Why is midlife important to female executives?
Adult development is inevitable. Time passes and we gain experience, insight and wisdom. And yet, for many of us midlife takes us by surprise. It is a time that can be characterized by turbulence and confusion. And yet, the gift is the experience of making meaning of life in such a deeply elegant and graceful way.
Our work environments operate on the assumption that the people in them will act in calm, logical and predictable ways. There is not recognition or support for developmental transitions that be confusing and turbulent, especially for the leaders who are supposed to be ensuring the calm, logical and predictable work environments. As a result, this exquisite period of self-re-visiting and re-integration happens behind the scenes, That is, unless and until it doesn’t! The prospect scares us sometimes and it certainly scares those who fear women in leadership and the possibility of out of control emotions.
Midlife is a time of reflection. It is a time when we are compelled by our true selves to explore where we are in our lives at the present time and to listen to our inner voice of wisdom. It is a normal development stage in all adults and it is a time when we deal with questions of who we truly are, who we ant to be and how we want to lay the groundwork for our future in the face of the growing realization that we are indeed mortal. This is a rich and magical time that comes with it’s own set of opportunities and challenges. It is a time to achieve great clarity about your wants and needs and to create momentum in the direction you wish your life to go during the next stage of your life.
The central question of midlife is about meaning. We may choose very different measures to evaluate who we are, how we want to live our lives and how we want to contribute to the world. The process can be of variable intensity and duration. It is non-linear and different for everyone.
The better the understanding we have about this time in adult development, the less likely we are to experience irreparable disruptions in our personal and professional lives.
For more information about this topic, visit the Personal Programs section on midlife.
