According to The World Health Organization:
Today, there are around 600 million people aged 60 years and over worldwide. This number will double by 2025 and will reach two billion by 2050, with the vast majority of older people in the developing world.
I am Exhibit A in this growing global dilemma. As I approach 80 I sense a dismissive undercurrent in the corporate community. Perhaps it’s the ADD-like influence of the Internet that contributes to this—if you Google me you’ll learn the shocking fact that I was born in 1939, and if that’s all you learn, you might look to engage a younger advisor, coach or mentor without the experience and wisdom that comes with age. But if you research more deeply you’ll find that my chronological age differs significantly from my biological age, the latter having been clinically measured at 59 (with 20-year-old bones and 40-year-old lungs), I ski, mountain bike, kayak and horseback ride 200 days a year, I’m on the road 100+ days a year, I have no physical ailments or spare parts, and I remain at the cutting edge of my field. In fact, I am being asked to make speeches and work with organizations to share how I stay fit, sharp and young.
Discussing this with a client the other day, he very honestly declared to me, “People who have never met you will be concerned about your age— until they meet you!”
Ageism is likely to be a major social challenge in the coming years even though The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects applicants and employees who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age.
Even if some 80-year-olds are decrepit, we must be careful not to throw out the baby with the bath water by punishing and discriminating against those who have vowed to stay young physically, emotionally and attitudinally.
What is your experience with ageism or age discrimination? Share your stories here.
Your blog post is right on target and speaks to me, Lance. I just turned 67 on July 21st and have sensed age discrimination at times, yet I’m very active and healthy. My wife is 23 years younger than me, but I’m just as active as she is. For me, the biggest challenge has been in not letting what I’m sensing limit me. I put this all into the category of another area where the human race needs to wake up and be more conscious about things. But I must say that the statistics you quoted are astounding and the sheer numbers themselves may contribute to a solution.
I read a report today that said that the average resume gets read for a mere 20 seconds. This is just one of many indicators that our attention span has shrunk dramatically in the last few years. As a result, when using a search engine to learn about someone or something, one may be in danger of only skimming the data you are looking for and therefore not being properly informed. For example, the Canadian actor Christopher Plummer is 88 but he is still going strong and featured in blockbuster movies. Grandma Moses started her painting career at 78 and her best work was accomplished after she turned 100! Stephen Hawking was doing some of his most advanced research in the last year of his life at 76. As the numbers of elders grows, our attitudes towards them must change.
While having lunch at the little community cafeteria in the long-lost Zellers, with Colin, I was dismayed to read the menu offering “senior meals” which could be followed for a mere “$1 with jello or rice pudding for 55 and up.” Whatever do they think happens to people when they hit 55 – that they forget every fine meal, every lovely glass of wine?
Last week, I interviewed a lady of 94 3/4 years, as she put it, still very active, quite articulate, hands clean of arthritis.
To my mind, it’s quite shocking how people over 55 are viewed here and how they are punished for getting older, by being incarcerated in dreadful “homes,” everything they ever loved taken from them, including their freedom and their privacy.
This is not generally the case in many other cultures, where living is more important than perceptions and everyone is better off for it.
By the bye, Stephen Hawking was not only doing new scientific work at 76 but was also the miracle man who lived with ALS for 50 years!
…Cindy Joseph just passed away (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/25/obituaries/cindy-joseph-a-model-who-embraced-her-age-is-dead-at-67.html) – what a model (pun intended) for us all!
Amen brother! Lance, you are spot on with your blog. Many of us are working hard professionally and personally to maintain physical , mental and emotional vitality. We are also willing to learn new things from the other generations and not come across as “know-it-all’s” –
Well said, John. There is much research to show that learning, curiosity and inquisitive research and questioning, as well as learning new things, contributes to successful vitality in one’s senior years. And then there are those who simply get better rather than older!
Dear Lance…thank you for this…I have come to the point in time where I refuse to tell people how old I am, because it always comes with a judgement, or the proverbial “gee you look great for your age, I would have pegged you for ten years younger!” But it is also about my attitude, my speaking pattern (I can speak younger people’s lingo) and my desire for adventure particularly in travel (Antarctic was my last trip).
