tilburg university re-creation in the age of wisdom lyon ......re-creation in the age of wisdom:...

Tilburg University

Re-Creation in the Age of Wisdom

Lyon-Dugin, Frances E.

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Publication date:2017

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Citation for published version (APA):Lyon-Dugin, F. E. (2017). Re-Creation in the Age of Wisdom: Involuntary Job Transition in Women over 50.[s.n.].

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Download date: 18. Sep. 2020

https://research.tilburguniversity.edu/en/publications/e6965719-dd94-4df9-86d0-e877271a6f7b

Re-CreationintheAgeofWisdom:InvoluntaryJobTransitioninWomenover50

ProefschriftterverkrijgingvandegraadvandoctoraanTilburgUniversityopgezagvanderectormagnificus,prof.dr.E.H.L.Aarts,

inhetopenbaarteverdedigentenoverstaanvaneendoorhetcollegevoorpromotiesaangewezencommissie

indeRuthFirstzaalvandeUniversiteitopdinsdag24oktober2017om14.00uur

doorFrancesElizabethLyon-Dugin

geborenteSterling,IL,VerenigdeStatenvanAmerika

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Promotores:Prof.dr.G.M.vanDijkProf.dr.E.J.P.vanLoonCopromotor:Dr.G.Belden-CharlesPromotiecommissie:Prof.dr.H.J.A.vanBakelProf.dr.J.GoedeeProf.dr.L.WitvlietDr.C.Camargo-BorgesCopyright©2017

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TableofContents

Dedication...............................................................................................................................................6

Acknowledgment..................................................................................................................................7Abstract....................................................................................................................................................8

Introduction...........................................................................................................................................9Methodology........................................................................................................................................11Introductiontothesocialconstructiondiscourse.............................................................11Positioningwithinthediscourse...........................................................................................................12Focusonrelationships...............................................................................................................................14Theroleofdialogue.....................................................................................................................................14Socialpoeticsasaresearchpractice....................................................................................................15Terminology:Anunfoldinginquiryversusresearch....................................................................16Future-formingpossibilitiesandgenerativity.................................................................................16

Relationalresearchapproachandmethods........................................................................18Chosenmethods............................................................................................................................................19One-on-onedialogueinAppreciativeInquiry(AI)style.............................................................19Autoethnography.........................................................................................................................................21Focusgroupanddialogicconversation..............................................................................................22Narrativeinquiryandanalysis...............................................................................................................22Metaphor..........................................................................................................................................................24

Ethicalconsiderations.................................................................................................................25Methodsusedtoincreasecredibility,generativityandutility.................................................26Triangulation..................................................................................................................................................27Memberchecking.........................................................................................................................................27Reflexivity........................................................................................................................................................27

Limitationsanddelimitations...................................................................................................28Relationshipsanddemographics..........................................................................................................28

Inquirytopicanddesign.............................................................................................................29Theoriginaldesign......................................................................................................................................30Theuniquenessofthewomen’svoices...............................................................................................30Moreunfoldingandconsiderationofametaphor.........................................................................31Diagramofthedesign.................................................................................................................................31

Introductiontotheco-researchers.........................................................................................33Heather.............................................................................................................................................................33Sally....................................................................................................................................................................33Beth....................................................................................................................................................................33Linda..................................................................................................................................................................34Kolean................................................................................................................................................................34Fran....................................................................................................................................................................34

Introductiontothesupportersofthoseintransition......................................................35Marcia................................................................................................................................................................35George...............................................................................................................................................................35Tony...................................................................................................................................................................35

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Barb....................................................................................................................................................................36

Background..........................................................................................................................................36Thegreatrecession......................................................................................................................36Theidentityofwork.....................................................................................................................37Tollonolderworkers..................................................................................................................38Differencesforwomen................................................................................................................39Impactoftransition......................................................................................................................39Addingintheagefactor..............................................................................................................40From“fixing”to“reframing”......................................................................................................41

NarrativeAnalysisofOne-on-OneDialogues...........................................................................41Feelingsfollowinglayoff.............................................................................................................41Feelingsaboutnewcareeropportunities.............................................................................44Supportsystems............................................................................................................................46Networking......................................................................................................................................47Innerpowerandresilience........................................................................................................49Changesinvalues..........................................................................................................................51Changesinrelationships.............................................................................................................53Changesinfinances......................................................................................................................54Prioritiesandchallengesofbeingunemployedandover50.........................................55Feelingageism................................................................................................................................57Renewedenergy............................................................................................................................59Uniqueforwomen.........................................................................................................................60

NarrativeAnalysisoftheFocusGroup.......................................................................................61Analysis.............................................................................................................................................61

Findings.................................................................................................................................................67Needforcomfortandconnection............................................................................................68Increasedrateofchangeandresilience................................................................................69Maturationandanewwayofrelating....................................................................................70Newtrendsandmovement........................................................................................................71

ConclusionsandRecommendations...........................................................................................71Reflectionsonthejourney.........................................................................................................72Broadeningthediscoursearoundtransitionandwork...................................................73Expandinginquiryaroundworkforcediversity.................................................................73Asenseofurgency.........................................................................................................................74AppendixI........................................................................................................................................76InformationandConsentForm..............................................................................................................76

AppendixII......................................................................................................................................78AppreciativeInquiry:Dialogue-InitiatingQuestions....................................................................78

AppendixIII.....................................................................................................................................81FocusGroup:TheArtofFocusedConversation..............................................................................81

References............................................................................................................................................82

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“Thereisnomedicinelikehope,noincentivesogreat,andnotonicsopowerfulasexpectationofsomethingtomorrow.”

O.S.Marden,FromtheU.S.TVShow:ComingofAge(1988-1989)

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DedicationThisworkisdedicatedtomyparents,JamesH.LyonandJoAnnReevesLyon,whohavemodeledandsupportedlife-longlearning.Iamforevergratefulfortheirloveandsupport.

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AcknowledgmentTherearemanypeoplewhohavehelpedmakethisjourneymeaningfulandhopeful,andIwouldliketothankthemfortheirsupportandencouragementalongtheway.Theco-researchers,someclosefriendsandsomenewfriends,weretheoneswhogavelifetoatopicthat,atthebeginning,feltlonelyandsolitarytome.Hopefullyyouwillgettoknowthemasyoureadwhatweshared,andyourthoughtsandemotionswillbetouchedbythem,asminehavebeen.Dr.SheilaMcNameehelpedmegreatlyingettingstartedintheprogram,encouragingmeinmypursuitofunderstandingsocialconstruction,andassistingmeinbuildingmyinquiry.TheTAOSInstituteprovidedmewithmanynewfriendsandsupportersalongtheway,andIamextremelygratefulforallofthem.Ihaveenjoyedgettingtoknowdr.GerdavanDijk,oneofmyTilburgUniversitypromotors,andthankherforherencouragement,feedback,andcoordinationwithmyTAOSadvisor,helpingusnavigatethePhDprocess.ShetooktimetomeetmeinNewYorkCitywhileonafamilyvacationsothatwewouldhaveface-to-faceinteractionearlyon.Heradvicetomeduringthatmeetingwas“juststartwriting”,andIheardthismessageagainandagaininmyheadthroughouttheprocess.MysecondTilburgpromotor,dr.RensvanLoon,providedextremelyvaluableandthought-provokingfeedback,encouragingmetothinkbeyondtheinquiryandtoexpandmyreflectionsontheexperience.Dr.GinnyBelden-Charles,myTAOSadvisor,hasbecomeapersonalfriend,mentor,andconstantsourceofhelpfulthoughts,commentsandcheerleadingthroughoutthisjourney.Shehelpedmebuildarealistictimelinefortheproject,onethatkeptthegoalattheendaliveandvibrant.Ilookedforwardtoourmanymeetingswithcupsofcoffeeandtea,catchinguponfamilynews,andexchangingideasaboutsomanythingsinourlivesthathaveconverged.Ican’timagineabettermatchofstudentandadvisor.FriendsandcolleaguesfromthecollegeswhereIteach,mybookclub,professionalgroups,Facebookandothercirclesinmylife,past,presentandlifelong,keptmemotivatedthroughtheirquestions,theirinterest,theirchallenges,andtheiraffirmation.Thechoicetodothiswasreaffirmedtimeandagainbytheirnurturing.Myfamilyprovidedendlessencouragementand,attimes,prodding,tokeeptheendgoalinsight,evenwhenitseemedtobeonlyadistantglimmer.Myhusband,Bruce,gavemeinspiration,hope,andhisuniquehumorwhenitwasneededmost.Thankyouallforyourloveandsupport.

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AbstractThisinquiryisbuiltaroundthestoriesanddialogueamongsixwomenwhoexperiencedjobtransitionwhentheywereover50yearsofage.Backgroundabouttheeconomictimesinwhichthesetransitionsoccurred,inputfromindividualssupportingpeopleinjobtransitionandrelatedliteraturearoundthetopicprovidecontextfortherichnarrativeofthewomeninvolved.Generativityisbuiltthroughtheircommonfeelings,language,andthemesandrevealstheirpassionforsharing,theireagernesstoadaptandrecreatethemselves,andtheirdesiretosharetheirwisdomwithothersinnewroles.Inordertofullyexplorethesharedwaysofexperiencingtransitionandderivethegreatestsharedmeaningfromtheinquiry,asocialconstructionframeworkandstanceisused.Themethodswithinthisframeworkareco-researcherone-on-onedialoguesdoneinanAppreciativeInquiry(AI)style,autoethnography,narrativeanalysis,andafocusgroupdialoguearoundthenarrativethemesusingtheArtofFocusedConversationprocess(Stanfield,2000).Thewomen,asco-researchers,generatenewmeaningaroundthetransitionexperiencethroughtheirnarrativesanddialogue.Whatemergesfromthecollectivevoicesanddialogueisamessageofconnection,resilience,andre-creation,alongwithastronglyexpresseddesiretomentorandsharewisdomwithothersinfutureroles.Negative,challengingfeelingsareexploredthroughthedialogue,butthefocusturnstohopeandrenewedenergy.Relationshipsthatheldvalueduringtheprocessarenurturedandexpanded.Positiveconnectionsarebuiltwithnewenthusiasm,andthewomenhighlighttheirrelatednessandtheirdesiretocontinueengagementwithothers.Apossibilityforthisinquiryincludesconnectingthepositive,re-creativeenergyoftheover50womanintransitionwithentrepreneurialenvironmentsandthoseworkplacesexperiencinghighratesofchange.Maximizingthedesireofwomenover50tomentorandsharetheirwisdomcouldalsoaddrichnesstothesharedcommunityofwomen.Continueddialoguewiththeover50workertoexploreimplicitbiases,prejudice,stigmaandageismintheemploymentprocessandworkplaceisneeded.Explorativedialoguearoundincreasingtheeconomicandhumanvitalityoftheover50workercouldhelpaddressfuturelaborshortages,ensurefinancialsecurityandoptimizethevalueandcontributionsofworkersofallages.

Keywords:involuntaryjobtransition,womenintransition,over50worker,agediscrimination

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IntroductionAnewkindoftransition

Inthemidstoftheinterview,Ifeelastrangetensiondevelopingintheroomamongthedirector,thetwosubordinates(bothtwenty-somethings),andmyself,the53-year-oldcandidate.Thedirectorsays,“So,howdoyouhandlemultiplepriorities?Whatwouldyoudoifthereweretwoprojectsthatyouhadtofinishandyoucouldn’tpossiblyfinishthemboth?”Isay,“Well,IhavelearnedhowtoprioritizeandperformtheworksothatIcanhandlemultipleprojectsandmeetdeadlines.IusespreadsheetsorMicrosoftProject®formanagingprojectsandmilestones,andmyyearsofmanagementexperiencehaveallowedmetolearntodealwithmanyinterruptionsduringtheday.Iamalsogreatwithto-dolistsfordailywork.“Shepresseson,heryoungfaceilluminatingdoubtandatadbitofpatronizing,“Butyoujustcan’tpossiblyfinishbothprojects.Whatdoyoudo?”Thetwosubordinatesbothlookatmeandthereisdeadsilence.Onesays,“Ithinksheansweredthequestion.”WealllookateachotherawkwardlyandIknowthatIhavelostthejob.Wefinishupwithstandardquestions,exchangenicetiesandItrytoleavegracefully.A30+yearcareerandresumefullofgreatjobs,promotions,goalsmet,onlytobe“here”again….laidoffandwithoutajob.InsideIfeelshame,humiliation,anger.Howcansomuchaccomplishmentcountforsolittle?Whatishappening?(Autoethnography,FranLyon-Dugin,2016)

Re-CreationintheAgeofWisdom:InvoluntaryJobTransitioninWomenover50isadissertationthatexploresthenarrativesandgenerativedialogueamongsixwomenwhohaveexperiencedinvoluntaryjoblossoverage50.Backgroundabouttheeconomictimesinwhichthesetransitionsoccurred,perspectivesoffourindividualssupportingpeopleinjobtransition,andrelatedliteraturearoundthetopicareincludedtoprovidecontextaroundthestories.Narrativeanalysisrevealsthemesandrelationalmeaningamongtheco-researchers,distinguishingtheexperiencefromjobtransitionsatyoungeragesandexploringthepossibilitiesofnewconversationsaroundjobtransitionover50.Iwasmotivatedtoimmersemyselfinthisresearchlargelybecauseofmyowncareerexperiencesthusfar.Iexperiencedmultiplejobtransitions,mainlyduetomergersofcompaniesandfollow-onreorganizations.Myvaluesaroundeducation,hardwork,persistenceandresultingcareersuccesswerechallenged.Intheearlyandmiddleyearsofmycareer,itwasfairlyeasytobounceback,orbounce‘up’.Jobopportunitiestooktwistsandturnstodifferentindustries,providingamyriadofexperienceacrossmultipleroles.Thelevelsgothigher;thesalariesgotbigger.Thetransitionsthathappenedinmy50sweredifferentinthatnewjobsdidn’tcomeaseasily.Theeconomywastougher;jobswerescarcer.Thereactionstomeasapersonandasacandidatefeltdifferent.Over50,recruitersstartedshakingtheirheadsandsaying,“Yourexperienceisnotfocused;it’stoobroad.Ican’tsellyou.”Ihadmachinesgenerate

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rejectionlettersbasedonlackofkeywords,certifications,ortherightdegrees.Ialsosensedthattheygeneratedthembasedonthedatesinmyresume.Thecareercoaches,consultants,andagenciesthathelpdisplacedworkersallhadthesamemessage:dyeyourhair,getnewglasses,buysomenewclothes,taketheyearsoffyourresume,getoutthereandnetwork.Yet,whataboutwhatwashappeningtomyidentity,myrelationshipswithothers,andmyrelationshipwith‘work’?Indiscussionswithfriendsandinnetworkingenvironments,Ifoundotherslikemyselfwhowerediscouragedandstruggling.Eventuallythey‘landed’orforgednewpaths,butusuallywithakindofstruggletheyhadnotencounteredearlierinlife.Whohadgonethroughtheexperienceandendedup‘ontheotherside’andwhatmightthosestorieshaveincommon?Couldadialogueamongthoseexperiencingthesefeelingsopennewpossibilitiesforothers?ThisisthedrivethatIfelttoembarkonthisrelationaljourneywithothers.WhyitmattersAlargeshareofourtimewitheachotheriscenteredaroundemploymentor‘work’,howeverwedefineit.Wealsotalkaboutourworkanditcontributestowhoweareoutsideofwork:athome,amongourextendedfamilies,atschool,atplacesofworshipandmeditation,involunteersettings,inourcommunities.Astheliteraturewillreveal,theimpactofworkonourbeingisnottobeminimized.Atimeoftransitionbetweenjobs,especiallywhenajobislostthroughnochoiceofourown,isstressful.Forwomenover50,thereareuniquechallenges.AgeismandsexismexistinU.S.culture,andthejob-seekingenvironmentisnoexception,asthisresearchwillilluminate.Jobseekersaretoldtobeoptimisticandpositive,possiblyleadingtolessexplorationandopendialoguearoundtheirstressandstruggles.Theycanfeelisolated,detachedfromcommunitiesofsupportandnurturing(Price,Friedland,&Vinokur,AnuramD.,1998).Priceetal.(1998)describejoblossasa“networkevent”(p.303),involvingpersonalandfamilyrelationships,withasuccessfulnavigationrequiringeffectivecopingresources.In“FromMirroringtoMaking”,KenGergen(2015b)statesthat“Theaimofresearchwouldnotbetoilluminatewhatis,buttocreatewhatistobecome” (p.6).HecitesIngold(2011),describinglife“intermsofcontinuousbecoming,aconceptioninwhichourmajorchallengesarefoundwithintheemergingandevershiftingconditionsofmomenttomomentexistence”(p.7).Difficultiescanbebrokenapartandintheprocess,perhapsbetterunderstood.Thisdissertationisintendedtoexploreandbuildsupportforwomenover50in“becoming”throughthetransitionofinvoluntaryjobloss,andintotheirnextphase,whateverthatmightbe.

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MethodologyThischapterexplainsthemethodologyusedfortheresearch,hereafterreferredtoasaninquiry,positionedwithinthesocialconstructiondiscourse.Thereisanintroductiontothediscourse,providingdefinitionsandthebroadcontextofsocialconstruction.Theexplanationofthepositioningoftheresearchprovidesguidanceastowheretheinquiryfitswithinthatbroadcontext,andleadstoaddressingmorespecificelementsofthediscoursethatapplytotheinquiry.Thespecificresearchmethodsarethenexplained,andthewaythemethodswereimplementedintheinquiryisdescribed.

IntroductiontothesocialconstructiondiscourseGiambattistaVico,inthelate1600sandearly1700s,contributedtosomeofthedeepestrootsofsocialconstruction,proposingthathumansareconstantlyformingandreformingtheirworldandtheirrelationshiptoit,andthathumanlanguageisintegraltotheemergenceanddevelopmentofsocialgroupsandinstitutions(Lock&Strong,2010).Thesehavebecomebasicbuildingblocksforsocialconstructiondiscourse.LockandStrong(2010)explaintheterm‘socialconstruction’withinthepsychologicalrealmastheideathat“wearehumanswhoareconstructedthroughourinherentimmersioninasharedexperientialworldwithotherpeople”and,further,that“psychologyneedstobeabouthowpeoplemakesenseofandinfluenceeachother”(p.5).McNamee(2010)expandsonthisidea,referencingsocialconstructionthreadsinmanyareasofsocialsciencethatfocusonthepostmodernandpost-structuralism“concernwithprocessesofcommunicationasopposedtoconcernwithdiscoveringphenomenoninthe‘realworld’”(p.11).Whileacknowledgingabroadrangeofsocialconstructiondefinitions,someofthecommonelementsarecommunication,languageandtherelationalnatureoflanguage(Fairhurst&Grant,2010;Lock&Strong,2010;McNamee,2010;McNamee&Hosking,2013).Hacking(1999)suggeststhatobjects,ideas,and“higherlevel”itemssuchas“facts,trust,realityandknowledge”,areallincludedintherealmofthingsthataresociallyconstructed(p.21-23).Hermeneuticsscholarshavehonedinonhowlanguageandmeaningareinterrelated,andhowcultureandtraditionfactorintothecommunicationprocess(Lock&Strong,2010).CitingMead,Wittgenstein,Vygotsky,theBakhtingroup,HardingandCode,allimportantfiguresinthediscourse,Sampson(2008)positsthatalthoughtherearesignificantdifferencesinthestudiesofthesescholars,theyagreethat“thedialogicprocessthatoccursbetweenspecificpeopleinspecificsettingswhoareengagedinspecificactivitiesistheoriginatingandongoingsourceofmind,ofselfandofsociety”(p.98).Giventhedefinitionsandareaspotentiallyinfluencedbysocialconstruction,itisnosurprisethatdisciplinesfrompsychologytoorganizationalbehaviortoleadershiptoeducationhaveembracedthepossibilitiesaffordedbythecentralelementofcommunicationandtherelationalnatureofthesocialconstructiondiscourse.Inordertopositionthisinquirywithinthebroaderrealm,itishelpfultoexplorehowsomeofthe

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literaturebreaksdowntheexpanseofthesocialconstructiondiscourseintoareasofsharedemphasisorfocus.ReferencingDanziger(1997),LockandStrong(2010)suggestthatthereisa“darkstrand”ofsocialconstructionthatis“largelyContinental”anda“lightstrand”thatispredominantly“Anglo-American”.Whiletheformerfocusesmoreonchallenginghowlanguageinfluencespoweranddominance,thelatterstressespossibilitiesandthegenerativenatureoflanguageanddialogue(Lock&Strong,2010).ReferencingPearce’s“ASailingGuideforSocialConstructionists”(Leeds-Hurwitz,1995),FairhurstandGrant(2010)suggestthatinapproachingleadership,theframeworkoffourdimensions,eachalonganaxis,canbeusedtonavigatethevariousfacetsofthesocialconstructiondiscourse.Thedimensionsare:constructionofsocialrealityversussocialconstructionofreality,multimodalversusmonomodal,critical/emancipatoryversuspragmaticinterventionist,andtheoryversuspraxis(Fairhurst&Grant,2010,p.177).Consideringthesesuggestedorientations,theinquiryinthisdissertationwouldberelatedtothe“lightstrand”andnavigatingtowardsocialconstructionofreality,practice-oriented,pragmatic/interventionist,andmonomodal.Iwillexplainthispositioninganditsimpactontheinquirymethodsinthefollowingparagraphs.

PositioningwithinthediscourseInsupportingthe“light”orientationsuggestedbyLockandStrong(2010),Iturntodiscoursesthatrefertomeaning-makingasspecifictotheexperiencesofpeoplewhosharethemtogether.Thereare“multiplepossibilitiesformeaningandtransformativeaction”(Lock&Strong,2010,p.9)whenweopenupdialogueamongpeoplewhocanshareexperiencesfromtheirownviewpoints.Thefocusofthisinquiryisallowingthoseinvolvedinthelayoffexperience,fromavarietyofroles,todialoguetogetherandgeneratenewmeaning,movingtonewperspectivesandunderstandingsamongeachother.Inthisview,socialconstructionseeksoutwiderunderstandingofexperiencesbasedupontheuniqueperspectivesofpeopleinrelationshipwithoneanother,aconstantlyevolvingphenomenon.AprominentfigureinthispartofthediscourseisKenGergen.KenGergen(2015a)explains,“whatwetaketobethetruthabouttheworldimportantlydependsonthesocialrelationshipsofwhichweareapart”(p.3).Thesocialconstructionistrelationalviewoftheworldcontrastswithindividualism,whereexperiencingourselvesasisolatedbeingscancauseustobemoreguardedandsuspiciousofothers,andleadtoisolationandseparation(K.Gergen&M.Gergen,2004).Ourunderstandingofwhatisrealortrueisderivedfromourculture,traditions,upbringing,religion,andis“sociallyconstructed”.Thismeansthatthoseunderstandingsdifferfrompersontoperson,communitytocommunity,andareever-changingasrelationshipsamongpeopleevolveandchange.Inhisbook,“RelationalBeing,BeyondSelfandCommunity”(2009),KenGergenexplainsthat“…thereisnoisolatedselforfullyprivateexperience.Rather,weexistinaworldofco-constitution”(p.xv).

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Inhisbook,“AnInvitationtoSocialConstruction”,KenGergen(2015a)discussesthedifferencesbetweenempiricism(alsocalledpositivismorpost-positivism)andconstructionism(sometimesreferredtoasrelationalconstructionandpostmodernism)(McNamee&Hosking,2013),relativetoresearch.Theempiricist,believinginobservationandmeasurementascoreelementsofscientificresearch,highlightselementssuchasscientificaccuracy,removalofpersonalbias,predictingandcontrollingaresearchenvironment,andmeasuringdata.Theconstructionistrespondsbypointingoutthatitisimpossibletoisolateandstudyindividualsandgroups.Thereisnoabilitytopredictorreplicatebehaviorthatisconstantlychangingaspeopleconstructtheirrealitytogether.Whiletheempiricistapproachcanprovidehelpfulobservations,theconstructionistapproachcandeepenunderstandingthrough“thick”descriptionsthatprovidecontextandperspectivesnotprovidedbystatisticaldata,drawingonallresearchtraditionsandmethods,especiallythoseinvolvinglanguageandnarrative.McNameeandHosking(2013),otherparticipantsinthisrealmofthediscourse,highlighttherelationalfocusofresearchwhenusingasocialconstructionframework:“Wedonotconcernourselveswithindividualmentalprocessesorindividualtraitsandcharacteristics.Rather,ourfocusisonwhatpeopledotogetherandwhattheir“doing”makes.”(p.1).Fortheconstructionistinthisareaofthediscourse,thevalueofresearchisseenasthatwhichcanbesharedwithinandamongcommunity,forthegreatergood.Therelationalconstructionistorsocialconstructionistlooksforopportunitiesinresearchtoengageavarietyofpeopleandprofessionsinexploringwaysto“broadenourresourcesforsociallife”(McNamee&Hosking,2013,p.35).ThenavigationmetaphorofPearce(Leeds-Hurwitz,1995)ishelpfulinfurtherpositioningthisinquiry.Thisproject’spositioningalongtheaxisofconstructionofsocialrealityversussocialconstructionofrealityleanstowardthesocialconstructionofreality,emphasizingthegenerativityarisingoutoftheinteractionsamongpeople.Thereisverylittlemotivationtowardcreatingframesorcategoriesthatarebuiltfrompastexperiences.Itisthroughexperiencingtheinteractionsthemselvesthattheparticipantsmakenewmeaningofwhathashappenedanddeterminehowtheycanmoveforwardinnewrelationalways.Theaxisofmultimodalversusmonomodalisrathersimplehereinthatthefocuswasprimarilyonthelanguageanddialogueamongtheco-researchers.Althoughthesetting,environmentsandtechnologyinvolvedinthedialoguesandfocusgroupswereconsidered,therewaslittleattentionpaidtomodalinputsotherthanlanguage.Therewasanearlydeterminationtolimittheinquirytowomen,sothemodeofwomen’svoices,emotions,bodymovement,etc.wasconsistentthroughouttheinquiry.Thepositioningoftheinquiryalongtheaxisofcritical/emancipatoryversuspragmatic/interventionistrelatestotheimportanceofpowerdynamicsintheinquiry(Fairhurst&Grant,2010).Althoughissuesofpowerrelatedtoemployersorthepoliticsofamarket-basedeconomycouldhavebeenconsidered,therewasnopositioningoftheinquirytoexaminetheseelements.Instead,thefocuswasontheexperiencesoftheco-researcherswithinthestructuresthatareinplace;howtheyworkedwithinthemandhowtheirsharedexperiencesmightgeneratenewwaysofnavigatingtheminthefuture.

