I know of a successful
CEO of some 18 years standing who over her long period of tenure, re-built and
re-defined a 100-year-old somewhat iconic Queensland Brand. By any measure, she
was a success and received more than one award from the business community and
industry body in recognition of her achievements.
Her tenure ended in 2015.
I wondered
at the time how she would cope on stepping down from a role that had
consumed her life for so long.
It occurred
to me that the situation those that received redundancy this week face is not unlike that of professional
sports people upon retirement.
Professional
sports people define themselves by the sport they play, the people they influence,
the adulation they receive and the power and status their ability and hard work
delivers.
Many
in business define themselves in much the same way.
We hear
constantly of past sports stars who have gone “off the rails” succumbing to
poor lifestyle choices, alcohol, drugs, relationship breakdowns, violence even.
A common
failing of sports people is neglecting to plan for life after their time in the
spot light ends. I suspect it is the same for many in business too. In both
cases, an unhealthy sense of emptiness can prevail.
In the
sporting world, careers are often terminated suddenly, brutally even. A
contract is not renewed, you are left out of a team or simply advised at the end of a season
or campaign, you are no longer required. Clean up your locker,
return the sponsors gear, be on your way.
The ending
of a sporting career so often is accompanied by a lack of acknowledgement of
past successes or the contribution made to the current success state
of the club, team or sport.
When you
think about it, it is incredibly disrespectful, offensive and un-necessarily
humiliating when handled badly. It is so often handled badly.
It is a true reflection of Values and Culture.
Much like it
is in business too.
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