Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Reflection Papers Data Observations Stories Concepts Readings Theories References Your Interpretations “Voice” Questions

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Class 1: Changing Workplace Protean career Developmental demands Relational and transactional psychological contract Internal and external career Context for change and transition

Class 2: Adult Development Human Development Life Stage Theories Perspectives on Change versus Continuity Work / Life Line Exercise D. Levinson’s Life Structure Model Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Models of Career Development How different researchers present adult and career development Life span models Individual differences models Directional pattern models Organizationally-based models

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Assumptions About Human Development Continuity –Coping styles learning in childhood –Transitions rekindle conflicts –Sigmund Freud Discontinuity –Unused potentials –Growth throughout life –Continuous unfolding –Ongoing opportunities –Carl Jung

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Adult Development Perspectives

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Erik Erikson’s Life Stages ChildhoodTrust vs.Mistrust ChildhoodAutonomy vs. Shame, Doubt ChildhoodInitiative vs. Guilt ChildhoodIndustry vs. Inferiority AdolescenceIdentity vs. Role Diffusion 19-27Intimacy vs. Isolation 27-RetirementGenerativity vs. Stagnation 60’sIntegrity vs. Disgust and Despair

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Roger Gould Intra-Psychic Themes 20’s Optimism 30’sDoubts 40’sUrgencies 50’sMellowing and Self-Acceptance 60’sRebirth and Recycling “We arrive where we started and know the place for the first time” - T. S. Elliot

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Perspective On Transition “Oh, no! I just realized I let a twenty-year old choose my husband and my career!” Karen Lopez, 42-year old research manager working on career self-assessment The Career Is Dead. Long Live the Career – Douglas T. Hall

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Work / Life Line Exercise Draw a picture of your work / life line from childhood to present First think about how you want the whole drawing to appear Consider: –events and transition points –educational experiences –influential people –work experiences –significant relationships –key questions –critical decisions: good and bad –high and low points –indicate motion –multiple lines for work and non-work changes

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Interacting Cycles and Stages Biological and Social Aging –“ Age Grading ” – Age related social or cultural expectations – Biosocial cycle of self-development Family Relationships –Family of origin –Immediate family –Competing demands Career Building –Affected by societal influences, needs, policies, traditions, and educational system

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Stages and Cycles Characteristics Goals Choice Points End Points Milestones Challenges Handling post-peak options and choices Cultural norms that create problems and incongruities Possible need to reduce involvement in a sphere

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Levinson’s Life Structure / Life Stages “Eras” or Seasons Lasting 25 Years 0-22 Pre-Adulthood Early Adulthood –period of abundance and energy –contradiction and stress Middle Adulthood 60 + Late Adulthood

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Levinson’s Life Structure / Life Stages Recognizes alternating periods of stability and transition lasting 5 to 7 years. Late Adult Transition: Age Culminating Life Structure55-60 Age 50 Transition Entry Life Structure45-50 Mid-Life Transition Culminating Life Structure33-40 Age 30 Transition Entry Life Structure22-28 Early Adult Transition 17-22

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Life Structure Concept An underlying pattern or design to life at a given time. Integrates work, family, relationships. Integrates various life roles as components. Meaning of work is better understood as part of a larger life structure. Engagement in work is influenced by evolution of the life structure. A concept that fits between the “self” and the “environment”

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Adult Development Dynamics of the Life Structure Recognizes periods of stability and transition Structure Building: –form a structure and improve quality of life –make choices, pursue goals Transitional Period –terminates prior “life structure” –appraise existing structure –explore possibilities for change When structure is in transition, more possibility for change in a component and influence among components

Class 3 Motivation and Values Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Factors Influencing Career Choice and Satisfaction Values Career “Anchors Social Motives

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Career Fit Model

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Career Factors Skills Interests Values

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Career Factors SkillsPerformance InterestsSatisfaction Values Commitment

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Importance of Values Values are ideals and beliefs that give meaning and direction to your work and life. Values are guiding principles that influence pride, satisfaction, and accomplishment. Work that expresses values positively impacts contribution, commitment, and productivity.

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Values and Motivation What kinds of tasks motivate you at work? In which situations do you find yourself most productive? How might you describe an ideal work situation? Have you had a work experience where you felt there wasn’t a good “fit” ? What aspects of the job didn’t work well?