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Alongtheaxisoftheoryversuspraxis,thisinquirysailstowardpraxis(Leeds-Hurwitz,1995).Cunliffe(2003)expoundsonthiswhenshediscussesreflexiveinquiryandexplainsthatconstructionist-orientedresearchersfocuson“ontologicalissuesofwhoweareandhowweinteractandcreateourrealitieswithothers”(p.990).Inembarkingonthisinquiry,Isoughttofindpositive,practicalusethroughdialoguewithotherwomenaboutourexperiencesandhowwemightexplorenewmeaningthroughthem.ThenavigationmetaphoranddiscussionofwhereitfitsonthevariousaxesofthedimensionsdescribedbyLeeds-Hurwitz(1995)furtherprovideaframingoftheinquiry.Withthisframeinmind,thereareafewmoreuniqueaspectsofthesocialconstructiondiscourseandtheirapplicabilitytothisinquirythatareimportanttoexplaininmoredetail.

Focusonrelationships

“Ratherthanagrowingskepticism,constructionistideasinviteustoappreciatemultipleperspectives.Theyvastlyexpandtherangeofourimagination,ourcapacitiestoinnovate,andourpotentialsforlivingtogetherinmoreviableways”(K.Gergen,2015a,pp.61–62)

Thesocialconstructionisttheoryandpracticeisonethatcreatesnewpossibilitiesbecauseofitsfocusonthevalueofrelationships.It“concernstheprocessesbywhichhumansgeneratemeaningtogether”(“TheoreticalBackgroundandMissionStatement|TheTaosInstitute”,n.d.,para2).Althoughsocialconstructionisabroadandvastdialogue,therelationalaspectisparticularlykeytothisinquiry.In“SocialConstruction:OrientingPrinciples”,KenGergenrelatesthat“Weactlargelyintermsofwhatweinterprettobereal,rational,satisfying,andgood,”andthatthoseinterpretationsareborninrelationships(“TheoreticalBackground|TheTaosInstitute,”n.d.,para3).Becausewemakemeaningtogether,inrelationships,newpossibilitiescanbecreatedwhenweredefineourwaysofbeingwitheachother.Thisisnottosaythatnegativeormorechallengingaspectsofinvoluntaryjobtransitionover50areignoredordiminished.Indeed,theyareinthestoriesoftheco-researchersthataresharedinthisinquiry,andreactionstothemamongtheco-researchersareevident.However,theycontributetothelargerfocusoftheinquirybeingwhatwe,asco-researchers,canbuildtogether,inrelationshipwitheachother,thatmightbetransformativeforusandforothersgoingforward(K.Gergen&M.Gergen,2004).

TheroleofdialogueOneofthekeycomponentswithinthissocialconstructionist-orientedinquiryistheroleofdialogue,“aformofconversationthroughwhichweexamineandquestionourselvesandothersonpointsofview,values,visionsandopinions”(vanLoon&vanDijk,2015,p.66).Inordertoencouragegenerativedialogue,wherenew,sharedmeaningiscreatedamong

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theparticipants,theinquiryshouldinvolve“suspendingassumptionsandcertainties,observingtheobserver,listeningtoyourownlistening,slowingdowntheprocessofinquiry”(vanLoon&vanDijk,2015,p.66).Arelationaldialogueallowstheuniquenessofeachperson’sbeliefs,valuesandexperiencestobeexpressedinanopenway,“filledwiththechallengesandopportunitiesoftension,unclarity,ambiguityandincoherencyaswellasharmony,intelligibility,synchronicityandagreement”(Anderson,2014,p.68).Emphasisonrelationaldialogue“enable(s)theparticipantstogenerateanewandmorepromisingdomainofsharedmeaning”(K.Gergen,2009,p.193)

SocialpoeticsasaresearchpracticeAnnCunliffe(2000)describespoeticmethodsas“non-theoretical,unpredictable,practicalwaysoftalkingthatoccurintheliving,responsivemoment”(p.4).Examplesincludemetaphors,analogy,instructivelanguage(“dothis,”“lookatthat”),bodylanguage,images,andhumor(AnnCunliffe,2000,p.4).Shesuggeststhatinapostmodernorsocialconstructionistresearchapproach,ratherthanaresearcherobservingthelanguageofothers,wecanusepoeticmethodsasanactualpractice,called“socialpoetics”,tointerpretourworldthroughlanguage.Shesuggeststhat:

…acceptingresearchasanongoing,multivoiced,andmulti-meaningprocessrequiresusnotonlytoexploredifferentmeaningsandhowtheymaybeconstitutedinparticularcircumstancesbutalsotorecognizethatnooneinterpretationortheorywillbeadequateinexplainingwhatmightbehappening.Consequently,new,moreparticipativeformsofinquiryareencouragedthatacceptthatresearchparticipants(“subjects”)havetheirownpracticalwaysof“theorizing”theirlivesthatareequallyasvalidasacademictheorizing(e.g.,Cooperrider,1990;McNamee,2000;Reason,1994)”(Cunliffe,2002,p.131).

Thisissupportedthroughresearchthatpositionslanguageasontology(thenatureofbeing),focusingonthecriticalnatureoflanguageincreating“socialrealitiesandidentities”(Cunliffe,2002;Katz&Shotter,1996).Meaningiscreatedthroughthe“dance”ofthewordsexchangedandemotionsexpressed.Thiswasveryevidentinthebackandforthstories,facialexpressions,passionateoutbursts,andevenhugsexchangedduringthedialoguesofthisinquiry.Inthe“languageasontology”stance,weunderstandourselvesandwhathappensinourlivesinnewwaysthroughthelanguageandnarrativesweshare(Cunliffe,2002;Katz&Shotter,1996;Shotter,2006).Throughthedialogueswithco-researchersandthefocusgroup,womenexpressedwhotheywere,whathappenedtothemthroughtheirtransitionexperiences,howtheyhadchanged,and,insomecases,whotheyhadbecome“ontheotherside”.Theytalkedabouttheirlivesandexperienceswithpassionandcommitment,wantingtoexpressandsharetheirstories,expandingandreflectingonthecommentsofothersinthegroup,makingmeaningforthemselvesandthosewithwhomtheyweresharing.Thisisthe“dance”of

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socialpoetics,andservesasavalidwaythattheco-researcherscreatedtheirown“theory”astowhatthetransitionexperiencemeanttothem.

Terminology:Anunfoldinginquiryversusresearch Irefertothisresearchasan“inquiry”andtheparticipants,includingmyself,as“co-researchers”(McNamee,2010;McNamee&Hosking,2013).McNameeandHosking(2013)choosetheword“inquiry”asopposedto“research”toreflectthenormalinteractionamongpeopleinrelationtooneanother,contrastedwithscientistsdrawingobservationfromoutsideatestenvironment.Theco-researchersparticipatedinone-on-onedialogueswithme,andlater,togetherinafocusgroup.Inaninquiry,theresearcherisactivelyinvolved.(K.Gergen,2015a;McNamee&Hosking,2013).Inquiryis“openandcurious”(McNamee&Hosking,2013,p.100),withengagementthatencouragesexplorationandgrowth.Inthisinquiry,theco-researcherswerefriends,friendsoffriends,professionalcolleagues,andpeoplewithwhomIhadarelationship,eitherdirectlyorthroughafriend.Iwasengagedactivelyinthedialogueswitheachparticipant,andinthefocusgroup;“engaged”meaningIsharedmystoriesandreactionsaspartofthedialoguesandfocusgroupinteraction.Ichosevariousmethods,explainedindetailinthenextsectionofthischapter,thatwouldbuildupontherelationshipswewereformingandencouragearobustdialogue.McNamee&Hosking(2013)describerelationalinquiryasan“engagedunfolding”(p.45);Maxwell(2005)describesitas“tackingbackandforthbetweenthedifferentcomponentsofthedesign(p.3).Thesedescriptorsfitthisinquirywell,astheco-researchers(researcherandparticipants)werefluidlygoingbackandforth,withthedesignevolvinganddevelopingwithaniterativestyle.Asnarrativesandautoethnographywerereviewedandexamined,questionsarosethathelpedclarifythepurposeandfocusoftheinquiry.Participantsandactivitieswereaddedtotheinquirytoenrichthedataandthepossibilities(McNamee&Hosking,2013;Shotter,2006).Theinquiryshiftedoverthecourseofthestudy,aseachstepoftheprocessrevealednewinsightsuponwhichsubsequentprocesseswerebuilt.Co-researchersituationschanged,andtheirstorieswererevisitedandbuiltuponthroughouttheinquiry,addingfurtherinsighttothefindings.

Future-formingpossibilitiesandgenerativityThemethodologyoftheinquirywasdesignedtolooktothefutureasonewithnewpossibilities(K.Gergen,2015a;Lock&Strong,2010;McNamee&Hosking,2013).“Generativecapacity”isdefinedasa“capacitytochallengetheguidingassumptionsoftheculture,toraisefundamentalquestionsregardingcontemporarysociallife,tofosterreconsiderationofthatwhichis‘takenforgranted’andtherebyfurnishnewalternativesforsocialaction”(K.Gergen,1978,p.1346).Ratherthanfocusonidentifyingordwellingonnegativeaspectsofjobtransitionfroma“past”perspective,thegoalwastobringmultiplevoicestogetherandpossiblygenerateenergyaroundsharingnewwaysofbeinginthesetransitionaltimes.Thepurposeoftheinquirywastobuildrelationshipsandcommunityamongtheparticipantsandtobuildmeaningtogetherthatmightbeusefulto

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others(Denzin&Lincoln,2013;K.Gergen,2009;Lincoln&Guba,1985;McNamee&Hosking,2013).LockandStrong(2010)explainthatthemannerinwhichwegoaboutmeaning-making“inherentlyembeddedinsocio-culturalprocesses,arespecifictoparticulartimesandplaces,(and)varyoverdifferentsituations”(p.7).Usingastancethatisacombinationofsubjective(otherswithincontext)andintersubjective(selvesinrelationtoothers),Ijoinedtheparticipantsinshapingaperspectivetogether(Cunliffe,2002).Inthisinquiry,thenarrativesofthedialogueswithco-researchers,theautoethnographyandthefocusgroupbuiltarelationalapproachtoexploringthetopicoftransitionover50.Together,theco-researchersattemptedtomakesenseoftheexperienceandtestpossiblemetaphorsthatmayhelpothersmakesenseofit.Bymakingsenseofit,theymaybestrengthenedincreatingamorepositive,lessdeclarativeandmoretentativeviewoftheirexperience,inkeepingwithaconstructionistapproach.KenGergen(2015b)explainsthatwecanrepositionresearchnottoreveal“whatis”,buttogenerate“whatistobecome”(p.6).Therewasnoexpectationthatco-researcherswouldarriveatconclusionsabout“whattodo”orhowtoresolveissuesrelatedtotransitionover50,butthatsharingofstories,experiences,emotions,challenges,hopes,expectations,andotheraspectsoftheirjourneysmightleadtogreaterunderstanding,hope,courage,empathy,andasenseofcommunityamongthesewomenandotherswithwhomtheymightcomeintorelationshipinthefuture.Hibbert,Sillince,Diefenbach,&Cunliffe(2014)positthatgenerativityinorganizationalstudiescanbeimprovedthroughtheuseof“relationallyreflexivepractices”(p.278).Theydrawupondefinitionsofrelationalpracticesandreflexivityas“methodologicalself-consciousness”(Lynch,2008,p.29).Thiscallsforresearcherstonotdiscount,buttoincludeintheirstudy“criticalquestioning”oftheenvironment,theirown“limitsandprejudices,”theirrelationshipswiththeco-researchers,andanyotherrelevantfactorsthatmightimpacttheinquiry(Hibbertetal.,2014,p.283).Ichosetobringtogetherthevoicesoftheco-researchers,thenarrativeaccountsandthemesfromdialogues,andengageinfurtherdialogueinthefocusgroupsetting.Isoughttoencouragegreatergenerativitythroughthegatheringofthevoicestoexplorepossiblemetaphorsandthecommonthemesfromthedialogues.Thefocusgroupswerealsoconsideredavariationofinteractiveethnography,mergingthestoriesofanumberofparticipantsinvolvedinasimilarexperience(Ellingson&Ellis,2007).Althoughthisprocesscouldopenup“adegreeofexposure”,itcouldalsoallowforgreaterconnectednessandgenerationofnewwaysofbeingandgoingontogether(Hibbertetal.,2014,p.288;Shotter,2006).

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RelationalresearchapproachandmethodsMcNamee(2010)proposesthat“Thehumansciencesarenolongercharacterizedbyonegenerallyagreedparadigmbutbyavarietythatexistsimultaneously”(p.11).Numerousscholarshaveanalyzedsocialconstructioninquiry,approachesandmethods,expoundingupontheirbenefits,value,andchallenges(Anderson,2014;Erlandson,Harris,Skipper,&Allen,1993;Guba&Lincoln,1989;Hibbertetal.,2014;Lincoln&Guba,1985;Lynch,2008;McNamee&Hosking,2013).IfoundthechartprovidedbyRaboin,UhligandMcNamee(2013)tobeparticularlyuseful,contrastingtheresearch“worlds”ofdiagnostic(traditionallycalledquantitative),interpretive(traditionallycalledqualitative)andrelational(emergingframework)inthefollowingchart(2013,p.11):

Theauthorsfurtherexplainthatitisimportantfortheresearchertomatchthemotivationsandpotentialresultsoftheapproachesabovetohis/herownvaluesandbeliefs;nooneapproachstandsaboveorbelowanotherinqualityorvalue(McNameeetal.,2013).AsIexaminedmytopicandpotentialvalue,Iwasdrawntotherelationalresearch“world”,

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especiallywithitsfocusonco-creation,creatingnewmeaning,andgeneratingpossibilities(McNameeetal.,2013).Throughtheinteractionamongwomenwhohadexperiencedjobtransitionover50,includingmyself,Iwasenergizedbytheopportunitytobuildmeaningtogether.McNameeandHosking(2013)carefullypointoutthatarelationalorientationtowardsresearchdoesn’tprescribespecificmethods;itismoreabout“howwepracticeanyparticular‘method’,or,moregenerally,howwe‘do’ourinquiry”(McNamee&Hosking,2013,p.45).Beingrelationallyresponsivetotheco-researchers,listeningandrespondingtotheirstories,andfocusingonhowwecouldsupporteachotherandthoseinsimilarsituationswerecriteriaIusedinselectingmethods.Iwasalsocognizantoftheinquiry’spositioningwithinthesocialconstructiondiscourseandhowthemethodscoincidedwiththenavigationalmetaphorpreviouslyexploredinthischapter,supportingpraxis,pragmaticandthesocialconstructionofreality(Fairhurst&Grant,2010).

ChosenmethodsThemethodsthatIchosetouseincludeddialoguewitheachco-researcherdoneinanAppreciativeInquiry(AI)style,autoethnography,afocusgroupanddialoguearoundthenarrativethemesusingtheArtofFocusedConversationprocess(Stanfield,2000),andnarrativeinquiryandanalysis.AnancillarymethodthatIbroughtintotheinquirywasmetaphor,althoughitwastreatedassomethingthattheco-researcherscouldchoosetoemployornotaswefeltitfitintoourco-construction.Thesemethodswerechosentocreatethemostmeaning-makingamongtheco-researchers,andtomaximizethegenerativepossibilitiesoftheinquiry.Thesemethodsaredescribedinmoredetailbelow.

One-on-onedialogueinAppreciativeInquiry(AI)styleAppreciativeInquiry,or“AI”,isoneofthenewerpracticesthathasarisenfromtheconstructionistapproachsincethe1980s(Coghlan,Preskill,&TzavarasCatsambas,2003;Marshak&Grant,2008).DevelopedbyDavidCooperriderandhiscolleagues,AIseekstouseaffirmationofstoriesofpastsuccessamongagroupofpeopleoranorganizationtofacilitateconstructionofapositivefuture(Troxel,2002).The“4DModel”oftheAIframeworkincludes:Discovery,Dreaming,DesigningandDestiny(Cooperrider,1996).Thesestepsarefocusedaroundtheheliotropicmetaphorofplantsgrowingtowardthelight,“drawntowardspositiveimagesofthefutureandpositiveactions,basedontheaffirmingenergizingmomentsoftheirpastandpresent”(Cooperrider,1990;Postma,1998,ascitedbyMichael,2005,p.222).TheAIexperienceispropelledbytheenergyofpeopleexpressingandsharingthemselvesthroughnarrativesandrelationaldialogue.AIisaholisticapproachtochangethat,asamethodology,“takestheideaofthesocialconstructionofrealitytoitspositiveextreme”(Cooperrider&Whitney,2005,ChapterTwo).Indeed,Cooperriderandhiscolleagues’coreprinciplesforthepracticeofAIreflectstrongalliancewithsocialconstructiondiscourse(Coghlanetal.,2003).

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Focusingonbuildingfromthepositive,versusanalyzingthenegative,AIhasproventobeaneffectiveframeworkfornarrative-basedchange,generativity,andnewmeaning-makingorworld-making(Bodiford&Camargo-Borges,2014;Bushe,2010;Cooperrider&Whitney,2005;K.Gergen,1978,2015b;Hibbertetal.,2014;Troxel,2002;Zandee,2015).Coghlanetal.proposethatAIis“bothaphilosophyandaworldview,withparticularprinciplesandassumptionsandastructuredsetofcoreprocessesandpracticesforengagingpeopleinidentifyingandco-creatinganorganization’sfuture”(2003,p.6).Althoughthecompletefourstepmodelisusedmostfrequentlybyorganizationstoinitiatechange,AIstyledialogueinitiatedbyopen-endedquestionshasbeenusedasa“discovery”phasemethodologyinresearch(Goldman,2014;Michael,2005;Reed,2007).Iwasinterestedinnarrativethatencompassedmanyfacetsofthetransitionexperiencesothattogether,theco-researcherscouldcreatenewmeaningforthemselvesand,perhaps,others.Ratherthanuncoveringfactsthroughpointed,directquestions,theAIstyledialogueopensupasharedrelationshipandexperiencebetweenco-researchers,andfeaturesopen-endedquestionsthatemphasizestorytelling.Wheretraditionalinterviewquestionsandanswersmightturntheco-researcherstoward“whathappenedtome”or“what’swrongwithme”,theAIframeworkwithitsemphasisonstorytellingcreatesengagement,enthusiasm,spontaneity,andlessinhibitednarrative(Michael,2005).ReedpositsthatanAIapproachexamines“howpeoplefeelandthink”about“naturallyoccurringphenomenaratherthancontrolledexperimentation”(2007,pp.53–54).Inopeningupthedialoguetherewerepreparedquestions,butItriedtostayinapositionof“not-knowing”(Anderson,2014),encouragingstorytellingandempathybetweentheco-researchers.(SeeAppendixIIforDialogue-InitiatingQuestions.)Theseone-on-onesessionstookplaceinmyhomeorthehomeoftheco-researcher.Wemadeanefforttostresscomfortandrelaxation;acupofteaorcoffeewasofferedandtherewasinitialdialoguearoundhome,familyandotherrelationship-buildingareas.Iusedanon-invasiverecordingapplicationonthecomputer(Audacity®)thatdidn’trequireattentionduringthedialogue.Thequestionsweredesignedtointroduceideasbutallowfree-flowingdialoguethatmightveerinotherdirections.Asaco-researcher,Iparticipated,sharingmyownstoriesandthoughtsreflexively.UsingAI,theengagementofeveryoneinvolvedintheinquirywasdeepened,anexperiencethathonoredallofthevoices(O’Mahony,2016).Thedialogues,recordedandtranscribed,wereusedtoprovide“rich”data(Maxwell,2005).Theopen-endedquestionsledtothesharingofstoriesofsuccess,accountsof“whatworked,”andconsiderationsofwhatcontributionsweremadebyherorothersintheprocess.Thequestionsweredesignedforreflection,butwithfocusonwhereenergywasfelt,howgrowthandlearningwasevident,andwhatpossibilitieswererevealed.Talkingaboutbeingunemployed,andspecificallybeingover50andunemployed,canbedifficult.Livescanbechanged,relationshipscanbelost,financialrepercussionscanbedevastating,andidentitiesandpurposecanbeinflux.Withoutminimizingortrivializingtheseaspects,thepurposeoftheinquirywastodevelopdeeperunderstandingofhowparticipantsmakeittotheotherside,discoverwhattheylearnaboutthemselvesandtheirrelationships,andtrytofindwaystobuildgreatercommunityaroundothersfacingthesamechallenges

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(Bushe,2010).TheAI-orienteddialoguesfocusedonlearning,discovering,growing,andsharing,whichledtohighengagementintheinquiryandhighanticipationofthefocusgroup.

AutoethnographyIchosetoincludeautoethnographyasamethodduetomypersonalexperiencearoundthistopicandtheinfluencethatithadonmethroughoutmylife.“Autoethnographycanbedefinedas‘aresearchmethodinwhichtheresearcher’spersonalexperiencesformboththestartingpointandthecentralmaterialofstudy’”(Totinen,2001,p.1308,ascitedbyDenshire&Lee,2013,p.222).Asaco-researcherintheinquiry,autoethnographyprovidedawayformetoparticipatewiththeothers,includingmyownstoriesandexperiences.GiventhatIhadchosenfriendsandconnectedacquaintancestobeco-researchers,thedialogueswereasharingofstoriesandarelatingofourownpersonalexperienceswithincontextsthatwecreatedtogether.DenshireandLee(2013)describethevalueofautoethnographyasawaytoexpandtheunderstandingofthewriterthroughmultipleidentitiesofselfandprofessional,allowingherto“re-present”asituation“inrelationtolargersocial,cultural,geographicalandhistoricalframes”(p.232).Similarly,Ellis,asignificantresearcherofauthoethnography,summarizesitasa“research,writing,storyandmethodthatconnecttheautobiographicalandpersonaltothecultural,socialandpolitical”(2003,p.xix).ItwasactuallythroughtheautoethnographicalexerciseinanearlyTAOSInstituteResearchMethodsWorkshopthatthisinquirytopicwasrevealedtome.Asthistopichadpersonalsignificanceme,itwasintentionalthatIwastransparentintheexpressionofwherebiasmayenterin,to“understandit,andtouseitproductively”(Maxwell,2005,p.109).Throughmyownautoethnographyofmyexperiencesduringtransitions,aswellasduringthisresearch,Iwasabletorecognizemyownbiasesasitrelatedtomyculture,agingrealities,familystatus,socialstatus,andotherfactors,whilealsoattemptingtofurtherunderstandmyownexperiences.Myownexperiencesbecameafilterwhenlisteningtothevoicesofothers,andthatcontributedtotheco-constructionoftheinquiry.“Autoethnographyisablurredgenre”(Ellingson&Ellis,2007,p.449)andincludesalonglistofforms.Forpurposesofthisinquiry,theformswerepredominantlypersonalnarratives/shortstories,combiningcreativewritingwiththeinquiry.Theseenabledmetofullyembracetheroleofco-researcher,re-exploringmyowntransitionexperience,aswellasmyrolewithinthelargerinquirycontext.WhileIdidnotincorporateallofmyautoethnographicalwritingintothedissertation,itinformedandcontributedtotheshapingofmyexperiencethroughouttheinquiry.

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Focusgroupanddialogicconversation

‘Dialogicconversation’involvesmutualinquiry:anengagingconnectionofsharing,exploring,crisscrossing,andweavingofideas,thoughts,opinions,andfeelingsthroughwhichnewnessandpossibilityemerge(Anderson,2012,pp.14–15).

Sincethefirstdialoguesforthisinquirywereconductedin2015,therehasbeenevolutionofthetopicofjobtransitioninwomenoverage50inthemedia,inblogs,ineducationalcircles,andinbusinesssettings.Theeconomyhasimproved,thereismoreliteratureaboutageismandspecificallyfeminineageism,andtherehasbeengrowthinfemale-ownedbusinesses(“SignsthattheUSEconomyIsImproving-YahooFinance,”2015,“Womenable.com,”2016).Partofthepurposeoftheinquiryprocessistokeepthedialoguealive,sothatothersmayjoinin,othervoicescanbeheard,newrelationshipscanbeformed,andnewactionscanbeexplored.Afterdialogueswithco-researchers,eachoneexpressedgreatinterestinparticipatinginafocusgroupandgatheringwithotherwomentoexplorethetopicfurther.Theywereinterestedineachother’sstories,challenges,andtriumphs.Theprocessusedforthefocusgroupwas“TheArtofFocusedConversation”(Stanfield,2000).Theobjectiveofthisprocessistohelpgroupsreachdeeperlevelsofunderstandingandmeaningthroughdialoguebyusingaprescribedmethodofquestioning.Therearefourlevelsofquestioning:objective,reflective,interpretiveanddecisional(Stanfield,2013).Thequestionsatthe"objective"levelasktheparticipantstosharefactsaboutthetopic.The"reflective"questionsleadthegrouptobeginbuildingdialoguearoundhowtheyrelatethefactstofeelings,emotionsandobservations.The"interpretive"levelallowsthegrouptoelaborateonwhatthosefeelings,emotionsandobservationsmightmean.Inthecaseofthisinquiry,weconsideredhowpossiblemetaphorsmightberelatedtothetopic.Finally,the"decisional"levelleadstodialoguearoundconclusionsandpossibleactionsasfollowuptotheinquiry.TheformatandquestionsusedinthefocusgroupareinAppendixIII.

