Management training - can you teach an "old dog" new tricks?

10 Nov 2006

Do older employees respond as well to management training activities as younger people?
Should companies still invest in the training of their managers into their 50's and 60's or is it too late by then to be of benefit?
In these times of age discrimination it is not legally appropriate to exclude older people from these development opportunites - even if it ever was justified in the first place.
There is still a strong case for including older employees in management training events.
a) they may still have the need - you should check this out with them - and they definately still have the responsibility.
b) they are likely to be just as motivated to grow and to perform on average and in general as their younger colleagues - indeed some may be even more strongly motivated!
c) you need to take a "one team" not a divisive approach
d) it could be strongly demotivational not to incude them.
e) including older managers gives them and the other participants the benefit from their knowledge, experience and hopefull wisdom.
f) they often set a good example to their younger peers - and any cynical responses are much mre driven by individual attitude differences than by age.
So in summary I think that there are many reasons to ensure that you include your older managers in management training that outweigh any concerns about less return on your investment or that they may "know it all already" - after all they may still be working for you in years to come well into their 70's.