On Aging and Retirement

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Discovery Conference 2004
Building Capacity One Boomer at a Time
Presenter Stephen Ristau 860-267-1671 ristau
_at_adelphia.net Libraries For The Future/ Ristau
Associates, llc
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LGH Career Transition Project Tests a Social
Observation

• There is increasing evidence that the so-called
  baby-boomer generation, those born from
  1946-1964 and numbering 76 million nationally, is
  re-defining pre-retirement and retirement years.
  Many in this age group are seeking new careers
  and work that has greater meaning and purpose,
  often involving making a contribution or
  connection to community.
• Marc Freedman, Prime Time, 1999

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Third Half of Life A New Definition of Aging
and Retirement

• As life expectancies have steadily grown over
  the past century, these individuals now can
  expect to live an additional 30 years, years that
  are added to the middle of ones life, not to the
  end.
• Jack and Phoebe Ballard, Turning Points Create
  Your Path Through Uncertainty and Change,
  (2002) and Beating the Age Game Redefining
  Retirement, (1994).

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Midcourse- a New Life Stage

• This is the period in which individuals begin
  to disengage from their primary career
  occupations and the raising of children launch
  second or third careers develop new identities
  and new ways to be productively engaged
  establish new patterns of relating to spouses,
  children, siblings, parents, friends leave some
  existing relationships and begin new ones.
• Phyllis Moen, Midcourse Navigating Retirement
  and a New Life Stage, 2003.

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LGH Career Transition ProjectCore Questions

• How large is this demographic group? How diverse?
• Are its members looking for greater community
  involvement?
• To what extent are they willing to consider
  reducing salary and other compensation in order
  to make such a commitment?
• What expertise do they bring to civic interests
  and what new skills and knowledge would they need
  to learn?
• Can nonprofit groups utilize this talent in
  meaningful ways?
• Can communities and organizations find effective
  ways of facilitating these career transitions?

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Boomer General Characteristics

• As a cohort compared to previous generations,
  they are generally
• Living longer and healthier lives
• Greater affluence with more options for work,
  learning and leisure
• Better educated, skills, and knowledge
• Higher expectations

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Traditional Retirement
Childhood Adulthood Late Adult
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New Trends in the Boomers Third Age

• Motivated to
• Use their knowledge, skills, assets productively
• Have better balance between work, learning and
  leisure
• Find meaning and passion-give back (Returnment)

Childhood Adulthood Late Adult
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New Values and Attitudesfrom Retire Early and
Live the Life you Want right Now- John Wasik

• New Prosperity Values
• Seeking balance through personal ecology
• Lifelong learning
• Continuous spiritual/ emotional growth
• Re-engaging/ restoring community
• Investments still growing
• Re-emerging into life
• Pursue passions
• Dynamic model- change is needed

• Old Retirement Values
• Leaving workforce cold turkey
• Done learning
• Part of a church
• Leaving the community
• Fixed-income lifestyle
• Retreat from life
• Pursue golf/ hobbies
• Static model- Stay the same

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Work and Service

• 59 percent see retirement as a time to be active
  and involved, to start new activities, and to set
  new goals. (New Face of Retirement, Civic
  Ventures, 2002)
• 6 in 10 felt a responsibility that goes beyond
  our own life and our own family, and we seek
  meaning by helping other people. (AARP, 2002)
• Those who plan to work in their retirement cite
  the desire to stay active and productive, rather
  than economic necessity, as the reason. (New Face
  of Retirement, Civic Ventures, 2002)
• The majority of retirees and pre-retirees do not
  regard retirement as an extended vacation or a
  time of rest and relaxation. Rather, they see it
  as a new, active stage of their lives
  characterized by continued personal growth,
  personal reinvention, and new beginnings in work
  and leisure. (Re-visioning Retirement, AIG Sun
  America, 2002)

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What many emphasized was the element of control-
that retirement had given them the freedom to
work, but at their discretion, rather than the
freedom from working in an absolute sense. Work
had become more of a choice and pleasure than a
duty. Joseph Savishinsky, Breaking The Watch
The Meanings of Retirement in America, 2000.
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What Motivates Experienced Boomers

• As a person who wants to continue to innovate, I
  want to spend my time solving important problems,
  not trying to market myself or find the next
  consulting job.
• I want to remain vital, keep active, stay
  connected and contribute when and where I want.
• I was looking for something more satisfying.
• Im not looking for a corporate career again.
  Im looking to meet expectations and go home at
  night.

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What Motivates Experienced Boomers

• Its a great feeling of fulfillment to help
  customers and employees.
• I have a thirst for learninggave me a chance to
  give something back.
• My financial needs decreased so that I could
  consider other types of professional activity of
  just retire. I wanted to apply my management
  skills and experience to something that was
  socially productive.
• In my retirement, I wanted to get involved with
  direct service. No more paperwork, no more
  climatized air, and no more fluorescent lights.

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From www.yourencore.com
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Definition

• Work in a nonprofit community organization
  means activities completed by employees,
  independent contractors, and stipended/ unpaid
  volunteers.