People feel comfortable with labels and putting people in boxes….and fortunately for people like you and me, we don’t fit into a box and that can make people uncomfortable. I am physically better than I was 20 years ago and mentally, well I still can run rings around some of the “younger” folk, because not only am I creative and innovative, but I have the experience to know how to maneuver things in an organization within a proper context that makes an idea ready for implementation, vs. an idea that will inevitably fail. Yet for some reason organizations feel that for innovation they need to look at the pre-40 crowd, and also that innovation is purely limited to technology. Although I will say in technology I am pushing the concepts of artificial intelligence, blockchain etc. in my team and in the organization. I can inspire my teams to see beyond the horizon and give them the space to do that, because I am comfortable with uncertainty and that only comes with experience. I encourage them to dream about the possibilities.
But Lance, the sad part is that I women are actually judged more harshly then men when it comes to age. And women start getting judged earlier than men..already in their 50s.
So it is unfortunate that we are being put onto ice-flows while yelling “We’re not dead yet.”
I could say a lot more, but I will leave it at that, but with a final positive.
The odd time that I do qualify for a seniors discount I love it, but I would love it more if they carded me! 🙂
Stay well Lance!
Cheers
Patricia
Patricia J. Moser
What a wonderful comment Patricia! I so agree with you. I often joke when I go into the liquor store, “Aren’t you going to ask me for my ID?”! Keep young (Boy, you sure look good for your age! ?)
Ageism is also institutionalized in that most public company boards, in Canada at least, have an age limit for those serving rather than a competency and capability assessment. This was partially intended as a genteel way of saving boards from making the harder decisions involved in making personal assessments of directors who had stayed too long.
Perhaps its time to revise some of these antiquated protocols?
As the focus within the human family becomes more widely and deeply directed to life’s two most important questions––What’s going on, and what’s the healthiest action I can take in this moment?––the desire to enjoy the benefits of a wise guide or two will naturally increase. Many of those capable of offering useful insight related to what’s essential (what one cannot live without) have gained their wisdom from years, decades of learning from their experience. Of course, time on the job is not the same as experience. Wisdom and age aren’t synonymous. But when I look around at those I feel have a pretty good ability to respond in a positive way to whatever life presents, most of them have been at it a while. It seems to me that for those, of any age, who want support to serve their passion to be as alive as they can possibly be, the reservoir of wisdom and good humor they seek is present most abundantly among the community of elders. I wouldn’t be surprised if the extent to which this is not appreciated reflects the immaturity of the human family at this stage of our evolution.
Steve, you, and what you have written, are a perfect example of the wisdom and insight of an elder who contributes greatly to the world and makes a difference in people’s lives. Thank you for your comments.
Lance : we really enjoyed the picture. Although we are just one day apart on our birthdays, I’ll be 85 this coming birthday. Your blog brought some strong messages to all parties of younger, older, females & males. You have been a leader for many years and we are proud to follow your writing and being part of your team. After reviewing your blog twice, I told my wife I feel 40 years younger and enjoy every minute that I can giving a helping hand solving a problem and not creating one. The body may have some limits as we progress, but the mind has no age limits.
…and with care and modern science and new discoveries around alternative wellbeing protocols, we can keep the body young too – see http://www.deerfields.ca – an organization I am advising and who are doing cutting edge work that ensures that as we grow older we do not age in a traditional way, but, retain vitality and as Dr. Randolph Knipping (https://www.deerfields.ca/the-team/dr-randy-knipping/), the medical director there says, we can enjoy a “long flight, nd smooth landing”.
Ageism. Man I hear you. I see professionals in the 50+ range that continually stay sharp, healthy, on the bleeding edge of their industry and still become targets of ageism.
I see it perpertrated more and more especially by the Millennials who are coming into power. They use code words like:
– We want someone energetic
– Someone who can handle the 24×7 pace
– Someone who understands Millennials
I can understand to a “degree” comments like that for a full time position but I am hearing it also from people who are consultants age 50+. Wow, when you feel threatened by consultants who are there to bring their skills, years of experience and wisdom…then we, as a species, are in trouble.
