Moving Out? Moving On? Moving Where?

January 2006 Archive

---

January 30, 2006 [Anonymous Contributor]

Thank you for your blog. I think it will be helpful. I can only speak for myself, but I think many senior executives are re-entering the workforce. When the market took a turn, no one wanted to hire a VP/Senior Director level person, they wanted someone with 4-8 years experience, not 20, or they planned to hire in India. Now there seems to be a little bit more demand for senior people (especially in agencies) who hired all junior level people and now their clients are clamoring for more experience. As a consultant who went off on her own, I was interviewed by many of the top PR firms for VP level positions on accounts that were pertinent to my experience.

 I couldn't understand why I wasn't being hired. Then a headhunter said "they are afraid if you had been a consultant you will not stay, or take their clients," neither of which is true. You do what you have to do to make ends meet. Another headhunter said, "You can do their job with one hand behind your back and they are afraid; most people don't want great, they want good. They can control good." What do you do when you really are senior and qualified and just want a great place to work, or some long-term consulting gigs? I think there are many of us in this boat.

TOP

January 30, 2006 [Anonymous Contributor]

I definitely like your idea of a blog for senior practitioners.  In particular, it's important to focus on the fact that, while there may be style differences between older and younger employees in the PR function, it doesn't mean that the older ones are any less committed to their jobs and companies. Perhaps a younger employee might be more visibly "rah-rah" and be at the office later than an older one. However, the older one might simply know how to work smarter. As we "mature", we all run into the problem of people thinking that we don't have the same drive that we used to have.  It's still there, but perhaps it shows in less obvious ways.

TOP

January 30, 2006 [Judy Cushman]

Moving Out? Moving On? Moving Where?

I have been struck by the number of conversations I have been having with senior agency and corporate executives who are in the throes of either making life changing decisions about work or who are already beginning the transition out of their former jobs.

I am hearing the struggle and uncertainty that these successful executives are experiencing during this unique period in their lives. There is no one direction that makes sense but it is important to recognize and acknowledge the emotions and reasons for this disquiet. Being able to define the issues goes a long way toward making decisions that fit at this point in time.

Here are some observations.

Among senior corporate executives and their senior Vice President counterparts on the agency side, the key words that apply to their careers are: success driven. The people are the top 20% in our business who have focused their energy and attention upon helping their organizations succeed. Despite the number of strong women in our profession, when you reach the very top jobs, women are in the minority, overshadowed by men. (There is more discussion in the commentary below about women in this situation.)

Building a first rate career track over 35 years requires focus, dedication and energy. In my experience, the "winner" professionals who do that are looking ahead at the next challenge, the next strategic plan and the next request from their CEO. When I’ve asked the most successful to explain how they reached such senior positions, most of the answers were superficial and gave no real reason for how they managed it. (“Luck I guess, being at the right place…”) These answers also give a clue as to why, when faced with a major career decision, the individual is not prepared to approach the issue with insight, clarity and resolve (to say the least.)

These successful executives are externally focused and driven by organizational goals. In fact, I would contend that the reason for their success (or at least one reason) is that they have not put their needs in the equation and have selflessly done what is best for the organization. This moment of possible transition is a big watershed.  Now, they need to examine what they are ready to do for themselves and they’ve never developed an in-depth plan (or a plan at all, for that matter.)

Now, here is where I get into a bit of controversy. I contend that particularly among successful leaders and mostly men, instinct has played a tremendous role in how they have succeeded. They have not sat down to ponder the ten ways to solve a problem.

With years of practice, they make quick decisions when deadlines or crises occur.  The goal is to simplify, to get the issues down to the top three considerations so that way to go becomes obvious. (In fact that is one of the great talents of successful executives—cutting to the chase and explaining the heart of an issue. “We see it; we know it; we name it and we move on.”) Their instincts have been honed by years of playing the corporate game. What happens when they are out of that world and have lost their frame of reference? What tools will they have to make decisions? How well will their instincts serve them in a totally different environment?

Another factor is, “Am I what I do? Or, am I who I am (and do I know what that is)?" When a senior executive spends his days leading, counseling, giving instruction, being listened to and making decisions, his ego is being fed. They are important people defined by the organizations they are in and by the titles and jobs they hold. They begin to believe their own PR. I am carrying this to an extreme, but I do think this point has merit. For some in leadership positions, not having the title and responsibility is a huge loss and a blow to their sense of self.

There is also the issue of control. When you are a fast-track hard-driving executive, you have control over your environment and a level of certainty about what will happen next in your workplace. That all goes away and the roles are reversed. You need to find clients clients who will hire you, possibly a new employer and search firms to work with you. All of them call the shots. Time takes on a new meaning—it is their schedule not yours that matters. Will you be treated with respect? Perhaps yes but certainly not in all cases. Do not be surprised that you will be ignored. This is all a blow to the ego. My advice: just let it go; this is business. If you are not treated well, at some future time you will be able to return the “favor.”

The frog in the pot of hot water syndrome—the story is that a frog when placed in hot water will not jump out as it gradually heats up and will end up cooked. The daily grind in our business is intense, exhausting and relentless. I do not know one senior executive who says he leads a balanced life. This results in a loss of perspective about the toll our jobs are taking. I described a top corporate career in PR as an “uphill struggle.” One reason is that we are constantly dealing within our organizations with managers who do not support or understand the function.

