The Real Role of Mature Workers: Mentors and Leaders

According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the number of people aged 65 and older working or seeking work has increased by 144 percent over the past 20 years. The broader labor force expanded by approximately 13 percent during that period. The trend had been building momentum when it ran up against the wall of the pandemic, and retirements soared, but the participation numbers for this cohort are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. The DOL projects that labor force participation among older workers will continue to grow over the next decade, and a recent survey revealed that 68 percent of people who retired during the pandemic would consider returning to work

That being said, how many people do you work with who are considered mature workers, those 50 years and older? I have been down this road before, and I recently took on a very challenging interim job. My depth of knowledge, leadership skills, and ability to remain calm under pressure will be invaluable. Before the age of 50, I may not have described myself as calm in difficult situations.

The first time I retired to care for my elderly mother, I was 56 years old. Over the years, and I will not specify how many, I have worked part-time and full-time and mentored many individuals new to Human Resources and Special Education. I moved to Midland as the Special Education Director in the early 2000s to help put things in order, which entailed a significant amount of work. I moved to Human Resources, which defined most of my post-retirement years. Serving as the Human Resources Director for the largest employer in Midland redefined my life.

I was successful because I was responsive to my customers. I showed up, answered emails and calls, maintained a professional appearance, and set high expectations while providing support to my immediate team. Every manager should strive to be better than everyone else around them. The manager of any department should be the first to work and the last to leave. I educated myself with an MBA and SHRM-SCP credentials, I became a certified mediator, and I am pursuing ongoing professional development.

As a mature worker, my role is to mentor the younger staff and empower them to perform their jobs effectively. As a mature worker, I am not climbing the ladder; I have been there and continue to work unselfishly to improve the organization’s people and outcomes.

I am a devout follower of Stephen Covey and his principles.

Those principles for mentoring were:

1. Seek first to understand:

1. • Before offering advice, truly listen to the mentee’s perspective to understand their feelings and what they are saying.
   • This deep listening helps solve the “real” problem, builds trust, and makes the mentee more open to your influence.
2. Begin with the end in mind:
   • Envision the desired outcome for the mentoring relationship from the start to help plan the steps for success.
   • This includes planning for a positive and healthy closure, which can be as important as the beginning.
3. Empower the mentee:
   • Mentoring is a partnership wherein the mentor gives up power to empower the student, which is a life-changing aspect of the relationship.
4. Listen to understand, then be understood:
   • This is a core principle that applies directly to mentoring, as it builds trust and influence.
5. Set high expectations:
   • Your best performers expect to be held to a high standard. Don’t undermine your credibility by allowing lackluster performance.
6. Be sensitive to differences:
   • Recognize that everyone has different perspectives, values, and conditioning that shape their view of the world.
7. Continuously reflect and improve:
   • Take time to reflect on your mentoring practice and ask for feedback to improve your approach.

A famous quote from Stephen Covey is Treat a man as he can and should be, and he will become as he can and should be. Trust is the glue of life.

As a mature worker, mentoring will be unsuccessful unless the mentees trust you. I told those around me for decades that I would answer their questions if I could, and I ask for their respect when I cannot. Trust and honesty are essential to successful mentoring, and by extension, successful leadership.

Remember, you don’t want to turn around and find yourself with no one following. Leaders fail without the support of the staff around them.

Stephen Covey spoke to leadership with the following principles:

1. Communicating worth and potential: Leaders effectively inspire others by showing them their own value and potential, helping them to see it within themselves.

1. Principle-centered: Covey believed authentic leadership is not a position but is based on principles, integrity, and personal character.
2. Developmental: It is a journey of personal growth and inner strength, focusing on developing character and competence before interpersonal relationships.
4. Covey’s Four Essential Roles of Leadership are:

• Inspire Trust: Leaders build trust through their credibility, character, and competence.

1. Create Vision: They define a clear vision, strategy, and direction for the team.

• Execute Strategy: Leaders turn the vision into reality by executing the strategy with disciplined processes.

1. Coach Potential: They develop leadership potential by providing feedback and coaching.

To summarize, after over 30 years in key leadership roles, I will always return to Covey.

Consider recruiting and retaining the best staff.

 

“Your employees are the heart of your organization.” Dr. Michele Harmon is a Human Resource professional, supporting clients in Texas and New Mexico that range in size from five to more than 3,000 employees. Email: micheleharmon1@gmail.com