Dave Ramsey's Advice on Not Ignoring Generational Differences for Leaders

Dave Ramsey, an entrepreneur and personal finance expert, argues that the generational differences in thinking among business leaders negatively affect their leadership. In his recently published "EntreLeadership" podcast, he responded to an intergenerational leadership question from a listener in North Carolina.

Ramsey's answer is simple: "I don’t care about their expectations. What matters to me is your expectations, Austin."
As the head of Ramsey Solutions, he expresses that he is not responsible for adjusting his leadership style according to each generation's preferences. He expects all employees to adhere to standards set in the workplace. "We are a team with a work ethic. We roll up our sleeves and get our work done. When we’re working, we’re working; you’re not scrolling through your personal social media accounts,” he says.

Ramsey believes that adjustments in leadership style based on age are unnecessary. He dismisses the notion that softer treatment is necessary for younger generations, stating, "No, it’s not needed. You need to tell them the truth. If they can’t handle it, they don’t need to be here."

He maintains similar views regarding the Boomer generation: "I don’t care what Boomers expect. I’m going to tell the truth."
When Millennials seek flexible work arrangements, he says, "If you want to work from home, you can work from home, but you can’t work here because we’re not working from here. We’re doing our job at the workplace," he states.

He sees clearly expressing expectations as a way to prevent generational confusion. "Being vague is not being kind," he states. This approach foresees clear communication of expectations, regardless of age differences. Ramsey rejects the notion that younger workers require gentle treatment. "You’re trying to please them as if they have unique needs from each generation. This is nothing but a lack of consistency," he adds.

While avoiding the adaptation of company culture to the quirks of younger generations, he also supports their contributions to specific projects. For example, he notes that younger team members, who grew up with smartphones, can provide unique insights into digital products: "If I’m developing a product for a phone, I really care about what they have to say." However, when working on physical books, he expresses that granting younger generations a voice due to digital trends is unnecessary: "I don’t need your opinion on this. My generation knows how this is done."
The general message at Ramsey Solutions is clear: when they come in, it’s about working hard and communicating with one another. "When you work here, you do your job. I do my job. When I’m in the building, I’m working. I’m not having fun," he says. He has no doubts that his team will arrive on time and complete their production tasks.

He also clearly states that there is no room for coddling in the workplace: "Some people want to be coddled, but the people who work here don’t want to be coddled. They just want to know where they stand."
Ramsey believes that such clarity builds trust. This is more important than satisfying everyone.