How do you lead people older than you?
In this personal anecdote, Nataliey Bitature recounts her first experience firing an employee when she was 23. The employee, significantly older, reacted with a tantrum and escalated the issue to the chairman, feeling insulted that a young woman held the authority to terminate them. Nataliey explains that she followed proper HR procedures—warning letters and policy compliance—but the confrontation revealed that merely holding a title does not automatically confer leadership or respect. She reflects on the need to shift from a directive, positional style to a more authentic leadership approach, emphasizing that learning from such challenging situations sharpens judgment. The narrative underscores that age and title are not sufficient for effective leadership and that evolving one’s style is essential.
