Ramesh A., an IIT engineer and IIM MBA, is in his 50s and found himself looking out for options as the telecom multinational he works for had hinted that the business downturn may hurt his career. Similar was the case of Manoj, a Chief operating Officer (COO) in a language training school. Meera, a chartered accountant in a non-governmental organisation (NGO), is staring at the organisation winding down operations as new funds are not forthcoming and the current project is nearing completion. Then, there is Priyanka who feels that she has reached her pinnacle and cannot move up further, and feels constrained in a declining business.
Plentiful challenges
All have children in critical years in their education. Then there is the EMI for that dream home, which forms a significant part of the monthly cash outgo. There are medical expenses of elders in the family to be accounted for. God forbid if in a family both husband and wife find themselves staring at career challenges at the same time.
All were at various stages of success in their work-world and being at the higher levels in the career pyramid, opportunities were necessarily fewer than in earlier years. Then, the unwelcome prospect of having to explain the exit in interviews was also there. Not a pleasant prospect at all. An additional challenge in terms of health can upset the applecart seriously.
When looking at options, Ramesh, having been at the helm of affairs, couldn’t bring himself to ‘downgrade’ his profile with the jobs available in the market. But the question troubling him deeply was: what does he really want? He had spent the better part of his life flowing with the tide and often at the crest of the wave. And now he wondered how to remain relevant.
Even more challenging was the question as to what was he best at and what would get the energy flowing again. He was bright and had been there and done that and the consultant’s option of a top job in a distant location didn’t find any resonance. Yet, he needed to find work. But there was a gnawing doubt if the other option near home would enthuse him. And, having done things and worked in cultures which often left a bad taste in his mouth, what is a meaningful job? What kind of job would he find meshing with his plans for the remaining years of work before that word ‘retirement’ turned into a real situation?
Then, a medical check-up required for an insurance policy revealed hypertension. Ramesh put it down to career stress.
Such are issues that are staring at many corporate executives just short of or past 50. Irrespective of gender, one (in that age group) wonders if there is a “career menopause” to be tackled.
But then, some have managed to convert this phase into a very insightful review and the beginning of a new journey towards remaining relevant, useful and fulfilled.
New perspectives
Deshpande, while working on various options, got new perspectives on how much he owed to his spouse and how much she contributed to the family’s stability, well-being and success, for he stayed at home and shared the roles at home during this phase. This strengthened the bonds at home and brought new energy into his married life as also a deep sense of gratitude, rebuilt love, mutual respect and a new sense of harmony.
Meera, a working mom, found out how much her children needed her vital support at a critical stage in school or college, and her inputs helped put her kids on the path of building their life with the right attitudes and values.
Someone else found a healthier lifestyle of a morning routine of yoga and evening stroll with her partner. Another discovered the healing powers of Ayurveda and a diet that helped her, and her family, shed junk food and junk poor habits!
On the work front, Deepak was tossing about an interesting option of entrepreneurship. He felt an inner satisfaction when he said ‘no’ to a consultant. The freedom of ‘rejecting’ an option was exhilarating.
Manoj taught his servant’s kids English, instead of the foreign language he was involved with in his last job.
The ex-telecom CEO sat down and understood his personal finances were sub-optimally managed and he re-jigged his portfolio to exit low-return stocks, some insurance, withdrew provident fund and reinvested in tax-free debt instruments and so on. He found that he could actually contemplate a low-cost lifestyle, if life demanded it, without a job.
Someone discovered that friends didn’t care if he worked or not and they bonded equally well after many years of having lost contact since college days, decades back. Watching “Prison break” and IPL became enjoyable pastimes with no feelings of guilt!
Deepika, found that the new job had greater work-life balance and, as a pleasant surprise, a better remuneration, too. Banerjee found out that he actually loved a taste of retirement and to simply chill out!
“Bhagavad Gita” took on meaning, as did trekking to Amarnath cave, which became the journey of a lifetime. The need for anchors in life was felt, found, taken on and experienced.
This phase in career was fraught with difficulties and danger and those who successfully took on the situation had lessons to share, such as keeping cool and calm was necessary for a well thought out response and it was important to avoid knee-jerk reactions which could backfire badly; this pause in the race was often a time for a rethink, to possibly change tracks in line with needs, goals, aspirations and abilities; it is when pushed to a corner that one often comes up with creative solutions not thought of before; the pause was not the end of the road but an opportunity to have a perspective check on dimensions of life beyond work, which often took a back seat.
The journey matters
Also, some fundamental assumptions were questioned and answers found, such as how much money is enough?
They also realised the importance of better planning and focussing on re-jigging assets, moving location, planning for future.
At the end of the day, one had to understand that it was a journey and not a neat resolution — before the next, never imagined, crisis struck!
In the midst of challenges, these menopausal executives managed to find love, laughter, bonding, meaning in life, value of friendship, creativity, risk-taking, giving back, optimism, a gentler pace of life, a ‘greener’ style of living, planning for the decades to come, family, fulfilment at work, and the place of money in life.
The luckiest among them discovered or developed a deeper understanding of the universe and life. They saw that the nature of the universe and life were vibratory and ‘success’ and ‘failure’ alternated. Situations were transitory and hanging in there and doing the right thing was all that was needed. They found true freedom was not just in the ability to say no but in the choice to accept what was. Amidst all the chaos, they found a core within themselves which was unshaken.
They found career menopause was a new beginning of faith and hope and direction.
(The writer is a veteran CEO.)