NarrativeinquiryandanalysisPolkinghorne(1988)referstonarrativeas“ameaningstructurethatorganizeseventsandhumanactionsintoawhole”(p.18),withthewholebeingreferredtoas“aschemebymeansofwhichhumanbeingsgivemeaningtotheirexperiencesoftemporalityandpersonalactions”(p.11).SimilartoAI,narrativeinquiryandtheinterestin“stories”and“thewaysinwhichdiscourseinturncreatesandreinforcesmindsets”areconsideredamorecontemporaryapproachandpracticewithinsocialconstructionandtheorganizationalbehaviordiscipline(Marshak&Grant,2008,p.S12).Thenarrativeinthis

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inquiryismadeupofmanystoriestoldamongtheco-researchersandisused“togenerateunderstandingthroughsharingfirst-handexperience”(K.Gergen,2015a,p.73).Givenmypersonalexperienceswithinvoluntarytransitionandthelargenumbersofmycolleagueswhohadhadsimilarexperiences,theopportunityfornarrativeinquirywasreadilyavailableandcouldprovidethefirst-handexperiencesIdesiredforthestudy.Clandinin(2006)discussesnarrativeasboth“phenomenonandmethod”(p.45)inthathumanslivetheirlivesthroughexperiencesandstories,andthatresearchersarepartoftherelationalspaceofthenarrativestheystudy.Shegoesontoexplainthatalthoughnarrativeinquiryhasalonghistory,itsuseasa“methodologicalresponsetopositivistandpostpositivistparadigms”isnewertothesocialsciences(Clandinin,2006,p.45).ItisespeciallyinterestingtonotethethreedimensionsofnarrativeinquirythatClandinin(2006)proposes:“thepersonalandsocial(interaction);thepast,presentandfuture(continuity);andplace(situation)”(p.47).Thesedimensions,particularlythefirsttwo,werebothchallengingandenrichinginthisinquiryduetotheunfoldingprocessthatoccurred.Thenarratives,asrevealedinthedialogues,tookplaceoveraperiodoftwoyears,duringwhichthepersonalandemploymentcircumstancesoftheco-researcherswerechangingandevolving.Duringthesametime,theeconomywasimprovingandsomewhatstabilizing.Theeffectsoftheinteractionandcontinuitycanbeseenintheanalysisandcontributestothefindingsthatresulted.Thedimensionsarealsoimportanttothe“co-constructedexperiencesdevelopedthroughtherelationalinquiryprocessamongtheco-researchers”(Clandinin,2006,p.47).Theinteractionbetweenmyselfandtheco-researchersduringthedialogues,sharinginthetellingofstoriesthattouchedmyownsensitivitiesandemotions,resultedin“asenseofsharedconstructions”(Gemignani,2011,p.706)oftheexperiences.Therewasalsocontinuityasweexaminedtogetherthetimeframesandhowourliveshadevolvedandwerecontinuingtoevolve.Iwasabletoremainvulnerableandopentochangesinmyownawarenessandthinking,toquestionmyownthoughts,andtosharethesewithmyco-researchers.ThenarrativeanalysisprocesswasconductedforboththeAI-styledialoguesandthefocusgroupdialogue.IusedaprocessfortheanalysissimilartotheonedescribedintheinquirydonebyBlustein,KozanandConnors-Kellgren(2013),whodidaninquiryintounemploymentandloss.Theyusedsomewhatofa“holistic-contentapproach”(Lieblich,Tuval-Mashiach,&Zilber,1998),whichfocusesonthewholestoryofaco-researcherwhileexamininglargerthemesamongthewholegroup.However,Ididisolateandgroupportionsofthenarrativesthatsupportedthethemesaswell.Ididnotattempttoidentifyanyspecificbiasesofmyown,sinceIwasaco-researcherintheinquiry.Theco-researchersdidattimesdialogueaboutourindividualandsharedbiases.Followingeachdialogueandthefocusgroup,therecordingsweretranscribedintoWordformat.Imentallynotedformyselfotherfactorsinvolvedinthedialogueexperience,suchasthegeneral“mood”oftheco-researcher(s),emotions,facialexpressionsandbodylanguage.Iusedthosementalnotesinwritingupthesummaries,usingthem,forexample,toguidemeinwheretousedirectquotestoemphasizetheco-researcher’sexactwordsor

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inwhatwordstousetodescribetheco-researcher’scomments(i.e.shared,expressed).Icreatedsummariesofeachdialoguefortheco-researchertoreviewandapprovebeforethefocusgroupwasconducted.Iperformedanalysisofboththeinterviewsandthefocusgroupwithkeywordsandphrasesusingacodingsoftware(MAXDA12®)inordertopulloutthemesandideasthatmightbecommon,similarorrelatedtooneanother.Thethemesfromthedialogueswerereviewedwithco-researchersandinformedthefocusgroupsession.Iweavedbackandforthbetweenthefieldandtheanalysis,inthiscase,betweenthedialoguesandtheanalysis,inafluidmanner(Clandinin,2006).Thiswastoensurethatourcombinedconstructionwasmeaningfultotheco-researchers,andthattheyagreedthatitwasanaccurateaccountingoftheexperience.Gemignani(2011),proposesthat“Itisinthecriticalspaceinbetweentheresearcherandtheresearchedthattheinquirydevelopsprovocativelyasanendeavortogeneratenewknowledge”(p.706).Inwritingupthesummariesandthemes,Ichosetouseaverystorytellingstyletocommunicatethenarrativeanalysiswithintheinquiry.Thecommonthreadsarelooselycombined,whilekeepingtheintegrityofthewordsoftheco-researchersintact.Directquotesareusedextensivelytocapturetherichnessofthenarrative.

MetaphorMetaphorcanbeused“toevoke,discover,andcreatemeaning–expandingconsciousnessevenasitorganizesit”(Seiden,2004,p.639).Itopensupotherpossiblemeaningsoftheexperience,whileitalsohelpscreateanimagearoundwhichparticipantscanconsiderandrelate,strengtheningtheirrelationships(Seiden,2004).Kovecses(2005)positsthatAmericanlifeisfilledwithmetaphors,andthattheyareanintegralpartofourculture.OnemetaphorIconsidered,theliterary“comingofage”metaphor,cameaboutthroughconversationwithmyadvisorwhenwetalkedaboutcommonthemesfromthedialogues.Someofthethemesthathadsurfacedwerearoundparticipants’strugglewithidentity,notknowingwhethertheparticipantwantedtorecreateapastlifeortocreateauniquelydifferentone,theirgrowthandchangethroughouttheprocess,andtheformingofnewrelationshipsthroughnetworking.Weconsideredwhetherthismetaphormightresonatewiththeco-researchersanddecidedthatbuildingthetopicofmetaphorsintothefocusgroupsessionmightbehelpful.Variationsinmetaphorsexistamongindividualsbasedontheirhistoriesandarealsocreatedinthecontextofsharedhistories(Kövecses,2005).Creatingacommunicativeenvironmentwheretheparticipantscouldexperiencethetopicinacomfortablesettingandrelatetheirpersonal,specificanduniquepastandpresentlivescouldallowthemtoengageinametaphoricconversation,deepentheirrelationships,andpossiblycreatenewmeaningtogether(Kövecses,2005;Seiden,2004).Metaphorsmayalsohelpparticipantstempertheirexperiencethroughsymbolism,allowingthemto“moveintoandmoveawayfromvitalbutpotentiallyoverwhelmingexperiencing”(Seiden,2004,p.642).

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EthicalconsiderationsClandinin(2006)states,“Weneedtoimagineethicsasbeingaboutnegotiation,respect,mutualityandopennesstomultiplevoices”(p.52).McNameeandHoskingsuggesta“broadening”oftheethicalscopeinthat“relationalconstructionisminvitesareconstructedandexpandednotionofethicsthatcentertheentireinquiryprocess”(2013,p.106).Recognizingthevalueofmultiplerealities,values,andbeliefsofco-researchers(includingtheoneinitiatingtheinquiry)becomesafocusfortheethicsoftheinquiry(McNamee&Hosking,2013).Iembarkedonthisinquiryinordertolearnaboutothers’stories,experiences,andperspectivesaroundsomethingIhadalsoexperienced.Quitehonestly,Iwaslookingforanenhancedcommunityanddialogue,aswellasfurtherreflection,aroundanexperiencethathadpreviouslyfeltquitelonely.Ifeltthatdeepeningmyexperiencethroughdialoguewithothersmighthelpmefurtherunderstandhowithadimpactedmylifeandmyrelationships.Ipurposelywentaboutfindingco-researchersthroughfriends,existingrelationshipsandwordofmouth.Inmostcases,Iknewoftheco-researcher’sexperiencewithinvoluntaryjobtransitionfromprevioussocialinteractionwiththem.Eachco-researcherinvitedtobeapartoftheinquirywasveryenthusedtodoso,andexpressedastrongdesiretocontributetoameaningfuldialoguethatmighthelptheotherco-researchersandperhapsothers.McNameeandHoskingexplainthata‘researcher’(practitioner,professional)canrelatetoco-researchers,“invitingthemintodialoguesofequals,toco-createresponsibilityfortheprocess”(2013,p.109).Engagingmorefocusedandmeaningfuldialoguecouldbringoutmoreaboutouruniqueexperiences,enableustofindcommonthemes,andleadtonewmeaning.McNameeandHosking(2013)describethedriveto“coordinatemultiplicity”:“Ifourrealitiesarecreatedinwhatwedotogether,thencontinuingourengagements(orour‘doings’witheachother)opensthepossibilityforcontinuedandongoingcoordinationandmeaning-making”(p.106).Ratherthanasubject-objectrelationandfocusondistinguishingselffromothers,theethicsoftherelationalinquiryinvolvehonoringtheprocessoftherelationitselfandthestanceofopenness.Whileattemptingtokeepanopenstanceandtovalueallofthevoices,Iwasalsoawareofthelimitedcommunitiesinvolvedinthedialogue(seeRelationshipsanddemographics).Duringthedialogues,co-researcherswerequitepassionateabouttheirstories.Insomecasesthestorieswentoffontangents,andIwasquitecarefulnotto“disturb”thedirectionofthestoriesbyinterruptingorredirecting.Thiswasdonetosafeguardtheparticipantsfromexperiencingany“harm”orfeelingthattheirvoiceswerenotbeingheardandacknowledged(Erlandsonetal.,1993).Ourdialoguewasopen,honestandimpassionedattimes.Manyfeelingswereawakenedinmeduringourdialogues,somethatIhadn’texperiencedinsometimeandsomethatIhadn’texperiencedbefore:renewedpain,sadness,grief,empathy,andalsohope,confidenceandexhilaration.ToopenlyandhonestlysharethesefeelingstogetherfurtherenhancedtherelationshipsthatIalreadyhadwitheachco-researcher,andamonguscollectively.

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Therewerecertainadministrativeeffortsputforthaswell,toadheretohighstandardsaroundtheinquiry.Inordertoensuresafetyoftheco-researchers,therewasinformedconsentaroundtheinteractionswiththemandaroundprocessesusedforcollectionofdata.Aconsentform(SeeAppendixI)wasusedforeachdialogue,informingtheparticipantabouttheinquiry,includingsomebackground,theintentoftheinquiry,whowasinvolved,andwhocouldbecontactediftheparticipants(co-researchers)hadconcerns.Althoughmostparticipantswereverywillingtoshareawiderangeofinformation,theywereinformedthattheirparticipationwasvoluntary,andthattheycouldrefusetoansweranyquestionposedtothem.Theyallconsentedtohavetheirfirstnamesusedintheinquiryreport.(TheexceptionwasMarcia,whoallowedmetousehercompletenameandreferencethebookshehaswritten.)Theyweretoldthatfictitiouscompanynameswouldbeused,andthatcompanieswouldbeidentifiedingeneralizedterms,suchas“alargenonprofit”or“asmallinvestmentfirm.”Iselectedtodotranscriptionofthedialoguesusingavirtual,one-personadministrativeservicesbusinessownedbyawoman.Shehasabackgroundinhumanresources(HR)andwasacquaintedwiththestyleandtypeofinquirybeingconducted.Herserviceswerecontractedtobeconfidential,withalldataturnedovertomeuponcompletionofthetranscripts.

Methodsusedtoincreasecredibility,generativityandutilityDesigningaqualitativeinquiryusingasocialconstructionframeworkleadsustoadiscussionofcredibility,generativityandutilityversusvalidityandreliability(Bloomberg&Volpe,2012,p.112;Erlandsonetal.,1993;Lincoln&Guba,1985).Ratherthantryingtovalidateifsomethingis“true”orrepeatableundersimilarcircumstances,wearetryingtodemonstratehowaccuratelytheinquirymatchestherealityofthoseinvolved.Doesthemethodologyeffectivelyrevealagoodrepresentationofwhatwassaidanddoneduringtheinquiry?McNamee(2010)proposesgenerativityas“howwillthisinformationhelpus‘goontogether’?”andutilityas“forwhomisituseful?”(p.17).Indeed,themotivationfortheinquirywastocreatesomethingusefulforwomenintransitionoverage50,somethingthatwouldpossiblybehelpfulandencouragingatatimeofgreatchallenge.IwishedthatthistypeofinquiryhadbeenavailabletomeasItransitioned;evennowasIamconductingit,Iknowitishavinganimpactonmylife.Whethertheinquiryissharedintheformofthedissertationforwhichitwasconducted,turnedintoabook,reportedinajournal,orusedasastartingpointforacontinueddialogue,Iwanttoshareitwithotherswhomightderivemeaningfromitthroughthelanguageandpossiblysharedorrelatableexperience.SomeofthemethodsIemployedtoincreasecredibility,generativityandutilityincludetriangulation,memberchecking,reflexivityandreflexivejournaling,whichwillbedescribedinthissection.

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TriangulationTriangulationincludesnotonlyuseofdifferentsources,butverificationofthosesourcesthroughvariousmeans(Lincoln&Guba,1985).Thisimprovescredibility,andalsousabilityandgenerativityasitinvitesothersintothedialoguethroughcommonexperiencesandlanguage.IhadtheAIstyledialoguestranscribedandusedinseveralways.Excerptsofquotationsfromthedialogueswerereferencedthroughouttheinquiry,usedtoemphasizevariousthemesandobservations.Itriedasmuchaspossibletousetheco-researcher’sownwords,sincetheycarrythemostmeaningandaretheclosestsourceoftheirexpressionavailabletome.Idevelopedsummariesofthedialoguesandgavethemtotheco-researchers,askingforcommentsandconfirmationthattheycorrectlyreflectedourdialogue.Finally,coordinationofthemesandideasfromthedialoguesweregroupedandvalidatedwiththeco-researchers,andusedasaspringboardforthedialogueofthefocusgroupsession.

MembercheckingMembercheckingallowseachco-researchertoverifythather“reconstructionsarerecognizabletoaudiencemembersasadequaterepresentationoftheirown(andmultiple)realities”(Lincoln&Guba,1985,p.314).Again,thismethodhelpsincreasecredibilityinmakingsurethattheinquiryrelatesmeaningthatwasintended.Membercheckingtookplaceintheformofreviewofdialoguesummaries,anddialoguearoundcommonthemesfromthefocusgroup.Co-researcherswereabletoreacttosummaries,correctorelaborateonelementsusedforthematicstudy,andensureproperintention.

ReflexivityReflexivityreferstotheobservationsoractionsofobserversinthesocialsystemthataffecttheverysituationstheyareobserving.Usingasocialconstructionandrelationalstance,reflexivitytakesonmeaningthatisnuancedfromitsmorepositivesciencecontextof“assessingthequalityoftheknowledgeproducedby(i.e.,discoveredby)theresearchdesignandpractices”;rather,itfocuseson“thepossibleworldsthatare(not)openedup,the‘new’waysofbeinginrelationthatcan(not)emerge,andhowhelpfulthesearetothedifferentlocalformsoflifethatareimplicated”(McNamee&Hosking,2013,p.99).HoskingandPluut(2010)describethreediscoursesofreflexivityinarelationalconstructionistapproach:minimizingbias,makingbiasvisible,andongoingdialoguing.In“ongoingdialoguing”,thereflexiveengagementaddressesvalues,concerns,andmeaning-makingofoureverydaylivesamongalloftheparticipants,loopingbackandforth,suchthatwemightstrengtheneachotherandourcommunities.Joininginresearcher-participantrelationshipsallowsfor“relationalpracticewithreflexivity”(Hibbertetal.,2014,p.283;McNamee&Hosking,2013)andenablestheresearchertomorefullyengageintheenvironmentandtherelationshipsinvolvedintheinquiry.

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Theprocessreallyhasnoendor“reporting”perse:“theprocessistheproduct”(Hosking&Pluut,2010,p.70).Itisthistypeofreflexivitythatcreatedexcitementamongtheco-researchersofthisinquiry,sharingvoicesandmakingmeaningtogetherofwhatmighthavepreviouslyorcurrentlybeenviewedasadifficulttimeintheirlives.Whenmentioningthefocusgroupinteraction,theywereveryanxiousforthisdialoguetotakeplace,andtoshareandcreatefuture-formingpossibilities.

LimitationsanddelimitationsItisimportanttoidentifyboththeboundariesoftheinquiry,orthedelimitations,aswellasthepotentialweaknesses,orthelimitations(Bloomberg&Volpe,2012).Withinthesocialandrelationalframework,thisismoreamatterofacknowledgingwhosevoicesarebeingheardandwhosearenotincluded(McNamee&Hosking,2013).InthissectionIwillarticulatethecharacteristicsofthevoicesusedinthisinquiry.

RelationshipsanddemographicsIpurposelychoseco-researcherswhowerecolleaguesorfriends,orwereonestepremovedfromthatlevelofcommunity.Thesixco-researchers(includingmyself)chosenforthedialoguesabouttransitionexperiencewereallMidwesternAmerican,female,Caucasian,over-50yearsofage,andofmiddlesocio-economicstatus.Thesecharacteristicswerechosentomatchtheprofileofthepopulationrepresentativeofthedesiredinquiry.Thesecharacteristics,whilelimited,stillofferedadiversityofreligioustraditions,familybackground,maritalstatus,education,industry,andsocialcommunityrelationships.Otherdialogueswithindividualswhosupportthoseintransition(recruiters,careertransitionadvisors)includedtwowomenandtwomen,alsofromtheMidwesternUnitedStates,over50yearsofage,andofmiddlesocio-economicstatus.Delimitationoftheco-researcherstothosewithwhomIhavearelationshipwasdonetoensureasomewhatpersonalknowledgeoftheirtransitionsituationthroughrelationshipsalreadyestablished,and,inafewcases,close,currentfriendships.Ithoughtthatthiswouldallowfordeeper,strongernarrativesofpossiblesharedexperiences,nothavingtoestablishaninitialbondoftrustandrapport.Havingworkedandtalkedwiththeseindividualsonmanyoccasions,therewasalsoaninterestandenthusiasminassistingmewiththeinquiry.Whenaskedtoparticipate,allsaid,“Iwouldloveto!”Eachco-researcherhadadesiretoshareherstoryandexperienceswithmeandwithothersinvolvedintheinquiry.Delimitationofgeographyallowedforeasieraccesstotheco-researchersfordialoguesandthefocusgroup.Limitationoftheco-researchersinsomequalitativeresearchmightbeconsideredtoreducegeneralizability.However,thatelementisnotconsideredrelevantinthisinquiryduetothesocialconstructionandgenerativestance.Inthisinquiry,itisaboutwhosevoicesareheard,whosevaluesareinvolved,andwhatmeaningtheparticipantscanmake

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togetheroftheirexperiences(McNamee&Hosking,2013),ratherthanfocusingonwhetherornotthatmeaningcanbegeneralizedto“allothers.”Thus,thefocusisnotonmakingtheexperience“dependable”or“replicable,”butlookingforpatternsandinsightsamongtheparticipantsthattheycanusetomakemeaningtogether.Thismightincludeilluminatingpatternsandthemesthatmightexist,developingprovocativequestionsthatsparkfurtherinquiry,orcreatingstrongerrelationshipsthatwillprovidefuturesupportforthosewithinthegroup.Oneofthebenefitsofthelimitedamountofparticipantsandgeographyisthattheinquirycanremain“organicanddynamic”(Bodiford&Camargo-Borges,2014,p.6).Forexample,theparticipantscouldbecontactedmultipletimes,andthefocusgroupcouldbeconductedface-to-face,allowingtheinquiryto“unfold”andbeadjustedastheprocessmovedforward(Bodiford&Camargo-Borges,2014;McNamee&Hosking,2013).Theexperiencecreatedthroughthedialoguesandfocusgroupswasdesignedfortheco-researcherstomaximizemeaning-makingtogether.

InquirytopicanddesignThisinquirycentersaroundinvoluntaryjobtransitionexperiencesofmiddle-classwomenover50intheU.S.Whiletherehasbeensomeresearchdoneonjoblossforwomenover50,therehasnotbeenmuchsharedfromthevoicesofthoseaffected.And,thereisevenlesswrittenabouthowwomenmightbesharingandreshapingtheirexperiencesofjoblosstofindnewmeaning.Thechallengeofthisresearchistolearnhowwomenmightreshapetheserealitiesthroughajointinquiry,sharingtheirexperiences,theirstoriesandtheirinsightsasco-researchers:

• Whataresomesharedwaysofexperiencingandbeingintransitionforwomenover50?

• Whatrelational,generativemeaningisrevealedthroughtheinquirythatcanmorepositivelypositionandsupportthistypeoftransition?

AsMcNameeandHosking(2013)explain:

Whenwepositionourselvesasinquirers,wehaveideasaboutwhatandwhoandwhereandhowwewanttofocusourinquiry.Yet,asaconstructionistinquirer,thatoriginalpositioningisalwaysopentoamendment(p.48).

HarleneAnderson(2014)alsoproposesthat“theinitialquestion(s),goalsand“method”oftenchangeastheresearchproceeds”(p.70).Thedesignoftheinquiryevolvedovertimeandwithvariousmomentsofinsightthroughouttheperiodinwhichitwasconducted.

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TheoriginaldesignTheoriginaldesignconceptfortheinquirywastoparticipateinsixAppreciativeInquiry-styledialogueswithmenandwomenwhohadexperiencedinvoluntaryjobtransitionover50,andtolayeritwithmyownautoethnography.Ialsoplannedtodialoguewithfourprofessionalswhoworkwithorsupportindividualsintransition.Theindividualsinprofessionalrolesincludedarecruiter,aself-ascribedprofessional“networker,”andtwoindependentoutplacementprofessionals.Theplanwastoanalyzethenarrativesoftheseco-researchersandrevealsomeoverallthemes.Followingthatanalysis,Iwouldconductafocusgroupoftheco-researcherswhohadexperiencedtransitionandhavedialoguearoundthethemes.

Theuniquenessofthewomen’svoicesThroughthecourseoftheinitialliteraturesearchanddialogues,genderdifferencesemergedandintriguedme.PhelpsandMason(1991)founddifferencesbetweenmenandwomenintheirtransitionexperiences.Balan(2008)usedarelationalapproachtohelpexplorewomen’s“commonthemesrelatedtolearningduringworkplacetransition”(p.3).Intheinitialdialoguesforthisinquiry,themengenerallyexpressedthatthroughoutthetransitionexperience,theyjustwantedto“getanotherjob,”andtheyworkedtirelesslythroughvariousmeanstoaccomplishthatgoal.Theywerewillingtodowhateverittooktolandanewposition,usuallyinthesamefieldoraslightvariationofit.Thewomen,ontheotherhand,expressedmanyotheremotions,feelings,attitudes,andpossibilitiesofwhattheymightdointhefuture.Theirstoriesandexchangeswovearoundthetopicofprofessionorcareer,andintofamilylife,finances,relationshipswithfriendsandfamily,children,agingparents,andmanyotherdynamicsintheirlives.Theytalkedaboutidentityandhowithadchangedforthem.Theytalkedaboutfinancesandtheirroleinprovidingincomefortheirfamilies,orcontributingtoretirement.Therewassometimestension,sometimesconfusion,sometimesdoubt,andsometimesexhilaration,aroundwhatmightcomenextforthem.ItwasatthispointthatIfeltadistinctpulltoexploremoredeeplywhatwashappeninginthesewomen’slivesatthistime.Wasitatimeforrearrangingpriorities?Couldthisbeanopportunitytostartsomethingnewanddifferent?Iwantedtoexplorewiththemsomeofthedynamics,withaneyetowardgenerativepossibilities(K.Gergen,1978;Hibbertetal.,2014;Maxwell,2005;McNamee&Hosking,2013).Theinquirythenshiftedtolisteningtothewomen’svoicesandhowtheymightcometogetheraroundsomecommonthemes.Theone-on-onedialoguepoolwasexpandedtoatotalofsixwomen,includingmyselfasaco-researcher.

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MoreunfoldingandconsiderationofametaphorDuetothepassageoftime,therewasother“unfolding”oftheinquiryprocessthattookplace(McNamee&Hosking,2013,p.47).TheautoethnographiestooksometurnsasIresurrectedfeelingsarousedinmefromtheone-on-onedialogueexperiences.Theeconomywasimprovingandpresentednewdynamicsrelatedtojobopportunities,careeropportunities,orfinancialchangesfortheco-researchersandtheirfamilies.E-mailsfromsomeoftheco-researcherstoldofnewhappeningsintheirlives,andwerevisitedhowsomeoftheirfeelingsandattitudeshadchanged.Itwasaboutthistimethatmyadvisor,GinnyBelden-Charles,andImettoreviewtheinquiryprocess.Wehadadialoguearoundourownlivesandtransitionalchanges,andsomeofthethemesfromtheco-researchernarratives.Wewereworkingwiththelanguage,tryingtofindwordsorphrasesthatcapturedsomeofwhatwasbeingexpressedbytheco-researchers.Thepowerofmetaphorandhowthatmightbringthethemestogetherarose.Kovecses(2005)proposesthat“mostaspectsofAmericanculturearedescribedinmetaphoricallanguage”(p.190)andthattheycanbeusedindescribingsocial-culturalexperiences.Wetalkedabouthowthefocusgroupwouldbeagoodtimetoexplorethepossibilityofametaphorthatwouldresonatewiththeco-researchers.Theunfoldingoftheinquirywasnotwithoutchallenges,giventhepassageoftime,changestotheresearchprocessandplayers,andchangesintheeconomyandlivesoftheco-researchers.Itmeanthavingtogobackandrevisittheone-on-onedialogues,makechangesinplans,andreschedulethefocusgroupafewtimes.However,Ithinkthisspeakstotheveryessenceofsocialconstruction,andthatourlivesareaconstantevolutionofcultureandrelationshipsthataffecthowweconductouractivitiesandperceiveourworld.

