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Old School vs. New SchoolHow To Bridge The Gap And Find Success Beyond These SchoolsBy Dr. Jim Smith, Board Certified Coach and President of Leadership Systems, Inc. |
Recently while coaching an emerging leader in a major corporation, he described his boss with a familiar term “Old School.” I am both more sensitive to that term and also resemble and identify by that term these days. However, for the first time, I heard and saw something new.
When the emerging (younger) manager or executive uses the term, he/she is usually referencing the tendency of the experienced leader, who is in the seat of power, to be cautious, somewhat rigid and traditional in behavior, and maybe somewhat brisk when dealing with the organizational relationships.
An emerging leader on the other hand usually sees himself/herself as innovative, flexible and far more relevant in behavior, and also maybe more sensitive to others on the team. In my role as a senior executive coach, I saw some of the disparity or middle ground and reflected on why the term Old School/New School seems to be such a barrier.
The experienced executive indeed had a pattern of the above in many cases; but why? Additionally, the emerging leader has the seemingly more desired characteristics in today’s business world, but why? And the driving question is not just how to understand, but how to resolve, and forge the synergistic best of them both, until Old or New simply becomes a focus on School?
OLD SCHOOL:
Old School, as it is occasionally used, is by definition past learning and traditional or even rigid. The “why” is born out of the experience that the executive has obtained. These leaders have been alive to witness many attempts, strategies and approaches that have failed or just not gone as wall as they were enthusiastically intended at the start. Plus, they often have the battle scars to prove that they have lived their business’ history.
This “been there”, “done that” mentality is more informed, and it lives in a backdrop of much time, energy and often significant investment. Therefore, when the senior executive hears or sees a “new idea” or approach, they often meet it with caution at best and opposition at worst.
Along with the presentation of a new idea or approach, the young leader is often very enthusiastic and seeking agreement or alignment; but when met with a thoughtful, “maybe”, “we’ll see” or even an “I don’t think so….”
The young leader, hungry for advancement, collaboration and quick adoption of the idea, plus a passion for innovation, hears a big “NO”! Then often the young leader responds with the emotion of “rolled eyes” disappointment and the certain conclusion that the senior leader is just unable to learn, grow and change, that they are destined live in the past and the certain result is not only disappointment, but also lack of respect for the senior leader.
NEW SCHOOL:
New leaders, when they interact with the executive coach, often come with the above disappointment and disrespect, and what is worse, a low self-awareness of this reality. Even if asked they would say, “Oh, I am supportive, I am a team player and I am very loyal”. However, their appearance and often their actions do not align with their deeper feelings. This coaching observation is seen in how they are quick to say things like; “Oh, I am a team player; but the CEO or the boss doesn’t lead like I think one should lead” or they say, “I have a new and fresh idea that is relevant and will work easily, but the boss is OLD SCHOOL.”
In this situation, I will then ask that young leader, “So, your intentions are to support your boss and to be a true team player, but your behavior is to push back, to not fully comply and to be frustrated because you are certain that you approach is better”? The young leader usually confirms my observation.
The frustrated younger leader is therefore somewhat unhappy as they believe that their perspective is superior and would be more effective, and at the same times sees himself/herself as highly cooperative and a true team player. The new school idea is categorically better to the younger leader and apart from any history, or similar attempted strategies or even possible legal, international or financial forces that might impact the perspective they maintains it as superior, feel confident in it and therefore unknowingly appear to the boss as naïve, inexperienced and well-intended, but just “not ready for promotion”.
SOLUTION:
When I step in and see this all familiar scenario, I have a neutral perspective that allows me to clearly view the situation. Also, this dilemma is a rapidly growing “epidemic” of disunity because the world is changing faster than ever before as younger minds are flooding the markets, adding to this OLD SCHOOL/NEW SCHOOL/DIFFERENT SCHOOL complexity.
As an impartial third-party observer, the best approach I can see to the above is to emphasize school, aka LEARNING, rather than the rightness of Old or New. The learning leader, according to Dr. Randall P. White and Dr. Sandra Shullman – (President of the APA) is the only leader who will make a future successful track in the days ahead.
Learning that starts with respect for one another is slow to judge and conclude that the other is in error based on their age, race, or any other prejudiced factor. Learning invites community, collaboration and open idea sharing. Learning starts with questions like, “Could you help me understand your perspective, I am sure you have reason for your strong position, could you share it with me?” This, when sincerely and humbly asked, often moves the debate or entrenched mindsets to one of thoughtful consideration of opposing viewpoints.
APPLICATION:
When faced with what seems to be an OLD SCHOOL person, consider moving to the Learning frame:
1. CONFIRM: Respectfully confirm that there must be good reason for their position. Listen to the history or their unique perspective and pause the forward motion.
