1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: Hi, this is our Ask Me Anything segment where Gerald 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: and I get a question from you and then we 3 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:11,350 Speaker 1: will help give a different perspective to it. So let's 4 00:00:11,350 --> 00:00:12,478 Speaker 1: dive straight in. 5 00:00:12,970 --> 00:00:16,290 Speaker 1: Our listener George sent this question and it's something I'm 6 00:00:16,290 --> 00:00:19,559 Speaker 1: sure many people face at some stage in their career. 7 00:00:19,969 --> 00:00:23,370 Speaker 1: George is in his 50s and is in a fairly 8 00:00:23,450 --> 00:00:26,770 Speaker 1: senior position in his company, but he says there are 9 00:00:26,770 --> 00:00:30,170 Speaker 1: some changes and he's likely to take on more roles. 10 00:00:30,370 --> 00:00:33,130 Speaker 1: Although here is where the kicker accounts, George says, 11 00:00:33,555 --> 00:00:36,513 Speaker 1: Let me read, at this point, I feel I want 12 00:00:36,514 --> 00:00:39,534 Speaker 1: to actually focus on how I want to spend the rest, 13 00:00:39,755 --> 00:00:42,384 Speaker 1: which is the last 1/3 or so of his life. 14 00:00:42,755 --> 00:00:45,793 Speaker 1: Instead of continuing to stress out on work and climbing 15 00:00:45,793 --> 00:00:49,145 Speaker 1: the ladder, I've also lost my passion for the work. 16 00:00:49,473 --> 00:00:52,634 Speaker 1: So I think right now it's mainly a source of 17 00:00:52,634 --> 00:00:53,474 Speaker 1: income for me. 18 00:00:53,979 --> 00:00:56,860 Speaker 1: George wants to scale down on his work commitments and 19 00:00:56,860 --> 00:01:00,380 Speaker 1: spend time getting healthier, pursuing his interest in art, maybe 20 00:01:00,380 --> 00:01:03,939 Speaker 1: even use his skills future credits to rescale and do 21 00:01:03,939 --> 00:01:06,489 Speaker 1: a different field of work. So he wants to know, 22 00:01:06,699 --> 00:01:09,540 Speaker 1: how can he go about managing this and more importantly, 23 00:01:09,660 --> 00:01:10,500 Speaker 1: should he ask for a 24 00:01:10,500 --> 00:01:11,150 Speaker 1: demotion? 25 00:01:11,300 --> 00:01:13,900 Speaker 2: Well, I think for someone in George's situation, 26 00:01:14,190 --> 00:01:17,699 Speaker 2: It's what I would term as like a fairly uneasy feeling, 27 00:01:17,739 --> 00:01:20,519 Speaker 2: a stuck feeling. So typically when someone like George in 28 00:01:20,519 --> 00:01:24,260 Speaker 2: their maybe 50s, maybe approaching 60s, a lot of professionals, 29 00:01:24,300 --> 00:01:26,419 Speaker 2: they start to think this way like George. They start 30 00:01:26,419 --> 00:01:29,860 Speaker 2: to wonder like, OK, the retirement is coming up. Do 31 00:01:29,860 --> 00:01:31,279 Speaker 2: I still want to do what I want to do? 32 00:01:31,519 --> 00:01:33,580 Speaker 2: And then sometimes there are push factors like changes in 33 00:01:33,580 --> 00:01:37,059 Speaker 2: the company, expectations, people loading more work, and they feel like, 34 00:01:37,260 --> 00:01:38,809 Speaker 2: I don't want to do this anymore in my life, 35 00:01:38,900 --> 00:01:40,330 Speaker 2: my career is coming to an end. 36 00:01:40,889 --> 00:01:42,449 Speaker 2: How should my life look like? And then this is 37 00:01:42,449 --> 00:01:44,369 Speaker 2: the place where they are finally find themselves in this 38 00:01:44,370 --> 00:01:47,300 Speaker 2: what we call the transitioning space, where they're not quite 39 00:01:47,300 --> 00:01:49,099 Speaker 2: ready to move on to something new yet. 40 00:01:49,419 --> 00:01:51,050 Speaker 2: But they're also not quite ready to let go of 41 00:01:51,050 --> 00:01:53,330 Speaker 2: what's present. So that's why it can be a bit 42 00:01:53,330 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: uneasy and questions like, hey, should I get a demotion 43 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,319 Speaker 2: or should I leave the company or do something totally different, 44 00:01:59,489 --> 00:02:01,690 Speaker 2: upscale and reskill and do something new, these will be 45 00:02:01,690 --> 00:02:03,029 Speaker 2: thoughts that will just flood in. 46 00:02:03,370 --> 00:02:05,629 Speaker 1: And I think also when you are in your 50s 47 00:02:05,629 --> 00:02:08,850 Speaker 1: slightly so your finances might be a bit more secure. 