DiagramofthedesignThedesignoftheinquirycanberepresentedbythefollowingdiagram:

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Introductiontotheco-researchers

HeatherWhenHeatherfoundherselfsuddenlyoutofajob,shedidsomerealsoulsearchingastohowshemightmoveforward.Shehadexperiencedafewlayoffsinthepastseveralyears,soshestartedlookingforjobs,butshealsoconsideredhowshemightgointobusinessforherself.Shetalkedwithsmallgraphicartanddesignfirmsandfoundthattheyhadaneedformarketing,communicationsandrecruitingservices,butcouldnotaffordtohirefulltimestaff.Theseareaswereaspecialtyforherandshefeltthatshecouldoffertheseservicesonacontractbasisandcreateabusinessforherself.Thisnew,independentbusinessgaveherflexibility,newchallenge,andanewsocialconstructionofworkinher“nextphase”oflife.Italsogaveheranewidentitytiedtoherowntalentsandskillshonedoveryearsofexperience.

SallyWhenSallyabruptlylefther“bigcorporatejob”duetoprofessionalethicsreasons,shelookedintootheremployment,butalsostartedherownmarketingconsultingfirm.Shefoundthisatoughroad,especiallyinacommunitythatwasnewtoherandwhereshewasnotprofessionallyconnected.Sheendeduppiecingtogetheravarietyofroles,includingadjunctteaching,atemporaryjobwiththeUSDepartmentofLabor,andretailwork,inordertomakeendsmeet.Shealsosignificantlydownsizedherhomeandlifestyle.Sheexperiencedseriousfinanciallossduetothe2008recession.Shesaidshewill“nevergobacktocorporateAmerica.”Shehasadifferentlifestyle,butsheishappy.Somefriendshavegonebythewayside,butshehasasmallgroupofloyalones.Aboutayearfollowingourinitialone-on-onedialogue,Icontactedhertoseehowthingshadprogressedforher.Shesaidshehadfinallyfoundwhatshebelievedwastheperfectposition:aconsultantforadepartmentthatassistssmallbusinessesandtechnologystartups,associatedwithamajormidwesternuniversity.Herenthusiasmwasevidentinherdescriptionofhowherlifehadfinallyturnedacorner.

BethBethwaswidowedsuddenlyatayoungageanumberofyearsago.Followingthat,shefoundajobshelovedwithanonprofitthatworkswithunwedmothers.Hercolleaguesbecamehersocialgroup,hersurrogatefamily.Shewasveryclosetostaff,donors,andclients.WhenanewCEOwashired,sheclashedwiththatpersonandwasfiredshortlythereafter.Shewasdevastated,personallyaswellasprofessionally.Herworkandsociallifewereshatteredallatonce,andshere-experiencedthegriefofherhusband’sdeathalongwiththegriefoflosingherjob.Ittookalongtimeforhertoregroupandfigureout

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whatshewasgoingtodoemployment-wise,andshewasinhersecondtransitionsincethatjob.Shesaidthatworkwouldbedifferentnow,andshewouldnotbuildthesametypeofworkidentitythatshehadinthatpreviousposition.

LindaLindarelocatedfromMinneapolistoDenverwhenhercompanymoveditsheadquarters,onlytohaveherdivisionsoondivested,resultinginthepossibilityofanothermove.AlthoughheronlysonandyoungfamilylivedinDenver,oncejobless,shefoundthatshefeltdisplaced,lonely,andwantingtomovebacktoMinnesota.Shedidso,withoutajob,andmovedinwithafriend.Aftermuchnetworkingandsearching,shewasreadytodownsizeherlifestyleandretireforgood.OnthedayshewastogototheSocialSecurityofficetofile,anhumanresourcesrepresentativefromacompanycalledandofferedherajobexactlyfittingherbackgroundandneeds.Sheacceptedthatjobandithasmadeuseofhervastexperienceandskillset,andshehasmentoredyoungerstaff.Shesaysthatshelovesit,butthatifsomedayshedecidesshenolongerenjoysgettingupeachmorningandgoingtowork,shesaysshewillquitandretire.

KoleanKoleandevelopedandtaughthistoryofgraphicdesignandhistoryofillustrationcoursesatasmalldesignschoolinStPaulforover25years,untiltheschoolclosedin2013.Shewasveryemotionallyinvestedinthissmallschool,itsfacultyanditsstudents,andshewasinvolvedineffortsto“save”theschoolinitslastyearofoperation.Devastatedatitsclosure,shewasexcitedabouttheofferofaninterviewatanotherinstitution,wheremanyoftheclosedschool’sstudentshadtransferred.Theinterviewwascancelledatthelastminuteforwhatshesuspectedwasherinvolvementinthepoliticalturmoilovertheclosureoftheschool.Sheincreasedhervolunteerworkasanarchivistforalocalchapterofaprofessionaldesignassociationandforanonprofitthatprovidesartexperiencesforelementaryschoolstudents.Shecontinuestocontemplatewhatshemightdoinwhatshecallsthe“nextchapter”ofherprofessionallife.

FranIprovidedautoethnographyandparticipatedinthedialoguesandfocusgroupasaco-researcher,soIincludemyselfinthisgroup.Iconsideredmyselftobeinanewphaseofmycareerfollowingover30yearsinfor-profitandnonprofitfulltimeworkinvariouscorporationsandbusinesses,includingoperations,businessprocessandmanagementroles.Numerousmergers,reorganizationsanddownsizingsmarkedmycareerandputmeintransitions.Eachtransitionmeantfindinganewfulltimejob.Whenmyfatherpassedawayin2013,Ineededtohaveamoreflexiblescheduletocareformymotherinanotherstate,soIengagedinworkasandindependentconsultantandcontinuedwithmyhigher

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educationadjunctteachingrole.Ilaunchedasmallbusinesshelpingelderlypeoplemanagetheirhouseholdfinances,keepingthatbusinesstojustafewclients.

IntroductiontothesupportersofthoseintransitionThe“supportersofthoseintransition”weresearchedoutandcontactedbecauseoftheirinteractionwithpeopleprofessionallyandpersonallyduringcareertransition.Threeofthemareinprofessionalroles,andoneisaself-proclaimed“networker”.Theyprovidedinsightsintothetypesofstrugglesthataremostcommonduringthistime,andaprofessionalperspectiveofsomeofthedynamicsinvolvedwithintheirindustryaroundtransitionchallengesandissues.

Marcia

Marciaistheownerofanexecutivesearchfirmspecializinginnonprofitrecruiting.ImetMarciawhenIfirstmovedtotheTwinCitiesandfoundherespeciallyapproachable.Sheco-authored“The20-MinuteNetworkingMeeting”,aseriesofbooksonnetworking,andspeaksprofessionallyonthetopicsofnetworking,careermanagementandexecutiverecruiting.(Note:Permissiontodiscloseherconnectiontothebookwasgranted.)MymorepersonalconnectionwithMarciaisthatsheisrelatedtotheboardpresidentofanonprofitwhereIservedasadirectorandinterimCEO,andwhichshesupportedasadonor.IknewMarciawouldprovidecandidandinsightfulperspective.

GeorgeGeorgeisaspecialistincareerplanninganddevelopment,andwasreferredtomebecauseofhisworkwiththoseinlatercareerstages.Hesaid,“Usually,fiftiesismytypicalclientele”.Georgerecognizesthepsychologicalchallengesthatcomewithbeingletgofromajob,andsaidthathisroleisto“helpre-inflatetheirballoon,”helpingthembelieveinthemselvesagain.Hismethodsincludegettinganin-depthunderstandingofhisclients:“I’mgoingtohearyourstory.I’mgoingtodoassessments.I’mgoingtogetyouandmeonthesamepageaboutwhatmakesyoutick.I’mgoingtogettoknowyoureally,reallywell.”ItwastheintensefocusonthepersonalaspectsofhisclientsthatdrewmetoGeorgeforthisinquiry.

TonyTonyisaself-declared“networker”ImetwhenIfirstmovedtoMinneapolis,Minnesotaandwassearchingforajob,andwehavestayedintouchforalmosttenyears.Heisretiredfromcorporatework,buthasdecidedtospendagreatdealofhistimeconnectingpeople.Hedescribeshisroleas“alistening,caringtypeofarrangement.AsI’mlistening,it’sprettyeasytopickuponthingsandoffersomeinsight.”IalsochoseTonybecauseofhisworkwithmanypeopleoverfifty.Hereceivessixtoeightrequestseveryweekforone-on-one

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meetings.Hesaysmostarefromthosewhoareover50.Ifeltthatwiththenumberofpeoplehetalkstoandtheapproachhetakes,hewouldhavesomegreatinsightstooffer.

BarbBarbstartedhercareerinorganizationaldevelopment,traininganddevelopment,andmigratedlaterontooutplacementandcareercoaching.Imether,likeTony,whenIfirstmovedtotheMinneapolisandwastryingtofindemployment.IhavegottentoknowBarbovertheyearsonamorepersonallevel,andshehasgreatstoriesandexperiencerelatedtoassistingover-fiftyindividualsintransition.Shealsohaspersonalexperiencewithinvoluntaryjobtransitioninherowncareer.

BackgroundThejobmarketisconstantlyshifting.Thereareebbsandflowsduetotheeconomy,changingdemographics,politics,andotherfactors.ThisinquiryreflectsaparticularlychallengingtimeinU.S.employmenthistory,aroundthetimeofthe“greatrecession”between2000and2015.Priortobeinglaidoffoneormoretimes,theco-researchersinvolvedinthisinquiryhadlargelyrobustcareersinoneormoreindustries.Thedemographicsofageandgenderalsoplayedaroleintheirexperiences.ThetimeframeandcharacteristicssurroundingtheU.S.jobmarketisimportant,asitprovidesadistinctivecontextfortheinquiry.

ThegreatrecessionTheyear2008wastheculminationofyearsofdownturnintheU.S.economy.Thehousingmarkethadcrashed,bailoutswerepromisedtobanks,andtheTroubledAssetReliefProgram(T.A.R.P.)wasthenewanswerforrecoveryoftheAmericanjobmarket(“TARPPrograms,”n.d.).However,evenbeforethismajorturn,layoffshadbecomecommoninmajorU.S.industriesasananswertoglobalcompetition(Smith,2009).ThelistbelowshowssomeofthelargestlayoffsincorporateAmericainthelasttwodecades.

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(Claire,2015)Betweentheyearsof2000and2015,hundredsofthousandsofjobsintheU.S.werelostduetodownsizing,rightsizing,oranynumberofothereuphemismsthatmightbeapplied(Goodman&Mance,n.d.).Themedia,humanresourcestaff,andpublicrelationsprofessionalsdevelopedawholenewlanguageforit,presumablytomakepeoplefeelbetteraboutwhatwashappeningtotheirjobsandtheirlives.GordonandHarold(1997)identifythemanywordsandphrasesusedtodescribeinvoluntarytransitionofemployees,including:

careerchangeopportunity,careertransitionprogram,coercedtransition,recruiting,deployment,destuffing,eliminationofemploymentsecuritypolicy,focusedreduction,forcemanagement,involuntaryseparationfrompayroll,involuntaryseverance,notgoingforward,payrolladjustment,personnelsurplusreduction,redeployment,redundancyelimination,repositioning,reshaping,resourcerelease,riffed(fromreductioninforce,or“RIF”),rightsizing,scheduleadjustment,severed,skillmixadjustment,strengtheningglobalsecurity,unassignment,workforceadjustment,workforceimbalancecorrection(p.6)

TheidentityofworkNomatterwhatyoucallit,involuntaryjoblossimpactsindividualidentity,especiallylaterinlife.“Workcanbepsychologicallygratifyingandprovideasenseofself-fulfillmenttoanindividual;thus,itisakeycomponentofanindividual'sidentity“(Hughes,1971,ascitedbyBerger,2006).

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Intheworldofwork,theendofone’scareerduetoretirementisoftenrecognizedandcelebrated.Itmightinvolvemovingintoaconsultantoremeritusrole.Parties,speechesandprogramsmemorializecontributionstothecompany,andhighlightexpertiseandwisdomthatcanbesharedwithyoungerworkers.Thisdoesn’thappeninthecaseoftheinvoluntarilydownsizedperson.Thereisnoceremony,nogift,nospeech.Thetransitionisnotcelebrated;infact,manyworkersareescortedtothedoorinamatterofminutesafterhearingaboutthelossoftheirposition.Tocapturethecruelrealityofthosemoments,producersofthemovie“UpintheAir”,featuringGeorgeClooneyasahired-gunfiringagent,interviewedandhiredpeoplewhohadactuallylosttheirjobstodownsizingtoportraytheirtruereactions(LaPorte,2010).Therearemorehumanewaystodownsize,buttheyarerarelyconsideredintoday’sfinancially-drivendecisionmakingprocesses(“Therearekinderwaystolaypeopleoff-Sowhydon'tweusethem?”,2014).Researchingchangesinidentityofthose45–60yearsofageinvolvedinjobsearchandtransition,EllieD.Berger(2006)foundthattheybecamesusceptibletoidentitydegradationandmayquestiontheirself-worth.Ontheotherhand,alongitudinalstudydonebySchaie(1994)foundthat“beingsatisfiedwithone’slife’saccomplishmentsinmidlifeorearlyoldage”isavariablethathasapositiveeffectonintellectualcapabilitiesinlateryears(p.310).One’sworkandcareerarenodoubtastrongelementof“lifeaccomplishments”formanypeople.Despitethelinkagebetweenidentityandwork,agroupofresearchersinthefieldnotedthat“Evenwhereresearchershaveconsideredtheexperiencesofolderpeopleintheemploymentcontext,theidentityofbeingolderandoutofworkhasremainedunexplored”(McVittie,McKinlay,&Widdicombe,2008,p.249).

TollonolderworkersForolderworkers,theeconomic,emotional,andsocialtolloflosingajobisgreat.TheNewYorkTimes(Kelly,2013)states:

Almostovernight,skillshonedoveralifetimeseemtired,passé.Twenty-andthirty-somethingswillgladlydotheworkyouusedtodo,andprobablyforlessmoney.Yes,businessesarehiringagain,butnotnearlyfastenough.Manypeoplearesodisheartenedthatthey’vesimplystoppedlookingforwork(para2).

Findingthemselvessuddenlycastawayfromajobcreatesdifficultiesforthoseover50.Theymaynothavebeeninthethickofthejobmarket,especiallyiftheyhavebeenworkingforthesamecompanyformanyyears.Theymaybebehindontechnologyorothernewerskillsets.Eveniftheyareuptodate,thereisbothperceptionandrealityinthejobmarketthatyoungerpeoplewillbepreferred(Belz,2014;Bendick,Brown,&Wall,1999;Cohen,2016;Neumark,n.d.;Kurtz,2013;Roscigno,Mong,Byron,&Tester,2007).Thoseintransitionmayalreadyhavethesensethatbecauseofdifficultyinfindingajoborforotherreasons,theyarereadyforachange.Theyarenotreadytoretirebutmaywantashiftinprioritiesandalifestylethatreflectsit.Thesuddenjoblessnessbringstheseideas

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andargumentstotheforefront.Theco-researchersinthisinquirydefinitelyidentified“notreadytoretire”asatheme.Involuntaryjoblossisabrupt,unplannedandmayleaveonenotknowingwhat’snext.Thepathforwardmaynotbeclear.Havingnopattern,nopathtofollow,theremaybesearching,theremaybepain,resultinginunplannedchangeandgrowth.Thesefeelingsandexperienceswereexploredindepthintheinquirybytheco-researchers.

DifferencesforwomenThejobtransitionexperiencehasalsobeendocumentedasdifferentbetweenwomenandmen.Shifman(2012)says,“Appearance-relatedagediscriminationmaybeagainstthelawbutit'sstillafactoflifeforolderfemaleandmalejobhunters,particularlyforwomen”(para.2).Onceunemployed,thetimeittakesforawomanover50tofindajobhasincreased.In2006,lessthan25percentofwomenover50hadbeenoutofworkformorethansixmonths.In2012,itwas50percent(Cohen,2016).Researchhasfoundthatwomendon’twantto“settle”.Theywanttherightfit(Cohen,2016).Womenover50arepickierabouttheirjobs,morereluctanttorelocateawayfromfamily,ortodocertainkindsofjobs(Cohen,2016).

ImpactoftransitionThestudyofjoblossandunemploymentrevealedmanynegativeimpactsonindividuals,includingisolationandlossofrelationships,thatincreasethelongerapersonisunemployed(Leana&Feldman,1992;Priceetal.,1998;Root&Park,2008).Personalaccountsintheliteratureincludedstoriesofbrokenmarriages,lossofcontactwithsiblingsandchildren,disruptedorendedfriendships.Lengthyunemploymentcanleadpeopletobecomehouseboundandunabletoconnectwithothers,duetodecliningphysicalandemotionalhealth,lackoffinances,andfeelingsofguiltthattheyshouldbe“jobhunting”ontheircomputerallthetime.Inthedialogueswiththoseintransition,weheardsadnessregardinglossoflong-timecolleaguesandsharedgoalsanddreams.Sometalkedaboutfriendswhofellbythewayside,andthosewho“stuckaround”forsupportandcomfort.Onewiferecountedthatherhusband,intransition,didn’tliketogooutwithfriendssociallyduringthattime.Sometalkedabouthowtheirchildrenwerereactingtotheirtransitionexperience.Whenjoblossisinvoluntary,theexperiencecanbringadditionalchallengesaroundidentityandcapability,feelingsofshameandembarrassment(Bell,Berry,Marquardt,&Green,2013;Berger,2006;Mallinckrodt,1990;Prussia,Kinicki,&Bracker,1993;Uchitelle,2006).Companiesoftenleaddisplacedworkerstotheirdeskstogatherbelongingsandthentothedoor,withoutevenachancetosaygood-byetocolleaguestheyhaveknownforyears.Theymaywonderhowtheirloyaltytoacompany,orindustry,suddenlyseemstobe

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meaningless.Theymaybereluctanttocontactformerco-workers,becausetheydon’tknowwhattosay,orfeelthattheco-workermaynotknowhowtoreacteither.Oneoftheco-researchershadverycloserelationshipswithdonorsinherpositionwithanonprofit,andshestruggledwithhowandwhentoreachouttothem,frombothanethicalandemotionalperspective.Anoutplacementprofessionaltalkedabouthowhehadtoworkwithclientstohelpthemrebuildtheirconfidenceandre-findtheirstrengths.

AddingintheagefactorForthosemiddle-agedandbeyond,agediscrimination(ageism)injobtransitionleadstoquestioningofone’svalue,resentment,weakeningofsocialstatureinthecommunity,andquestioningoffinancialstabilityinretirement(Belz,2014;Berger,2006;Delaney,400AD;Kurtz,2013;McMullin&Marshall,2001;McVittieetal.,2008;Redek,Susjan,&Kostevc,2013;Roscigno,2010;Roscignoetal.,2007).Applicationscangounanswered;interviewscanberare,evenwhencandidatesfeelthattheyfiteveryqualification.Lossofmeaningfulworkcanalsohaveaneffectonmaintainingintellectualabilityinagingadults.Schaie’s(1994)SeattleLongitudinalStudy,examiningcognitivedeclineinaging,revealedthatadultswhocontinuetoengageinprofessionalendeavorsandaresatisfiedwiththeiraccomplishmentslowertheirriskoflosingcognitivefunction;indeed,“lowsatisfactionwithlifesuccess”wasoneofthemostsignificantvariablesincognitivedecline(p.310).Justwhentheythoughttheyweretheonesfullofwisdomandexperience,someoftheco-researchersinthisinquiryfelttheywerenolongerneededorvaluedintheworkforce.Oneindividualintransitiontalkedabouthowhiscareercoachencouragedhimtogetnewglassesanddyehishairtolookyoungerinordertobemorecompetitive.Onewomanwasencouragedwhenshegotajobwithamuchyoungergroupofworkersinastart-up,butlaterquitbecauseshefeltsuchaseveregendergap,andtheirstrategyandplansseemedtoounclearforher.Onewomansaidshewasverythankfulthatherhusbandmadeenoughmoneythatherincomewasoptionalfortheircontinuedlifestyle,whileothers,asinglewomanandawidowedsinglemother,saidfindinganotherjobwasessentialforfinancialwellbeing.Berger(2006)exploredthedegradationofidentityandtheperceptionofpeopleas“old”duringthejobtransitionexperience.Ironically,someofthesupportandhelpprovidedtoolderworkers,suchasworkshops,cancausefurtheridentificationchallengesbyisolatinganddistinguishingthemas“different”.Severaloftheco-researchersrecalledjobassistanceprogramsrequiredbythestateorcountythatwerequitehelpful,whileotherswerepoorlyconductedandonlyservedtoexacerbatethenegativeemotionsanddiscouragedfeelingstheywereexperiencing.

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From“fixing”to“reframing”Mostoftheresearchdonewitholderparticipantsaroundunemploymenthasbeenquantitative,andthereisstillmoretolearnfromaqualitativeperspectiveaboutpeopleinthisagegroupfacingjobtransitionchallenges(Berger,2006;Leana&Feldman,1992).Therewerefactsandfiguresabouthowemploymentnumbershavechangedforolderworkersovertheyears,andastheeconomyhasfluctuated(Nelson,2004).However,therewasverylittleresearchaboutthechangestheywereexperiencinginthemselvesandwithothers,andhowtheywerehandlingthem.Muchoftheliteraturefocusedonthenegativeaspectsand“gettingbeyondthem”or“fixing”them.Forwomen,the“fixing”wasevenmorechallenging.Ratherthantalkingaboutdepression,isolation,ageism,identitycrises,anddecreasedjobprospects,Iwantedtobringvoicestogetherinanew,moregenerativeway.Couldtheco-researchersshareanddiscoversomecommonthemesandthreadsthatcouldcreatenewmeaningforthosegoingthroughtheinvoluntaryjobtransitionexperienceover50?Couldthedialoguebereframedintoonethatwaspositiveandfuture-forming?Themethodsusedfortheinquiry:one-on-onedialogues,autoethnography,narrativeanalysis,focusgroup,weredesignedtogodeeperintothecultureofjobtransitionamongthewomeninvolved,andtoallowtheco-researcherstocreatenewdialoguearoundtheexperience,andpossiblynewwaysofmovingforward.

NarrativeAnalysisofOne-on-OneDialoguesTheAppreciateInquiry-styledialoguesthatwereconductedwiththesixwomenhavebeendescribedinthemethodologysection.RecordingsofthedialoguesweresenttothetranscriptionserviceandthenanalyzedusingMAXQDA12®software.Ireadthroughthetranscriptsonlineandusedthesoftwaretocreatecategoriesforthemajorandminorthemes.Ithenblockedsectionsoftextfromthetranscriptsandputthemintothosecategories.Thiswasveryhelpfulinperformingtheanalysisthatfollows.

FeelingsfollowinglayoffTherewerecolorfulwordsusedbytheco-researcherstodescribetheirinitialfeelingsfollowingalayoff.Thesewordswererichwithemotionandmeaning,sometimesaccompaniedbystrongbodylanguageanddirecteyecontact.Herearethewordsandphrasesused:

• Devastated• Kickedintheteeth

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• Diminished,physically,emotionally,psychologically,maybeevenspiritually• Shocked• Chaos• Feelingnocontrol• Frustration• Apprehensive• Brokenhearted• Fear• Worry• Angry• Challengingemotionally• Grief• Sadness• Denial• Isolation,feelingalone

Someofthesefeelingswereexpressedquiteintensely.Koleansaid,

ThiswasreallyanimpressiveteamthathadbeenputinplaceandIjustlovedmycolleaguesandthepeopleinthedesigndepartmentandIwasbereft.TosayIwasdepresseddidn’tevencoverit.IknewthatIwouldprobablyretireinmyearly60s,butIwantedtodoitonmytermsandIwantedtogooutonahighnote.

Sallyexpressedherlevelof“shock”whenithappened:

AfterXYZcompanyIwasshocked.Imean,itwasalmostlikeposttraumaticstresssyndrome.Imean,Iwassoshocked.Iwassoshockedabouttheenvironment,everythingthatIhadbeenthroughtherewasshockingandtheendwasshocking.SoIwasreallyshockedandalsoIwashere(inthisnewcity)whenithappenedand,literally,Iknewnoone.

Somefeltthattheyshouldhaveseenitcoming.Heathersaid,

Iwasreallyenjoyingit(herpreviousjob).OntheotherhandIknewthatbusinesshadgottenslowanditwaskindoflike,oops.Ishouldhavebeenlooking.

Ifeltthatway,asexpressedinmyownethnography,atalayoffthatoccurredatasmallconsultingcompanyIworkedforinStLouis,Missouri.Billableworkhadbeennil,andwewereallhavingahardtime“creating”administrativework.Thencamethedaythatthevicepresidentstartedcallingpeopleintohisoffice,andtheywouldcomeoutonlytogopacktheirbagsandleave.HeheadedtomyofficeandIthought,“Oh,heisgoingtofillmeinonwhat’shappening.”WhenIfoundoutItoowasbeinglaidoff,Iwasshocked,butIreallyshouldn’thavebeen.

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Severalco-researchersmentioneddecreasedenergylevelsandfatigue,sometimesfatiguefromacareeritself.Koleansaid,“especiallyafteryougothroughlosingyourjob,myenergylevel,inmylate50s,it’snotlikeitwas,evenwhenIwas50.”Sallyexpressedsimilarviews:

I’mjusttired.MaybeIcouldhavehadajobandmaybeIcouldhavebeeninabettersituationfinanciallyifIhadbeenmoredrivenandIreallylostthat.Imean,itwasjusttoomuchattheend.IwastiredafterthirtyyearsofdoingeverythingIhadtodoinbusiness.

Thereseemedtoberesentment,asSallywentontosay,

Ihadworkedreallyhardandsoitwasjustsortoflike,hey,ifIdoeverythingthatIhavedoneandthisiswhereIam,thenscrewit.Imean,really.Ijustwent,allthat,itgetsyouintheend.Itgetsyounowhere.SoIsaid,whatdoIreallywant?AndwhatIreallywantistohaveworkthatIenjoy.Iwanttobeabletoexpressmycreativitysomeway,butitdoesn’thavetobeatworkanymore.IcandothatinmygardenandIcandothatindecoratingmylittlerentedhouseandIcandothatinreadingandIcandothatwithmusic.

Heatheracknowledgedthathernewbusinessventurewastakingatoll,energy-wise:

Well,IwonderhowhardIdowanttokeepworkingtosomedegree.ImeanIfeellikesincestartingthisbusiness,I’vebeenworkingnightandday,sevendaysaweekanditgetsold.Iwasreallygladtorecentlytakeafive-daytripaway,althoughIdidbringmycomputerandIdidsomeworkwhileIwasthere,butitwasreallyanicebreak.

