While we must avoid stereotyping leaders based on age, we can recognise that certain leadership capabilities often (but not always) develop at different career stages. By accessing qualities traditionally associated with any stage of development, we can broaden the appeal of our leadership and impact.
Across Stages in Careers
Often developed early in careers:
Innovation and fresh thinking
Comfort with emerging technologies
Willingness to challenge established norms
Often developed mid-career:
Strategic pattern recognition
Stakeholder management
Resource optimisation
Often developed through extensive experience:
Contextual wisdom
Emotional regulation
Complex systems thinking
Across Stages in Careers
Often developed early in careers:
Innovation and fresh thinking
Comfort with emerging technologies
Willingness to challenge established norms
Often developed mid-career:
Strategic pattern recognition
Stakeholder management
Resource optimisation
Often developed through extensive experience:
Contextual wisdom
Emotional regulation
Complex systems thinking
Strategies to "Age Up"
Practice Deliberate Patience: Create intentional pauses before responding, activating different mental frameworks.
Develop Second-Order Thinking: Consider the consequences of consequences, seeing beyond immediate effects.
Build a Council of Elders: Regularly engage with leaders ahead of your career stage to absorb their thinking patterns.
Strategies to "Age Up"
Practice Deliberate Patience: Create intentional pauses before responding, activating different mental frameworks.
Develop Second-Order Thinking: Consider the consequences of consequences, seeing beyond immediate effects.
Build a Council of Elders: Regularly engage with leaders ahead of your career stage to absorb their thinking patterns.
Strategies to "Age Down"
Structured Naivety: Deliberately approach situations with beginner’s mind questions: “If starting from scratch, how would we do this?”
Reverse Mentoring: Establish relationships with emerging leaders to understand new perspectives.
Immersion in New Environments: Regularly place yourself where you’re not the expert to maintain cognitive flexibility.
Strategies to "Age Down"
Structured Naivety: Deliberately approach situations with beginner’s mind questions: “If starting from scratch, how would we do this?”
Reverse Mentoring: Establish relationships with emerging leaders to understand new perspectives.
Immersion in New Environments: Regularly place yourself where you’re not the expert to maintain cognitive flexibility.
The Ageless Leader
Developing the capabilities and mindset typically associated with different career stages creates a more comprehensive repertoire for effective leadership. Note that exceptional leaders of any age can naturally demonstrate any of these qualities. The goal isn’t reinforcing stereotypes but developing the flexibility to access diverse leadership approaches regardless of your chronological age or career stage.
The Ageless Leader
Developing the capabilities and mindset typically associated with different career stages creates a more comprehensive repertoire for effective leadership. Note that exceptional leaders of any age can naturally demonstrate any of these qualities. The goal isn’t reinforcing stereotypes but developing the flexibility to access diverse leadership approaches regardless of your chronological age or career stage.
