PHOTO: NICK HANNES – UIT DE SERIE THE FINANCIAL ZONE, IMAGINING SCIENCE 3 (RUG NOORDERLICHT)
fewer conflicts?
PROPOSITION
Kyriaki Fousiani has worked as an assistant professor in the department of Organizational Psychology at the University of Groningen since 2016. She is an expert in organizational psychology, studies workplace conflict and effective conflict resolution strategies. Her focus centers on identifying the necessary conditions for leaders and followers to engage in constructive conflict management, ultimately facilitating the discovery of mutually beneficial solutions and the improvement of team relationships. Fousiani obtained a Master’s degree (2008) and a PhD (2010) in (social) psychology at Panteion University in Kallithea, Greece, and carried out postdoctoral research at the Université catholique de Louvain (2014–2016).
‘I
Lars Leffert Santema – Faculteit Science & Engineering
A ‘borrel’ is the best place for scientific discussion, as the alcohol and social setting will stimulate people
to ask questions or for help.
“
‘The way in which you, as a manager, deal with
differences of opinion affects trust, respect
and psychological safety.’
TEXT: KIRSTEN OTTEN
People are working longer and, as a result, remain active in leadership roles until later in life. This seems advantageous: after all, wisdom comes with age. But is that really the case? Organizational psychologist Kyriaki Fousiani investigated what age means for leadership when conflicts with employees loom.
Two studies
Fousiani and her fellow researchers tested their ideas in two studies, using questionnaires with participants from various organizations across several European countries. ‘To measure generativity and conflict management, around 300 leaders were asked about their motivation to share knowledge and experience and how they typically respond to conflicts.
We distinguished between constructive strategies, such as seeking solutions together or making compromises, and destructive behaviour, such as pushing one’s own viewpoint. This allowed us to measure how generative the leaders were, how they perceived their relationships with employees, and how they approached conflicts.’
‘The second study went a step further: we collected data from pairs of leaders and employees. Employees assessed the extent to which their leader was genuinely interested in their development and supported them in it. We also examined whether knowledge of emotion management correlated with how leaders handled conflicts.’
The willingness to invest in employees matters
‘What our research shows is that age alone says little about how leaders handle conflicts. The combination of age and generativity proved particularly important. The first study showed that among leaders who scored lower on generativity, older individuals often used less constructive ways to handle conflicts and generally had poorer relationships with their employees. The second study revealed another side of the story: when older leaders were highly generative - and thus genuinely motivated to invest in their employees - they typically had more knowledge about emotion management. In practice, this knowledge was then associated with less use of destructive conflict strategies.’
‘This knowledge is not only relevant for conflicts but for leadership in a broader sense,’ emphasizes Fousiani. ‘The way leaders handle disagreements affects trust, respect, and psychological safety. For organizations, this means that age alone should not be the focus; instead, the key question is how motivated leaders are to invest in their employees - by guiding them, sharing knowledge, and contributing to their development.’
Also applicable within the UG
According to Fousiani, these insights are also relevant for more supervisory roles, such as those in education and academia. ‘Universities are inherently multi-generational environments. Many of us take on leadership, supervisory, or mentoring roles at some point. Students appreciate it when they see that someone is genuinely interested in their development and willing to invest in it - this contributes to trust and stronger relationships.’
The same applies to colleagues at different stages of their careers: ‘Universities possess an enormous amount of knowledge and experience. The most important question for an older lecturer with decades of expertise should not be: “How much do you know?” but: “Are you willing to share your knowledge, support others, and contribute to the development of the next generation?” That is essentially the core of generativity.’
Future research
Currently, Fousiani and her research team are building on their findings in follow-up research. ‘We are still focusing on how age relates to leadership and conflict management, but we are also looking at which psychological and interpersonal resources - such as knowledge, experience, and skills - develop as people age and how leaders can effectively utilise them.’ For Fousiani, this touches on a broader question: ‘Ultimately, we want to understand how people can use the knowledge, experience, and other resources they accumulate during their careers in a way that benefits both employees and organizations.’
we handle conflicts can have major consequences for our working relationships and our well-being.’
