The Question:
“I was promoted to manage a team that includes people who have been here longer than me and clearly know more about certain aspects of the work. I feel like an imposter trying to manage people who could probably do my job better than me. How do I lead them without pretending to know things I don’t, and how do I get their respect when they have more experience?”
This situation is incredibly common, especially in today’s rapidly changing workplace where leadership potential often outweighs tenure. The discomfort you’re feeling is understandable, but it doesn’t disqualify you from leading effectively.
Why This Feels So Challenging
Traditional leadership models suggest that authority comes from being the smartest person in the room or having the most experience. But modern leadership, especially in knowledge work, is less about having all the answers and more about creating conditions for others to do their best work.
You’re likely in Quadrant 1 or 2 of the Leadership Journey, trying to figure out what leadership should look like in this context. You might be attempting to establish credibility by proving you know as much as they do, which is both exhausting and unnecessary.
Reframe: Experience vs. Leadership Are Different Skills
Your more experienced team members excel at the technical or functional aspects of the work. You were promoted because you demonstrated leadership potential—the ability to see the bigger picture, coordinate efforts, make decisions, and develop others.
These are different skill sets, and both are valuable. Your job isn’t to out-experience them; it’s to create the framework within which their experience can be most effective.
Strategies for Leading Experienced Team Members
1. Lead with Humility and Curiosity
Acknowledge their expertise openly: “I know you have deep experience in this area, and I want to make sure we’re leveraging that effectively.” This isn’t weakness—it’s smart leadership.
When you encounter situations where you lack expertise, say so directly: “I haven’t worked with this system before. Can you walk me through your approach?” This builds trust and shows you value their knowledge.
2. Focus on Vision and Coordination
While they may know the technical details better than you, you can provide clarity on:
- How their work connects to organizational priorities
- Where potential conflicts or redundancies exist across projects
- What resources or obstacles need attention
- How decisions align with broader strategic goals
3. Ask Questions Instead of Giving Answers
Replace directive statements with strategic questions:
- “What do you think the biggest challenge will be?”
- “Based on your experience, what approach would you recommend?”
- “What would success look like from your perspective?”
- “What support would help you be most effective?”
This approach leverages their expertise while demonstrating your leadership through thoughtful inquiry.
4. Establish Your Value Add
Identify the unique perspective you bring. This might be:
- Fresh eyes on old problems or entrenched processes
- Cross-functional connections they don’t have access to
- Different generational perspectives on communication or technology
- Skills in facilitation, project management, or strategic thinking
- Ability to translate between technical work and executive priorities
5. Create Learning Partnerships
Position yourself as someone who can learn from their expertise while offering value in other areas: “I’d love to learn more about the technical aspects from you, and I’m happy to share what I’m learning about the strategic direction and how we can position your work for maximum impact.”
Building Credibility Through Actions
Credibility with experienced team members comes from demonstrating competence in your leadership responsibilities, not from matching their technical expertise.
Demonstrate Competence in Your Lane
Show proficiency in:
- Making timely, well-reasoned decisions
- Communicating clearly across different audiences
- Thinking strategically about priorities and resources
- Developing and coaching team members
- Managing up to advocate for your team
Follow Through Consistently
Do what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it. This matters more than having all the technical answers. When experienced team members see you’re reliable, they’ll trust your leadership even if you don’t share their technical depth.
Advocate for Your Team
Use your position to:
- Get resources they need
- Remove organizational obstacles
- Represent their interests and expertise to upper management
- Ensure their work gets appropriate visibility and recognition
Make Their Work Easier
Focus on how you can enable their success rather than proving your own knowledge:
- Shield them from unnecessary bureaucracy
- Clarify priorities when things feel chaotic
- Facilitate collaboration across teams
- Provide context about organizational dynamics
Navigating Resistance or Testing
Some experienced team members may test your authority or question your decisions. This is normal and not necessarily malicious. They want to understand your leadership style and ensure you’ll be effective.
Respond to testing by:
- Staying calm and confident. Don’t become defensive or try to prove yourself through force of authority.
- Acknowledging their concerns if they’re valid. “You’re right that we haven’t fully worked through the implications for the legacy system.”
- Explaining your reasoning clearly. “Here’s why I’m prioritizing this project—it directly impacts the Q3 goals we’re measured on.”
- Being willing to adjust when they have better information. “I didn’t realize that. Given what you’ve shared, let’s revisit the timeline.”
- Standing firm on decisions when appropriate. “I understand your preference, but based on the broader context, we need to move forward with this approach.”
The Age Factor
If you’re also younger than your direct reports, you might face additional skepticism. Address this by:
Don’t try to act older or more experienced than you are. Authenticity builds trust faster than pretense.
Focus on what you do bring: Energy, fresh perspectives, comfort with new technologies and approaches, adaptability to change.
Show respect for their experience while confidently owning your role. You can honor their tenure while still making leadership decisions.
Build relationships gradually through consistent, professional interactions. Let your competence speak through your actions over time.
Leveraging Their Experience for Everyone’s Benefit
Your experienced team members are assets, not threats. Use their knowledge strategically to:
Mentor other team members. Create opportunities for them to share their expertise and develop others.
Inform strategic decisions. Regularly seek their input on plans and initiatives before finalizing them.
Identify potential problems early. Their experience helps them see around corners you can’t see yet.
Develop best practices and processes. Capture their institutional knowledge in ways that benefit the entire organization.
Remember: They Want You to Succeed
Most experienced employees want their manager to be effective. When you succeed as their leader, their work becomes more meaningful and impactful. They’re not looking for you to fail—they’re looking for you to create an environment where their expertise can shine.
Your success is their success. When you help them do their best work, advocate for them effectively, and create clarity around priorities, they benefit directly.
Moving Forward with Confidence
The combination of your leadership potential and their experience can be incredibly powerful. You don’t need to have more experience than them—you need to be the kind of leader who helps their experience create maximum value for the organization.
Trust the judgment of the people who promoted you. They saw something in you that made them believe you could lead this team effectively, even knowing about the experience gap. They saw leadership potential that goes beyond technical expertise.
Give yourself permission to lead from your strengths rather than constantly trying to prove you have theirs.
Your Leadership Style Is Your Superpower
The discomfort of leading more experienced team members often comes from trying to lead like someone else—someone with more years or deeper technical knowledge. But the most effective leaders leverage their natural strengths rather than trying to become someone they’re not.
Discover your Leadership Style and learn how successful leaders with your strengths build credibility with experienced team members. You’ll get specific strategies for your leadership type that feel authentic and effective—so you can lead with confidence even when you’re not the most experienced person in the room.
