What Is Plateauing? Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Age and Generational Influences

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Plateauing Three Kinds of Plateauing Structural Plateauing –end of promotions caused by the organization’s structure. –is occurring earlier in careers. –most impact on those who value promotion. Content Plateauing –results from knowing a job too well; not enough to learn –expertise that result in boredom; lack of challenge –limited opportunity to learn something new. –often occurs with structural plateauing Plateauing in Life –more profound than other forms of plateauing. –sense of despair, feeling trapped –can occur when work becomes most significant life role

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Plateauing Characteristics of Plateauing Occurs when an aspect of life stabilizes and one may feel dissatisfaction A predictable, natural occurrence but one that causes disruption because it affects ambitions, self-esteem, perceptions of success, work performance. Often arises as a vague, ambiguous feeling rather than clear problem. Stems from individual and cultural attitudes for ever increasing success in terms of promotions, responsibility, power, money. Based on the economic and organizational expansion that occurred between 1950 to 1975.

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Plateauing Plateauing – Business Case Costs Decreased Morale Lower Productivity Poor Customer Relations High Turnover

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Plateauing Differences in Plateaued Performers Employee Actions high low high Actions of Organization low

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Plateauing Case of the Plateaued Performer Cast Benjamin Petersen: President and Chairman, 61 George Briggs:VP Marketing, 53 Tom Evans:National Sales Manager, 34 Victor PerkinsVP HR /Personnel, 39

You are Victor Perkins, head of HR. You have asked to see CEO Benjamin Petersen because you are concerned about the increasing tension between George Briggs and Tom Evans? What advice will you give Petersen ? You are Benjamin Petersen, CEO. After thinking about the Evans/Briggs situation, you have asked to see George Briggs. You want to respond to his request to transfer Tom Evans to HR. You are looking to provide him some support and direction. You are Victor Perkins, head of HR and you have scheduled a meeting with George Briggs. You know he has been mulling over the situation and is waiting for Petersen to provide an answer to his recommendation that Tom Evans be transferred to personnel. What will you try to accomplish in that meeting? You are Victor Perkins, HR. Tom Evans has asked for your advice on how to deal with Briggs who seems to be over-managing recently? What would you like to accomplish in that meeting? What points would you like Evans to walk away with? What would you like to learn more about? Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Age and Generational Influences Plateaued Performer Discussions

Proposed Solutions Move Tom Evans to personnel, engineering, or finance Focus Briggs’ attention on VP of Marketing job Coaching for Briggs to focus on long-range, strategic aspects of marketing and coordination with other functional groups Send Briggs to an executive program Send Petersen to an executive program Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Age and Generational Influences

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Plateauing Responding to Plateauing A developmental perspective about work helps one become psychologically prepared for plateauing. The need to shift attention from how one is doing in comparison to others to recognize economic, demographic, and organizational forces that create plateauing. Acceptance of limits frees up energy and sets the stage for experimentation. An opportunity to change a definition of success. Productivity and generativity often follows a period of stagnation. Distinguishing between letting go illusions and not giving up hope, and a quest for new challenges, ambitions.

Life Transitions, Career Decisions, and the Workplace Plateauing Organizational Responses to Plateauing Culture that provides opportunities not dependent on promotion. Candid feedback Job redesign Learning and training opportunities Use of project team Creative use of reward and recognition systems Develop more generalists Job rotation programs Mentoring systems Communication channels and processes to address plateauing