Entrepreneur and business angel – Dmitry Kostomarov shared his expert opinion on how to remain in demand and interesting business after forty years, not to lose yourself and continue to develop.
The middle-aged corporate manager is a valuable, but also a problem asset for any business. Its advantages (experience and competencies, stability, name) upon closer examination turn out to be its problems, complicating the integration into modern dynamically developing reality. Having reached a certain level, the limit of competencies, he does not want to develop, appealing to the fact that his “skills and achievements speak for themselves”, “everyone knows him already”.
With this approach, he creates problems not only for his leadership, but also for his own business (if he has his own business). Sooner or later, the moment comes when they simply do not want to work with him, and sometimes even completely communicate. Does it need to be said that almost no one needs a manager or businessman who loses his job at the turn of 40-50?
Let’s see together what we can do in order not to fall into the middle age trap, and understand how to remain in demand and interesting not only to business, but also to ourselves.
1. Understand the time
In the modern world, where horizontal organizations, hadi-cycles and agile in business processes are developing, to manage in the generally accepted sense – to collect planning books, read notes and reports, make a smart face by looking at diagrams at rallies – you no longer need.
The most important resource today is time. The question of its proper organization is no longer about efficiency, but about survival in the workplace, because the main reason why the employer prefers younger employees is speed, albeit hypothetical. Eisenhower’s matrix is not out of date, which divided all tasks into important and urgent matters; important, but not very urgent matters; not important but urgent matters; not important and urgent matters. Therefore, regularly it is necessary not only to evaluate the priority, but also to put each task in the scheduler, fixing hard deadlines. What tools to use, everyone decides for himself. I like Due, someone prefers ToDoIst. There are many programs, but the main thing happens in the head. You must not carry and procrastinate.
And do not forget that the timing should also be adequate to modern speeds. There is no need to cheat and set a deadline of one week for a task that really requires half an hour when fully turned on – reality cannot be fooled. The modern world encourages only negative procrastination, in which it is better to start running to the sound of a starting pistol than to arrive at the finish line later than rivals.
2. Focus on the result
To remain in demand, evaluate your own achievements and the successes of others not by processes, but by results. It is pretty simple. Example: if a person says that he is participating in a cool project, ask him what exactly he has already done for him. Any answer that starts with “we,” turn to: “What the team has done is understandable, but what is your role?” It is also strictly necessary to evaluate yourself in the process.
Of course, in any project there are different roles: driver, artist, mastermind, for example. But even if you inspire a team, your steps can be clearly defined and evaluated. The speed of change is too high today, so every day that you can’t start with a plan, and end with the answer to the question: “What have I done in a day”, may be your last working day. And the beginning of a long (even many years) search for the very dream job that will allow daily planning of the future and making reports in the work of “my team”.
3. Rate yourself real
Are you really as cool as you think? Let’s honestly answer this question by doing this exercise. Here is a resource that tells a lot about competition: ted.com. Try writing a synopsis of your hypothetical talk on TedTalk by answering a simple question: “Why are you interesting to business?” Not why you were good in the past, but what will you give the business if you come now. Take a mobile phone, record your speech with the answer to this question for 18 minutes and a teaser for 20 seconds, put it on YouTube. And how do you like the idea of sending this entry instead of CV? Believe me, 25-year-old HR will appreciate.
4. Update your resume
If the method described in the previous paragraph seems too radical to you, make the text. But please leave HeadHunter templates and ancient tablets in Word alone. Work on the design. Firstly, it is funny, and secondly, it will develop a couple of skills useful in the new world, and will let you know what usability is. Here are some useful resources: icanchoose.ru and canva.com.
5. Learn and grow
Start simple with questions. What are you interesting in? Use the service thequestion.ru, through which people ask each other questions. Surely after this you will want to expand the scope of knowledge about the world. Just choose a direction and act. Knowledge will somehow help you stay in demand.
Stanford has given humankind a terrific tool to educate in various fields, Cousera. Try not to try to convince yourself that Kottler, for example, has remained relevant (this is not so), but to work on his education in a modern environment: coursera.org
• A good library of relevant professions is here: netology.ru.
• The coolest educational projects can be found at: khanacademy.org, ocw.mit.edu, zillion.net.
• And of course, “must have” for a modern person – unique simulators for the brain: wikium.ru.
6. Love social networks
I have a partner, a girl, the head of a serious advertising agency that is not on Facebook, Instagram, because she considers them meaningless “time killers”. But today you can safely say that if you are not in social networks, then you do not exist in public space. After all, result-oriented people are given social networks by networking, which allows them to establish the right connections and easily reach the right people.
They are also ideal tools for creating an image that helps to attract customers, partners, employees, and media representatives. Your online virtual character speaks more about you than you yourself can say about yourself. Modern HR first of all study the pages of candidates on social networks, and only then go on recommendations and projects.
How to make your page interesting? Why not work on humanitarian erudition, for example? An excellent resource such as: arzamas.academy. In addition, reading non-fiction and business magazines is ideally organized in Flipboard, who quickly understands your preferences and quickly begins to recommend only the necessary articles.
If you are not ready to act too actively and you don’t want to change your life, first try to adapt yourself in a changing world, without slipping exclusively into understandable role models. Forget all phrases beginning with the words: “at my / your / your age it is no longer solid / not necessary / impossible …” All restrictions are exclusively in your head!
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“Being relevant and sought after in the business world, as well as for personal growth, after turning 40 can be challenging. How can one effectively adapt and stay competitive amidst the changing landscape? What strategies, skills, or mindsets would best ensure one’s continued success and fulfillment in both professional and personal aspects? Any tips or experiences to share for navigating this transformative stage of life would be greatly appreciated!”