What are the main features of Late Career Reinvention Coaching? Laura Walker

Today … 20 mins informing 20 mins discussing Research context & choice Terms (briefly) Methodology Ethics & limitations Findings Conclusions and implications 20 mins informing 20 mins discussing Feel free to ask questions

Same categories for clients and coaches – but orientation varied WHAT ARE THE MAIN FEATURES OF LATE CAREER REINVENTION COACHING – A GTM STUDY TO INFORM DEVELOPMENT OF COACHING PRACTICE 1. RESEARCH CONTEXT AND CHOICE We are living & working longer (100 year life already upon us) Some argue there are unique career and psychosocial issues for late career Growing literature in related disciplines – especially careers policy, economics, developmental psychology, and of course the popular press But … extremely limited literature for coaching and no empirical research Let’s not forget my own personal interest and professional curiosity! 2. TERMS – informed by the literature Career: “The evolving sequence of a person’s work experiences over time” (Arthur, Hall and Lawrence, 1989 p421) Late career: When individuals believe they are moving into the final chapter(s) of their working lives. Likely to be after 45-55 years of age. Reinvention: Significant occupation change & psychological transition Coaching: Potentially a range of approaches, not limited to career coaching 3. METHODOLOGY Interpretivist-constructionist + Critical realism. Qualitative & inductive. GTM - Corbin and Strauss, 2015. 14 participants (7 clients + 7 coaches), semi-structured phone interviews 4. ETHICS & LIMITATIONS Ethical considerations (OBU guidelines) Risk of influence from the literature Voluntary, data confidentiality, option to withdraw Reflexivity Challenge from others, journal, GTM rigour, process of writing up! Limitations Professional network Size, gender mix (5 female, 2 male) What rather than why at this stage 5. FINDINGS – 3 main features (categories and sub-categories) Discovering – journeying to become more of me It’s all about me – and all of me; Non-linear navigating; Unbiased, challenging supporter Systemic readiness Sufficient dissatisfaction; Basic needs ok; Everyone ready enough? Dancing with fear and self-confidence Dynamic and changing; Gearing affect and effect; I’ll be OK. Same categories for clients and coaches – but orientation varied 6. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Takes time (between 3 and 8 years), non-linear, brings big questions as well as practical challenges, only recognised as reinvention in hindsight More coaching during late career reinvention – late career is only part Key implications for coaching practice Discovering – more than exploring or deciding, and not someone else Unbiased, challenging supporter – can be tricky Navigating wide ranging conversations (and approaches) without narrowing Position and proximity to the ‘dancing with fear and confidence’

A mini quiz to get us started …. Which career theories / models are familiar? Career anchors Career stage Lifespan-life space Life designing / career construction Protean career Portfolio career What % of 20 year olds will live to 100? What % of over 50s would continue to engage in ‘work’ even if they didn’t need to financially? In late career, do men or women change work more frequently? How long did it take my participants to reinvent? A mini quiz to get us started ….

1. Research context & choice

Career: “The evolving sequence of a person’s work experiences over time” (Arthur, Hall and Lawrence, 1989 p421) Late career: When individuals believe they are moving into the final chapter(s) of their working lives. Likely to be after 45-55 years of age Reinvention: Significant occupation change & psychological transition Coaching: Potentially a range of approaches, not limited to career coaching 2. Terms

3. Methodology INTERPRETIVIST-CONSTRUCTIONIST + CRITICAL REALISM QUALITATIVE & INDUCTIVE GTM – CORBIN AND STRAUSS (2015) - CREDIBILITY

4. Ethics & limitations

5. Findings

Journeying to be more of me THE MAIN FEATURES OF COACHING DURING LATE CAREER REINVENTION DISCOVERING Journeying to be more of me A ‘COMPASS’ TO SUPPORT THE NON-LINEAR AND MULTI-LEVEL NATURE OF THIS COACHING Sufficient dissatisfaction Vulnerability Liberated INNER PRACTICAL OUTER DEEPER UNBIASED SUPPORTING CHALLENGING SELF Systemic alignment Systemic alignment Fear Confidence Confidence Fear

6. Conclusions – overall

6. Conclusions - implications for coaching practice