Throughout my years of different job experiences, I have had the privilege of being in a position of managing. I have been a co-founder of a campus club and learned how to run it in a successful way. I have had to train a new coworker into the managing position since I wasn't old enough. I have even had the opportunity to run a couple projects at the office. Through these experiences, I have been in a management position over people of all ages, but the one that I always felt awkward about was being in charge of people older than me.

Here are a few helpful things that I learned when it came to being in charge. While these especially helped in the situation of managing people that were older than me, these guidelines could also work for every workforce situation.

1. Listen to what they have to say.

When you are in charge of a team of people at work, you should always listen to what they have to say. It is one of the best ways to get feedback on the way you are doing your job. If you hear them saying that their job is a little difficult still, then you know that you need to keep helping them. Listening will make you a better boss and make the work atmosphere more comfortable for everyone. Plus, it will make them feel more comfortable asking you questions.

2. Answer their questions.

If someone asked you a question, answer them the best you can. It is very important that you do not answer them in a way that is degrading. If they come to you privately, keep the matter private. They are ultimately just trying to make it so they can do their job to the best of their abilities. It is your job to help them do that.

3. Don't assert your title over the people you manage.

Just because you were put in charge does not mean that you are better than them. When it comes to talking to the people you manage, make sure to talk to them on equal ground. Be as respectful to them, as you would like them to be to you.

4. Don't let them walk all over you.

While you should not assert your title over the people you manage, you should also make sure that they know you're the one in charge. If you see that they are slacking off, make sure that you just remind them of a deadline or a goal coming up. Maybe you can just nicely say something like, "All right guys, let's get back to work." Or one technique I have seen my bosses do is go up to the people slacking off and ask if they are confused on what they're supposed to do. It subtly gets them back on topic and working again. Plus, it's never a bad idea to check in with the coworkers.

But, if it does get to a point where there is a problem and they are not working, go to your boss and let them know. They will expect you, as their eyes and ears of the project they put you in charge of, to go to them when someone is not working toward the end goal.

5. Don't be afraid to speak up if someone is just not a good fit.

As someone managing a group of people, it is up to you to make sure that everyone is a good fit for the job. When you see that someone just doesn't care, doesn't put their best effort into the task at hand, and/or they're just not getting a handle on things, they may not be the right one for the job. Even if you are not the top dog, your boss will still want you to tell them about this person. Now, this doesn't mean that you go and say that the new person is terrible on their first or second day there. You have to give them time to get the hang of things. But if they still aren't getting it, it might be best to get the boss involved. Just don't publicly degrade them and chastise them for doing everything wrong. That is the worst thing you could do and will not get you anywhere.

6. Professionalism

Everyone should know how to be professional when it comes to the work place. It doesn't matter if you are older, younger or the same age, everyone needs to be professional while they are at work. Leave the gossip for your lunch hour or for after work. If this starts getting in the way of getting things done, you might want to pull them aside and talk to them.

So, if you ever find yourself in the position of being in charge of people that are older than you, or really just in general, remember that they are no less of a person than you. Listen to them. Be willing and open to answer all questions that come your way. Don't act like you are better than them and don't let them walk all over you. If someone is not working out the way the job requires, explore your options. And always be professional. You were put in charge for a reason. Now, it's your job to deserve that position and make sure that things get done.