helped you learn that particular life lesson yet.

But were you area manager?

OP all the people saying his age is irrelevant would likely do a swift 180 of you said you were planning to ask him on a date.

do you work for fast food place.

I was in a similar position to you, OP, some years ago. I had years of actual experience but was being managed by a young graduate who had done a business degree and thought he knew it all.

I would respond to him by email after each conversation or encounter, summing up what he'd asked me to do and mentioning my concern that this would lead to complications/ ran counter to industry standards/ did not meet company policy. I would ask him to confirm in writing that I'd understood his instructions and wished me to go ahead with thm. If he did, I'd do it. Much of the time he hadn't thought through the consequences: I knew what was likely to happen because I'd got years of practical experience and understood people. He kept running into all kinds of unknown unknowns and we lost several key staff who were mucked around by his changes. Eventually, when something went seriously wrong and we missed a deadline, management investigated and he was moved sideways into a non-managerial role.

I'd do that, if I were you. I'd also put out feelers for my next job.

Just judgy. Why didn't you apply if you think it is so easy?

I agree, this is ridiculous. I can't believe other posters saying 'but they have experience or they would not have been hired'. Aye. Right. Loads of experience in coming to restaurants with mummy and daddy.

You could double check with the head office if he really is meant to be an area manager?

Many people as you know I'm sure, start in hospitality at a very young age. Often finding traditional education isn't for them but thriving in a restaurant environment.

If the manager is crap then he's crap. But I wouldn't be blaming it on his age.

You certainly can't openly make complaints about people relating to their age as it's against the law.

Imagine being told by colleagues they think you're useless because you're too old?

OP you have said this affects you but how?

Do you find him very difficult to deal with because he is so young?

I don’t think you come across as jealous, but I do think you should have applied for the job!

It's annoying to have an incompetent manager but their age shouldn't be a consideration. Mostly young means less experienced but some people are just good / bad at their jobs regardless of age.

In my work I have recently had dealings with someone in their mid 20s who, on the face of it, seems crazily young for the role (a voluntary one). But they are amazingly mature, very competent and already married with children.

When I first started in a senior position in my early 20s (O had been there since I was 16 as an accounts junior!) I had the most trouble with the middle aged women who couldn’t accept I was in a senior position to them. They treated me as completely incompetent and didn’t respect my decisions at all.

By all means judge him on his skills and performance but not his age.

Well yes, because it's got shit all to do with the fact this is her area manager, and not some guy in a nightclub.

“In your opinion”, but your opinion doesn’t count here @ForBoldMintBear. If you’d wanted the job you should have applied, if you did and lost out to him then green isn’t a good colour on you.

Knock it off and stop being a hindrance or you may find yourself without a job. If he’s going to fail let it be in his own merits.

In my view Op you have really got to have a more open mind here. Yep he is very young to us but to the younger generation being in a senior position is perfectly normal and routine. Their world moves so fast and it takes some getting used to. My son was a manager at 18 doing a job to just make some pocket money whilst waiting to go to uni , took him 4 months to do that from going in as a novice. By 22 his first "proper" job as I called it was in a really senior position in a huge multi national company. Its bewildering to me them being so young but these young men and women are smart in ways I could never understand and bloody good luck to them I say! Give him a chance and try to work together understanding you might not agree but try to foster a good working, respectful relationship would be my advice.