48 00:02:08,970 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: Maybe you have paid off a housing loan, your children, 49 00:02:12,270 --> 00:02:15,049 Speaker 1: they're probably adults at this point of time. So finances 50 00:02:15,050 --> 00:02:16,309 Speaker 1: is not something that maybe 51 00:02:16,404 --> 00:02:19,234 Speaker 1: What she's worried about. So how can he approach it? 52 00:02:19,274 --> 00:02:21,413 Speaker 1: How can he have this conversation with his 53 00:02:21,413 --> 00:02:22,013 Speaker 1: boss? 54 00:02:22,115 --> 00:02:25,154 Speaker 2: I think before having any conversation with bosses, George will 55 00:02:25,154 --> 00:02:27,794 Speaker 2: need to have a conversation with himself first, right, to 56 00:02:27,794 --> 00:02:30,955 Speaker 2: kind of take stock how his career has been going, right? 57 00:02:30,994 --> 00:02:33,035 Speaker 2: It's really important for us to kind of map back 58 00:02:33,035 --> 00:02:36,913 Speaker 2: that 2030, 35 years of work experiences, what have we 59 00:02:36,913 --> 00:02:39,395 Speaker 2: achieved and what have we done? How much of these 60 00:02:39,395 --> 00:02:41,425 Speaker 2: achievements and things that we have done and experiences we've 61 00:02:41,425 --> 00:02:43,353 Speaker 2: clocked in, right, was actually something that 62 00:02:43,690 --> 00:02:46,089 Speaker 2: We felt really meant a lot to us. How did 63 00:02:46,089 --> 00:02:47,410 Speaker 2: we grow through this process? 64 00:02:47,788 --> 00:02:50,410 Speaker 2: Because we need to know where we are right now 65 00:02:50,679 --> 00:02:52,570 Speaker 2: and how we have developed to this point before we 66 00:02:52,570 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 2: are able to think about what's the next step. It's 67 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:56,479 Speaker 2: almost like writing a story. You can't write in the 68 00:02:56,479 --> 00:02:58,888 Speaker 2: next chapter without looking back at the chapters that been 69 00:02:58,889 --> 00:03:01,418 Speaker 2: written before. There must have been certain things that he 70 00:03:01,419 --> 00:03:03,769 Speaker 2: really enjoyed doing and certain things that make him who 71 00:03:03,770 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 2: he is today. So who is that George today and 72 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:08,478 Speaker 2: how does he want to move forward from it? What 73 00:03:08,479 --> 00:03:10,478 Speaker 2: would the new version of him look like? So that's 74 00:03:10,479 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 2: part of taking stock. The other thing is also kind 75 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:13,888 Speaker 2: of prepare himself or for. 76 00:03:14,005 --> 00:03:17,156 Speaker 2: Different scenarios to make certain decisions that maybe people may 77 00:03:17,156 --> 00:03:19,636 Speaker 2: not understand. For example, taking into emotions is not something 78 00:03:19,636 --> 00:03:22,315 Speaker 2: that most people would agree or encourage his peers 79 00:03:22,315 --> 00:03:23,845 Speaker 1: would be like, oh, so silly. Why would you do that? 80 00:03:23,916 --> 00:03:24,835 Speaker 1: Company want to give you money, 81 00:03:25,425 --> 00:03:27,546 Speaker 2: just exactly, but you know, that's why George, having done 82 00:03:27,546 --> 00:03:29,996 Speaker 2: that stocktake, that review of themselves and then thinking about 83 00:03:29,996 --> 00:03:32,436 Speaker 2: their life, not just thinking about work, but thinking more 84 00:03:32,436 --> 00:03:35,035 Speaker 2: about their family, the life after retirement as well, start 85 00:03:35,035 --> 00:03:37,315 Speaker 2: to vision a little bit more, start to talk to 86 00:03:37,315 --> 00:03:39,835 Speaker 2: your family members and maybe let's say spouses or kids 87 00:03:39,835 --> 00:03:40,315 Speaker 2: and start to 88 00:03:40,822 --> 00:03:43,432 Speaker 2: Vision, like what would life outside of work look like? Yeah, 89 00:03:44,311 --> 00:03:47,072 Speaker 2: so have those conversations as well before you go to 90 00:03:47,072 --> 00:03:48,932 Speaker 2: your boss. It's like the boss is the last thing. 91 00:03:49,102 --> 00:03:50,511 Speaker 2: It's like when you have kind of decided and you're 92 00:03:50,511 --> 00:03:52,591 Speaker 2: very sure because you know what, whatever you say already 93 00:03:52,591 --> 00:03:55,852 Speaker 2: kind of sets the kind of expectations in the workplace. 