I am not putting Millennials down but their mindset is a fascinating one. One of the best explanations of that mindset comes from Simon Sinek during a Impact Theory interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU
I think Simon is absolving them of most of their part of the responsibility but he makes a compelling case.
This issue will only grow exponentially as Artificial Intelligence gains momentum in all facets of life and the medical advances makes 100 the new 60.
Oh well I rarely listened to my dad. I thought I knew it all. I had to learn the heard way. Next time one of them needs brain surgery they may rethink things.
The challenge is this: It’s not the same for everybody. We are indiscriminate. Some 60-year-olds are old. Some 80-year-olds are young. Age is a number not a behavioral or cognitive measure. Next year I will suffer the indignity of taking a written driving test on the same day I am advising the CEO of a Fortune 100 company!
Lance what you say sounds right. Regarding the “Indignity”, don’t look at it that way. Consider looking at it as a public service. Like you said there are 60 year olds who are old…I know 30 year olds who are OLDER!. Some people should just not be on the road. It starts with one’s mindset.
Beyond mindset, I think it is worthwhile to talk about Mastery. I have always been fascinated by the subject and there is a growing body of work. But for the sake of this conversation I will share my definition which I refined based upon Mark Devine’s book Unbeatable Mind. I am paraphrasing here but in his book he laments how most of society has a “Hack” mindset when it comes to any skill. Hack as in: “How can I hack a skill so I do not have to put in all the effort…”
He goes on to give the example of how someone could take a short 2 week course on personal training or yoga and then they start training others and end up hurting people with their lack of skills and experience.
He explains that in the Navy Seals for the first 10 years you are considered a beginner. Then for the next 10 years you are a teacher, teaching beginners. Then you move on to teaching teachers. Only after teaching teachers for 10 more years are you considered a master. And even then the true masters understand that they never reach that level but look at their craft as a “Practice”.
For example, I have been driving on a daily basis now for 35+ years. Sure I took a drivers Ed course. I also had to sit in on the painful 5-7 hour drivers safety course. I have also raced carts and cars on the practice track. I have driven and owned several high performance cars. I have never been in a accident but I have magically / skillfully avoided several breath taking situations. By the above definition I do not consider myself at any driving level near mastery. I doubt that I am even advanced. But I could drive 6 + hours, get to my location peacefully and not remember most of the details of the journey.
Where I am leading with all of this is that people like you have clearly developed MASTERY in certain areas. Most have not. I am not addressing or judging those who do not choose the path of mastery. But most Millennials have a “Hacker’s” mentality and do not appreciate / understand mastery in my opinion for many of the reasons that Simon Sinek have outlined (above). Although there are rays of hope.
Using Google’s ngram I ran a search on the use of the words: Mastery, Hack and Mindset:
https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=mastery%2Chack%2C+mindset&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2Cmastery%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Chack%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2Cmindset%3B%2Cc0
The conversation about MASTERY peaked about late 1920s and has been on a steady decline but MINDSET is entering our popular culture lexicon more and more. As part of that conversation people are asking questions like: “what are some of the common mindsets of people who have successful / fulfilling lives?” You touch upon this theme in many of your 21 books.
One cannot have that conversation without talking about Mastery
You can’t talk about mastery and appreciate it while holding on to Ageism as a guiding principle… I am hopeful. Let’s expand the conversation.
Rick, I first developed my theories about Mastery around 1989 when I wrote, “The Way of the Tiger” and have expanded those concepts in several books since. It is the heart of our Values-centered® Leadership Model. I so agree with you – as we teach, Mastery is propelled by Learning, and that is where the hard work lies.
Lance I have the opportunity to hear from students in the classroom who are Baby Boomers in their mid 60’s and are coming back to earn an MBA. Discrimination based upon age still exists in our institutions regardless of values, in the disguise of dishonest reasons given to candidates whom are passed over for a position. Discussions from the students have been interesting especially those in their 40’s where they have reflected upon the question of, “What happens if I stay in this organization and turn 50, how will I be treated”?
