Erikson’s framework of an age-related developmental process may be helpful to coaches. His eight stages of developmental dimensions are:
- basic trust vs basic mistrust;
- autonomy vs shame and doubt;
- initiative vs guilt;
- industry vs inferiority;
- identity vs role confusion;
- intimacy vs isolation;
- generative vs stagnation;
- ego integrity vs despair
He suggests it is the tensions between these opposites that create age-related developmental challenges. He says ego integrity, the ability of an individual to adapt to the rough and the smooth while maintaining a sense of self-worth, is a key stage of development. Erikson links ego integrity and its opposite, despair, to identity and role confusion. Generativity is linked not only to the desire to procreate but to bringing on, influencing and supporting the next generation. Its pairing with stagnation seemingly suggests that if a person is not generative they stagnate into despair.
Jung’s “individuation” is about re-examining aspects of life previously neglected or underdeveloped. This begins in the second half of life, when some individuals face the unknown and reach a “watershed”. Events such as a financial challenge, new job, health problem or broken relationship can disrupt the balance of the individual. Their experience can sometimes be expressed as self-doubt, loss of self-esteem, loss of meaning or religious values, or a questioning of everything previously valued in other words, a “mid-life crisis”, which may be coupled with a loss of work performance.
Levinson offered a detailed age transition model for men, raising questions such as how far people are products of their societies or genetic make-up. In western cultures, where it is normal for people to consider the meaning of reaching milestone ages such as 21, 30 and 40, his model rings many bells. Like Jung, he suggests that it is at these times that people address the polarities of their lives and seek equilibrium. His age transitions are about five to seven years long, reduced to three years among those with mentors.
Sheehy describes similar age-related development phases and suggests women in transition use mentors less than men. She says that while everybody experiences transitions, the associated learning can vary in quality and impact. A coach could help to maximise quality.
In summary, the research shows that in age transition people:
- seek new challenges;
- feel their experience is devalued;
- seek to leave the organisation;
- experience motivational changes;
- develop a “keep your head down” mentality;
- start to reappraise their lives and make new choices
Age transition is also a diversity issue. Recent changes to the age laws mean coaches must take the developmental challenges posed by ageing seriously. Coaching can help to minimise the tendency to stereotype people. There are implications for the training and CPD of coaches. Being psychologically minded and understanding the contributions of the researchers discussed will help coaches working with these issues. Consequently, age has quite a lot to do with it!
References
- E Erikson, Childhood and Society, Vintage, London, 1950; 1995.
- C Jung, Psyche and Symbol, Doubleday, New York, 1958.
- D Levinson et al, The Seasons of a Man’s Life, Alfred Knopf, New York, 1978.
- G Sheehy, Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life, E P Dotton, New York, 1974; G Sheehy, New Passages: Mapping Your Life Across Time, Random House, Canada, 1997.
Volume 3, Issue 1