Fousiani has worked as an assistant professor in the department of Organizational Psychology at the University of Groningen (UG) since 2016. One central question runs like a red thread through her research: how can people deal with conflicts in a constructive way?
Leadership and age
In recent years, Fousiani has delved deeper into workplace conflicts: ‘I find conflicts between leaders and employees particularly interesting. As a leader, you naturally hold a certain position of power. I want to understand what drives leaders to address conflicts constructively, rather than pushing their own agenda. And what motivates them to consider not only their own interests but also those of their employees.’
Conversations with UG colleague Susanne Scheibe, an expert in ageing at work, and Frank Walter, Professor of Leadership at Justus Liebig University (in Giessen, Germany), brought a new perspective to Fousiani’s research. The three researchers combined their expertise in a joint study addressing the question: can older leaders handle conflicts with employees better than younger ones?
Fousiani explains: ‘Previous research on age and conflict management painted a mixed picture. Some studies suggested that older people handle conflicts more constructively, while others found no differences or even indications of less constructive strategies. This led us to the idea that age alone probably does not tell the whole story. Ageing can bring valuable knowledge and experience, but that does not automatically mean someone uses them effectively in a conflict.’
The missing piece of the puzzle
To explain the contradictory results from earlier research, the researchers focused on generativity, a concept developed by developmental psychologist Erik Erikson. ‘Generativity is the motivation to contribute to the growth and development of others, for example by sharing knowledge and experience and helping others progress. This motivation can grow stronger as people age and begin to reflect more on what they can mean to others and what they want to leave behind.’
‘Imagine: during a team meeting, an employee openly questions a decision made by their older, experienced leader. The leader could respond abruptly: “My decision is final; let’s move on.” But they could also use their knowledge and experience differently: “What are your concerns? How can I address them?” Why does one leader choose the first response and another the second? This question formed the starting point of our research: what role does generativity play in how age relates to conflict management?’
have always found conflicts fascinating,’ says Fousiani during a video call from her home country of Greece, where she is spending her summer holiday. ‘Even in the healthiest relationships, they arise. The question, then, is not how we can prevent them, but how we deal with them. The way
fewer conflicts?
PHOTO: NICK HANNES – UIT DE SERIE THE FINANCIAL ZONE, IMAGINING SCIENCE 3 (RUG NOORDERLICHT)
PROPOSITION
Lars Leffert Santema – Faculteit Science & Engineering
A ‘borrel’ is the best place for scientific discussion, as the alcohol and social setting will stimulate people to ask questions or for help.
Two studies
Fousiani and her fellow researchers tested their ideas in two studies, using questionnaires with participants from various organizations across several European countries. ‘To measure generativity and conflict management, around 300 leaders were asked about their motivation to share knowledge and experience and how they typically respond to conflicts.
We distinguished between constructive strategies, such as seeking solutions together or making compromises, and destructive behaviour, such as pushing one’s own viewpoint. This allowed us to measure how generative the leaders were, how they perceived their relationships with employees, and how they approached conflicts.’
‘The second study went a step further: we collected data from pairs of leaders and employees. Employees assessed the extent to which their leader was genuinely interested in their development and supported them in it. We also examined whether knowledge of emotion management correlated with how leaders handled conflicts.’
The willingness to invest in employees matters
‘What our research shows is that age alone says little about how leaders handle conflicts. The combination of age and generativity proved particularly important. The first study showed that among leaders who scored lower on generativity, older individuals often used less constructive ways to handle conflicts and generally had poorer relationships with their employees. The second study revealed another side of the story: when older leaders were highly generative - and thus genuinely motivated to invest in their employees - they typically had more knowledge about emotion management. In practice, this knowledge was then associated with less use of destructive conflict strategies.’
‘This knowledge is not only relevant for conflicts but for leadership in a broader sense,’ emphasizes Fousiani. ‘The way leaders handle disagreements affects trust, respect, and psychological safety. For organizations, this means that age alone should not be the focus; instead, the key question is how motivated leaders are to invest in their employees - by guiding them, sharing knowledge, and contributing to their development.’