I have also experienced discrimination in my consulting assignments while involved in conversations about talent management and emerging leadership initiatives. Ageism definitely played a factor in decisions on who to hire and promote from within even though the right candidate had the depth of experience, competencies, and maturity that was far greater than the selected candidates.
I believe the that talent from all age groups becomes a competitive advantage for an organization and those organizations that recognize it will be the future leaders in their industry sectors.
Tom
Tom, thanks for this. As you know, in Native traditions, the Elders carry the wisdom of the tribe. We have lost this. Time to reconsider this now, do you think?
In my experience I find it discouraging not only how we treat and view our aging population, therefore promoting me to pursue a degree in gerentolgy to help give a voice to our aging population and actively pursue opportunities for them to “teach” our high school age students on specific subjects or mentor. The fact that we do not look to this population for guidance, learning and problem solving is absurd. Much learning doesn’t just take place from the new and cutting edge. Sometimes we recreate the wheel not seeing the forset for the trees. USING this population as sounding boards not only helps them stay engaged in the needs of today’s society, it also helps the younger generations to see that age is just a number. What someone has to offer isn’t based on age or necessarily the experience of some of today’s short term looks or patches but they can provide insight into how to solve or resolve an issue with a permanent solution vs a half-baked one. If you want to learn to fish and feed a village, are you going to go to who has the biggest newest boat, but no experience, or the guy that had done it before with less, and save yourself some time, frustration and learning on the fly with a resource that can get you there using what they did and apply how you could use that to benefit a better or less expensive wheel given the benefit of someone who has “been there, done that”?
We need to stop throwing away resources who have so much to offer, stop treating them as outdated, believing they wouldn’t understand and waste time, by looking past age and looking at what they can offer that no one else can.
I had a family member who was a big crane operator. A very hard and specific job with many varibles. Unfortunately a life was lost because of a mistake he made that no one had thought would ever happen. We thought for sure he would lose his job given his age. However, his boss stated “Why would I fire him? He will never make that mistake again nor will the person that uses his seat when he’s gone”. Something to think about.
Thanks so much for this Kelly. Very insightful!
I totally agree with your premise that there are lots of senior citizens who have so much value to contribute and ageism is robbing society of their expertise.
There are many people like yourself and myself (I’m now 71) whose minds and bodies are sound and whose experiences in life and business are deep. The world is in a state of transition because in a previous generation, seniors really aged and died quicker and many people are still holding onto those images.
What we need is a movement like Gay Pride which has allowed people to step up and not hide who they are. I can imagine a movement of active seniors, business and community leaders (even President Trump is seen as vibrant at 71) who share what and how they are contributing as senior citizens. Stereotypes of people in old age homes, while valid, is no longer the likely path for many seniors; we are more consciously taking care of ourselves and choosing to not retire and instead, remaining engaged. I can easily imagine a movement of active vibrant seniors that could, once established, host a large annual convention to profile accomplishments and opportunities which would also bring media attention with the right list of speakers, like Warren Buffett who is still going strong at 87 and corporate sponsors (eg like investment and fitness equity companies).
Ageism is both a challenge but clearly an opportunity to change peoples’ minds and create more opportunities for seniors.
I love your comments Ron. Perhaps AARP in the US and CARP in Canada should step up and initiate this idea? One of the books I released this year is “Peak Performers: The Remarkable History and Adventures of a Senior Skiing Program in America“. It shows how senior skiers are contributing so much to the ski industry as well as to their own lives by skiing well into their senior years.
Lance , the subject of ageism is a very personal subject to me. Although I am not completely sure of my English I hope I will find the right words to describe my experiences. I am 61 years old and there are clearly many people of my age or even older who have a much better physical condition than I have and have ever had.
Due to different circumstances I have had to learn to get along with physical problems from my mid 30ties onwards. In comparison to other people of my age I have suffered from being considered as ” old” and had to protect myself from following this opinion. That being said my physical limitations forced me to cultivate the close connection to my inner self. Ten years ago I founded my own business : a center for competence for Highly Sensitive People- the first one in Germany. Since then I have been realizing that the most important decision in my life was the one I chose in my younger years: to take all my limitations as one more opportunity to make my heart open and wide for a new possibility to understand and feel the situation of other people. This attitude has helped me tremendously to keep an open mind and accept the ” Culture of Unknowing ” towards all the questions my clients bring to me. It allows me to step into a deep dialogue with single persons or groups in which we meet as human beings – independent from age or position. Together we open a holy space thus inviting each other to be completely present – not a fractal of what we could be – and to carry this experience into every day life.
