In our role as coach, we can remind our mid-centurion clients that their role as remnants is critical to the core values and continuity of their organizations, communities and culture. This role, however, may not be fully appreciated in contemporary Western societies by younger colleagues. By contrast, as we noted in a previous essay, there is an honored role in many traditional Asian cultures (e.g., Chinese, Indonesians, and Japanese) for the wise organizational grandfather and grandmother. This man or woman often serves as chair of the board or as chief advisor to the head of an organization with which he or she has worked for many years.
As senior members of society and teachers, they have experienced the joy and honor of being educational “grandparents” through teaching their younger colleagues. And they traditionally receive enormous respect from younger contemporaries: They are listened to, and they thoughtfully question and challenge analyses and recommendations about their organization without being competitive or defensive. In a way, they tend to be terrific clients for an organizational consultant.
As we observe practices in Western societies, however, we must conclude that white hair doesn’t necessarily translate to being honored and respected by younger members of an organization or community. In short, Western countries no longer support the role of honored grandparent. Senior men and women are typically “put out to pasture” or given a titular role that may be more of an embarrassment than an honor. Organizations and communities simply fail to avail themselves of these “grandparents” or engage their perspectives about enduring or disappearing values and traditions. A colleague recently observed:
I can take quiet pleasure in knowing that I made a difference, and my ideas did finally take root. I may be hurt to hear a young hot shot articulate the “brand new idea” that I suggested to him four months ago. It is frustrating to witness the celebration of a very successful project that I championed five years ago. And I wasn’t even invited to this celebration until the last minute! Was I that insensitive to my elders when I was their age?
Despite the insensitivity, we can emulate our colleague and “take quiet pleasure” during our Autumnal years in being grandparents to new ideas and programs. But it is not an easy transition for many men and women. In some instances, as coaches, we may need to encourage and support these Generativity leaders as they confront shifts in their organizational role. At the very least, we might support their emerging interests in reflective matters. In our study of senior Sage leaders in California, for example, we found there is a significant role to be played by community “grandparents.” (Quehl and Bergquist, 2012) These men and women of Autumn benefit the communities in which they live—and they often benefit themselves as quiet leaders who are appreciated and valued for their current contributions, rather than just being honored for past contributions and achievements.
Being Honored: Sometimes, the mid-centurion isn’t ignored. Instead, they are formally acknowledged and honored—though might soon after be put on “the back burner.”. We are given credit for being the founder of an organization, and we serve in the “George Washington” role or are identified as the new “Margaret Sanger.” At other times, we are honored for bringing the organization through a critical period by playing the role of “Abraham Lincoln” or “Martin Luther King” or “Rosa Parks.”