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LGH Career Transition ProjectFINDINGS

• Boomers number over 226,000 in the Hartford
  Capitol Region or 31 percent of the total
  regional population. Almost twice the size of the
  generation ahead of them (ages 55-74) and over a
  quarter bigger than the generation behind them
  (ages 15-34), the boomers living and working in
  the Greater Hartford area promise to remain a
  powerful influence on and contributor to the
  regions socio-economic fabric in the years
  ahead.

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LGH Career Transition ProjectFINDINGS

• In considering or making a move to a nonprofit
  organization, the top motivators for boomers are
  helping others, making a difference, using their
  skills, and finding meaningful work. They want to
  have an impact, be respected and appreciated, and
  make community connections.  They are attracted
  to flexible work schedules and health care
  benefits.

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LGH Career Transition ProjectFINDINGS

• The top nonprofit area experienced professionals
  expressed interest working in was human and
  social services. Education, spiritual/
  faith-based, leadership development, and health
  services are also prominently mentioned-interests.

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LGH Career Transition ProjectFINDINGS

• The top competencies and qualities experienced
  professionals believe they bring to nonprofit
  work are leadership/ management/ organizational
  skills financial/ fund development skills
  marketing/ communications/ public relations
  skills caring for others and a willingness to
  learn.

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LGH Career Transition ProjectFINDINGS

• The top competency/ quality that nonprofit
  leaders look for in human resources is a sense of
  commitment to mission. These are followed in
  order by creativity/ flexibility public
  relations/ communications skills information
  technology skills fund development skills
  self-initiative/ risk-taking and other-oriented/
  open to listening and learning.

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LGH Career Transition ProjectFINDINGS

• Nonprofit leaders say that successful transitions
  into their sector from other sectors are
  facilitated when people are motivated by the
  mission, when they feel a part of the team, when
  they understand and accept the inherent
  trade-offs, when they understand themselves
  (needs, values and motivations), and when
  expectations are clear. 

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LGH Career Transition ProjectFINDINGS

• Nonprofit leaders top ideas on what they could do
  to ease the transitions of others include better
  orientation, including preparation before
  engagement, and more openness to and patience
  with people from other sectors.

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Capacity Building Domains
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Capacity-Building Needs

• Human resources
• Financial management
• Administrative/ business management
• Strategic planning
• Fund-raising
• Information technology
• Marketing/ public relations
• Board development/ governance

• Legal
• Program evaluation
• Performance management
• Facilities/ grounds/ safety
• Management/ leadership development/ coaching/
  mentoring
• Program development/ delivery

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Thinking in Skill Sets

• ORGANIZATION, MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP-
  supervise, direct, coach towards task completion/
  goal attainment.
• Planning and implementing
• Coordinating/ managing tasks
• Leading teams/ managing conflict
• Decision-making
• Teaching/ coaching/ mentoring/ counseling
• Able to manage big (vision) and small picture
  (details)

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Thinking in Skill Sets

• RESEARCH, PLANNING, ANALYTICAL- search for
  specific knowledge/ solutions to problems.
• Forecasting, predicting
• Creating ideas
• Identifying problems
• Imagining and evaluating alternatives/ modeling
• Identifying resources
• Gathering information
• Solving problems and setting goals
• Defining needs
• Analyzing
• Evaluating

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Thinking in Skill Sets

• COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS- the skillful expression,
  transmission and interpretation of knowledge and
  ideas.
• Effective in public presentations
• Able to present technical data
• Able to facilitate groups
• Writing clearly/ concisely/ persuasively
• Effective negotiator
• Understands grant/ proposal writing
• Able to write memos under deadline
• Able to write in-depth research reports

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Thinking in Skill Sets

• TECHNICAL SKILLS- specific skills and knowledge
  that equips one to diagnose, install, maintain/
  repair, or operate.
• Technology- programming, troubleshooting,
  upgrading, database management,
  telecommunications
• Facilities and equipment- carpentry, plumbing,
  electrical, mechanical, grounds maintenance

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Thinking in Skill Sets

• PROGRAMS/ DIRECT SERVICE- develop, deliver, or
  support/ facilitate core programs and services.
• Teaching, training, tutoring, mentoring
• Case management
• Program support
• Part of a work team/ under supervision of trained
  supervisor

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Thinking in Skill Sets

• INTERPERSONAL ABILITIES/PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Able to work well in teams
• Self-motivated
• Understands conflict management
• Able negotiator
• Confident in handling new tasks
• Flexible in assignments
• Attentive to detail
• Able to work under tight deadlines
• Able to network effectively
• Able to manage change

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Engagement Issues and Strategies

• Building Capacity
• One Boomer At A Time

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Examples of Marketing Images and Messages
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Examples of Marketing Images and Messages
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Examples of Marketing Images and Messages
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Your Challenge Starting Today

• "Right now, the potential to bring about lasting
  change is greater than ever before, and so is the
  need." Baby-boomers want to give something
  back, to find a way to contribute that will be
  meaningful and make a difference. What they want
  to know is how."
• Bill Shore, The Cathedral Within, 1999.