Frances Kunreuther

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I often speak to nonprofit groups about generational shifts in leadership, and I hear consistent themes in response. People want multigenerational work forces. They see a need to build trust and acknowledge the contributions of all age groups. But mostly they want advice on how to manage the tensions between generations when all are fiercely committed to social change but views on strategy and tactics vary widely by age.

So, when a couple of my boomer gal pals, both movers and shakers in the nonprofit sector, took me to lunch to ask why I was so unsympathetic to the feelings and needs of our generation, I was taken aback.

My concern is the sharing of power. I’m not looking to put down boomers. It seems clear to me that finding ways for younger generations to have more of a voice means we all win. My friends’ (over)reaction seemed to be yet another example of how hard it is for us boomers to see the value and contributions of other generations.

But I was wrong. It was during a meeting last summer that the obvious suddenly became clear to me. The meeting, sponsored by MetLife Foundation and convened by Civic Ventures and the Building Movement Project, brought together a diverse group of 20 thoughtful leaders across generations to focus on the common issues facing younger people just entering the work force and older people looking for encore careers in the social sector.

It was in that multigenerational space that I had the “aha” moment that explained the conversation with my friends. As older boomers and as women, my friends weren’t baffled by or angry at younger generations. They were concerned about their own futures. They need to work, they want to make a contribution, but they are unsure where to go. No one warned them – us – that as we entered our 60s we would need to be thinking about our next job. Just when we thought we would be winding down, we needed to be gearing up.

We boomers were sold on a 35-year work trajectory that would lead to a graceful and economically viable exit. But the reality is the work trajectory for us and the generations that follow is closer to 50+ years.

We are living longer and healthier, our minds are active, and we have a lot of experience to share. In addition, few of us have actual pension plans, and most of us won’t be able to afford to leave the work force at 60 or 65. In fact, according the Bureau of Labor statistics, the 55+ age group will be the fastest growing generation in the work force over the next decade.

So we need a new career narrative. The myth that we are retiring at 65 should be replaced with a new story about the possibilities that lie ahead. What are the ways we can contribute? When can we afford to take less demanding (and not as high paying) jobs? What kind of retraining and continuing education will we need to stay current in our fields?

A new story about our work life will not be just for boomers. It will be for all of us. Younger generations are already hip to the longer working life. They look at constantly exhausted boomers and shake their heads. They’re already pacing themselves, moving in and out of nonprofit work, and sustaining their energy and social change focus through good times and bad.

Of course, the new career narrative affects people in all sectors, but the creative energies of those already in the social sector could lead the way in mapping out the change. Here are some ways we might start.

• Reshape the ladder. We tend to think of a career as an upward trajectory where people climb the ladder to their top position and then leave the organization and work force. A new career ladder might be more like a bell-shaped curve, where earning and positional power peaks and then diminishes again, creating a life in the work place after achieving the top rung.
• Think about lattices. Nonprofits are for the most part more like small businesses than corporations. That means movement within an organization is limited by size and resources. A career lattice is a way to think about moving across organizations and sectors. Someone might be a full-time nonprofit employee, a part-timer, a consultant or might move into government or a for-profit venture.
• Get lean, mean and multigenerational. Nonprofits can take advantage of tough economic times by restructuring operations in ways that intentionally attract, retain and integrate a multigenerational workforce. Where do fresh views about the future and deep experience produce the best results? How can we build these cross-generational spaces into our work, and what will be the impact on how we run our organizations?

Our new career narrative means we have to think differently about the future. Instead of a linear path, it will be more like an online map, allowing those who open it to change it, make detours and add new stops along the way. And like any big trip, the time to plan is now.

Learn more about the rewards and benefits of a multigenerational work force.

Frances Kunreuther, the author of Working Across Generations: Defining the Future of Nonprofit Leadership (Wiley, 2008), directs the Building Movement Project, working to support social change organizations in the United States. Information about the summer cross-generational meeting is available on encore.org/generations.