Beth,havingbeenthroughthedeathofherspouse,relatedthetransitionexperiencetogrief,especiallygivenhercloserelationshipwiththenonprofitclientssheserved,whoweresinglemothers:

Well,andbecauseofwhereIwasworking,Imean,theworkthatIwasdoingwastiedintobecomingasinglemotherandbeingonmyown.Whathappened,tobeveryrealistic,wasthatIwentbackintogrief.Iwentintogriefmodeandgrievingthejob.Iwasalsogoingbackandgrievingmyhusband’sdeath.Soitwasaverydifficultgrief.Itwasmuchmoredifficultfinancially,andyoudon’thavesomeonetotalktoathome.Imean,itmademefeelmorealone.Itwaskindoflikeworkingthroughadoublegriefforme.

AsIwasindialoguewithBeth,Ifeltmyownfeelingssurfaceabouttheexperiencerelatingtogrief.Icouldrelatetothepainofthatprogressionoffeelings.Shecontinued:

AndIknowthetimesI’vegonethroughit,themultipletimesI’vegonethroughit,I’vebeenthroughallthosephases(ofgrief)andsomeofthemI’vebeenmorestuck

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inthanothers.Thefirstonewastheworstintermsoftheangerandresentmentphases.Andotheraspectsofthesadnesshavebeenmoreprominent,butitfollowsthesamesequenceeverytime.Ijustmaynotbeineachphasethesameamountoftime.

Lindausedaninterestingmetaphortoexplainherfeelingsfollowinglayoff:

Iwasatastagewherethatdoorthatcloses.Everybodytalksaboutadoorthatcloses.Don’tworry,awindowwillopenup.Yes,itdoes.Oranotherdoor.Andsomethingwillopenup,butit’swhenyou’reinthathallwayandit’sdarkandthedoor’sclosedbehindyouandnothinghasopenedupyet.Andthat’showIfelt.Andforme,Iwasapprehensive.Ididn’tknowwhatwasgoingtohappenbecauseyou’vegotthishallway,inmyhead.Ihavethishallway,there’sallsortsofdoorsandwindowsbutthere’snolightcominginandallIknowisIhavetokeepputtingonefootinfrontoftheother.

AccordingtooutplacementprofessionalsBarbandGeorge,theirclientswhohavebeenlaidoffafter50havesimilarquestions:

• What’swrongwithme?• WhatdidIdowrong?• WhoamI?• Whoisgoingtohireme?• AmIoverthehill?• DoIstillhaveit?• CanIlearnnewtricksasanolddog?• WillIbeafitinayoungerculture?• AmItooexpensive?• WillIbeathreattomyboss?• DoIhavetheenergy?• AmIwillingtodowhatIneedtodotowininthisenvironmentandtofitinthis

environment?

FeelingsaboutnewcareeropportunitiesThereweremanyfeelings,andsomeapprehension,expressedaboutthepossibilityofnewcareeropportunities,andtheattitudeswithinoneselfasthoseopportunitieswerebeingconsidered,evaluated,anddecidedupon.Co-researchershadquestionssuchas:

• WillIbeabletoliveuptotheirexpectations?• WillIknowhowtodoeverythingtheywantmetodo?• DoIhavethecurrentknowledgeneededforthisjob?

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Therewasalimbostatethatperhapshadnotbeenthereinearlieryears,whenonesimplywentbackoutandstartedsearchingthesamemarketshehadbeeninbefore.Sallysaid,“I’mstillinthefiguringoutphase.Idon’tthinkIhavemypathdoneyet.”Inseveralcases,therewasalimbofactorrelativetoacaretakingroleandwhatformthatmighttake,orhowlongtheymightbeinthatrole.Inmyowncase,Iwasnotabletokeepafulltime,traditionalpositionaftermyfatherdiedseveralyearsago,becauseIamtheprimarycaregiverformymotherwholivestwostatesaway.Therewereotherswhohadsimilarresponsibilities.Therearelimitationsofcaregivingthatplayahugeroleinevaluatingfutureopportunities.Althoughtheyfoundthechallengeextremelydifficult,theco-researchersinvolvedinthisstudywereoverallextremelyoptimisticandpositiveintheiroutlook.Theywerewillingtolookhard,lookatalltheoptions,andstaydeterminedtofindtheright“nextstep”.Lindasaid,

Lookingforajobisthehardestjobthatyouwilleverfind.Itreallystretchesyou,becauseI’mnotcomfortablejustsaying,“Hi,I’msoandso,andyouneedtohireme”andallthatstuff.AndIthinktheonethingthatIlearnedthroughthatexperienceis,yes,makeyourselfindispensable,notsomuchforthecompany,asthisishardtoadmit,butifyou’reindispensable,you’realsovaluableelsewhere.So,yourchoice,theirchoice.Ifyoucontinuetomakesurethatyoudogoodwork,youkeeplearning;youwillbevaluable.

Therewerereflectionsofattitudeandtheroleitplayedinhowpeople“showedup”toothersduringthetransition.Marcia,inarecruiterrole,indicatedthatpeoplewhoweresuccessful“havedonesomeinternalwork….theyhavetakentheiroutplacementtoheart.”Shesaidthiswasnecessaryforthemtopresentthemselvespositivelyinthemarket,tohaveworkedthroughthepainand“calmedtheirinnerself.”WithLinda,itwastherecognitionthateachtimeshehadbeenlaidoff,sheendedupbetterthanbefore,andamorepositiveoutlookresultedeachtimeithappened.Shesaidthateachnewopportunityinthepasthadofferedmoremoney,abetterenvironment,abetterposition,soshewasabletoremainpositive.Somewhatrelatedtothisself-reflectionandself-actualizationwasthestancethatwhateverchoicetheymadewasnota“do-all,end-all”.Lindasaid,“I’mkindofontheoneyearplan.IfI’mjumpingoutofbedinthemorning,ifI’mstilllearning,ifIstillfeellikeI’mcontributingandI’mhavingfun….ifanyofthosearea“no”attheendoftheyear,thenit’stimeformetoreevaluateandkindofadjust.”Inseveraldialogues,therewasanenthusiasmtodosomething“new”.Sallysaid,“I’dliketousemybusinessexperiencetohelpotherpeople.Iwouldreallyliketoworkwithsomestart-ups,becauseIknowhowtostartupabusiness.”InHeather’scase,shereviewedopenpositionsandalwaysseemedtofindoneortworequirementsagainstwhichshewasoverqualifiedorunderqualified.Givenhermanyskills,shefinallyrealizedthatshecoulddesignherownbusinessthatexactlyfitherqualifications.

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Sallysaidthatshewentthroughconsiderationofseveraloptionswhenshewasfirstlaidoff.Sheconsideredconsulting,training,andadjunctteaching,andendedupcombiningafewoptionstogetherasastopgap.Shementionedthatotherssheknewduringtherecessionhadto“cobble”togethermultipleparttimejobsinordertoremainfinanciallystable.Heatheralsobroughtuptheideaofdoingmultiplethings,mentioninganeighbor’sexperiencewithstartingupanewbusiness:“Myneighbornextdoorisalsolaidoffandshe’stryingtostartabusiness,butfeelinglikesheneedstofindaparttimejobwhileshegetsherbusinessgoing.So,Ihaveafeelingthatweallmaybedoingmultiplethings.”Therewasdefinitelysomeelementofserendipity,orchance,thatenteredintoseveraloftheco-researchersexperiences,andthusintheirattitudesabouthowthingsmightfallintoplaceeventually.Heathersaidshewas“bumpingintopeople”asshewasnetworking,andthat“bumping”eventuallyturnedintoacontractingopportunity.Sherecalled,“Inmycase,Imettwopeoplenetworkingwhokneweachother.Theycameupwithanopportunityforme,andoneofthemcalledme.”Lindasummeditupassheshared,

Thingskindofhappenthewaythey’regoingtohappenandyoujustneverknowwhereit’sgoingtocomefrom,butyoujusthavethefaiththatyoujustkeepputtingonefootinfrontoftheotherandthat’swhereIgetit.IknowthatI’mgoingtomeetpeopleandIknowthatit’sgoingtoworkoutfineandI’mgoingtolearnsomething.I’mgoingtoendupbeingbetterattheendofthisthanIwasbefore,andjustkeepdoingit.

SupportsystemsTherewereanumberoforganizationsandprogramsmentionedbytheco-researchersthattheysayprovidedsupporttothem,buttheknowledgeofthem,thequalityoftheservices,andtheabilitytonavigatethemseemedhaphazardatbestformostofthem.Whatwasobviousthroughthecommentswasthatapersonneededtotaketheinitiativetogolookingfortheseservices.Heathermentionedthat,“peoplewhoaregoingthroughitneedtomaybetakeamoreactivepartinshapinghowthoseservicesaredelivered.”Jobsupportgroupsthroughchurchesandservicesthroughworkforcedevelopmentwereusedbyanumberoftheco-researchers.Someutilizedprofessionalgroupsthataremadeupofthosethatareemployed,althoughtheyusuallyhadacostassociatedwiththemthatwasnotalwaysaffordable.Somegovernmentagenciesofferedservices,buttheyweresometimesviewedasverygeneral,notatalltailoredtoindividualneeds.IattendedaseminarwherethepresenterreadthePowerPoint®slidesandIfeltthewholetimethatIcouldhavepresenteditbetter.Bethshared,

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OneoftheseminarsthatIwentto,mostofthepeopletherewereolder.Myimpressionwastheyprettymuchhavetheirspielandyougotomaybethreesessionsforanhour.Theykindofhavetheirprogramandthey’respittingouttheirprogram;justcatchthewaveandfigureoutifyougetanything.Itwasnotindividualizedatall.IhadtojusttakewhatIcouldlearnandapplyit.Ithinkourworkforcecenterscouldtakeitupanotchintermsofprocessandcaliberofwhattheyareteaching.

Heathertookadvantageofanumberofclassesfortheunemployed.“Youknow,thatseemedtomakesenseforme.Theyhadonefor‘jobsearchoverforty.’Theyhaveinterviewingskills,resumewriting,andtherewasoneonstartingabusiness,whichIdidn’trealizetheywouldoffer.AndthenIheardinthatcoursethatunemploymenthasthis‘Climb’programconvertinglayoffsintoMinnesotabusinesseswhereIcouldcontinuetoreceivemybenefitswhiletryingtostartabusiness.”Althoughshewaspleasedwiththeseprograms,shesaid,“It’snotrealobvioustopeoplewhatalltheiroptionsare,unlessyoustartreallydigginginandpayingattention.”Bethsaidthatshetooksomecomputerclassesto“refresh”hercomputerskills.She,aswellasSally,mentionedthatatdirectorlevels,theyhadpeopledoingthosethingsforthem,andnowtheyfelttheywouldbeontheirownwithcomputertasks.Bethshared,“Imean,IcoulddoitifIhadto,butIwasn’treallyquickandfastandtheprogramschangedandtheplatformschanged.”Someexpressedpositivefeelingsaboutoutplacementservicesofferedbylargecompaniestothoseletgoinalargelayoff.Bethsaid,“Well,fromanHR(humanresources)standpoint,Ithinkthateveryemployeroughttoofferthatasapartofdeparture.”Insomecases,mentalhealthprofessionalsprovidedneededsupport.Koleanshared,“IwasseeingatherapistandIwasjustphysicallywipedouttoo.”ForSally,atherapisthelpedsortthroughsomeoftheemotionalissues.Shesaid,“Itwasjustfeelingsostuck.IwenttotherapybecauseIknewIwasreallydepressedandIfoundagreattherapistandshereallyhelpedme.Then,IgardenedabunchbecauseIneededtoworkthroughit.Ineededtophysicallydosomethingthatdidnotcausemepain.”

NetworkingNetworkingwasbyfarthemostprevalent,well-regardedandreliedupontoolthattheco-researchersreferenced.Marcia,arecruiter,wroteabookonnetworking,The20MinuteNetworkingMeeting(Ballinger&Perez,2012)(referencedwithpermission).Forthepersonintransition,shesays,“Networkingmeetingsareuplifting.Itfeelslikeameeting.Itfeelslikewe’reinaprofessionaldiscussion.”Co-researchersfeltthatnetworkingcamemorenaturallyforwomenbutwasvitaltostayingontrackwithbothfindingajobandstayinginvolvedwithpeople.Inreferencetonetworkinggroupsatlocalchurches,Bethsaid,“Peoplesaidthathadbecomeaturningpointforthem.Theygavemeideasor

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suggestionsofpeopletomeetandthat’swhatyoudo.Youjustkeepgoing.Meetoneperson,askforthreemoretogettogetherwith.”Tony,whoisaself-declaredvolunteernetworker,hasasomewhatdifferentapproachtonetworking.Hisphilosophyisthatyoudon’tnetworktofindajob;younetworktomeetinterestingpeople.

Youwanttopickpeople’sbrains.Youwanttomeetwithpeopleinvariouswalksoftheworkdayworld.Youwanttogetdifferentinsightsanddifferentperspectives.Why?Becauseyouwanttoknow,youwanttogetanideaofwhattheheckhasbeengoingonalltheseyearsthatI’vemissed.‘Causetheworldispassingmeby.Imean,Iworked40-50-60hoursaweek,everyweek.Igotmyfamily.Igotmyrecreation.IgottheseotherthingsthatIdoandIgotallthesethingsinmylife.ThelastthingI’vedoneisnetworkandgonebackandrekindledrelationships.Ihaven’tdoneanyofthatandtheworldhaspassedmeby.Ihavenoideawhat’soutthere.Evenifyouweretakingfulltimetokeepupwithwhat’sgoingonintheworld,youcouldn’tdoit.So,guesswhat’shappenedoutthere.Theworldhasreallychanged.Theopportunitiesareendless.WhatI’mdoingismeetingwithinteresting,seasoned,savvypeoplelikeyoutopickyourbrain.

LindametwithTonyandusedhisapproach.Sherecalled,“Andhesaid,youknowwhat?Youneedtostoplookingforajob.Ilovethisguy.Heisabsolutelyphenomenal.Hesaidthatyouneedtofindinterestingpeople.AndIwent,‘wow’.Ithasn’tchanged.WhatIwoulddohasnotchanged,butitjustmadeallthedifferenceintheworld.Iwassoenergized.”Tonysaysthatitisamyththatbythetimepeopleareintheir50s,theyknowwhattheywanttodo:“You’vebeenworkingfor30or35yearsanddoingthesethings.Yes,it’svaried.It’swonderful.You’vegotallthisgreatexperience.Butyouknow,inthegrandschemeofthings,it’ssuchasliverofwhat’soutthere.Ifyouhavethetime,takethetime,maketheefforttobroadenyourhorizon.”Bethsaidthatsheimmediatelycalleduponpastcolleaguestoprovideherwithareferenceletter,eveniftheymighthaveprovideditoutsidethenormalHRchannels.Shefeltthatasidefromthevalidationitprovided,italsohelpedherfromanemotionalstandpointwhenshewasmostvulnerable.“It’sveryemotionalandsoyouhavetoreallyworkonthatemotionalregulationandIthinkbeinghonestandgettingperspectivefromothersisimportant.”Lindasaidthatfriendsmadeabigdifference.Shewasalsoinawalking/hikinggroupthatprovidedsupport.Shereferencedamentoringgroupthatevolvedfromfourpeoplemeetingatacabinforaweekend.

Weweresittinginsomebody’scabinandwejustsaid,‘Youknow,nobodymentoredus.Howdidwegetthroughit?’Wewouldjustcalleachotherevenwhenweweren’tworkingtogetheranylonger.Wecouldsay‘Ijustgotthisproject,whatdoyouthink?ThisiswhatI’mthinking.’Youknow,wewouldjustbounceideas.Howare

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wegoingtostayvibrant?Howarewegoingtostaysothatwecancontinueourcareersaswegetolder?

Bethsuggestedsettingupa‘personalboardofdirectors’:

…ahandfulofpeople,thatwhenyouneedapickmeup,youneedsomeperspective,youneedtobeopenandhonestaboutwhereyouare.Findthosepeoplethatyoucanjustpickupthephone,anytime,dayornight,andtalkwithaboutwhereyouareandtheycanhelpgetyoubackonthepath,becauseit’shardtodoentirelybyyourself.Ithinkit’sreallyhavingpeopleprovideaperspectivethatmightmakeyouthinkaboutthingsdifferentlythanyouhavebeeninyourownhead.

Heatherhadmanyprofessionalandpersonalfriendswhowere“willingtohaveaconversationaboutit”(i.e.,thelayoff).Shesaidthesepeoplewouldbewillingtohavecoffeeorlunch,sendherleadsforjobpostings,orevenreferhertootherslookingforsomeonewithherskills.Bethreferredtopeopleclosetoherasher“personaladvisors”for“justapatonthebackorpeoplethatIcouldjustcallandveryopenlyexpresswhereverIwas,whateverIwasfeeling.”Bethreferredtothe“secondring”ofconnections:“UsuallypeoplethinkthatthepeopleIknowbest,myclosestfriendsandrelationshipsaregoingtobetheoneswhoaregoingtohelpmegetajob.Idon’tnecessarilythinkthat’sthecase.It’sthepeoplethattheyknow,thenextringout.Ithinktypicallyit’sthatsecondorthirdringofconnectionswhereyouwillfindyournextopportunity.”Sallyhadmovedtoanewcommunityandhadajobthatinvolvedtravelingeachweek.Whensheleftherjob,sheknewnooneinthecommunity,butshefeltthatevenstrangerswereopentohelpingher.“IfeelveryconnectedtopeopleandIhavepeoplewhoarewillingtohelpmeout.WhatIdon’thaveissomeonetohangoutwithonSaturdaynight.”

InnerpowerandresilienceTherewasasenseofinnerpowerandresilienceexpressedbyanumberoftheco-researchers.Instartingupanewconsultingbusiness,Heatherexpressedthat“Ijustdecided‘Well,Imayaswelltrythisandnothavethatriskofgettinglaidoffagain.’”Bethshared,“Ihaven’tlostanything.I’mbackinthegrooveagain.So,ifIgetoffthegroove,IknowIcangetbackin.”George,anoutplacementprofessional,agreed:“Oncetheygetthemselvesbackuptheytendtobemoreresilientandtheywillhavedustedthemselvesoffalittlequickerifandwhenithappensagain.”Lindaexpressedthat,

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ThingsthatIwouldhavereallygottenupsetaboutorwouldhaveworriedmeorwhatever,yougothroughaseriesofthesechallengesandlifepresentsthemwhetherit’sinaworkenvironmentorjustinlife,andit’samazinghowyoucanhandlethings.Youactuallydobecomestrongerandyoucanlookatthingsmuchmorelogicallyand‘Icanhandlethis’.Iknowthere’sawaythatwhatevertheproblemis,thattherearesomeactionablethingsthatcanbedonetoeitherminimizeitoreliminateit.

Lindaalsosharedthatithelpstokeepyourconfidencelevelhighand“notallowyourthinkingthatsomeoneelseissayingyoudon’thavethevaluethatyouthoughtyoudidoryouweren’tbringingvaluethatyouthoughtyoudid.”Expressingthatresiliencyandpositivity,Lindasaid,waskeyinhowyoupresentyourself:“…knowingthatyoudohaveskillsandvaluethatyoucanbring,becauseyouhavetostayresilientandyouhavetostaypositiveandupwhenyou’regoingoutandsellingyourself.Youcan’tgooutandthenfeellikeyou’regoingtostartcryingwhenyou’reinterviewing,becauseyou’resosadaboutwhereyou’vebeen.”Bethfeltthattheexperiencebroughthertoa“newlevelofresiliency”:

Becauseofmypersonallifeexperiencethroughmyhusband’ssuddendeathandtryingtoraisemykidsbymyself,Imean,I’vebeenthroughseveralstepsofresiliency.ButthiswasjustonemorethatkindoftookmeuptoanewperspectiveandabroaderperspectiveandIthinkeverychallengethatyoumeetdoesgiveusanopportunitytoincreaseourcapacityforresilience.

Laterinthedialogue,Bethshared,

I’mprettyclosetothetopofthevistawherenobodyisgoingtofazemeanymore.Nobodyisgoingtofazeme.

Alongwithdrawingoninnerpowerwasawillingnesstoberealisticandreflective.Bethsaid,

Ithinkyouhavetodigdeepandbehonestwithyourselfintermsofwhatcouldyouhavedonedifferently?HowdidIperhapscontributetothesituation?OrwhatweremyblindsidesthatIwasn’tacknowledgingorseeinginthedynamic?IthinkyouhavetobebrutallyhonestwithyourselfandthenIthinkinthathonesty,reallyassesstheskillsthatyouhaveandbringandnotlosethat.

Faithandtenacitywerementionedbyseveraloftheco-researchers,andwerecalledoutasespeciallyimportantwhenyouweren’tinasituationwhereyouweregettingfeedbackeverydayasyoumighthavewhenyouwereonthejob.Bethsaid,“Ithinkthattenacityandthecontinuingtojustkeepgoingandnotlosingsteamandgettingdisconnectedislikethesecretingredient.”

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Barb,anoutplacementprofessional,intalkingaboutworkingwiththosewhohavebeenlaidoff,said,

Weneedthetimetogetrejuvenated.So,reallyhelpingtoalleviatethisfearoftheunknown,thefearofuncertaintycomesin,becausetheygetthroughsomeofthebasicfearsofthejoblossandtheymeetotherpeople.Theyrealizetheyhaveanetworkandnowthetrustpiececomesin.Thisiswherethespiritualpiececomesin,trustingthatthereisaplanthereandrightnow,thisisatransition.

Therewassomeexpressionoflearningfromalayoffhowtobebetterpreparedthenexttime.Lindashared,

AndyoubuildyourskillsandIthinktheattitudeisalittledifferentafterthefirsttimeyou’vebeenlaidoffbecauseallofasuddenyourealizethatyouaredispensablenomatterhowskilledyouare,forsomereason.Andyouneedtomakesurethatyourememberthatyouhavetoplanahead.Likeyourparentsplannedaheadwithyouaround,realistically,everybodythat’sourfriendsthat’sthesameage,thingsaregoingtochange.Theyarenever,ever,evergoingtostaythesamenomatterhowmuchyouloveit.Nomatterhowgreatitis,thingsaregoingtochange.SoIthinkbeingproactiveaboutthat.Somebodythat’salwaysworkedforthesamecompanymaynothavethatrealizationthatthingsarenevergoingtostaythesame.Imaynotworkforthiscompanyforever,whatamIgoingtopreparefor?HowamIgoingtopreparethebestthatIcan,bestlaidplans,buthowcanIpreparenotonlyinlifebutinmycareerbecauseit’sagiven,thingsaregoingtochange.

Inmyowncase,mycareerdevelopedathemeoflayoffs,downsizings,acquisitions,andtransition.Ilearnedtohavemyresumeupdatedatalltimes,andtokeepmynetworkinggoingallthetime,andIencouragedotherswithwhomIworkedtodothesame.IkeptuptodatewithvariousindustriesIhadbeenapartof,andkeptintouchwithpeoplewhomightbehelpfulthenexttimeIfoundmyselfintransition.

ChangesinvaluesTherewerenumerousexpressionsofchangeinvaluesthroughoutthelayoffandtransitiontimeperiod.Someofthesehadtodowithfinances,someelementsofemploymentandtheworkplace,andsomehavingtodowithrelationshipsandpeople.Whilesomeofthesechangeswereuninvited,somebroughtwiththemfeelingsofpeaceandcomfortfortheco-researchers.Sally,beingsingleandhavingsurvivedbothherparents,saidshehadtoseriouslyre-evaluatehermaterialpriorities.

IthinkIfinallyturnedtoresignationandayearafterIleftXYZcompany,Iwent,I’mgoingtoreallyhavetochangemylife.It’snevergoingtobewhatitwas,intermsof

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finances.Bychangingmylife,thatwasn’tallbad.Onthefinancialside,Iwasverysad.IlearnedintheprocessthatallthesethingsIhadwere‘stuff’.Forexample,Isoldmyfamily’ssilver.AndforalongtimeIthought,oh,howcanIdothat,andthenIwent,it’s‘stuff’.Imean,yeah,itcamefrommymother,butit’s‘stuff’.HowoftendoIuseit?Almostnever.Itsitsinmychest.Itlooksbeautiful,likeImadeit.Andreally,whatisit?Sosomeday,ifIfindthatIreallyneedit,Icanbuysomemore.AndIkindofwent,youknowwhat,ifit’sstuffthatsomedayImayneed,Icanbuysomemore,honestly,howimportantisthat?Itreallychangedmyvaluesalot.

Later,intalkingmoreaboutmoneyissues,Sallyaddedastatementthatcontinuedthedialoguearoundmaterialthings:

Honestly,Iwillsay,I’mextremelypoor,butI’mveryhappy.Idon’tneedanything,really.AtsomepointIneedanewsofa,becausemine’sfallingapart,butImean,Idon’tneedanything.

Sallyalsosharedchangesinherperceptionofworkandtheroleitplayedinherlife.

WhatIreallyvaluenowareexperiences,andIusedtobeintomytitleandIwantedtobeavicepresidentandyouknowwhat,soIgotthere.Whatwasthatworth?Nothing.I’vestartedlookingatthepurposeofworkasgivingmemoneyinsteadofthepurposeofworkistofulfillme.Causeitusedtobeworkwasmyfulfillment,andIrealizedthatitisn’t.Andhonestly,morepeopleshouldprobablylookatitlikethat.It’sgreattobefulfilled,butwaytoomuchofit’soutofyourcontrol.

Bethsharedasimilarsentimentwhenshesaid,

It’seasy,Ithinksometimes,togetsuckedin,ifyouwill.ButwhenIwasatABCnonprofit,Imadethatconsciousdecision.IknewIwasmakingit.Iwantedto.ThatworkhelpedhealmeandIknewthatIhadthecapacity.Ihadthetime.Ihadtheinterest.That’swhereIfeltIwasplacedthere,toreallyinvestintheirwork.So,IwasconsciousaboutwhatIwasdoing.IwillnowbemuchmoreconsciousandIwon’t,Idon’tthink,Iwon’teveragainhavemyworkhavethatmuchmeaning.Iwon’tallowmyworktohavethatmuchmeaning.

