Even if you have caught only a whiff of the Jawan fever, one question you might be pondering over — irrespective of whether you are a fan or critic of Shah Rukh Khan — is the capability of the megastar to reinvent his work and to connect with millions over decades.
Not just in movies, we see people redefining the relationship between age and work in music, in art, in sport and in business. They enjoy their work, are doing some of their best work and inspiring others, whether they are in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s or more.
What are some of the lessons for building such long-lasting careers?
Kenneth Scott, Co Founder and Director at AO of Hospitality Pvt Ltd, a hospitality management company, says, “With 30-plus years of experience in the hospitality industry, I wish that I had learnt a couple of things sooner.”
Talking about these learnings in detail, he says it is important to continually add to one’s professional qualifications through upskilling. This has to be apart from the value that will be added through opportunities at work, such as taking on added responsibilities, which will happen as you progress. The second point he talks about is being in the game. “It is a marathon, not a sprint. Choose an organisation and stay committed to it over a long-term period rather than shifting jobs every couple of years. Remember, the longer the game, the fewer the players,” Scott adds.
One company that releases the value of people with such vast experiences is Wisdom Circle. It provides career help to senior professionals — people they call the “wisdom generation”.
Experts like Scott say while it is important for people to remember that it takes time to build a successful career, it is also important to remember that a long career stint can blur the lines between personal and professional identities.
Shubha Murthi, a certified executive and EQi (emotional intelligence) coach, says it is important to make a clear demarcation here. “A lot of times, in my experience, the personal and professional distinction gets blurred when one works for a long time, and especially if one is passionate about their work. Now, this does not mean I am asking people to not be passionate about work. After all, passion brings conviction, which propels us to courageously venture into uncharted territories. My advice is to separate your personal and professional identity early in your career. Doing this will help you nurture relationships, build new friendships, and network. Having different relations with people will come in handy when you’re no longer professionally engaged. I learnt this lesson well into my forties and it is one I wish I had learnt much earlier in my career since it would have given me more peace and purpose,” says Murthi, who is also a consultant and entrepreneur.
Jayashree Ravi, an art director in the advertising industry, says her experience has given her some valuable lessons on managing work and learning.
Ravi explains these as:
- Collaboration is key. Learn to collaborate effectively and communicate ideas with your team
- Understand the target audience. Knowing your target audience is crucial in creating effective advertisements
- Creativity within constraints. Learn to be creative and innovative within set limits. It is a valuable skill. It will push you to think outside the box and find solutions that deliver impact without overspending
- Adapt to trends and technology. Being adaptable and staying up-to-date with the latest developments will help you remain relevant and competitive in the industry
- Storytelling matters. Learn how to tell stories that evoke emotions and connect with the audience. This is essential to creating memorable campaigns
- Brand consistency. As an art director, you play a significant role in ensuring visual consistency and adherence to brand guidelines
- Embracing critique. Constructive criticism can lead to stronger ideas and better outcomes
- Balance creativity and strategy
- Resilience and patience. Learn to stay resilient and patient during challenging time.
Can companies do anything differently to enable the more experienced crowd to find a balance? After all, as we have been analysing, India will have more people in the 60+ age category who might enjoy working in their areas of interest.
Meanwhile, Harold D’souza, Co-founder and Director of executive search and talent advisory firm WalkWater Talent Advisors, says a stable and long tenure is generally considered a positive attribute; and so having more experience pays here. “Although, perceptions regarding career stability and tenure are subjective, depending on context, industry and economic cycles. Professionals with long and successful tenures are distinguished by an ability to focus on self-improvement constantly, build deep team and ecosystem relationships and have a balance between personal and professional pursuits.”
A strong company culture is required to encourage teamwork and collaboration; keep a balance between performance management and employee engagement; and retain focus on career growth for employees, he adds.
Souce: The Economic Times