In a competitive workplace, older managers often face a preference for younger employees. At a time in their lives when their skills are finely honed and their loyalty proven, many managers over 50 worry about being displaced by Young Turks with a fraction of their experience.
David Hardcastle, a professor of social administration at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, says one factor working against older professionals is the drive to lower management costs. Many organizations have been reducing the number of managers while increasing their workloads and job responsibilities.
"It's no longer a matter of youth versus experience," says Dr. Hardcastle, who has studied the age-related employment trends in public agencies. "It's a matter of who can take the most stress." When the pressure becomes too great, many older managers withdraw from the organization. They often limp their way to retirement with strong feelings of resentment and abandonment after their years of hard work and loyalty.
But many organizations have been burned by young, inexperienced managers and are beginning to realize that managers need people skills or productivity may fall. Older managers are increasingly valued for their knowledge, loyalty and work ethic.
Alice Larson, 58, a Minneapolis CEO of a private HMO serving small businesses in the Twin Cities area, says older managers are often more sensitive to people and can finesse problems that many younger managers can't handle. "Many healthcare organizations have a number of whiz-kid managers in their 20s," she says. "Some of them are highly trained and very skilled technically, but when it comes to people skills and being able to creatively work out solutions to people problems, older managers have them beat by a country mile."
1. Keep yourself current. One trap older managers fall into is an unwillingness to keep up with advances in technology and changes in business philosophy. Change is the name of the game. You have to be willing to know as much, if not more, than your younger competitors. Don't be proud that you're unwilling to learn new things from younger colleagues. In fact, many successful older managers exchange information with younger managers. Both benefit in the process.
Be an active participant in conferences and workshops that can improve your level of expertise. Use the contacts you make to network and develop new professional opportunities.
2. Take nothing for granted. Organizations have short memories and you can be out of a job in a flash. Keep your options open by having other work to fall back on. Never assume that the organization is as loyal as you are. If you anticipate a management preference for youth, consider moonlighting or developing a new career path. Career changes can be one of the most energizing aspects of aging.
A study of retired professionals I conducted several years ago in the Palm Springs, Calif., area suggests that most of them find retirement boring without work. Many have developed new career paths and say their new work is more exciting.
3. Keep your eyes and ears open for signs of change, however subtle. Be sure to see who's the rising star in the company and protect your turf. Don't let anyone invade your turf without resisting. Too many older managers cede territory too readily because protecting themselves is too stressful. Don't surrender. Keep your edge. In the long run, giving up is worse than fighting to maintain your turf, since afterward you may feel a sense of defeat and could lose your job.
4. Stay focused on doing your job very well. It's difficult to remove someone doing a terrific job no matter how good the competition might be. But don't become arrogant. In the final analysis, everyone is expendable and if your superiors want you out, you'll be out.
Charles Schnider, a retired regional sales manager for Air Canada, had received several awards from his company for exceptional performance. "My productivity was half again as much as my nearest competitor," says Mr. Schnider, who lives in Victoria, British Columbia. "The boss was looking at the long run and guessed that a guy [at age] 55 would lose his edge, sooner or later. He replaced me with a much younger person." Admittedly, the demotion was hurtful and unexpected. But it taught him to never assume anything when it comes to job security. "We're all at risk no matter how good we are," he says.
5. Be nice to everyone. You never know who could hurt or help you. The fewer enemies you have, the better. If Turks are about to make a move that might affect your job security, it's better to be a friend than an enemy. You may reap the reward of loyalty when the new manager takes over.
Make as many friends as possible. As one older manager who asked that his name not be used says, "I've made a point of making so many brownie points with everyone at work that it's given me a sort of protective shield against obsolescence. This isn't the time in a career for payback. Be nice to everyone. You never know when you might need their help."
6. Stay tuned in to the rumor mill. If you learn your job is in jeopardy, you may have time to change your boss's mind. Dave Morland, 56, one of the developers of Park West Ski Resort in Park City, Utah, was able to boost his performance because a secretary told him his boss said something negative about his work. "I was working for a small firm developing an electric bicycle in Detroit at the time," says Mr. Morland, who lives in Durango, Co. "It saved my job and it taught me the value of having advance information."
7. Use every opportunity to broaden your professional contacts. Network with your peers at other organizations. Additionally, consider putting confidential position-wanted ads in appropriate career newsletters, journals and trade magazines.
Tim Ellefson, 59, of Seattle, looked for a new career after retiring from the military by placing confidential ads in journals and creating his own web site. "My wife helped me write some things about myself that were really pretty amazing," he says. "I was feeling pretty bad about retiring before I was ready and couldn't say anything good about myself." His efforts quickly led to a new and interesting job as an insurance broker.
-- Dr. Glicken is a professor of social work at California State University, San Bernardino and a frequent contributor to careerjournal.com.