Regardingstatusintheworkplace,Lindasaid,“Idon’tneedthatcornerofficeanymore.It’snotreallyimportanttome.Icanworkinacubicle;it’sok.ButIcanrememberatimeinmycareerwhenthatwasabigdeal.Itwas.”Thequestion“Howdoyoudefinesuccess?”ledsomeoftheco-researcherstotalkaboutrelationships.Somewereworkingtowardchangingtheirvaluesaroundthetypesofrelationshipstheywouldcultivate,desiringdeeperandmorefulfillingonesthantheyhadhadbefore.Sallyindicatedthathervaluesaroundwhatwasimportantrelatingtopeoplehadchanged.

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I’mintorelationshipsnow.Iwanttobewithpeoplewhoarereal.I’mtiredofbeinginaworldthat’snotreal.IfeellikeIcanbereal.Icanbeme.Icantelltherealstoryofwhatreallyhappens,whatreallygoesonandIcanhelppeopleinthat.

Andlater,sheshared,“Iwanttobearoundpeoplewhoarereal.Iwanttobeinsituationsthatarereal.That’swhatit’sallkindoftaughtme.Successiskindoflivingyourlifeandbeinghappy.”Bethexpressedsimilarviews,saying

Idefinesuccessascreatingdeep,authenticrelationshipsinmylife.Ofhavingan,Idon’tknowtherightword,butadiversifiedsatisfactioninmanyareasofyourlife….health,professional,financial,personalfriendships,spiritual,thatinallofthosethatmakeupthewheelofyourlifethatIhaveareasthatIwanttoimprove,butI’mprettyhighpercentageofhowthat’sallbalancingoutandweavingintomylifeandthattomeissuccess.Andmykidsaredoingwell.They’reatleastmakingtheirwayandmovingforwardandIhaveagoodrelationshipwiththem;that’sprettybig.

ChangesinrelationshipsSeveraloftheco-researchersexperiencedchangesinrelationships,mostlyrelatedtoformercolleaguesandfriends.BothSallyandLindaexperiencedachangeinrelationshipswithsomepeopleduringtheirtransition,asituationthattheyhadnotexpectedandhadtodealwith.Thisclearlyhurtthem,asevidencedinthewaytheyexpressedit.Sallysaid,

Therearepeoplewhodon’twanttobearoundyouifyou’renotemployed.Definitely.Thereweredefinitelypeoplewhothinkthat’sallbad.Thatanybodywholosestheirjob,that’sbadandallIsaytothemis,justwaituntilithappenstoyou.TherearepeoplewhoIjusthadtoendatwenty-yearfriendshipbecausethatperson’snotinrealityandtheycouldnotunderstandwhatIhadbeengoingthrough.

Lindashared,

Itisamazingtomewhoendsupstandingnexttoyouwhenyougothroughthiskindoftransition.It’snotalwaysthepeoplethatyouthinkwouldbestandingnexttoyou.ThefirsttimeithappenedIwasreallyhurt.Iwaslike,ohmygosh,I’mgoingthroughthisterribletimeandthepeoplethatI,atleasttheoneortwopeoplethatIhadthoughtwouldbethereforme,justkindofdisappeared.It’sthatfeelingof,ohIhavecooties,youknowlikealittlekid.Ihadcooties.

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Beth’sworkrelationshipschangedwhenshewaslaidoff,whichimpactedherabilitytonetworkwithformercolleaguesinherjobsearch.

Theirallegiancehadtostaywiththeorganizationversuswithanindividualthatleft,andwiththenewmanagement.Ilost,really,mybestreferralandconnections.Ilosttheabilitytore-leveragethoseandthatwasveryfrustrating.Theycouldn’tbeloyaltotheorganizationandreallytryandmeetwithmeandguideandhelp.

ChangesinfinancesForsomeoftheco-researchers,thereweredefinitelyimpactsofthefamily’sreducedincome,orlackofincomealtogether.Sally,BethandLindaaresingleandexpressedthedeepestconcerns.Koleanexpressedthatshefeltsafefinancially,butonlybecauseherhusbandhadagoodjobandhadalwaysbeenthemajorbreadwinnerofthefamily.Heatherandherhusbandwerebothunemployedatthesametimebuthadsavingstofallbackon.Sally’stransitionoccurredrightatthetimeofthelatest“greatrecession”in2008,andsheshared,

SoIwasjustlike,ohmyGod,hereIam.IhavethishouseIjustbought….thenimmediatelytherecessionhitandIcanrememberjustwatchingmymoneygoawayandknowingthatIdidn’thaveajobandIcanrememberthatthreemonths,wheneverythingfellapart,ittookuntilMarch,forthemarkettobottomout,andIcouldrememberjustcallingmybrokerandsaying,ohmyGod,Ihavenothing.ThisisallIhaveandit’sgoingawayandIwasjustlike,ohmyGod,Ican’tbelievethis.NotonlyhaveIlostmyjob,I’velostmyretirement,I’velostmysavingsandhowcouldthisbeatonetime.IjustfeltdevastatedanditfeltlikeIhadnocontrol.Ithinkthatwasthebiggestthing,feelingnocontrol.Andnobodytoturnto.

Heranxietywasveryevidentassherecalledthefeelingsofdesperationshehadduringthattime.Shecontinued,

SoIrealizedI’mgoingtohavetochangemylifebecauseI’mnotgoingtohavethemoneyIhadbeforeandI’velostalotofmoneyintheprocessofchangingmylifeandgoingthroughtherecessionandhavingtopayformyselfwithoutjobs.

Lindahadconcernsaboutretirementfundingtoo:

Justevenpsychologicallyandfinanciallyforme,Iwasoffprettyclosetoayearandactuallyalmostninemonthswithoutsavingformy401(k)(retirementfunding).Ididn’thavetogointosavings,thankgoodness,butbottomline,Ineedtohaveacertainamountofmoneytofeelcomfortableinordertobeabletoretire,andIwasn’tquitethereyet.

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Atthesametime,Lindafeltthatshehaddefinedsomeofherpriorities,likehousing,forexample:“I’mgettingtoapointnowwhereI’vegotsomeparametersthatsay‘Idon’twantabighouse’….whatIcanafford,realistically,whatIcanaffordversuswhatIwant,andtobecomfortable.Idon’twantmorethan2000squarefeet.Iwantittobecomfortable.”ForBeth,beingasingleheadofhouseholdmeantdoingwhatshehadtodoinordertokeepsomemoneycomingin:“Ididn’thaveanotherincometokeepmyhouseholdgoingandmyfamilygoing,sofilingforunemploymentandgoingthroughthatwholeprocesswasimportanttodoevenifit’snotnecessarilypleasant.”Shealsofeltthatitlimitedherchoicesforfutureincome.Whenitcametoconsideringstartingupherownbusiness,shesaid,

Again,beingasingleparent,Ireallydidn’thaveflexibility.Ineededbenefits;Ineededthestabilityofapaycheck.Ididn’treallyhavetimeforrampupandstartingmyownbusiness.NotthatIdon’tthinkthatit’svaluable;Ido,butIwasverycautiousfromaneconomicsstandpoint.Ijustdidn’twanttoendupspendingalotofmoneythatIdidn’thavecomingin.

Intermsoffindinghelpwithgainingemployment,suchascareercoachingandcounseling,Bethsaidshe“didsomeofthosetypesofthingswhereyouwereinvestingfiftytoseventy-fivedollars,nottwothousand.”Inmyownexperience,IknowthatIfoundmyselfbecomingveryconsciousofspendinghabitsandespeciallyfeelingbadlyaboutnotbeingabletohelpmykidsmore.IalsofeltthatIneededtostayathomemuchmore,becauseIknewthatifIwentoutwithfriends,Iwouldbetemptedtospendmoremoneywhentherewasn’tanycomingin.

Prioritiesandchallengesofbeingunemployedandover50Therewasagreatdealofdialoguearoundchangesinprioritiesandwhat’simportanttothoseover50,andhowthataffectsthechoicesthattheyfeeltheyhave.Therewasafeelingthattheyhad“paidtheirdues”andwere“owed”moreindependence,theabilitytomakemoreoftheirowndecisions,andsettheirownpace.Thatseemedtobetheimpetusforsometoconsidergoingoutontheirowntostartabusinessorworkfreelanceorteachinanadjunctcapacity.Mostexpressedadesiretobepartofmeaningfulwork,workthatwasmovingthingsaheadandshowingprogress.Somewantedto“giveback”inamoremeaningfulwayatthisstageoflife.Theywantedabetterbalanceofpersonal,professionalandcommunity“work”,oftenreferredtoasa“portfoliolife”(Corbett&Higgins,2009).George,whoworkswithpeopleinanoutplacementbusiness,expressedtheprioritieshesawinmostofthepeopleover50,theconceptofmixingpersonal,professionalandcommunity,andalsodelineatedthedifferencesbetweenmenandwomenthathehadobserved:

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‘Iwanttogetoffthehamsterwheel,’theyoftensay;‘thepursuitofmorepowerandstatusandmoneyisn’tnecessarilydoingitformeanymore.Ilikethegamestillofsuccessandbusiness,butI’vealsogotsomethingstogivetothecommunity.I’dliketobealittlebitmoreavailabletomyfamilyandmyfriends.’So,thisnotionofablendedlife,ittendstoallthree.IdoalsohaveatheoryofwhyIthinkwomenlivelongerthanmen:historicallywomenhaveunderstoodthisformoreoftheirlife,thatyou’vegotpersonal,professionalandcommunityresponsibilities.

Someoftheco-researchersbroughtupreflectionsoftheirearlycareersthathadcausedthemtochangecoursesinlaterlife.SallyhadbeenincorporateAmericaandovertheyearshadfounditdifficult,sothatshenowdidn’tseeherselfafitforit.“OnetimeIthought,didIgetraisedwrong,becauseifIhadreallyrealizedwhatitwaslikeincorporateAmerica,thewholepoliticalsideofit,whichI’mreallybadatandIhate,Idon’tknowifIwouldhavedoneit.”Prioritieswereoftenexpressedintermsofrelationships.Koleansaid,“Iliketobeabletobeflexibleinmyschedule,becauseIreally,earlyonitwasthekids,butnowIhavefriendshipsthatIwouldliketomaintainandclassesthatIwouldliketotake,travelthatIwouldliketodo,butIalsowanttogivesomethingback.Iwanttodosomethingmeaningful.”Heatheralsosaidthatitwasimportanttohertobedoing“meaningfulwork”.Lindaalsoexpressedaninterestinspendingtimewithfriendsandgivingback:

ButIwasthinkingoflongterm,whatfinancially,what’sgoodformeasfarasfeelinglikeI’mcontributing.Iwaslookingintook,ifIdoretire,whatamIgoingtodothatIcanstillfeellikeI’mcontributingback,thatI’mgoingtoremainrelevant,thatI’mgoingtobechallengedinthoughtsmentally,andsothosewerethekindsofthingsthatIwaskindoflookingat.Longterm/shortterm.Therearepeoplethatwe’relosingandyoudon’tknowifyou’regoingtobeabletoliveto88,92,or72andhowmuchtimedoIreallywanttospendworkingdayinanddayoutandnothavingfunlikesomeofmyfriendsthataretrulyretired.AmIgoingtomissoutonthat?AmIgoingtobelike,Ishouldhavequitworking?

Sallyalsohadadesireto“giveback”inwhatshecalledher“thirdact”:

Idobelieveinathirdact.It’satermIheardJaneFondauseaboutherownlife.Partofmythingwithsuccess,I’mnotsurethatIknowwhatsuccessis,butIknowthatI’vegotthirtymoreyearsonthisplanet,probably.IjustturnedsixtyandIwanttoenjoythem.I’mreallymorefocusingongivingback.Iknowthatmightsoundclichébutthat’swhatIfeellike.IfeellikeIhaveallthisexperiencethatI’velearnedinthirtyyearsinbusinessandsurelyIcanhelpsomebodywithit.

Anumberoftheco-researcherswereinterestedin,wereinvestigating,orhadalreadyembarkedonfreelanceworkasanextstep,forvariousreasons.Sallysaid,

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Ithinkessentiallythat’swhatI’mdoing.I’mbeingafreelancerinsomewaysoramgoingtobeafreelancerandtome,that’sareallyattractivemodel.Therearelotsofgoodthingsaboutbeingafreelancer.Especiallytohavetimeflexibilityandthingslikethatarereallygood.Thebigproblemismostfreelancerssaythemoneyisnotsteady.

Lindasharedthatshethoughtconsultingwouldbetheperfectoption,herfirstchoice:“Iwouldbeabletodiveintoaproject,workthreemonths,sixmonths,whatever,andhavesomeincomecomingin,notgointomy401(k)orretirementorwhatever,andstillhavetimetoplay.”

FeelingageismFeelingageismduringthetimeoftransitionwasrealformostoftheco-researchers.Someofthemsimplyacknowledgedthattheyfeltit;forothersitseemedtocausefrustrationandevenanger.Someofthemtriedtospeculateonthe“whys”.Marcia,arecruiter,whenaskedaboutageism,said,

Yes,you’reright.Agediscriminationisrampant.Inmyopinion,inmyyearsinthesearch,I’veseenagediscriminationtentimesoverracediscrimination,gender,oranyotherkindofdiscrimination.So,ifIwereintransition,Iwouldworryaboutthat.Itisthere.So,IwouldnotsweepthatundertherugandIwouldshoreupeverysinglepiecethatIhavetonotperpetuateastereotypethatsomebodymightwrongfullyhaveaboutmeandmytechnologysavvy,mypace,mywillingnesstoworkhardorwhateverthecasemightbe.

Ontheotherhand,Marciaalsoexpressedoptimismforthoseoverfiftygiventherealitiesofthejobmarket:

AtonepointIdidspeakonthisandtoldagroupofemployers,“Ifyou’renotlookingatcandidatesoverfifty,youaremissingthebestpartofthepool.”AndIdobelievethat,andIthinkit’sgoingtoinchup.Wecan’tignorethefifty-year-oldcandidatewhenthereisalackofcandidateswhoareintheirforties,let’sjustsay.Andthatfifty-year-oldcandidateintendstoworktwenty-fivemoreyears.SoIdothinkthatsortofwe,hiringentities,needto,aregoingtocontinuetoinchupwhatwedefineasseniorintheworkplaceandit’snotgoingtobefiftyandupanymore.It’sgoingtobefifty-sevenanduporsomethinglikethat.Andweneedtogetthere.

Barb,anoutplacementprofessional,talkedabouthowweneedto“startturningageintoadvantage”.Shesaid,referringtoJeanErickson-Walker,theauthorofTheAgeAdvantage(Walker,2000),

Theysaywedon’toversellenoughofthefactthatweknowhowtogetthingsdone.

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So,forpeopleintheirfifties,theygetthataboutowningitasacareerandrunningitlikeabusiness.Thehiringadvantagesarethatthere’sdepthandbreadthofexperience.Wehavegoodjudgment,goodpeopleskills,workethicandweshouldactuallyusethatlanguage.Youknow,‘Tellmesomethingaboutyourselfthatyouwouldsayisuniquetoyou?’‘Well,Fran,I’vealwaysgottengoodfeedbackthatIhavegoodjudgmentaboutmydecisionsthatImake’andthenyoufollowupwithanexample.Shesaysthatwhatwedon’tsellenoughisourcommitmenttocompanygoals,credibilitywiththestakeholders,whenyouhadtobepoliticallysavvy,andwedon’thaveanyoftheissueswithallthekidstoday,sowetakefewersickdays.Shesaidbecausethecorporateladder’sgone,stopworryingaboutit.Whenyouwalkinthedoor,whereisyourcredibility?

Koleansaidsimply,“AndIimagineyou’veheardthisfromotherwomenofourparticularage,peoplereallyaren’tinterestedinhiringwomenourage.”Sallysaid,“Ithinkthey’relookingforyoungerpeople.Theydon’tevenrespond.Soyoudon’tevengetanemailbackthatsays,wegotitandwedon’twantyou….Ithinktheydon’twanttheolderworkerforabunchofreasons.Ithinkthatthere’sahugebiasagainstusintermsthattheybelievewearenotsavvyatall,digitally.”Sheaddedlater,“ButIthinktheotherthingis,Ithinkweareviewedas,whenyou’reayoungerperson,they’reintimidatedbythelevelofexperience.Theyalsothink,oh,they’regoingtocomehereandtrytotakemyjob.IneverthoughtinmylifeIwouldbeinthissituation.”Sallytalkedaboutherparttimejobwiththegovernmentwheremanyoftheworkersweredisplaced,olderworkers.

Ifounditthroughafriend’shusbandandalargemajority,morethanhalfofthepeopleIworkedwitharedisplacedpeoplelikeme.They’veallbeenlaidoff.Imean,Ican’ttellyou,themosthighlyeducatedpart-timeworkforceyou’veeverheardof.Imean,therearepeoplewithPhDs,lawdegrees,multiplemaster’sdegrees,formervice-presidents,patentholders,youwouldn’tbelieveit.Almostallofushavebeenlaidofforforcedintoearlyretirement.Therearequiteafewofthemthathadtotakeanearlyretirement.

Lindafeltdiscouragedbyageisminthehiringprocessaswell:

Ithoughttomyself,I’mgettinginterviewsatthesepositions.Imean,onpaper,thesepositionsareabsolutelymadeforme.Ishouldbegettingthisjob.TheywouldbesogladthattheywouldhiremebecauseIcandothis.I’vedonethis.Iknowexactlywhattheyneed.IwilltellyouthatIfoundthatonceIdidaface-to-face,thenallofasuddenpeoplebackedaway,andI’mgoingtomakeanassumptionthattheyknewthatIwasnotinmy30sor40s,andIwasgettingreallydiscouragedbecauseIwasn’tobviouslyreadytoretire.

Bethtalkedaboutthejobsearchbeingdifferentnow,andfeelingsofageism:

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Thiswastotally,totally,totallydifferentandthefirsttimeIreallyeverexperiencedit.Sothatwaschallengingbecauseyouthinkyou’vebeenworkingforfortyyears.You’vehadverypositiveexperiencesallalongthewayandsuddenlyyoudon’t.It’slike,why?Youknowwhat’sdifferentandthat’salljustpartofthequestioningbutwhatwasdifferentwasjustmyexperienceofbeingabletointerview,gettheopportunitiestointerview,onceIinterviewed,nothavingcommentsorquestionsorjudgmentbecauseofmyageandassumptions.Thingslike,onecompanyIwasinterviewingforandIwasinterviewingwithayoungerindividualwhowasthedirectorofmarketingandthefeedbackfromourinterviewwas,wellIdon’tthinkshecanselltechnology.AndIsaid,wellthat’sinteresting,whatdidIsay,ortellmemoreaboutthat.Whatgaveherthatimpression?Well,notreallyanything.Wastheresomething?IhadmetwiththeCEOandshecameintothemeetingfortenminutes,soitwasn’treallythatmuchtime.Wasitsomethingonmyrésumé?WasitsomethingIsaid?No,no,nothingreally.SoreallytherewasnothingexceptforthefactthatIwasanolderindividualandthentheymakeanassumptionthatyoucan’tdotechnology.

Heathersaidthatshehadparticipatedinan“over40”classthattaughtapplicantshowtoaddresstheagefactorintheirjobsearch:

Oneofthethingsthattheysuggestedina‘findingajoboverforty’classisthatyouaddressyourageismbecauseit’stheelephantintheroom.Youtalkaboutbeingenergizedandbeingeagertocontinueworkingandthatyouhavesomuchtoshareandifthiscompanywantstogrow,they’regoingtoneedpeoplewhohaveexperienceandifthey’reonlyhiringyoungpeoplewhodon’thaveexperience,they’regoingtohavesomechallengeswhentheyaretryingtogrow.

RenewedenergyTherewereexpressionsofnewworkpassionsthatwereprovidingenergytotheco-researchers.Sallyreflectedonadjunctteaching:“IloveteachingandIgotreallygreatevaluationsfromthestudentsandstuff;Iwaslike,thisisperfect,thisiswhatIneedtobedoing.Iloveit,theylikeme;it’sagreatthing.”Heatherhadaninternshipopportunity:“Well,thisinternshipsproducerexcitedme,becauseitsoundedlikesomethingIcoulddo.Itwouldbefun.Itwouldbeinteresting.Itwouldbeachallenge.Itwasparttime,soitwouldkindoffitinwiththeotherconsultingthatI’mdoing.”Heathersaidthatshegotherenergyfromotherpeople.“I’manextrovert.So,I’menergizedbybeingaroundpeopleandreadingbusinesspublications,goingonline,connectingwithwhat’sthelatest,followingthetrends,seeingthefuture.”Koleanwasdoingvolunteerworkinthedesignarenarelatedtothehistoryofgraphicarts:“ItkeptmeverybusyandrightnowI’mworkingwithsomeonewho’sworkingontranslatingthatphysicalexhibitwhichwaspanelsandallofthesedifferentthingsintoadigitalform.Soitwillbeanonlinehistory.Imean;theexhibititselfwasreallycool,butit

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wastemporary.Andsothiswillbesomethingthatwillbeareallymeaningfulresourceanddocumentation.So,I’mverypleasedandproudofthat.”Therewasagreatdealofconsensusinthedialoguesaroundthetopicofvolunteeringanditsbenefits:feelinguseful,makingcontacts,staying“inmotion”,buildingoptimismandhope.Marcia,arecruiter,said,“Idoatsomepointcounselpeople,maybetheworstoftheworst,workforfree.Thethingis,callyourchurch.Dotheirbooks.Organizethechildren’sprogram.Anything.Youmustnowworkforfree.Startgivingawayandthenlowandbeholdthenexttimeyoutalktothem,they’vegotprojectsandmeetingsandoneneedstosprinkleone’slifewiththetypesofactivitiesthatone’susedto.Paidorunpaid.That’sbeenmyadvicetoalotofpeople,too,isfindavolunteerposition.Findanyorganizationthatyoucan,andI’vedonethat,too,whenI’vebeenintransition.”Koleangotinvolvedinanartprogramforunderprivilegedyouth:“SoIdothat;Ijustdoitinthefallandit’safterschoolonedayaweek.Sothat’snot,youknow,abigcommitment,butIdoenjoythat.That’sagreatvolunteeractivity,becauseI’mnotinchargeofanything.Ijustneedtoshowupandhelpmylittlepersonwiththeircostumeandit’sreallyfun.Ilikethepeoplearound.”Sallyworkedatherchurchintheirmissionprogramforunderprivilegedkids.Inmyowncase,Iworkedwithasmallnonprofitprovidinghousingandservicesforindividualsandtheirfamiliesinrecovery.Theywereinneedofleadershipontheirboardtotakethemthroughamerger,andIhadagreatdealofexperienceinthat.Ithelpedmetoconfirmsomeofmyskillsandbuiltmyconfidence.IalsovolunteeredatanonprofitworkingwithindividualslivingwithHIVandAIDS,andthatvolunteeropportunityledtoaparttime,freelancegrant-writingjob.

UniqueforwomenAfewoftheco-researchersidentifiedwaysthatthelayoffover50andsubsequentjobsearchwasdifferentforwomen.Oneoftheareaswasnetworking;theyfeltwomendidthismorenaturallythanmen.Lindasaid,

Ifirmlybelievethatfromtalkingwithsomeofthesemenandfromtalkingtosomeoftheirwives,they’vesaidthewivesaretheonesthatsaid,‘Youneedtogetoutandnetwork.’Theyweretheonesthatsaidtogotalktosomepeopleandnetwork,andtheguysdonotdoit.Theysay,‘I’mjustnotanetworkingtype.’Butthat’swhatyouhavetodotogetajob.That’swhatyouhavetodo.Idon’tcare.‘I’mjustgoingtosithereatmycomputerandI’mgoingtoapplyforsomemorejobsontheInternet.’That’smainlywhattheydid.Theyhadarealhardtimewithwholethenetworkingthing.Yet,womendoitvoluntarily,evenwhentheydon’thaveto.

Ihavefoundthistobetrueinmyownexperiencewithmeninworkenvironments.Theyusuallyassociatewithpeopleatworkandseemtofindexcusesnottonetworkoutsidetheircircles:toobusywithwork,notnecessaryintheirfield,don’twanttobotherpeople.

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Atnetworkingevents,Ioftennoticetheratioofwomentomenisquitehigh.

NarrativeAnalysisoftheFocusGroupDuringthedialogues,theco-researcherswereverypositiveaboutthepossibilityofgettingtogetherinafocusgrouptobuilddialoguearoundtheirexperiencesandlearnfromeachother.Thiswaspartofthedesignoftheinquiry,butitwasstillveryhearteningthattheyweresoanxioustoparticipate.ThemethodIchoseforthefocusgroupwasbasedupontheArtofFocusedConversation(Stanfield,2000),describedintheMethodologysection.(FormatandquestionsareinAppendixIII.)Ihadsenttheco-researchersthenarrativeanalysisofthedialogues,sotheywereabletobecomefamiliarwiththethemesIhaduncovered.(Oneco-researcher,Beth,wasunabletoattendthefocusgroupatthelastminute.)Thenarrativeanalysisfollowstheflowoftheconversationthatmovedfromobjectivetoreflectivetointerpretive,andfinally,todecisionallevel.

