CEO Note to Self

DOESN'T ANYBODY RETIRE ANYMORE?


I don't mean in the sense of people finding second careers or soul satisfying initiatives after leaving their formal life's work.
As an aside, that has actually become a burden to quite a few worn out people who now have to chase after meaning and recreation with the same vengeance they did work. 

And then there are the people thrust out of a company a bit
too early for retirement who, still have full tilt boogy energy and have to find a new path for it.  That's not retirement.  That's talent looking for a place to land.

I'm talking about good old fashioned retirement.  You work and develop with a company for 30- 40 years.  You identify with it.  You are proud of it or exasperated with it. Like family.   You have clothes with its logo on them.  Your retirement is planned by the Human Resources crew. No surprise. It is announced gracefully.  There is a celebration, a lunch, a speech, a letter.  The cycle of your work is completed.  You feel honored for your time and contribution.  You don't feel like a fool for being loyal.  And you are done.  You relax.  You suck in spending a little and take it easy.  You get together with other retirees once a year for a company sponsored lunch and you actually want to go.  That kind of retirement.

Now it's more the down sized, right sized, kicked out people who get together.
I know the retirement watch was at best trivial, so what do I think is missing?
What is it I don't want you to be blind to?

I guess this is it.  Don't be blind to:

The fact that you are not proud of abrupt leave taking of your people.  That you own the action.  And therefore, you may avoid the right kind of good-by.

The benefit of continuing fondness for your organization by people who have left.  That fondness is good for organizational health and connection to the community and internal pride.

The reality that leaving an organization without choice is like divorce or 
being a victim of power.  It hurts and knocks people for a loop.  

Your own feelings that might  be quite compromisd.  You've broken an implicit expectation.  So get clear about what you regret and what you don't

The moral demand that anyone who has given you long service deserves your respectful good-bye.

That's my point(s)!