The magic of small start-up companies is in them being quick to respond, flexible and willing to take risks. However, when a company grows to a significant size it often loses these enticing characteristics and becomes sluggish, hierarchical, bureaucratic and dull. So how do you keep the magic of the small start-up, with the stability of a larger corporation? The secret is in whether your organisation is a spider or a starfish.

Older workers are a rapidly growing segment of the workforce, and research shows that their job performance is superior in nearly every aspect to that of younger cohorts. They offer the just in time skills employers say they want and are willing to work the flexible schedules modern businesses require. However, this older workforce poses a unique challenge for younger supervisors, who may have difficulty handling subordinates with more experience than they do.