AnalysisWebeganbyfocusingonthewordsorphraseswerememberedfromreadingtheanalysisofthedialogues.ThefirstwordthatKoleanmentioned,andeveryoneagreedwith,was“shock.”Sallyrecalledthatwhenshereadthenarrativeanalysis,“I’msurprisedIsaiditsomanytimes.Inoticeditwithothersaswell.Shockedwastheword.”Otherwordsandphrasesidentifiedwere“devastated,”“feelingofbeinglost,”“disoriented,”“grief”and“beingstuck.”WhenIaskedforelaborationon“beingstuck”andaskedifitwasbeingstuckindifferentphasesorbeingstucknotknowingwhattodonext,Koleansaid“both”.EveryoneinthegroupreallyresonatedwithLinda’smetaphoroffeelinglikeadoorhadbeenclosedbehindherandshewasinadarkhallway.Therewasalotofdialoguearoundthefactthatpeoplehadnotlefttheirjobsvoluntarily,thatitwasnottheirchoicetoleave.Iaskedthegroupwhatthemestheyrememberedfromreadingthenarrativeanalysis,andtheyaskedmetoreadthemback,whichIdid.Someofthethemesthattheysaidtheyrememberedidentifyingwithwerebeingtired.Sallycommented,“Inoticedthatamongallthedescriptions…beingtired…anditwashardtotellifitwasjustbeingtiredofthesituationorbeingtiredafteralltheseyearsworkingthatthen,thishappensandthatmakesyouevenmoretired.”Therewasdialoguearoundrelationshipsandhowtheychangedonceyouwerenolongerworking,andwhostuckbyyouduringthetransition.Lindasaid,“Yourrelationshipwitheveryoneelsethatisstillworkingchanges.Ihappenedtobelaidoffacoupleoftimes,andIwasalwayssurprised(that)whoendedupstayingstandingnexttomewasn’twhoIthought…..Thenonceyouarebackonyourfeet….whatIdidrealizeishowmuchitaffectedtheactualrelationshipyouhadwiththatperson.Youcan’tgobacktothesamerelationshipwithsomebodyonceyoufeelthatway.”Koleanagreedandidentifiedafeelingof“betrayalofsorts”.Lindacomparedthistofeelingsafteradivorce,andthisresonatedwithmeaswell;Ielaboratedonthiswithastory:

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WhenIgotdivorcedtherewasawomanacrossthestreet.Herhusbandhadasuddenheartattackanddiedandjustcomparinghowpeoplereactedtoherversusmewasdevastating.Imean,shehadpeoplebringinghermeals,offeringtorakeheryard,offeringtotakeherkidsplaces,andpeopleweren’tevenspeakingtome.Itwasdevastating.AndIthoughtofthatwhenyouwroteaboutthataspartofthisprocess.Itbroughtallthatbacktomymind.

Koleanbroughtsomeamusementtothedialoguewhenshetalkedaboutthelayoffnotbeingyourfault,andfeelinglikeyouhad“cooties”,thetermLindahadalsousedinherdialoguewithme.Heathersaidamajorthemetoherwasthatthepersonwholostherjobchanged,thatshewashumbled;Koleanagreed,andaddedthatshealsofelthumiliated.Iaskedthegroupwhatwasleft“ringinginyourears”orlingering,andHeathersharedthatshefelt“badlythatnoteveryonehasresolvedtheirsituation.Thatyouhaven’tresolvedyoursituation(lookingatKolean)andIfeellikeIdidandIfeelveryfortunate,butIwisheveryonecouldfeelthewayIfeel.Ican’tputthatonpeople,thateveryoneI’veknowncouldfeelhappyandrejuvenated.”Koleanobservedthat“somanypeoplehavehadtoabsorbsomanylossesandthatpartofthehumancondition,noneofusescapeit….It’sthewayoflife,butIfinditquitemovingtohearpeople’sstoriesandrelatetohowdifferentpeopledealwithit.”Angerwasafeelingcommonlyobservedinsomeofthedialogue.Sallyshared,

Idefinitelyfeelthatway.Imean,I’mirritatedthatthebossthatwasatotaljerkgotawaywithitallandgotsavedandsenttoEuropesohecouldn’tgetintrouble.It’slike,it’swrongbuttheonethingthatItookawayattheendofitwashowmuchitchangedeachofus.Idon’tknowifthere’sadifferenceinresiliencewhenyou’reolderoryou’reyoungerorifthere’sadifferentinimpactyoucanjustshakethingsoffeasierwhenyou’reyounger.Idon’tknowwhatitisbutitcertainlychangedmyperceptionofthingsanditseemslikeitchangedallofusinsomeway.

Heathersaidshewasabitsurprisedattheangerexpressedbysomeofthegroup.

IguessIdon’trelateasmuchtotheangerthateveryoneormostpeopleexpressedbecauseIguessIwaslaidofftwiceinaboutfouryearsandinbothcases,Iknewwhy,becausethecompaniesneededtocutexpenses.Iwasoneofthehigherpaidindividualsat(these)companiesandIcouldseethewritingonthewallinbothsituations.Ikindofsawitcoming.Andso,Idon’tknow,Ijustdidn’thavetheangerthatIsensefromeveryoneelse.

Koleansaidthatthefeelingsexpressedinthedialoguesreallydidn’tsurpriseher.

IguessIwasn’tverysurprised.Thisisallsointerestingbecauseyoulookedattheseindividualstoriescapitalized,butitjustmademeevenmoresadthatotherpeople,Imeanthishappenseverydayandthatsomanygoodpeoplearejustdismissedin

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whatseemslikeaverycavalierorunfairway.It’sjustheartbreakingtomeandasfarasthereflectivepart,whensomethinghappensinyour30s,you’re30andyouhavemanyyearsaheadofyou,butbehindyouandlike,really?Ihavetostartalloveragain?

Wekeptgoingwithwhatsurprisedtheco-researchers.HeatherandLindasaidtheyweresurprisedatthestoriesofpeoplewhohadbeenwiththesamecompanyformorethanfiveyears,whichledtousallsharingourvariouslengthsoftimeatdifferentcompanies.Wetalkedabouthowmovementtoanewcompanyresultsinhavingtoproveyourselfagain,eventhoughyoubringexperiencewithyou.Sallysaid,“It’sveryinterestinghowweaspeoplejustdon’tacceptotherpeople’sbackgroundsandcapabilities.It’slikeoh,okgreat.You’vegottoproveyourselfagaintome.Imayknowthatyou’vedonealltheseotherthingsbutyouneedtoproveyourselfagainandI’vecomeacrosssomeofthathere,yeah,kindofirritating.Yeah.Notfunstartingovereverytime.”Thedialoguethenmigratedtodialoguearoundutilizationofone’stalentsandskills,andobservationsthatmanypeoplearen’ttotallysatisfiedintheirjobs,possiblybecausetheyaren’tusingthosetalentsandskillstotheirfullestpotential.Ofpossibleresearchonjobsatisfaction,Sallysaid,“No,it’sverylow.IsawsomenumberonthatbeforeandIcan’trememberwhatitis.Itisreallylow.It’slike80percentofpeopleintheUnitedStatessaythattheyhavesomerealunhappinessatwork,likesomehugenumber.Satisfactionisvery,verylow.”Koleanshared,“Ithinkthatsometimestherearen’treallygoodoptions….Ithinkthattherearealotofpeoplethattheiroutcomeisjustnotthatgreat.”Heatheragreed,saying,“Iseealotofjobsecurityconcernsandseverallatelythatsaid(their)workenvironmentistoxic,Iwanttogetoutofhere.”Thedialoguethenmovedtoresilience,andthefactthatmultiplefactorscaninfluenceyourlevelofabilityto“bounceback”whenyouareintransition.Sallyshared,

Acoupleofthoughts;theydidn’treallycomestraightfromtheworkthatwealldidwithFran,butfirstofallInoticed,andIcan’trememberwhoitiswhohadlostafamilymemberduringthis,butoneofthethoughtsthatIhadwhenIreadanythingiswhenyouhavemultiplebadthingshappentoyouatonetime,itisreallyhardtogoonanditjustsortofbytheluckofthedraw,ifyoucouldhaveoneofthosethingstohappen,youcanbeprettyresilient.Butwhenyouhavemultiplethings,itreallyhashugeeffectsonyourhealth.Imean,I’minnowherenearthephysicalshapeIwasbeforeandIknowalotofithastodowithstressandwithmewithlosingajobatthesametimethattherecessionhappenedandbeingaseniorlevelandnotbeingabletofindanotherjobandIthoughtIhadplentyofmoney.IthoughtIwasjustfinebutyouknowwhat?There’sonlysolongyoucanpayforabighousewithnojobandhavetowithdrawfrominvestmentsataquarterofthevalueyoupaidfortohavecashthatyoudon’tjustgetfor(whatyousell)andsoit’sreally,tome,alotofithastodowithwhenyouhavemultiplethingshappenatonetime.Losingajobishardbutifyouhaveitinthetimeoftherecessionwhenitseemslikealotofushasbeeninthatspaceandalotourcontemporaries,thereasonwhythey’reunderemployedorunemployedtodayisbecausetheygotlaidoffduringthe

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recessionandthey’reold,they’reover50,noonewantstohirethemagain.It’sjustreallyhardtobouncebackwhenyouhavemultiplethingshappenatonetime.

Thedialoguethenmovedtowell-beingduringatransitionalperiod.Observationsfromthedialoguesincludedpeoplefeeling“exhausted,physically,emotionally,spiritually”;“justwipedout”.Wesharedthestresseswefelt,andSallynotedthatshedidn’tobservethatsamelevelofstresswithkeepingajobinmillennials(thosereachingadulthoodaroundtheyear2000):

…incomparisontomeiswhenIseemillennialswhoseemedtohavenointerestinhavingalongrelationshipwithajoborwithacompany.They’reverywillingtogo,“Oh,Idon’tlikethisanymore;I’mgoingtogodosomethingelse.Ifitdoesn’tworkout,I’mjustgoingtodosomethingelse.”Theydon’tseemtoworryaboutit.It’sreallyinterestingtowatchthemasagenerationandofcoursewedon’tknowhowtheywillbewhentheyagebuttheirattitudeisjustsomuchdifferentaboutemploymentandhowemploymentrelatestothempersonallythanitistousasbabyboomers.It’stotallydifferent.

Thedialoguethenmovedtothechangingofthelaborforce,andthepositiveaspectsofbeingover50.Co-researcherssharedhavinglivedalotlongerandunderstandinghowthingscanhappenthatareoutofyourcontrol,havinglivedthroughvariousswingsinemploymentcycles.Wetalkedaboutsacrificingforthesakeofjobsecurity,aswellasgreaterchallengesforwomenwithlackofchoiceswhenwewerebuildingourcareers.Thisveinofdialoguemovedintofeminismandtherelationshipofjobtoidentity.Weagreedthatwhenwestartedcareerswasatimeofwantingtoproveourworth,andthedesiretonotbe,asKoleanputit,“afrivoloushousewifewhojustwentshopping”.Wejokedaboutworkinginacoffeeshopintoday’senvironment,needingtohavealaptopopensothatpeoplewouldknowthatwewereindeedworkingandnotjustspendingidletime.Werevisitedthequestionaboutstrugglingwithsomeofthethemes.Iaskediftherewasanythinginthedialoguesthatleftthemwithlingeringthoughtsorfeelings.Lindasharedthatsomeofthestoriesofthelayoffsleftherfeelinglikeamamabear:“Howdaretheydothattosomeone.”Shefeltthedrawofcommunitywiththosehavingsharedexperience.Thisledthegrouptosharingthoughtsaroundtheemployer’sperspective.Somefeltthatitwasexpectedthatemployerswoulddowhattheyhadtodotokeepthebusinessrunning,whileothersfeltthatitwasunfairtolayoffdedicatedemployees,perhapsnothavingdoneadequateplanningforvolatilityinthebusiness.Koleansaidthatshehadgreatcompassionandrespectfortheotherparticipantsandwhattheyhadbeenthrough,andhowtheyhad“comeoutoftheothersideofthat.”Othersagreedthatitreallyspoketoourresilience,just“puttingonefootinfrontoftheother”untilyoufoundyourwayout.Heathersaidthatshefeltfortunatethatherhusbandwasgoingthroughthesamethingatthesametime,andtheywereverypatientwithoneanother.IsharedtheexperiencesofmyhusbandandImovingfromWisconsintoMinnesota,both

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unemployed,andhavingsimilarfeelings.Italkedaboutourmanynetworkingmeetings,andthisledtodialoguearoundthetopicofnetworking.Therewasgreatdialoguearoundthewayintrovertsandextrovertsapproachnetworking.Lindasharedthatasanintrovert,networkingwasexhaustingforher:“Imean,forpeoplethatareintroverts,thatiswhatwetalkaboutbeingexhaustedfrom.YoureallyshouldhavehowevermanymeetingsadayandIwouldhavetwoandbelikelayingdownonthefloor!”Anumberofussharednetworkingstories,howtheprocessworkedforus,andourexperiences.Heathersaidshewasabornnetworking,althoughnotreallyanextrovert.(OthersjoinedintoagreethatHeatherwasthe“queenofnetworking”.)Shesaid,“Soitworkedforme,anditworksformetodayinmybusinessandpartofitisI’vebeen,since1981,inoneindustry,thedesignindustryandeventhoughmyrolehaschangedinthattimeperiod,IgotveryinvolvedintheprofessionalassociationandsoImetalotofpeopleandIcontinuetomeetpeopleallthetime.ButIgetalotofjoyoutofthat.”ThegroupatthispointralliedaroundKoleanasshewassharingherchallengeswithnetworking.Shewashonestinherexpressionthatshehadfeltlike“somepeoplemightrallyaroundmeandsaywe’llfiguresomethingout.AndmaybeIstillwillbutitdoesn’t,atthispointinmylife,Ijust,Ihonestlydon’thavetheenergytocompletelystartover.”Sallynotedthedifferencesbetweennetworkingwhileintransitionandnetworkingwithinacompanyyouareworkingfor:

Ihavealwaysworkedforbigcompanies.Whenyou’reinabigcompanytheremaybesomeotherpeopleinyourindustrybutprettymuch,yourcareernetworkiswithinthatcompanyandifit’sabigcompany,Imean,that’senoughtokeepyoubusy.Imean,Ihadtogettoknowpeopleandthenwhenyouleave,youdon’thaveanetworkontheoutside.SowhenIcamehere,mynetworkwasinconsumerproductsbuttherereallywereveryfewconsumerproductemployershereinKansasCity.SoIreallyhadtogoestablishnewconnectionsandthatwasreallydifferentmakingnetworkingappointmentsandthingslikethat.Imean,Ihadn’treallyhadtodothatbefore.Ithadbeenthroughmeetingsandlunches,thingslikethat,insideacompanybutmeetingandbeingreferredtomeetpeopleontheoutside;thatwasnew.

ImentionedthatMarcia,arecruiterwithwhomImetforthisinquiry,hadwrittenabookonnetworking.WealsotalkedaboutTony,anotherpersonIsoughtoutforhisexpertiseinnetworking,andhisapproachofencouragingpeopletomeetwithpeoplefromallwalksoflife,andnotjustyourownindustryorfield.Aswetransitioneddeeperintotheinterpretivelevel,Ibroughtuptheideaofapossiblemetaphorforthetransitionexperience.Ihaddoneabitofresearchonthemetaphorof“comingofage”inliteratureanditspossibleconnectiontothoseintransitionoverage50.Heathertossedaroundthephrase,andsuggestedthe“ageofwisdom.”Weexpandedupon

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this,thatitwasperhapsaboutthetransformation,therelationshipschanging,theidentitychanging,youroutlookonlifechanging.Buildingupontheideaofchangeandtransformation,Koleanbroughtuptheideaofa“thirdact”,anewstageoflife,andreferredtoabookaboutthat,entitled“TheThirdChapter”(Lawrence-Lightfoot,2009).Ialsomentioned“ThePortfolioLife”(Corbett&Higgins,2009).Aftertalkingabitaboutthosebooksandtheconceptofavarietyofrolesandaportfoliostylecareer,wecircledbacktothe“comingofage”metaphor.Koleansaid,“Itmightbethatcomingofageissoentrenchedinthenotionofteenageyearsandearlyadulthoodthatmaybeitcouldbeeasilymisunderstood.”Themetaphor“comingofage”wasnotresonatingwiththegroup,andothermetaphorswerenotcomingforth,sowemovedontotheotherquestionintheinterpretivelevel-whatthevalueofthisdialoguemighthave,forusorforanyoneelse.Heatherreferredbacktotheideaofre-creation:“Howpeoplecancometorealizethatyou’vegottorecreateourselves;it’sare-creation”.Lindareflectedonthat.“It’snotmanagingchangeanymore,it’smanagingtheRATEofchange.”Itjustkeepscomingfasterandfaster.“HowdoImakemylifemeaningfulwiththesechanges,theselosses,and,atthesametime,whatdoIdo?”Koleanbuiltupontherateofchangetheme,addingtheideaoflossofcontrolinlife,andsometimesacceptingthatsomethingsareoutofourcontrol.Thisledtootherssharingabout“control”:Isitafemalethingtowanttobeincontrol?Isitmoreofapersonalitything?Iscontrolsimplyanillusion?Doweeverreallyhavecontrol?Severalpeopleinthegroupbroughtupthatinsupport-typesettings,suchasAl-Anonorcareeroutplacement;theyweretoldthatcontrolwassimplyanillusion.Ithadhelpedthemacceptthattherewasonlysomuchtheycoulddoinsomesituations,andithadhelpedthem.Sallybroughtinanotherlineofthinking,talkingaboutherexperiencesataFortune500companyresearchingaproductforwomen.Shesharedthatinthisresearch,theyhadfoundthatwomenfeltafreedomintheir50s,havingcompletedtheiryearsofrearingchildrenandcaringforothers.Shementionedmaturationandareducedcompetitivenesswithotherwomen,“thatmaybeisasmuchapartofthisprocessaswhereweallhavebeen.Because,wemayhavebeenenteringinthisstageofourlifejustbecauseofouragingprocess,andnotjustbecauseoflosingjobsandthatsortofthing.”Thispointcausedeveryonetopauseforamomentandreflect.Correlatingthiswithjobloss,Heatherpickedupontheideaofcompetenceandfreedom,andenjoyingwhatyouaredoing,andthensomebodysaying,“you’reout,”justwhenyouthoughtyouwereintherighttime.Koleanaddedthatitfeltlike“Ihadfinallyhitmystrideandsomeonestickstheirfootoutandtripsme.”Sallythencircledbackontheideaofthismaturationphasebeingonewhere“Icannowhelpotherpeople.WhenIlookatmymaturation,that’swhatIreallyfeel.IwanttodosomethingwhereIfeellikeI’mmakingadifferenceandit’ssomethingthatIlovetodoandthat’spartofthelifestage.”Shesaidthatshedidn’tjustlookfor“anotherjob”,butfeltthat

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atthisstage,“itseemslikewealllookforsomethingthatwouldmakeushappyorthatwehadalotofpersonalinterestindoing.”Lindabuiltonthatideaandsaid,“nomatterwherewearewehaveanopportunitytohelpmentorandtokindofserveasthatvoiceofreason,avoiceofmaturity,asoundingboard.”Shethenadded,“AndIdidn’thaveanythingtoprove.Noneofushaveanythingtoprovetoanybodyaboutourlife.”Heathersaidthatshehadbeeninacoursecalled“FindaNewJobOver40”,wheretheysuggestedthatyouevenbringupthe“elephantintheroom”andsaythatyouhavethewisdomthat’sgoingtohelpguideyourteam.Lindaandothersbegantodialogueabouttheshortageofworkerscomingupsoon,andthefactthatthismaturitycouldbeadifferentiator.Wemovedintothedecisionallevelaswedelvedintoopeningnewdialoguewithothersaboutthetopic,doingfurthernetworkingtogetherandnetworkingwithothersoutsidethegroup.Lindasharedthatforher,participatingintheinquiryandknowingthatothersareidentifyingwithitmakesitfeelmoreinclusivetoherpersonally,andlearningothers’storiesandunderstandingthemwas“awesome.”Koleansaidthat“beingpartofthegroupcounterstheisolation”andthatshewas“gladtohavefacesforthepeoplewhohaveexperiencedthatandI’mverygratefulforthat,verypleasedthatsomanypeoplehavemadeittotheotherside,onewayoranother,anditgivesmesomehope.”Wehadsomegreatdialoguearoundthestigmaofbeingunemployedandhowithelpedustotalkmoreopenlyaboutit,andperhapswecouldencourageotherstodothesame.Wetalkedabouthavinggreaterempathyforothersthroughtheexperience.Sallytalkedaboutherrecentconversationswitheconomistsataconference,andwhensheaskedabouttheimpactoftheover50swhohavelostsignificantincomeandjobsecurity,theyseemedtowanttoignorethetopic.Othersjoinedinwithfrustrationathearingaboutshortagesinthelaborforce,andfeelinglike“lostboys”whenitcametobeingconsideredforjobopenings,andacceptinglowerwages.Aswewrappedupthedialogue,therewasimpetustomeetagaininpersonandstayintouch,nowthatthegrouphadacommonbondandrelationshipbuiltfromtheexperience.Weagreedtoprovidenetworkingsupportforpeoplewemightrefertooneanother.Therewerewarmfeelingsandexchangesofhugsattheendofthefocusgroup.

FindingsThepurposeofthefocusgroupwastobetogetherindialogueaboutexperiencesandtomovetowardnewunderstandingsandwaysofbeingtogetherthroughthetransitionexperience.AccordingtovanLoonandvanDijk(2015),

….duringagenerativedialogueyouarriveatsomethingthatismore/differentfromwhateachoftheconversationpartnersbroughtin,andwhattheythoughtorfeltat

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theverystart.Collectivenessiscreated,theresultarenewinsightsarisingfromthedialogicalprocess,notfrommultipleseparateindividualthinkingprocesses(p.66).

Bytheendofthefocusgroupanalysis,commonthemeshadarisenandtakennewshape,andarealvitalityemerged.Whileboththedialoguesandfocusgroupstartedwithexpressionsofstarkemotionsofshock,griefandsadness,theymovedthroughdescriptionofchallenges,andeventuallymessagesofstrengthandsupport,especiallyforoneanother.Whiletherewasacknowledgementofthevalueofsupportiveservicesandprofessionals,therewasmuchmorecredencepaidtothevalueofnetworkingandinnerresiliencethataidedinare-creationofoneselfthatwasnecessarytodeterminenextstepsduringworktransitions.InthissectionIwillsummarizetheareasthatcametogetherfortheco-researchersandgeneratedthemostdialogicenergyaroundthem.

NeedforcomfortandconnectionOneofthestrongestthemesidentifiedwasthatoftheco-researcherswantingtovoicetheirfeelingsandfindcomfortinconnectingwithothers.Thiswasevidentintheirdesiretodescribetheirfeelingsinwordsandsharethemwitheachother,usingavarietyofwordsandrelatedcontexts,suchasgrieforloss.Theynotedthewordsineachother’stranscriptsandwantedtotalkaboutthemandhowthosefeelingsconnectedthemtooneanother.Theyusedexpressionsthatcreatedimageryaroundthewords,suchas“havingcooties,”“beinginadarkhallway,”and“beinginlimbo.”Thedesireforconnectioncamethroughintheirdialoguearoundnetworkingwithothers,eitherthoseintransitionorthosewhomightbehelpfultothemintransition.Theystressedtheimportanceofnetworkinginhelpingthemmeetnewpeople,maintainconnectionswithfriends,explorenewareasofinterest,andsecureconnectionstonewjobpossibilities.Inaddition,theco-researchersstressedconnectionswithclosefriendsandcolleagueswhocouldhelpthemstaygroundedandnotlosehope.ThisissupportedbyBlusteinetal.(2013),whofoundthat,“Thesupportprovidedbypositiverelationshipsemergedasoneofthemostinfluentialfactorsonparticipants’experienceofunemployment”(p.260).Womenareperhapsatanadvantageinthattheirsocialsupportnetworksingeneral,andintimesofjoblossinparticular,tendtobestrongerthanmen’s(Eby&Buch,1995;Phelps&Mason,1991).However,intheworkenvironment,awoman’sprofessionalnetworkmightnotbeasstrongintermsofbeingmentoredorpreparingtomovetoanewpositionfollowingjobloss(Eby&Buch,1995;Phelps&Mason,1991,1991;Wang,2009).Stewartetal.(2002)stresstheimportanceofnetworkingas“oneofthebestcommunicationstrategiesforwomentousetoovercomegenderbiasintheworkplace”(p.194).Gowan(2012)reinforcesthis,emphasizingtheimportanceofsocialrelationshipsandcreationofanetworkaskeytoconsistentcareergrowth.Whilewomenhavestrongsocialnetworks,workingtodevelopstrongerprofessionalnetworkingskillscouldbevaluable,especiallyintheeventofanunexpectedjobtransition.Oneoftheprofessionalsparticipatinginthisinquiry,recruiterMarciaBallinger,co-authoredabookdesignedtohelpprofessionalswiththisveryskill(Ballinger&Perez,2012).

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Thisfindingindicatesaneedtohelpcreatenewwaysofconnectingwomenover50whoareinjobtransition.Followupwithemployeesafterlayoffsisneeded,connectingthemnotonlytoprofessionalresources,buttooneanother.Manywomencertainlytakethisonthemselves,butmorecouldbedoneamongtalentmanagementprofessionalsandcommunities,helpingwomenconnectwithothersintheirprofession(Eby&Buch,1995;Phelps&Mason,1991;Wang,2009).Connectionscouldalsobemadethroughotherinstitutionsandoutlets,suchasbookclubs,coffeeshops,women’sorganizations,churches,andusingon-linetoolssuchasblogs.Thereisaneedtomeetwomenwheretheyaresothattheyfeelcomfortableinsharingtheirstrugglesandexperiences.Themediacouldtakeamoreactiveroleaswell,highlightingthechallengesandaccomplishmentsofjobtransitionsinthoseover50.Eventhoughthelatestjobtransitionformostoftheco-researchershadtakenplaceonetothreeyearsago,theco-researchersinvolvedinthisinquirystilldesiredtoconnectwithoneanotherabouttheirexperiences.Thisspeakstotheimportanceofon-goingdialogueinadesiretohelpothersinsimilartransitions.

IncreasedrateofchangeandresilienceReferencestotime,changeandtheincreasedrateofchangewereprominentinthedialoguesandfocusgroup.Co-researcherswerecognizantoftechnologyandtheimpactofimprovingtheirskills.Theywereawareofimplicitbiasesofyoungerworkersandemployersthatthoseover50couldn’t“keepup.”Theyseemedconfidentthattheywerecomfortablewithchange,butthattheincreasingrateofchangewasachallengeforthem.Thisconnectedwiththeirdialoguearoundyoungerworkers’perspectives,thosewhohadgrownupwiththishighrateofchangeintheworkplaceandexpectedtochangeprojectsandjobsmorefrequently.Atthesametime,theco-researchersandtheirpeerswereverypositiveabouttheirabilitytoadaptandre-createthemselves.Theywereconfidentintheirabilitiestobringwisdom,maturity,andnewperspectivestotheworkplace.Inits“EffectivePracticeGuidelinesSeries”(Paullin,2014),TheSocietyforHumanResourceManagement(SHRM)Foundation,akeyplayerinthetalentmanagementarena,includesamanualfor“LeveragingtheTalentsofMatureEmployees,”espousingthepositiveattributesofmatureworkersas“anuntappedwelloftalent”(p.3).Theystrivetodispelmyths,citingresearchthatshowsmatureworkers“lessresistanttochangethanyoungerworkers,lesslikelytoleavetheorganization,lesslikelytomisswork,interestedinlearningnewthings,andabletokeepupwithtechnology”(Paullin,2014,p.6).Otherresearchindicatesthatolderadultsdemonstratecopingstrategiesaroundadversityandfailure,being“moreflexibleandbetterabletoadjusttheirstrivingstochangedcircumstancesthanwereyoungeradults”(Brandtstadter&Renner,1990,ascitedbyBaltes,LindenbergerandStaudinger,2007,p.636).Interestingly,onestudyfoundthatolderandyoungerworkerscomplementeachother’sproductivity;ifyouremovetheolderworkertheyoungerworkers’productivitydeclines(Maestas,Mullen,&Powell,2016).