In a” VUCA- world” – in a world which is becoming so complex and overwhelming that more and more people are searching for different answers to their questions concerning the meaning of life and human existence on our planet, I am sure that wisdom- independent from age – will become the most important quality of any counselor.
What a wonderfully insightful, commentary Jutta. I love your idealism and optimism as well as your positive approach to turning challenges into assets. Many people with autism or dyslexia have done the same – such as John Chambers (former CEO of Cisco, who was dyslexic). We all have much to learn as the world presents a harsher face, and sensitive individuals have to learn how to embrace that new reality.
I enjoyed the blog post. Being 30, my mind and body are seemingly on different pages all the time. I have many spare parts (injuries/surgeries) and been through a ton of adversity. Both self-inflicted and outside things. I perceive myself like an 100 year old monk in a weathered body sometimes, but that makes me feel fulfilled in a different way. I don’t wait for things in life like the normal society wants us to (college in 4, married with kids by 30, career path set and taking baby aspirins by 40). Not my thing. I want all of that but the idea/pressure of age brings us so far from our actual “age”. Defying our own “age” gets harder and harder with that “ADD” mentality we get from complete lack of delayed gratification. Right now I am trying to completely break out of myself and achieve some goals. Trying to align my personal goals and aspirations with my own “age”, not the clock’s age. NOT EASY!
Xavier, It really is true that we are as old as we think we are. I am 2 1/2 times as old as you, but I bet physiologically I am close to your age – it’s an attitude isn’t it? Congratulations for following your own path!
Dear Lance, I agree wholeheartedly with your blog on ageism.
I believe there are numerous factors at work that produces age discrimination.
First, people with experience are less likely to be easily exploited. First, they don’t have time for BS. Secondly, few are out for promotions and higher salary. Third, older folks value relationships more than a few dollars more.
Secondly, which is related to First, the energy of younger folks and their ambition (not in all cases of course) makes them more easily forced to work long and often unpaid overtime. Capitalism in its ugliest form prefers that mode of exploitation so discriminates against anyone who objects. Uninspiring leaders do not like to have people around who would speak truth to power.
Third, older folks who have resolved polarities are less likely to fall into the trap of binary arguments from unscrupulous managers (at least I’d like to think so though in the current political climate I wonder) of us versus them, on the team or not, etc.
Fourth, in my opinion, our western culture (dominated by capitalism, utilitarianism, consumerism) does not typically value what is old and wise. I believe that we are poorly balanced as a society in general here in North America. I currently live in a community where there is a large population of amazing and healthy retired or partly retired people with lots of energy. I marvel at the talent available and shake my head that it is not sought out.
Finally, I would say that ageism is an isolated phenomenon. It is often found alongside other isms simply because of poor (read negative and uninspiring) leadership practices.
I love these insights Claude. I wonder though, if you are correct about older folks having resolved their polarities? My experience suggests that some older folks harden their binary view of the world – witness the chasm between grey-haired liberals and their conservative counterparts, which has never been greater. What separates some older folks from their younger brethren is wisdom versus knowledge.
Lance: I enjoyed reading your blog on Ageism and agree that there is a bias against aging. As we age, the perception is that our best years are behind us and that our dreams should have been fulfilled, and if not, then it is too late. But what if that misperception was placed on its head. What if instead of limited possibilities we had limitless possibilities and new ways to redefine ourselves to have an impact on our families, communities and others as we age into the best years of our lives?
We need to make sure that we always draw out the best in people no matter what their age. There is limitless potential in dreaming big and striving for a better tomorrow so that we have a future and a hope.
Love these thoughts Rich. I like Chip Conley’s comment that we are not cartons of milk with a “best before” date stamped on our wrinkled foreheads, but we are a fine wine aged to perfection.