Tips for dealing with a boss who’s younger than you

orking for a younger boss has become more common as people tend to stay in the workforce longer to earn enough money for retirement and as some companies recognize the value of promoting sharp millennials.

This trend doesn’t sit well with everyone, of course. A September 2016 study in the Journal of Organizational Behavior found that most workers at firms with managers younger than themselves reported more negative emotions, such as anger and fear, than those with older managers.

It’s easy to assume your younger manager doesn’t know as much as you do or to resent being told what to do by someone with less experience. It’s also common to feel uncertain and scared about your future when younger people are being promoted around you. But these working relationships can be productive if both parties act with maturity and have the team’s best interests at heart.

I saw this play out in every SEAL platoon I was a part of or worked alongside. A young lieutenant for example, was the acting platoon commander while his senior enlisted advisers — direct reports under him — were generally older and more experienced.

As an entrepreneur, I also have had direct reports that were older than me, and I admit it took some getting used to — for all of us. Age doesn’t always translate to maturity and professionalism, and a younger manager who has been promoted through the ranks based on technical skill and subject matter expertise isn’t necessarily going to have the proper leadership and management skills for that role either.

But making assumptions is dangerous, and there are tactics to make things work more smoothly. It’s important to go in without preconceived notions about your new boss.

Here are a few tips from my time as a SEAL and from running my own companies.