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Morepositivedialoguearoundthesecapabilitiescouldimproveindividualandcollectiveviewsofolderworkers(Jenkins,2016;Schwartz&Kleiner,1999;Trawinski,2016).ReinforcingthisisNelson(2004),whocitesstudieshighlightingthepositivephysicalandmentaleffectsof“positiveagetraitterms”(p.151).TheAmericanAssociationofRetiredPersons(interestingly,preferringtonowbecalledsimply‘AARP®’)hasinitiatedanumberofprogramsaimedatopeningnewnarrativesaroundagingandbreakingdownagebarriersinemploymentandeducation(Trawinski,2016).Collegesarealsolookingfornewwaystoconnectwithmatureworkers,realizingthatmanywantandneedcontinuingeducation(Brody,1457948750;Hannon,Kerry,2015).Thereisvalueinconnectingthesetwo:theover-50workerisresilientandcapableofre-creation,andthecurrentworkplacedemandsconstantchangeandadaptation.Withpredictedupcominglaborshortages,combinedwithmoreexperiencedwomenintheworkforce,tappingpositivelyintothematurefemaleworkerhasadvantagesonmanylevels.Newdialoguestressingtheadaptabilityandresilienceofover-50workerneedstoevolve(Paullin,2014;Schwartz&Kleiner,1999).Itwouldbeinterestingtoexplorefurtherhowwecouldco-constructanemploymentenvironmentthatacknowledgesthestrengthsofthisconnection.

MaturationandanewwayofrelatingTheco-researchers’narrativesincludedstrongstatementsabouttheirinnerpower,flexibility,resilience,freedom,empathy,andcooperationaselementsofmaturity.Researcharoundpersonalityacrosslifespansupportsthesecharacteristics,notingthatself-regulationandstabilityinolderadultsactuallycontributestoresilience(Baltesetal.,2007).Theyfeltempoweredto“re-createasnecessary”inordertothriveinthenextphaseoflife,whatevertheymightdecidethatwasforthem,andtogivebackintheprocess.Fewcoulddisputethevalueofthesequalitiesintheworkforce.Researchreinforcesthesecharacteristicsasbothprevalentandkeytomovingthroughsuccessfuljobtransition(Paullin,2014;Schwartz&Kleiner,1999;Trawinski,2016).Theyarealsoimportanttosuccessinleadershipandworkeffectiveness.Emotionalmaturityandresiliencearebecominglargerfactorsinalltypesofhiring,andbehavioralinterviewquestionsattempttodetermineacandidate’sproficiencyintheseareas.Theco-researchershadasinceredesiretoofferthatmaturityandwisdomtotheworkplaceandthe“network”asawholeintheformofmentorships,networkingrelationships,andotherformsofsupport.Inanarticlereflectingontheresearchofwisdom,BaltesandSmith(2008)discusstheverbalandnon-verbalbehaviorsassociatedwithwisdom,including“goodjudgment”,“goodadvice”,and“empathyininterpersonalandgroupcontexts”(p.59).Thesebehaviorswerecertainlyalignedwithwhattheco-researchersindicatedtheywouldliketobeabletoofferthosewithwhomtheyworkedandnetworked.Thevalueofthisstrengthcouldbeawideningofopportunitiesforwomentosharetheirmaturitywithotherwomen,ofallages.Differencesinthewaysmenandwomenapproachjobtransitionwouldsuggestthatwoman-to-womannetworkingandmentorshipswouldbebeneficialtoall(Eby&Buch,1995;Gowan,2012).Whilethereisaneedforsame-age

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relationships,therecouldbetremendousbenefittomentorshiprelationshipsamongmorediverseagegroups,bothintheworkplaceandinthecommunity(Trawinski,2016).Highereducationinstitutions,nonprofits,communitygroups,neighborhood,andevenentertainmentvenuescouldbeinvolvedinpromotingtheserelationships.

NewtrendsandmovementOneofthetopicstoucheduponbrieflyattheendofthefocusgroupwasthatofthenationwideeconomicimpactofthoseover50whohavestruggledwithjobsecurityandunderemploymentandarenotpreparedforretirement.Someoftheco-researchersfeltthatthisisanareathathasbeenignoredbyeconomists.HowthisimpactsaneconomysuchasthatoftheU.S.thatislargelydrivenbyconsumerismisinquestion.Theeconomicrealitiesalsospeaktohope,withtheimpendinglaborshortageandrecentacknowledgementsofthenecessitytore-engageandvaluetheskillsofolderworkers(Farrell,2016).Thiscouldbehelpfulinalleviatingsomeofthepreviousfinancialstrugglesofjobtransitionthattheco-researchersexperienced.Educationandtrainingforhumanresourceprofessionalsandcorporaterecruiterscouldhelpreduceprejudiceandstereotypesthathavebeenperpetuated.ThisworkhasalreadybeenstartedbyorganizationssuchastheSocietyforHumanResourceProfessionals(SHRM)(Paullin,2014).Anotherpositivetrendistherecentfocusondisruptiveagingandpositiveaging,promotedbyorganizationssuchastheTAOSInstitute’sPositiveAgingNewsletter(“PositiveAgingNewsletter,”n.d.)andAARP’sJoAnnJenkinsinherrecentbook(Jenkins,2016).Thesepublicationshelpopennewandproductivenarrativearoundthelanguageandculturalpracticesaroundaging.Thistrendcouldhelpreduceprejudice,stigmatismandageismintheworkplace.

ConclusionsandRecommendationsMcNameenotesthatinrelationalresearch,“implications(otherwiseknownas“results”)arenotgeneralizablebutare,infact,usefultoaparticularcommunityinaparticularcultural,historicalandsituatedcontext”(2010,p.15).Likewise,“knowledgecreationisrelational,anditisfluidandchangeableinitsmaking”(Anderson,2014,p.64).Thisinquirybuildsuponwhathascomebefore,contributestowhatwemightfindusefulinourdiscoursearoundtransitioninwomenover50,andopensuptheopportunityforfurtherdialoguewithincommunitiestouchedbythatdiscourse,asearlierstated,to“broadenourresourcesforsociallife”(McNamee&Hosking,2013,p.35).Inthissection,Iwillsharehowwomenexperiencing“recreationintheageofwisdom”mightprovidepossibilitiestoassistinthat“broadening.”

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Reflectionsonthejourney

Thisinquirywasintendedtoexploreadifferentdialogueofsupportamongwomenover50in“becoming”throughthetransitionofinvoluntaryjobloss.WhatevolvedwasricherthanIhadimagined,fullofpositiveandupliftingdialogueamongwomenandprofessionalswhowantedtobehelpfultooneanother.Itwashopeful,withgenerativityaroundbuildingstrongerrelationshipsandconnections,whilealsooutwardlylookingtowardgreatercommunityawarenessofthevoicesofwomenover50intransition.Thesearewomenwhoattendevents,network,andconstantlyinvestinreinventionofthemselves.Theyaretrulyinspiringand,tome,reflecttherichestreflectionsof“wisdom”and“re-creation.”“PsychologyToday”explainsthat“wisdominvolvesanintegrationofknowledge,experienceanddeepunderstandingthatincorporatestolerancefortheuncertaintiesoflifeaswellasitsupsanddowns”(“Wisdom|PsychologyToday,”n.d.).Additionally,wisdomincludesan“optimism”aboutchallengingsituationsand“acertainamountofcalminfacingdifficultdecisions”(“Wisdom|PsychologyToday,”n.d.).Duringthefocusgroup,theco-researchersbuiltupontheideaofcallingthisperiodoflifeandtransition“theageofwisdom”and“re-creation”,reflectingtransformation,achangeinidentityandoutlookonlife,incorporatingwhattheyhadlearnedaboutlifeandaboutthemselves.Thewisdomandinsightsreflectedintheco-researchersstoodinstarkcontrast,however,tohowtheyfelttheywereoftentreatedintheworkplaceorbypotentialemployersduringtheirtimesoftransition.Ifinclusive,constructivedialoguecouldbringtogetherthewisdomandtheworkplaceneeds,whatwonderfulrelationalgrowthandchangemightbeexperienced!Thisjourneywasverymeaningfultomepersonally.Itwasafour-yeardeepdiveintowhathadbeenaverykeypartofmyprofessionalandpersonallifeandrelationships.Iwasabletorelivepartsofit,forbetterorworse,tochallengemyassumptions,butalsotobeupliftedbythecreationofnewmeaningandpossibilitythroughinteractionsamongtheco-researchers.Iwon’tsaythatIstilldon’thavenegativefeelingsorbitternessaroundsomeofmyownexperiences,butIwasencouragedthroughthedialoguetoreworkandrethinkmyreactionsandthoughtsaroundthem,and,insomecases,toreachgreaterpeacewithinmyselfandtoknowthatIwasnotaloneintheon-goingjourney.Theinquiryledmetoliteraturefromthe1930stothepresentthatwasveryilluminating;manyofthefeelingsandreactionstoworkandtransitionhavenotchangedovertheyears.Althoughcareers,workstyles,womenintheworkforce,andotheraspectsmayhavechanged,peoplearestillheavilyinvestedintheirworkidentityandlossofit,whenthatoccurs.Ourworkliveshavebeenextendedtolateryearsandthelinesbetweenworkandfullretirementhaveblurred.Therolesthatpeopleplayintheworkplacehavebeenbroadenedtoincludementoring,networking,consulting,teaming,virtualinteraction,andrelatinginothernewwayswithoneanother.Iwasdrawntonewliteratureaboutawarenessanddynamicsofwhatishappeninginworkandtransitionenvironmentsthatwillpositivelyaffectwomenintransitionover50…or60or70!

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BroadeningthediscoursearoundtransitionandworkManyofthepreviousstudiesregardingworkidentity,impactoftransition,andageandgenderfactorsreviewedhere(seeBackgroundsection)werereinforcedbytheinquiry.Previousstudies,reports,workshopsandtransitionsupportserviceshavefocusedondeficienciesofmaturewomenandperhaps“fixing”them,or“equipping”themforgoingforward.Whatthisinquiryaddstothediscoursearoundtransitionisstronger,moreconcisecommunityvoicearoundtherelationalneedsofthoseintransition,thepositiveattributesandmovementthatmatureworkerscanbringtotheworkenvironment,andthedispellingofsomeofthemythsthatpeoplehaveaboutmatureworkers,especiallyinournowverydiverseworkcommunities.Italsospeakstosomeoftheurgencysurroundingtheneedforchangingthenarrative,giventheeconomicneedsofthoseover50andtheimminentlaborshortage.Supportedbythetheoryofrelationalandgenerativeinquiry,furtheractionresearcharoundbuildingthesesupportsystemswithinandoutsideofworkenvironmentsstartingatyoungeragescouldhelpusmovetowardhelpingwomenprepareforthechangesthatcomewithtransitionthroughouttheirlives,andespeciallywhentheyareover50andexperiencingthechallengesbroughtforthinthisinquiry.Whatweexperiencedinthisinquirywasasinceredesireonthepartoftheco-researcherstohelpothers,tosupportothers,onthejourney.Ibelievethatcallinguponmorewomen“intheageofwisdom”wouldbefruitfulinhelpingtobuildthesesupportsystemstobettermeettheneedsofthoseforwhomtheyaredesigned.Iplantoworktowardsfurtherdialoguearoundthis,sharingthisinquirywithanumberofwomen’sgroupsinthecommunity.Astheworkforcebeginstoturnoverthebabyboomers(thosebornapproximatelybetween1946and1964,followingWorldWarII)whodon’tnecessarilywanttoretire,anopportunityalsoexistsforfurtherinquiryintohowweevendefine“work”and“theworkforce.”Theroleoflanguageiscriticalinhowweconstructourworldandassignmeaningtoourrelationships(K.Gergen,2015a).Therecouldbeimpetusforawholenewlanguagethatincludesvolunteerism,mentoring,networking,andotheractivitiesthatcontributepositivelytothephenomenonwehavepreviouslycalled“work”ora“job.”InpublicationsandsocialmediaoforganizationssuchasAARPweoftenseefeaturestoriesofthosewhohaveembarkedonnewcareersorfoundnewinterestsinlaterlife,butthebroadeningdiscoursearoundtransitionandworksuggestedherewouldencompassmorethanjustmediaintendedforaudiencesover50.TherelationalresearchnetworkcommunityoftheTAOSInstitute(http://www.taosinstitute.net/relational-research-network)isaplacewhereco-researcherscanengageindialoguearoundtheinquiryandsparkinterestfromothercommunities.Otherforumsmightincludecityandcountygovernmententities,humanresourceorganizations,andfaith-basedgroups.

Expandinginquiryaroundworkforcediversity

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Nelson(ed.,2004)highlightsinquirythathasfocusedonthemorenegativestereotypesofolderworkers,ratherthanbuildingonthepositivesocialaspectsofintergenerationalenvironments.Theabilitytoadaptandrecreateoneselfshouldbeaffirmedandcultivatedaskeyattributesofallworkers,andhighlightedasaqualitythatmanymatureworkershavedeveloped.Humanresource,organizationaldevelopment,andchangemanagementgroupsareinvolvedintheon-goingnarrativesaroundworkplacediversity.Itwouldbroadenthenarrativetoincludeintergenerationalelementsandopenmoredialoguearoundbuildingrich,age-diverseworkenvironmentsthatresearchconfirmsaremorestableandproductive(Paullin,2014).Recently,Iconductedaworkshopentitled“RecruitmentandRetentioninTimesofDemographicChange”attwodifferentnonprofitconferences.Theworkshopswerewellattendedandthedialoguecenteredaroundsuchtopicsasintergenerationalcommunication,employeeengagement,talentrecruitmentstrategies(includingolderworkers)andsuccessionplanning.Ihopetoholdthisinteractiveworkshopinothersettingsandperhapsproduceanonlineversionofit.Workshopenvironments,includingonlineformats,arebecomingincreasinglyinteractive,andareheldbymanyorganizationsinprofessionalandcommunitysettings.Utilizingthisformattodrawmorecommunityvoicesaroundtopicsofstereotypes,bias,adaptability,commonmyths,etc.couldexpandthediscoursearoundintergenerationaldiversity.

AsenseofurgencyThelivesoftheco-researcherschangedagreatdealduringthefour-yearspanoftimeofthisinquiry.Infact,oneoftheco-researchersmetwithmethisweektoshareherlatestchallenge:anotherjobtransition.TheSocietyforHumanResourceManagementFoundationreportof2016predictedthat“matureworkerswillbeafirm’slargestsourceoftalentinthenexttwodecades”(Paullin,2014,p.3).Governmentpoliciesaroundretirementage,healthcarecosts,andtheresultingeconomicimplicationstothoseover50arecurrentlyinplay.Thisaddsurgencytotherecommendationshereforcommunity-based,collaborativeworkthatexpandsthedialogueandincludesmorevoicesfromdiversegroups,andatallincomelevels.Iwasdiscussingtheinquirywithastudentinoneofmyclassesatalocaluniversityrecently,andhesaid,“Oh,mymomwouldlovetoreadaboutyourwork!AfewyearsagoshewaslaidoffbyXYZcorporationandIsawhowshechangedasaresultofthatexperience.Sheisnowworkingforaconsultingcompanyandisveryhappy,morerelaxed,andmentoringothers.”Indeed,itseemedthateverytimeIexplainthisinquirytoacuriousperson,heorsheexclaims,“Whatagreattopic!Iknowsomanypeoplewhowouldbeinterestedintalkingaboutthat.”Ibelievetherearemorewomen….manymore….whowanttoshare,justasthewomeninthisinquiryhave.KenGergen’squoteholdspromise:“Theaimofresearchwouldnotbetoilluminatewhatis,buttocreatewhatistobecome” (2015b,p.6).Asitrelatestowomenover50re-creatingthemselvesintheageofwisdom,wecandomore.Themorevoiceswe

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drawupon,thegreaterandfasterthechangetheywillexperiencetowardtherelation,connection,andrecognitionoftheirvalueinsociety.

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AppendixI

InformationandConsentForm

InformationandConsentForm

FranLyon-Dugin,TAOSInstituteStudyonInvoluntaryJobTransitionOver50

Introduction:Youareinvitedtoparticipateinaresearchstudyinvestigating“InvoluntaryJobTransitioninThoseOver50”.ThisstudyisbeingconductedbyFrancesE.Lyon-Dugin,aPhDstudentatTilburgUniversity,underthesupervisionofDr.VirginiaBelden-CharlesandDr.GerdavanDijk.Youwereselectedasapossibleparticipantinthisresearchbecauseofyourexperiencesorconsultationinareasrelatedtothesubjectofthestudy.Pleasereadthisformandaskquestionsbeforeyouagreetobeinthestudy.BackgroundInformation:Thepurposeofthisstudyistoutilizepersonalstoriestouncoverpatternsandthemesintheexperiencesofthosehavegonethroughthistransition,orhavebeeninvolvedthroughaprofessionalassociationwiththosewhohave.BenefitsoftheStudy:Theintentofthisstudyistoprovideinformationrelatedtothistopicthatwillbehelpfultoothersinthefuture.Approximatelyeighttotenpeopleareexpectedtoparticipateinthisresearch.Procedures:Ifyoudecidetoparticipate,youwillbeaskedtoparticipateinoneormorephoneorin-personinterviewsorgroupmeetings.Interviewsandmeetingswillbearrangedtofittheschedulesoftheparticipantsatamutuallyagreeablelocation.Confidentiality:Anyinformationobtainedinconnectionwiththisresearchstudythatcanbeidentifiedwithyouwillbedisclosedonlywithyourpermission.Youcanrefusetoansweranyofthequestionsposedtoyou.Youmaynotifymeofanyinformationthatyouwishtonotbeincluded.Inanywrittenreportsorpublications,onlyafirstnameorpseudonym,ifyouprefer,willbeused.Anycompanyreferencedwillbeidentifiedbyaletter,suchasA,BorCandthedescriptionwillbebroad,suchasa“largenot-for-profit.”TheresearchisintendedtobepartofapublishedPhDdissertation,andwill,assuch,becomeapublicrecord.Voluntarynatureofthestudy:Participationinthisresearchstudyisvoluntary.Yourdecisionwhetherornottoparticipatewill

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notaffectyourfuturerelationswiththeTaosInstituteorTilburgUniversityinanyway.Ifyoudecidetoparticipate,youarefreetostopatanytimewithoutaffectingtheserelationships.Contactsandquestions:Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasefeelfreetocontactme,FrancesLyon-Dugin,612-670-3408,[email protected],orifyouhaveanyadditionalquestionslater,myadvisorintheUS,Dr.VirginiaBelden-Charles,651-698-7799,[email protected],willbehappytoanswerthem.Youmaykeepacopyofthisformforyourrecords.StatementofConsent:Youaremakingadecisionwhetherornottoparticipate.Yoursignatureindicatesthatyouhavereadthisinformationandyourquestionshavebeenanswered.Evenaftersigningthisform,pleaseknowthatyoumaywithdrawfromthestudyatanytime._____________________________________________________________Iconsenttoparticipateinthestudyandtobeaudio-tapedand/orvideo-taped._____________________________________________________________SignatureofParticipant DatePrintedName

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AppendixII

AppreciativeInquiry:Dialogue-InitiatingQuestions AppreciativeInquiry:Peopleintransition

1. Tostart,Iwouldliketolearnaboutyourexperiencewithbeinginvoluntarilyterminated.Tellmethestoryofhowitallcameabout.

-afterthestory,askreflectivequestions

2. Whattypesoffeelingsdoyourememberexperiencingduringdifferentpointsinthe

transition?Arethereanythatstandoutinparticular,andwhatwerethecircumstancesaroundthem?

3. Whathelpedyousurviveormeetthisdifficultchallenge?

4. Whoweresomeofthepeopleinvolvedinyourtransitionexperience?Whatdidthey

offeryou?5. Asyoureflectontheoptionsthatwerebeforeyou,whatstandsoutinyourmemory

abouthowyouviewedthoseoptions?6. Whatoptionsexcitedyouandwhy?7. Wheredidyougetyourenergy?Whatresourcesdidyoufindwithinyourselfthat

helpedyou?8. Howdoyouthinkthoseoptionsmighthavechangedfromwhattheymighthave

beenatayoungerage?9. Howdidyougoaboutgrowingandlearningduringthattime?10. Tellmeaboutyourrelationshipswithyourfamilyduringthattime.Whatwasmost

helpfultoyou?Whatchangedinthoserelationships?11. Tellmeaboutyourrelationshipswithyourfriendsduringthattime.Whatwasmost

helpfulaboutyourinteractionswiththem?Whatchangedinthoserelationships?12. Tellmeaboutyourexperienceswithpeersorcolleaguesduringthattime.What

wasmosthelpfultoyou?Whatchangedinthoserelationships?13. Whatweresomeofthesupportsystemsthatyouinvestigatedtohelpyouthrough

yourtransition?Tellmeaboutyourexperienceswiththem….

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14. Howdoyouviewyourcareerpositioningoryourfutureingeneralnow?Whatsteps

arenextforyou?Howdoyoufeelaboutthosesteps?15. Howdoyounowdefine“success”?Hasthatdefinitionchangedasaresultofyour

experience?Howdoyouthinkthatdefinitionmightbedifferentnowthanitwasatayoungerage?

16. Howhaveyourvalueschanged,iftheyhave?17. Howdoyoufeelyouhavegrownordevelopedfromyourtransitionexperience?

Whatchangesdoyoufeelinyourself?18. Ifyouweretobeinapositiontohelpthosewhohavebeenlaidoff,whatwouldyou

sharewiththem?

19. Whatcouldhavehelpedyounavigatethismoreeasily?

20. Whatchangesinoursocietyingeneralmightbehelpful?Whatstepscouldyoutaketoinfluencethosechanges?Whatmightyoucontribute?

AppreciativeInquiry:Peopleinsupportofthoseintransition

1. Tostart,howdidyoucometobeinvolvedwithindividualsover50whoareintransitionorwhohavebeenlaidoff

-afterthestory,askreflectivequestions

2. Whattypesoffeelingshaveyouobservedinthosewhohavebeenlaidoffover50?

Withwhichonescouldyouempathizethemost?Tellmesomestoriesaboutthat…..

3. Whatdoyouthinkyoucanofferthoseover50whoareintransitionorwhohavebeenlaidoff?

4. Whatexcitesyouaboutworkingwithpeopleover50whohavebeenlaidoff?What

givesyouenergy?

5. Howhaveyourgrownanddevelopedthroughworkingwithpeoplewhohavebeenlaidofforareintransitionover50?

6. Tellmeaboutyourexperienceswithpeersorcolleaguesrelatedtoworkingwith

peopleover50intransition.Whatdoyoutalkaboutwhenthatisthesubjectofconversation?

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7. Haveyoueverdevelopedtoolsorworkshopstohelpsupportthoseover50whoareintransition?Whathasbeenmostsuccessful?Whathavebeentheirreactions?(Tellmestories)

8. Whatweresomeofthesupportsystemsthatyouhavesuggestedtothoseover50

whoareintransition?Whatfeedbackhaveyougottenfrompeopleafteryouhavereferredthemtothosesupportsystems?

9. Whathaveyouobservedabouttherelationshipspeopleover50whoarein

transitionhavewithfamilyandfriends?Howdotheychange?Howaretheypositivelyaffected?

10. Whatstorieshaveyouheardbackfromthosewithwhomyouhaveworked?Doany

ofthemstandoutasparticularlyhopefulorrewarding?

11. Hasyourdefinitionof“success”changedasyouhaveworkedwithpeopleover50whohavebeeniaidofforareintransition?

12. Howcouldyourindustryasawholebemorehelpfultothoseover50intransition?

13. Whoelsecouldbehelpfultothisgroupandhow?Howaboutsocietyasawhole?

Whatdoyouhopetocontribute?

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AppendixIII

FocusGroup:TheArtofFocusedConversationIntroduction

- participants- process

Objectivelevel:questionsaboutfactsandexternalreality• Whatwordsorphrasesfromyourownstoryorothersdoyourememberreadingin

thenarrativeanalysis?• Whatthemesdoyouremembermostvividlyfromthenarrativeanalysis;which

onesstoodouttoyou?• Whatwasleft“ringinginyourears”afterreadingtheanalysis?• Whatlingeredinyourmindafterreadingtheanalysis?

Reflectivelevel:questionstocallforthimmediatepersonalreactiontothedata,aninternalresponse,sometimesemotionsorfeelings,hiddenimagesandassociationswiththefacts;internalresponses

• Whatsurprisedyou?• Whatdelightedyouorcausedpositivefeelings?• Wheredidyoustrugglewiththethemesorwhatwassaid?• Whichofthethemes,afterreading,leftyouwantingtotalkaboutthemmorewith

therestofthegroup?Interpretivelevel:questionstodrawoutmeaning,values,significanceandimplications

• Whatdoesthismeanforus,orpeoplelikeus?• OneofthemetaphorsthatmyadviserandIhavediscussedaroundthisinquiryis

transitionasa“comingofage”experience(strugglewithidentity,notknowingwhethertostickwithapastlifeorpursueadifferentpath,growthandchangeintheprocess).Fromyourreadingofthenarrativeanalysis,doesthisresonatewithyou?

• Isthereanothermetaphorthatfitsbetterthana“comingofage”experience?• Whatvaluemightthisinquiryhaveforothers?

Decisionallevel:questionstoelicitresolution,bringtheconversationtoaclose,andenablethegrouptomakearesolveaboutthefuture

• Whatcanwetakeawayfromexaminingthesenarrativestogether?• Howiswhatwearetakingawaydifferentfromwherewestartedasindividuals?• Howmightbeingpartofthisinquiryaffectyouinthefuture?• Whatphrasemightyouusetosummarizeourdialogue?

Closing• wrapup,summary• thankyou’s

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