3 Keys to Professionally Ageing Well, and Actively

Unfortunately in some (too many!) countries and companies, ageing is not seen as a wonderful, exciting and valuable life-force of the organisation.

Luckily there are also many that realise just what a potential and benefit active agers can have on their colleagues and the insight and vision they can bring to projects.

By the way, this is one of my ‘orange box’ topics, which is why I am main speaker at the Women’s Economic Forum 2017 in New Delhi on ‘Where East meets West for Greatest Business and Personal Success’ which includes the subject of age being valued in the East more so than in the West as one of the points.

So why should you care about this? What benefit has ageing well professionally have for you?  It makes your life better!

Not only do you have more energy, dynamism and satisfaction with what you do but you accomplish challenges more easily, you learn more rapidly, you gain respect, you are appreciated and automatically looked to for ideas, support and leadership.

“I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.”

— Louise Hay

ACTION: What are the 3 keys to ageing well, and actively, in a professional context?

1. Create more scope and fulfilment in your own career path and/or development – Don’t expect people to automatically see and value you. You might think you are remaining elegantly discreet. The reality is you will just be overlooked! People have to speak up and stand out to be noticed.

Think about offering your skills and experience in a new way and creative way to help your company and colleagues – maybe offer to do some mentoring?

2. Innovation, innovation, innovation! You must stay up to date on all new systems, skills and technology unless you want to be put in that cupboard!

It is YOUR responsibility (not your boss’, your company’s or your HR department’s) to learn, understand and show off your state of the art skills and talents. If you think otherwise, it is you who are putting yourself in the cupboard, locking the door and throwing away the key!

Why don’t you learn some new and productive skill then offer to help others get to grips with it? A great way to promote yourself to all around you.

3. Friendly and active, active and friendly! Show by your words, expressions and actions that you are open to new ideas, supportive of your colleagues and curious about anything and everything.

Establishing a genuinely good rapport with everyone from the lowest level to the highest echelons gets you noticed, liked and respected! People like ‘nice’!