Also applicable within the UG
According to Fousiani, these insights are also relevant for more supervisory roles, such as those in education and academia. ‘Universities are inherently multi-generational environments. Many of us take on leadership, supervisory, or mentoring roles at some point. Students appreciate it when they see that someone is genuinely interested in their development and willing to invest in it - this contributes to trust and stronger relationships.’
The same applies to colleagues at different stages of their careers: ‘Universities possess an enormous amount of knowledge and experience. The most important question for an older lecturer with decades of expertise should not be: “How much do you know?” but: “Are you willing to share your knowledge, support others, and contribute to the development of the next generation?” That is essentially the core of generativity.’
Future research
Currently, Fousiani and her research team are building on their findings in follow-up research. ‘We are still focusing on how age relates to leadership and conflict management, but we are also looking at which psychological and interpersonal resources - such as knowledge, experience, and skills - develop as people age and how leaders can effectively utilise them.’ For Fousiani, this touches on a broader question: ‘Ultimately, we want to understand how people can use the knowledge, experience, and other resources they accumulate during their careers in a way that benefits both employees and organizations.’
“
‘The way in which you, as a manager, deal with differences of opinion affects trust, respect and psychological safety.’
Kyriaki Fousiani has worked as an assistant professor in the department of Organizational Psychology at the University of Groningen since 2016. She is an expert in organizational psychology, studies workplace conflict and effective conflict resolution strategies. Her focus centers on identifying the necessary conditions for leaders and followers to engage in constructive conflict management, ultimately facilitating the discovery of mutually beneficial solutions and the improvement of team relationships. Fousiani obtained a Master’s degree (2008) and a PhD (2010) in (social) psychology at Panteion University in Kallithea, Greece, and carried out postdoctoral research at the Université catholique de Louvain (2014–2016).
home country of Greece, where she is spending her summer holiday. ‘Even in the healthiest relationships, they arise. The question, then, is not how we can prevent them, but how we deal with them. The way we handle conflicts can have major consequences for our working relationships and our well-being.’
Fousiani has worked as an assistant professor in the department of Organizational Psychology at the University of Groningen (UG) since 2016. One central question runs like a red thread through her research: how can people deal with conflicts in a constructive way?
Leadership and age
In recent years, Fousiani has delved deeper into workplace conflicts: ‘I find conflicts between leaders and employees particularly interesting. As a leader, you naturally hold a certain position of power. I want to understand what drives leaders to address conflicts constructively, rather than pushing their own agenda. And what motivates them to consider not only their own interests but also those of their employees.’
Conversations with UG colleague Susanne Scheibe, an expert in ageing at work, and Frank Walter, Professor of Leadership at Justus Liebig University (in Giessen, Germany), brought a new perspective to Fousiani’s research. The three researchers combined their expertise in a joint study addressing the question: can older leaders handle conflicts with employees better than younger ones?
Fousiani explains: ‘Previous research on age and conflict management painted a mixed picture. Some studies suggested that older people handle conflicts more constructively, while others found no differences or even indications of less constructive strategies. This led us to the idea that age alone probably does not tell the whole story. Ageing can bring valuable knowledge and experience, but that does not automatically mean someone uses them effectively in a conflict.’
The missing piece of the puzzle
To explain the contradictory results from earlier research, the researchers focused on generativity, a concept developed by developmental psychologist Erik Erikson. ‘Generativity is the motivation to contribute to the growth and development of others, for example by sharing knowledge and experience and helping others progress. This motivation can grow stronger as people age and begin to reflect more on what they can mean to others and what they want to leave behind.’
‘Imagine: during a team meeting, an employee openly questions a decision made by their older, experienced leader. The leader could respond abruptly: “My decision is final; let’s move on.” But they could also use their knowledge and experience differently: “What are your concerns? How can I address them?” Why does one leader choose the first response and another the second? This question formed the starting point of our research: what role does generativity play in how age relates to conflict management?’
have always found conflicts fascinating,’ says Fousiani during a video call from her
‘I
People are working longer and, as a result, remain active in leadership
roles until later in life. This seems advantageous: after all, wisdom
comes with age. But is that really the case? Organizational psychologist Kyriaki Fousiani investigated what age means for leadership when conflicts with employees loom.
TEXT: KIRSTEN OTTEN