2. CONSIDER: Consider their position, and maybe even thank them and delay your ideas until you have fully contemplated the new (old) information.
3. CLARIFY: Ask a few clarifying questions about the former application or strategy. Why was it tried? How successful was it initially? What were some of the initial struggles or obstacles?
4. REPEAT: Repeat what you have heard from the OLD SCHOOL leader (even if you disagree or think it to be dated) and try to get in the mindset of what they were doing and feeling in that time frame when application was made or attempted.
5. RESTART: Begin your new or revised idea with a question to the Old School Leader: ”Would you be open to discuss and maybe hear a slightly different or new approach that is inspired by these strategies?” or “Would you be open to discussing a different approach that may deliver some positive results?”
The key words here are “timing” and “openness”. If the time isn’t good, then wait. If the time seems good, but they just do not seem open, then your most effective path to future success, is to hold it and step back. You might say something like, “I may have some useful and thoughtful contributions to the solution, but I sense that you may not have the time or are fully open, but when you are more interested, would you let me know?”
This approach, at a minimum, is positive, (although likely slower than you may want) but will seem most reasonable, disciplined, and appear to the Old School Leaders that you are mature and trying to respectfully team with them. The result will be a huge step towards improving their perception, raising trust and opening the door for future conversations that may lead to even further success. This Learning approach is consistently more effective than the NEW SCHOOL mindset of “I know more, can move faster and I simply have the better idea”. For even if that is true, the OLD axiom “where there is conflict; the one in the seat of power always wins” is indeed OLD SCHOOL, but it is still true.
Finally, even if the New School idea is not implemented, the new perspective of that emerging younger leader is now someone who is more mature, trying to collaborate and seen as respecting the past and the history of the organization. Additionally, trust is raised for the leaders’ relationship and the team as a whole.
The faster the new leader learns, is seen learning and approaches opportunities with this more tactful, humble and thoughtful approach, the faster they will be heard and have their ideas considered, used and implemented, which is what they wanted in the first place. With the Learning Leader approach, the Old School, New School, and organization all win and continue to find success.
When the emerging (younger) manager or executive uses the term, he/she is usually referencing the tendency of the experienced leader, who is in the seat of power, to be cautious, somewhat rigid and traditional in behavior, and maybe somewhat brisk when dealing with the organizational relationships.
An emerging leader on the other hand usually sees himself/herself as innovative, flexible and far more relevant in behavior, and also maybe more sensitive to others on the team. In my role as a senior executive coach, I saw some of the disparity or middle ground and reflected on why the term Old School/New School seems to be such a barrier.
The experienced executive indeed had a pattern of the above in many cases; but why? Additionally, the emerging leader has the seemingly more desired characteristics in today’s business world, but why? And the driving question is not just how to understand, but how to resolve, and forge the synergistic best of them both, until Old or New simply becomes a focus on School?
OLD SCHOOL:
Old School, as it is occasionally used, is by definition past learning and traditional or even rigid. The “why” is born out of the experience that the executive has obtained. These leaders have been alive to witness many attempts, strategies and approaches that have failed or just not gone as wall as they were enthusiastically intended at the start. Plus, they often have the battle scars to prove that they have lived their business’ history.
This “been there”, “done that” mentality is more informed, and it lives in a backdrop of much time, energy and often significant investment. Therefore, when the senior executive hears or sees a “new idea” or approach, they often meet it with caution at best and opposition at worst.
Along with the presentation of a new idea or approach, the young leader is often very enthusiastic and seeking agreement or alignment; but when met with a thoughtful, “maybe”, “we’ll see” or even an “I don’t think so….”
The young leader, hungry for advancement, collaboration and quick adoption of the idea, plus a passion for innovation, hears a big “NO”! Then often the young leader responds with the emotion of “rolled eyes” disappointment and the certain conclusion that the senior leader is just unable to learn, grow and change, that they are destined live in the past and the certain result is not only disappointment, but also lack of respect for the senior leader.
NEW SCHOOL:
New leaders, when they interact with the executive coach, often come with the above disappointment and disrespect, and what is worse, a low self-awareness of this reality. Even if asked they would say, “Oh, I am supportive, I am a team player and I am very loyal”. However, their appearance and often their actions do not align with their deeper feelings. This coaching observation is seen in how they are quick to say things like; “Oh, I am a team player; but the CEO or the boss doesn’t lead like I think one should lead” or they say, “I have a new and fresh idea that is relevant and will work easily, but the boss is OLD SCHOOL.”
In this situation, I will then ask that young leader, “So, your intentions are to support your boss and to be a true team player, but your behavior is to push back, to not fully comply and to be frustrated because you are certain that you approach is better”? The young leader usually confirms my observation.
