Motivation for Generativity Four civic engagement also resides in the feedback that Emerging Sages receive from others in the community. This feedback is often immediate and heart-felt, in part because Western Nevada County is not large, and many people know one another. One of the Emerging Sage leaders describes the experience of going to dinner with his wife and having young people that he has served coming to the table and thanking him for what he has done to make their lives better. He receives Generativity Two gratification. The Emerging Sages also feel “blessed” by relationships they have established with persons who share similar interests; they talk about having fun with their collaborators while finding shared gratification in the tangible results they achieve together. This is Generativity Four at work.
Vision of the Future: More than with the Senior Sage leaders, Emerging Sages can look long into the future and envision a community that is significantly better than it is now. They know in very tangible ways that their community impacts the quality of life they envision for their children. This sense of sustained community improvement is particularly moving in the case of those Emerging Sages who can trace their families in Grass Valley or Nevada City back as many as five generations. These men and women of “place” clearly understand that work done years ago by previous generations is now benefiting them. So, it is natural for them to work on behalf of their own children and future generations.
Of course, there is another side to this story. The hard-driving Emerging Sages have to face the ongoing challenge of there being too little time and too much to accomplish. They worry about wasting precious time that they do have available, and they believe their civic work must produce timely tangible results that are worth the effort. They also talk about not squandering opportunity; they live in a small community and are connected with others who are committed to the same important causes.
This is something that people living in large, impersonal cities rarely have an opportunity to experience: “I don’t want to squander this chance that I have to make an impact on something that is important to me! I must move forward with this work. What else would I be doing?” One Emerging Sage describes her motivation as simply being part of her DNA: “How can I not do that?” Much like the Senior Sage leaders, many Emerging Sages talk about this seemingly inevitable and inexhaustible drive toward civic engagement. It’s in their genes!
Senior Sage Leaders
What about our older Sage leaders? What fuels their Generativity Four fire? There may be snow on the roof of these gray-haired seniors, but there is also fire in the hearth which warms their heart and energizes their generative engagements. Professional coaches should keep this in mind when working with older clients.While Emerging Sage leaders identify with all five motivations, most Senior Sages are chiefly motivated by altruism and self-interest—and a few by power. The altruism motivation, in turn, focuses on three Generativity Four activities: community improvement, wanting to giving back, and helping others.
Community Life: The motivation of wanting to improve the quality of community life is one of the greatest sources of generativity for Senior Sage leaders. This has to do with grabbing any important situation by the neck and providing specific leadership that is needed. They want to leave a legacy for their children and grandchildren, influence the various sectors of the community to work collaboratively, and fulfill long-held dreams during retirement years. Space and time are both being extended. The Senior Sages are living beyond self:
“The best thing I ever did, besides marrying my wife, was having the opportunity to come here to live, raise a family, and somehow scratch out a living when we didn’t have two nickels to rub together. I always felt this country was founded on the principal of people becoming involved in their community.
In a community you need the private, public, and nonprofits working together. Working to get all three sectors to do this inspires me, and I believe those of us who have the skills need to jump in and work together. I like meeting new people and learning from them. And I enjoy engaging them in something productive. I also have a strong desire to help others and get things accomplished in our community. When I retired young at 55, my goal was to provide time, talent, and treasure for our community.”