94 00:03:56,031 --> 00:03:57,361 Speaker 2: If you tell your boss, I don't think I'm up 95 00:03:57,361 --> 00:03:59,451 Speaker 2: for it, right, you can almost imagine all the opportunities 96 00:03:59,451 --> 00:04:01,501 Speaker 2: in the future, it will not come to you. 97 00:04:01,871 --> 00:04:04,151 Speaker 1: But I think if George is very clear that this 98 00:04:04,151 --> 00:04:06,632 Speaker 1: is it and he would really like to take a step. 99 00:04:06,718 --> 00:04:10,248 Speaker 1: Back, not ready for retirement, not ready to be fired, 100 00:04:10,298 --> 00:04:12,787 Speaker 1: of course. I think one of the conversations that he 101 00:04:12,787 --> 00:04:15,388 Speaker 1: can have with his boss is to say, look, I've 102 00:04:15,388 --> 00:04:17,497 Speaker 1: done so much for the company, I've learned so much. 103 00:04:17,787 --> 00:04:20,868 Speaker 1: I would actually like to be a mentor to people 104 00:04:20,868 --> 00:04:23,577 Speaker 1: who are younger or people who have just joined the company. 105 00:04:23,907 --> 00:04:26,897 Speaker 1: George says he's in a fairly senior position in the company, 106 00:04:27,226 --> 00:04:29,708 Speaker 1: see this as an opportunity to look out for who 107 00:04:29,708 --> 00:04:32,028 Speaker 1: can take over his role in the future. I actually 108 00:04:32,028 --> 00:04:33,028 Speaker 1: think that the younger people 109 00:04:33,074 --> 00:04:35,953 Speaker 1: In the company would very much appreciate that, especially his 110 00:04:35,954 --> 00:04:36,384 Speaker 1: boss. 111 00:04:36,503 --> 00:04:39,824 Speaker 2: Yeah, Tiffany, that's absolutely correct. One of the important tasks 112 00:04:39,824 --> 00:04:43,073 Speaker 2: developmentally for an individual as they reach retirement age, right, 113 00:04:43,144 --> 00:04:46,014 Speaker 2: they often wonder, have I done what I needed to do? 114 00:04:46,424 --> 00:04:48,704 Speaker 2: Have I made the world a better place? Was my 115 00:04:48,704 --> 00:04:50,623 Speaker 2: life a total waste of time or did I really 116 00:04:50,623 --> 00:04:54,014 Speaker 2: contribute something, right? And mentoring somebody, building up somebody else, 117 00:04:54,223 --> 00:04:57,093 Speaker 2: it adds to leaving a legacy behind. So for them 118 00:04:57,093 --> 00:04:59,253 Speaker 2: to realize that they have supported a younger colleague. 119 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:01,859 Speaker 2: Their career, maybe a couple of them, so that when 120 00:05:01,859 --> 00:05:03,850 Speaker 2: you take a step back from work in the future, 121 00:05:04,059 --> 00:05:06,019 Speaker 2: you realize that hey, a part of you still stays 122 00:05:06,019 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 2: in the company, you know, and then it actually helps 123 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,940 Speaker 2: the person's life. You made this young person's life better 124 00:05:11,940 --> 00:05:14,700 Speaker 2: because the person is now more confident, is able to 125 00:05:14,700 --> 00:05:17,099 Speaker 2: manage his family, her family, and lead in the company 126 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:19,579 Speaker 2: as well. So all of this makes us just feel like, hey, 127 00:05:19,779 --> 00:05:21,289 Speaker 2: we lived a life that was quite meaningful. 128 00:05:21,940 --> 00:05:24,700 Speaker 1: I feel we're only just scratching the surface right here 129 00:05:24,700 --> 00:05:25,738 Speaker 1: because it sounds like. 130 00:05:26,049 --> 00:05:28,890 Speaker 1: There's so much more that we can unpack here, but 131 00:05:28,890 --> 00:05:30,970 Speaker 1: in the interest of time, maybe we could even come 132 00:05:30,970 --> 00:05:33,678 Speaker 1: back and do a bigger, a longer topic on this, 133 00:05:33,730 --> 00:05:36,890 Speaker 1: maybe invite someone on the show. George, if you are interested, 134 00:05:37,010 --> 00:05:38,010 Speaker 1: to come and join us, OK? 135 00:05:38,540 --> 00:05:41,140 Speaker 1: If like George, you have a work-related question, send it 136 00:05:41,140 --> 00:05:45,859 Speaker 1: to us. We are at CNA podcasts at Mediacorp.com.sg. We're 137 00:05:45,859 --> 00:05:49,940 Speaker 1: also on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. The team behind the 138 00:05:49,940 --> 00:05:54,010 Speaker 1: Work It podcast is Christina Robert, Joanne Chan, Juanini Johari 139 00:05:54,010 --> 00:05:57,659 Speaker 1: and Sai Ye Win. Sound mixing by Cary Lim, video 140 00:05:57,660 --> 00:06:00,940 Speaker 1: by Hanida Amin. I'm Gerald and I'm Tiffany. Have a 141 00:06:00,940 --> 00:06:02,489 Speaker 1: super work week ahead.