The frustrated younger leader is therefore somewhat unhappy as they believe that their perspective is superior and would be more effective, and at the same times sees himself/herself as highly cooperative and a true team player. The new school idea is categorically better to the younger leader and apart from any history, or similar attempted strategies or even possible legal, international or financial forces that might impact the perspective they maintains it as superior, feel confident in it and therefore unknowingly appear to the boss as naïve, inexperienced and well-intended, but just “not ready for promotion”.
SOLUTION:
When I step in and see this all familiar scenario, I have a neutral perspective that allows me to clearly view the situation. Also, this dilemma is a rapidly growing “epidemic” of disunity because the world is changing faster than ever before as younger minds are flooding the markets, adding to this OLD SCHOOL/NEW SCHOOL/DIFFERENT SCHOOL complexity.
As an impartial third-party observer, the best approach I can see to the above is to emphasize school, aka LEARNING, rather than the rightness of Old or New. The learning leader, according to Dr. Randall P. White and Dr. Sandra Shullman – (President of the APA) is the only leader who will make a future successful track in the days ahead.
Learning that starts with respect for one another is slow to judge and conclude that the other is in error based on their age, race, or any other prejudiced factor. Learning invites community, collaboration and open idea sharing. Learning starts with questions like, “Could you help me understand your perspective, I am sure you have reason for your strong position, could you share it with me?” This, when sincerely and humbly asked, often moves the debate or entrenched mindsets to one of thoughtful consideration of opposing viewpoints.
APPLICATION:
When faced with what seems to be an OLD SCHOOL person, consider moving to the Learning frame:
1. CONFIRM: Respectfully confirm that there must be good reason for their position. Listen to the history or their unique perspective and pause the forward motion.
2. CONSIDER: Consider their position, and maybe even thank them and delay your ideas until you have fully contemplated the new (old) information.
3. CLARIFY: Ask a few clarifying questions about the former application or strategy. Why was it tried? How successful was it initially? What were some of the initial struggles or obstacles?
4. REPEAT: Repeat what you have heard from the OLD SCHOOL leader (even if you disagree or think it to be dated) and try to get in the mindset of what they were doing and feeling in that time frame when application was made or attempted.
5. RESTART: Begin your new or revised idea with a question to the Old School Leader: ”Would you be open to discuss and maybe hear a slightly different or new approach that is inspired by these strategies?” or “Would you be open to discussing a different approach that may deliver some positive results?”
The key words here are “timing” and “openness”. If the time isn’t good, then wait. If the time seems good, but they just do not seem open, then your most effective path to future success, is to hold it and step back. You might say something like, “I may have some useful and thoughtful contributions to the solution, but I sense that you may not have the time or are fully open, but when you are more interested, would you let me know?”
This approach, at a minimum, is positive, (although likely slower than you may want) but will seem most reasonable, disciplined, and appear to the Old School Leaders that you are mature and trying to respectfully team with them. The result will be a huge step towards improving their perception, raising trust and opening the door for future conversations that may lead to even further success. This Learning approach is consistently more effective than the NEW SCHOOL mindset of “I know more, can move faster and I simply have the better idea”. For even if that is true, the OLD axiom “where there is conflict; the one in the seat of power always wins” is indeed OLD SCHOOL, but it is still true.
Finally, even if the New School idea is not implemented, the new perspective of that emerging younger leader is now someone who is more mature, trying to collaborate and seen as respecting the past and the history of the organization. Additionally, trust is raised for the leaders’ relationship and the team as a whole.
The faster the new leader learns, is seen learning and approaches opportunities with this more tactful, humble and thoughtful approach, the faster they will be heard and have their ideas considered, used and implemented, which is what they wanted in the first place. With the Learning Leader approach, the Old School, New School, and organization all win and continue to find success.
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The LSI Roundtable is a quarterly gathering of top and emerging leaders that is designed to elevate the way that you think about the challenges you are facing. You will discover ways to activate your communication internally while broadening your relationships with other leaders across the country, as well as walk away from each session with a fresh passion to lead your organization into a future that is unknown and even unknowable.
CLAIM YOUR SEAT IN THE ROUNDTABLE HERE
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Dr. Jim Smith, a Certified Executive Coach, is unrivaled in his passion for leadership development and coaching. With nearly three decades of experience he has the unique ability to effectively coach at all levels. Whether one-on-one or in a group setting, Jim will show you how to reframe your challenges into opportunities. As President and founder of LSI, Jim has assisted leaders in gaining a deeper understanding of their individual leadership style. His extensive experience includes 26 years as an adjunct trainer for The Center For Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC where his coaching was a required viewing for all new CCL coaches. Jim also teaches leadership courses at the doctoral level. With over 18,500 one-on-one coaching sessions under his belt, Jim has the experience and understanding to help map your career path and resolve any professional barrier you might be facing.
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