Financial Constraints or not — for some, the high cost of living in a major city, maintaining kids in private schools and colleges, weekend homes, entertaining and travel add up to numbers that are hard to sustain unless you are working at the top of your game. Fortunately, I think that is a relatively small number compared to the more fiscally conservative executives I have known who can afford to take a package, retire (early) and move on—if that is what they want.

One senior corporate officer with young children had been thinking he would need to work many more years to put kids through college. A management change and a corporate buyout package he was offered approached 7 figures so he could consider retirement. He was emotionally ready and spent weeks convincing himself intellectually that this was the right decision. (It was obvious to everyone who knew him that he would leave.)

A good buyout offer also raises questions. When a package makes it clearly too lucrative to stay on, an executive says, “I really can’t turn this deal down, so what do I do next?”  I might also add that in retrospect the decision to leave seems obvious, but at deadline time, the answer can seem much more complicated. To me this reflects the lack not only of clear thinking, but of being out of touch with feelings and emotions.

Expectations and important considerations to factor into the “What's next?” question.

For all the reasons I’ve outlined, moving into unchartered waters is a new and disquieting situation. Expect to feel anxious but do not fall back on old work habits and solutions as you think about what to do next. Let situations evolve and do not rush decision-making. There is no real “down” side to taking time for opportunities to sort themselves out.

Also, if you wish to “link up” with a company or institution, recognize how much slower their pace is than yours and set realistic expectations for processes to grind forward. Also, if you have a novel concept for an organization to consider where you might contribute as a consultant, that will take a great deal of thought and consideration on their part (twice the normal amount of time.) The odds are against your convincing an entity to start something new. Be realistic and if you enjoy activity, find other projects in addition to this challenge, since it will take many months for you to define a path for your next phase.

In my opinion, because the decision about what to do next is so important, I really recommend that an executive not plan on making a decision immediately. Instead, as long as there is the financial freedom, taking time off for several months to develop a new perspective on the work/life balance makes sense. Many executives have never allowed themselves to take the time to regroup and rest from the stresses of a career of constant challenges.

They do not know how they will feel about having less structure in their lives since that has never been an option. It takes a certain amount of courage to slow down and really think through what is personally rewarding (not what your CEO set as a business strategy that shaped your work life.) Take the time to talk to people who know you and who can brainstorm with you about your talents and how you might contribute or participate in organizations. Tell contacts that you are open to new ideas about how to apply your talents and then listen carefully to what they say.

I recently had lunch with a corporate executive who took an excellent package from his company and then was recruited back to work on a consulting basis for his former employer. He was telling me that he wanted more project work that would keep him busier than before. He was approaching this phase of his life as if it were a continuation of his corporate life. I told him he needed to think about having fun as his first priority and then see how much time he had left for consulting. He listened politely but is having a hard time letting go of that driving work ethic.

The truth about the age question:  the general rule is that at 55 with a normal 10 years to go until retirement, a senior executive is employable, but not everywhere. While laws prohibit age discrimination, there are many cultures where there would not be a “fit.” If the leadership team were 15 to 20 years younger, they might find that you were “overqualified.” 

If you are 60 with 5-years until retirement, many companies will simply insist that an individual must plan to stay for a minimum of 10 years—and you are eliminated. Again, while age discrimination is illegal, there are many subtle ways to disqualify a mature candidate from consideration.

For senior executives wanting to work who are 60+, non-traditional options that include consulting, working on contract, working in the non-profit world including education (for reduced compensation) will be far more likely choices. Of course, there are Board appointments and volunteer (unpaid) work options.

The key during this transition is to acknowledge how important, how different and how life changing these times are and give yourself enough “rope” and time to figure it out. There are no quick answers and allowing these situations to evolve is a real strategy for a successful transition into the “Next Phase.”

Please share with me your experiences as you “cut the corporate (or agency) umbilical cord.”

One of the senior executives who has agreed to help with the blog and provide comments had this to say:

I really admire your taking this topic on - in a very direct, truthful way. I hope readers will comment on it, adding their perspectives.

Some comments (only since you asked):

1. You might want to develop the male/female differentiation more, since women are making rapid gains toward top-job parity. I think what you mean is that women will approach this issue differently than men, but you never do follow through with the point after briefly raising it.

[JUDY]

I agree and will spend more time on the issue once the blog goes live.

2. For many of us, it's not only the "ego factor" that holds us from moving beyond the corporate life when it's time to let go, it's also that communications management is the only thing we know how to do (or, at least, do well). What next challenge can I conquer? What skills can I continue to use, or what new skills should I learn for life's next phase? For the workaholics who did nothing significant beyond their work, or who had no hobbies or other passions, I imagine this is a particularly big problem.

3. Instinctive vs. analytical thinking. For those of us who do rely largely on our instincts, it's a point of pride. (BTW, it also leads to a major rub with the HR people our companies - example: on every skills/performance rating system I've seen in the last 10 years, an "analytical" or "data-driven" approach to problem-solving is rewarded. No rewards for great instincts! Do you think this is a little backward, or at least, unbalanced???!!!) But (back to the point) the fact that we're instinctive thinkers and problem-solvers doesn't mean that we can't solve the transition issue as effectively as analytical thinkers. Our ability to intuitively read people and situations may, in fact, give us an advantage. We are, above all, realists. This part of your essay should make for a very lively exchange.”

TOP