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Career Self-Management “I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.” - Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner

What Is A Career Anchor? Career Anchor is a type self-concept –perceived talents and abilities –basic values –motives and needs Discovery of your anchor often occurs during transition It is important to consider how your anchors align with today’s workplace trends. Career anchors can be helpful in shaping learning and development needs and identifying future job roles.

Career Anchors (Edgar Schein) Technical / Functional Competence TF General Managerial CompetenceGM Autonomy/IndependenceAU Security/StabilitySE Entrepreneurial CreativityEC Service/Dedication to a CauseSV Pure ChallengeCH LifestyleLS

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Technical / Functional Competence Exercise of competence Expertise Identity around the content of work Towards specialization rather than general management Work that tests abilities and skills Need autonomy to implement

Technical / Functional Competence ( In The Workplace) Focused on external equity Opportunity to develop skills, get education Recognition of peers Seek more challenges and autonomy Look for bigger scope role and budget Drawn to technical ladders Pressure to maintain technical competence has increased with fast-paced work environment

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style General Managerial Competence Specialization is seen as limiting. Broad span of control Analytic competence Interpersonal and inter-group competence Emotional competence

General Managerial Competence (In The Workplace) Value advancement to roles with more responsibility Focus on internal equity and short-term rewards Value rank, title, organizational symbols Look towards being on right “track.” Trend towards general management skills being needed at front-line levels in organization. –Self-directed teams –Cross functional work groups

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Autonomy / Independence Need to do things at own pace, through one’s own method Rules, procedures, organizational norms are constraints. Seek careers that reflect independence or organizational roles that are more autonomous. Higher education can reinforce independence

Autonomy / Independence (In the Workplace) Prefer time-bounded kinds of work Value promotion to activities with more autonomy Prefer portable forms of recognition rather than titles, promotion More aligned with a “free-agent” work world that is less reliant on organizationally defined careers.

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Security / Stability “Safety” and security primarily guide career decisions Seek predictability of future events Seek organizations that tend to retain work force for longer periods of time. More accepting of organization’s definition of career path. Prefer work that requires steady and predictable performance.

Security / Stability (In the Workplace) Value good insurance, medical, retirement plans Prefer seniority-based promotion systems Want to be recognized for performance and loyalty Less aligned with work world that is moving from “employment security” to “employability security”

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Entrepreneurial Creativity Need to create one’s own businesses, services, or products Creating new organizations as distinct from creativity in general. Want to prove they can create businesses Autonomy is paradoxical. Supported by information technology and bio-tech sectors of economy.

Entrepreneurial Creativity (In the Workplace) Reward is ownership of business and patents Seek to build fortunes and enterprises Value flexibility to move into roles that fit Reinforced by increasing mobility of workforce

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Service and Dedication to A Cause Work choice is driven by central values. Desire to improve society More oriented to expressing values than in exercising a particular talent or competency. Evident in helping professions or in helping roles in organizations.

Service and Dedication to A Cause (In the Workplace) Seek fair pay and portable benefits Focused on external equity Value opportunity to move to a position with more influence Value opportunities for education Reinforced by more information about world needs.

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Motivation and Learning Style Pure Challenge Define success as overcoming obstacles, dealing with seemingly impossible problems. Challenge can be interpersonal and competitive. Less focused on use of skills, type of organization, area of work. (In the Workplace) Work needs to provide opportunities to self-test. Aligns with need for self-reliance and management in a turbulent work world.

Lifestyle Career is seen as part of larger “life system.” Movement from “balance” to “integration.” Flexibility is key to integrating needs of individual, family, community, and career. Seek an organizational attitude that is supportive of lifestyle integration. (In the Workplace) Prefer geographic stability Reinforced by dual careers, changing psychological contract.

Group Tally ANCHOR Highest2nd Highest Technical / Functional Competence General Managerial Competence Autonomy / Independence Security / Stability Entrepreneurial Capability Service / Dedication to a Cause Lifestyle Pure Challenge

Paired Interview Describe a change you made in your work role. What was the original situation (job, organization)? What the reasons that you chose this first job or organization? What did you like about it? What aspects did you not enjoy? Why did you decide to change?