Stay professionally relevant – Whatever your age is

Ever wonder why powerful CEOS and other ‘important people’ never seem to retire? Some of them hang onto their jobs well into their 70s. Others seem to retire, only to resurface down the road. There are a number of causes for this behaviour, but the most insidious and perhaps least understood one is the fear of becoming irrelevant.

Ever wonder why powerful CEOS and other ‘important people' never seem to retire? Some of them hang onto their jobs well into their 70s. Others seem to retire, only to resurface down the road. There are a number of causes for this behaviour, but the most insidious and perhaps least understood one is the fear of becoming irrelevant.

This particular fear, surprisingly common among successful people, comes from the typically shocking realization that what you think, say, and do, what once caused hoards of people to stop what they were doing and pay attention, no longer matters to anyone.

This fear is real. I have seen it happening to a large percentage of depressed former executives, managers and entrepreneurs anyone who might, at one time or another would have felt ‘relevant' in their workplaces.

Relevant leader

Own the success of your interpersonal relationships with different generations at work. Your maturity does not earn you automatic respect from younger employees who relish debating ideas and think that they know a lot - not everything - but an awful lot

Relevance, as defined by any standard dictionary is a term used to describe how pertinent, connected, or applicable something or someone is to a given matter. It may be the most important word on your path to leadership. Think of the people whom you follow. Are they relevant? Is she or he someone who is pertinent and connected to your matter (your goals)? Would you hit at least a speed bump if their relevancy shifted? (The stronger their relevance, the bigger the speed bump will be). In some cases, it could even be a brick wall.

Relevance is a tool you must establish to lead. As a leader, relevance keeps those who follow on the course you set. You can't simply snap your fingers or demand rel- evance. Relevance must be earned.

It's important to note that there is negative relevance too. Let's take Hitler as an example. His tyranny was strong enough to launch most great nations into a World War. If he wasn't relevant, his campaign would not likely become the catalyst of hate that it was. So, relevance can by a tool a tyrant can use to enforce their course as well. The litmus test however, is that commitment typically outlasts compliance. Hitler was a leader who enforced compliance.

He hardly is worthy of a mention in any feature story but he is a clear example of negative relevance. He seduced a nation with cowardice masked in anger giving rise to a state of negative relevance.

Positive relevance is the tool we are focusing on in this article. This is to say you (as the relevant leader) matter. Your employees, customers, friends, coworkers, peers, all feel your presence and act in accordance with your relevance.

Building relevance

Relevance must be defined in terms of expectations, standards or rules that govern action. In any given situation, what would you do? If those following you don't know the answer to this, then they are acting on assumptions and indicating a low level of relevance.

Perhaps a more demanding question is how do you build relevance? Clearly it's not easy but is a process of endurance. There are four things you can and should do to help avoid this horrible nightmare: Be passionate about things other than your job and the power and perks it brings. If you're a selfproclaimed workaholic or you're fond of saying, "work is all I do" or "work is all I've ever loved," that's a bad sign. Find something else to be equally passionate about. Just a hobby might help Be self-aware. Know yourself. Know what motivates you and why. Sometimes we think we do but we really don't. How do you know if you do or don't? Well, if you have a history of troubled relationships, anxiety or panic attacks, or other behavioural issues, you might consider seeing a good shrink. You think I'm kidding? Well, I'm not, not even a little Be proactive about the decision; don't just let it happen to you. If you get canned or laid off and figure, "Well, it's been a few decades, I might as well call it quits and relax while I still can," you're just asking for trouble. In that event, you clearly haven't given the prospect enough thought to really anticipate how you're going to feel "down the road." Unfortunately, "down the road" can take years, at which point you're no longer relevant or hirable. That's when it becomes a real problem Bring your spouse, family, and accountant into the picture before you make any decisions. When I quit working as a fulltime executive seven years ago and began consulting and working from home, I had no idea how much that invasion of my wife's space would affect her and our relationship. Then there was the financial crisis. The bottom line is that it's not just about you. And the decision that you probably think is yours to make can have a ripple effect that may come back to haunt you in the end.

Become a youth

You can maintain relevance no matter your age and no matter how subtly age discrimination permeates your workplace.

If you work and you're over age 40, age discrimination is a real possibility. You can't change the attitudes and beliefs, that coworkers may be unaware they exhibit or feel, but you can combat subtle discrimination by the actions you take in your workplace.

If you're unemployed, it's even more difficult - yes, that person interviewing you is younger than your daughter, and just as smart. And, yes, she is worrying that you are older than all of your potential coworkers. She may not know that her thoughts are discriminatory, but subtle age discrimination may be colouring her perceptions of your ability to fit within the company's work culture.

Experts suggest that a youthful appearance can add years to your career. I agree. Here are thoughts on maintaining relevance at work no matter your age. Maintain a youthful appearance - not too young - but youthful, with modern clothes and a current hairstyle Stay current on new communica- tion tools and technology advances. Technology skills make you appear savvy and contemporary. Social media is here to stay. Participate

Don't be a stereotype. Embrace change and welcome the opportunity to gain new skills. Try something different? Change makes the world go round

Own the success of your interpersonal relationships with different generations at work. Your maturity does not earn you automatic respect from younger employees who relish debating ideas and think that they know a lot - not everything - but an awful lot. And, they know the most recent, cutting edge ideas. Just because you've done it longer, know more, and have more experience, does not mean that your way is the best - or even that younger employees will acknowledge that you have an edge at all. Join their debate, swap ideas, and acknowledge that you can learn, too, from the younger generations at work Keep abreast of your field. Read books and journals, attend conferences, converse regularly with thought leaders and colleagues. Be the first to introduce a new work process or a forward thinking idea These tips are relevant for anybody at any age, but they are especially important for older workers. You don't want to hit the pavement job searching when you are over 40 (the new old) - unless you choose to pursue a new opportunity. As an experienced, older employee, you are in the best possible position to put these ideas and strategies to work for you as you strive to retain the job you have.

You have experience, deep knowledge, and maturity that you can capitalize on to benefit your employer. You are accountable, responsible and savvy in ways that younger workers have yet to attain. Take advantage of your strengths and make sure that they are on display for your employer to notice - every day.